No Fear Literature: The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath's Tale The Wife of Bath’s Tale Page 13

Continue reading with a SparkNotes PLUS trial

Already have an account? Log in

Original Text	Modern Text
Chese now,’ quod she, ‘oon of thise thinges tweye, To han me foul and old til that I deye, And be to yow a trewe humble wyf, And never yow displese in al my lyf, Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair, And take your aventure of the repair That shal be to your hous, by-cause of me, Or in som other place, may wel be. Now chese your-selven, whether that yow lyketh.’	Chese now,’ quod she, ‘oon of thise thinges tweye, To han me foul and old til that I deye, And be to yow a trewe humble wyf, And never yow displese in al my lyf, Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair, And take your aventure of the repair That shal be to your hous, by-cause of me, Or in som other place, may wel be. Now chese your-selven, whether that yow lyketh.’
This knight avyseth him and sore syketh, But atte laste he seyde in this manere, ‘My lady and my love, and wyf so dere, I put me in your wyse governance; Cheseth your-self, which may be most plesance, And most honour to yow and me also. I do no fors the whether of the two; For as yow lyketh, it suffiseth me.’	This knight avyseth him and sore syketh, But atte laste he seyde in this manere, ‘My lady and my love, and wyf so dere, I put me in your wyse governance; Cheseth your-self, which may be most plesance, And most honour to yow and me also. I do no fors the whether of the two; For as yow lyketh, it suffiseth me.’
‘Thanne have I gete of yow maistrye,’ quod she, ‘Sin I may chese, and governe as me lest?’	‘Thanne have I gete of yow maistrye,’ quod she, ‘Sin I may chese, and governe as me lest?’
‘Ye, certes, wyf,’ quod he, ‘I holde it best.’	‘Ye, certes, wyf,’ quod he, ‘I holde it best.’
‘Kis me,’ quod she, ‘we be no lenger wrothe; For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe, This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good. I prey to God that I mot sterven wood, But I to yow be al-so good and trewe As ever was wyf, sin that the world was newe. And, but I be to-morn as fair to sene As any lady, emperyce, or quene, That is bitwixe the est and eke the west, Doth with my lyf and deeth right as yow lest. Cast up the curtin, loke how that it is.’	‘Kis me,’ quod she, ‘we be no lenger wrothe; For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe, This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good. I prey to God that I mot sterven wood, But I to yow be al-so good and trewe As ever was wyf, sin that the world was newe. And, but I be to-morn as fair to sene As any lady, emperyce, or quene, That is bitwixe the est and eke the west, Doth with my lyf and deeth right as yow lest. Cast up the curtin, loke how that it is.’

Original Text	Modern Text
Chese now,’ quod she, ‘oon of thise thinges tweye, To han me foul and old til that I deye, And be to yow a trewe humble wyf, And never yow displese in al my lyf, Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair, And take your aventure of the repair That shal be to your hous, by-cause of me, Or in som other place, may wel be. Now chese your-selven, whether that yow lyketh.’	Chese now,’ quod she, ‘oon of thise thinges tweye, To han me foul and old til that I deye, And be to yow a trewe humble wyf, And never yow displese in al my lyf, Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair, And take your aventure of the repair That shal be to your hous, by-cause of me, Or in som other place, may wel be. Now chese your-selven, whether that yow lyketh.’
This knight avyseth him and sore syketh, But atte laste he seyde in this manere, ‘My lady and my love, and wyf so dere, I put me in your wyse governance; Cheseth your-self, which may be most plesance, And most honour to yow and me also. I do no fors the whether of the two; For as yow lyketh, it suffiseth me.’	This knight avyseth him and sore syketh, But atte laste he seyde in this manere, ‘My lady and my love, and wyf so dere, I put me in your wyse governance; Cheseth your-self, which may be most plesance, And most honour to yow and me also. I do no fors the whether of the two; For as yow lyketh, it suffiseth me.’
‘Thanne have I gete of yow maistrye,’ quod she, ‘Sin I may chese, and governe as me lest?’	‘Thanne have I gete of yow maistrye,’ quod she, ‘Sin I may chese, and governe as me lest?’
‘Ye, certes, wyf,’ quod he, ‘I holde it best.’	‘Ye, certes, wyf,’ quod he, ‘I holde it best.’
‘Kis me,’ quod she, ‘we be no lenger wrothe; For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe, This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good. I prey to God that I mot sterven wood, But I to yow be al-so good and trewe As ever was wyf, sin that the world was newe. And, but I be to-morn as fair to sene As any lady, emperyce, or quene, That is bitwixe the est and eke the west, Doth with my lyf and deeth right as yow lest. Cast up the curtin, loke how that it is.’	‘Kis me,’ quod she, ‘we be no lenger wrothe; For, by my trouthe, I wol be to yow bothe, This is to seyn, ye, bothe fair and good. I prey to God that I mot sterven wood, But I to yow be al-so good and trewe As ever was wyf, sin that the world was newe. And, but I be to-morn as fair to sene As any lady, emperyce, or quene, That is bitwixe the est and eke the west, Doth with my lyf and deeth right as yow lest. Cast up the curtin, loke how that it is.’