No Fear Literature: The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath's Tale The Wife of Bath’s Tale Page 3

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Original Text	Modern Text
Wo was this knight and sorwefully he syketh; But what! he may nat do al as him lyketh. And at the laste, he chees him for to wende, And come agayn, right at the yeres ende, With swich answere as God wolde him purveye; And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye.	Wo was this knight and sorwefully he syketh; But what! he may nat do al as him lyketh. And at the laste, he chees him for to wende, And come agayn, right at the yeres ende, With swich answere as God wolde him purveye; And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye.
He seketh every hous and every place, Wher-as he hopeth for to finde grace, To lerne, what thing wommen loven most; But he ne coude arryven in no cost, Wher-as he mighte finde in this matere Two creatures accordinge in-fere.	He seketh every hous and every place, Wher-as he hopeth for to finde grace, To lerne, what thing wommen loven most; But he ne coude arryven in no cost, Wher-as he mighte finde in this matere Two creatures accordinge in-fere.
Somme seyde, wommen loven best richesse, Somme seyde, honour, somme seyde, Iolynesse; Somme, riche array, somme seyden, lust abedde, And ofte tyme to be widwe and wedde.	Somme seyde, wommen loven best richesse, Somme seyde, honour, somme seyde, Iolynesse; Somme, riche array, somme seyden, lust abedde, And ofte tyme to be widwe and wedde.
Somme seyde, that our hertes been most esed, Whan that we been y-flatered and y-plesed. He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye; A man shal winne us best with flaterye; And with attendance, and with bisinesse, Been we y-lymed, bothe more and lesse.	Somme seyde, that our hertes been most esed, Whan that we been y-flatered and y-plesed. He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye; A man shal winne us best with flaterye; And with attendance, and with bisinesse, Been we y-lymed, bothe more and lesse.
And somme seyn, how that we loven best For to be free, and do right as us lest, And that no man repreve us of our vyce, But seye that we be wyse, and no-thing nyce. For trewely, ther is noon of us alle, If any wight wol clawe us on the galle, That we nil kike, for he seith us sooth; Assay, and he shal finde it that so dooth. For be we never so vicious with-inne, We wol been holden wyse, and clene of sinne.	And somme seyn, how that we loven best For to be free, and do right as us lest, And that no man repreve us of our vyce, But seye that we be wyse, and no-thing nyce. For trewely, ther is noon of us alle, If any wight wol clawe us on the galle, That we nil kike, for he seith us sooth; Assay, and he shal finde it that so dooth. For be we never so vicious with-inne, We wol been holden wyse, and clene of sinne.

Original Text	Modern Text
Wo was this knight and sorwefully he syketh; But what! he may nat do al as him lyketh. And at the laste, he chees him for to wende, And come agayn, right at the yeres ende, With swich answere as God wolde him purveye; And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye.	Wo was this knight and sorwefully he syketh; But what! he may nat do al as him lyketh. And at the laste, he chees him for to wende, And come agayn, right at the yeres ende, With swich answere as God wolde him purveye; And taketh his leve, and wendeth forth his weye.
He seketh every hous and every place, Wher-as he hopeth for to finde grace, To lerne, what thing wommen loven most; But he ne coude arryven in no cost, Wher-as he mighte finde in this matere Two creatures accordinge in-fere.	He seketh every hous and every place, Wher-as he hopeth for to finde grace, To lerne, what thing wommen loven most; But he ne coude arryven in no cost, Wher-as he mighte finde in this matere Two creatures accordinge in-fere.
Somme seyde, wommen loven best richesse, Somme seyde, honour, somme seyde, Iolynesse; Somme, riche array, somme seyden, lust abedde, And ofte tyme to be widwe and wedde.	Somme seyde, wommen loven best richesse, Somme seyde, honour, somme seyde, Iolynesse; Somme, riche array, somme seyden, lust abedde, And ofte tyme to be widwe and wedde.
Somme seyde, that our hertes been most esed, Whan that we been y-flatered and y-plesed. He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye; A man shal winne us best with flaterye; And with attendance, and with bisinesse, Been we y-lymed, bothe more and lesse.	Somme seyde, that our hertes been most esed, Whan that we been y-flatered and y-plesed. He gooth ful ny the sothe, I wol nat lye; A man shal winne us best with flaterye; And with attendance, and with bisinesse, Been we y-lymed, bothe more and lesse.
And somme seyn, how that we loven best For to be free, and do right as us lest, And that no man repreve us of our vyce, But seye that we be wyse, and no-thing nyce. For trewely, ther is noon of us alle, If any wight wol clawe us on the galle, That we nil kike, for he seith us sooth; Assay, and he shal finde it that so dooth. For be we never so vicious with-inne, We wol been holden wyse, and clene of sinne.	And somme seyn, how that we loven best For to be free, and do right as us lest, And that no man repreve us of our vyce, But seye that we be wyse, and no-thing nyce. For trewely, ther is noon of us alle, If any wight wol clawe us on the galle, That we nil kike, for he seith us sooth; Assay, and he shal finde it that so dooth. For be we never so vicious with-inne, We wol been holden wyse, and clene of sinne.