No Fear Literature: The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath's Tale Prologue to the Wife of Bath’s Tale Page 8

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Original Text	Modern Text
Now herkneth, how I bar me proprely, Ye wyse wyves, that can understonde.	Now herkneth, how I bar me proprely, Ye wyse wyves, that can understonde.
Thus shul ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde; For half so boldely can ther no man Swere and lyen as a womman can. I sey nat this by wyves that ben wyse, But-if it be whan they hem misavyse. A wys wyf, if that she can hir good, Shal beren him on hond the cow is wood, And take witnesse of hir owene mayde Of hir assent; but herkneth how I sayde.	Thus shul ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde; For half so boldely can ther no man Swere and lyen as a womman can. I sey nat this by wyves that ben wyse, But-if it be whan they hem misavyse. A wys wyf, if that she can hir good, Shal beren him on hond the cow is wood, And take witnesse of hir owene mayde Of hir assent; but herkneth how I sayde.
‘Sir olde kaynard, is this thyn array? Why is my neighebores wyf so gay? She is honoured over-al ther she goth; I sitte at hoom, I have no thrifty cloth. What dostow at my neighebores hous? Is she so fair? artow so amorous? What rowne ye with our mayde? benedicite! Sir olde lechour, lat thy Iapes be! And if I have a gossib or a freend, With-outen gilt, thou chydest as a feend, If that I walke or pleye unto his hous! Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous, And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef! Thou seist to me, it is a greet meschief To wedde a povre womman, for costage; And if that she be riche, of heigh parage, Than seistow that it is a tormentrye To suffre hir pryde and hir malencolye. And if that she be fair, thou verray knave, Thou seyst that every holour wol hir have; She may no whyle in chastitee abyde, That is assailled upon ech a syde.	‘Sir olde kaynard, is this thyn array? Why is my neighebores wyf so gay? She is honoured over-al ther she goth; I sitte at hoom, I have no thrifty cloth. What dostow at my neighebores hous? Is she so fair? artow so amorous? What rowne ye with our mayde? benedicite! Sir olde lechour, lat thy Iapes be! And if I have a gossib or a freend, With-outen gilt, thou chydest as a feend, If that I walke or pleye unto his hous! Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous, And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef! Thou seist to me, it is a greet meschief To wedde a povre womman, for costage; And if that she be riche, of heigh parage, Than seistow that it is a tormentrye To suffre hir pryde and hir malencolye. And if that she be fair, thou verray knave, Thou seyst that every holour wol hir have; She may no whyle in chastitee abyde, That is assailled upon ech a syde.

Original Text	Modern Text
Now herkneth, how I bar me proprely, Ye wyse wyves, that can understonde.	Now herkneth, how I bar me proprely, Ye wyse wyves, that can understonde.
Thus shul ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde; For half so boldely can ther no man Swere and lyen as a womman can. I sey nat this by wyves that ben wyse, But-if it be whan they hem misavyse. A wys wyf, if that she can hir good, Shal beren him on hond the cow is wood, And take witnesse of hir owene mayde Of hir assent; but herkneth how I sayde.	Thus shul ye speke and bere hem wrong on honde; For half so boldely can ther no man Swere and lyen as a womman can. I sey nat this by wyves that ben wyse, But-if it be whan they hem misavyse. A wys wyf, if that she can hir good, Shal beren him on hond the cow is wood, And take witnesse of hir owene mayde Of hir assent; but herkneth how I sayde.
‘Sir olde kaynard, is this thyn array? Why is my neighebores wyf so gay? She is honoured over-al ther she goth; I sitte at hoom, I have no thrifty cloth. What dostow at my neighebores hous? Is she so fair? artow so amorous? What rowne ye with our mayde? benedicite! Sir olde lechour, lat thy Iapes be! And if I have a gossib or a freend, With-outen gilt, thou chydest as a feend, If that I walke or pleye unto his hous! Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous, And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef! Thou seist to me, it is a greet meschief To wedde a povre womman, for costage; And if that she be riche, of heigh parage, Than seistow that it is a tormentrye To suffre hir pryde and hir malencolye. And if that she be fair, thou verray knave, Thou seyst that every holour wol hir have; She may no whyle in chastitee abyde, That is assailled upon ech a syde.	‘Sir olde kaynard, is this thyn array? Why is my neighebores wyf so gay? She is honoured over-al ther she goth; I sitte at hoom, I have no thrifty cloth. What dostow at my neighebores hous? Is she so fair? artow so amorous? What rowne ye with our mayde? benedicite! Sir olde lechour, lat thy Iapes be! And if I have a gossib or a freend, With-outen gilt, thou chydest as a feend, If that I walke or pleye unto his hous! Thou comest hoom as dronken as a mous, And prechest on thy bench, with yvel preef! Thou seist to me, it is a greet meschief To wedde a povre womman, for costage; And if that she be riche, of heigh parage, Than seistow that it is a tormentrye To suffre hir pryde and hir malencolye. And if that she be fair, thou verray knave, Thou seyst that every holour wol hir have; She may no whyle in chastitee abyde, That is assailled upon ech a syde.