428
E. THE MARCHANTES TALE.
[T. 9148-9180.
On which he mighte engendren him an heir,
And lede his lyf in Ioye and in solas,
(30)Wher-as thise bacheleres[1] singe 'allas,'
1275Whan that they finden any adversitee
In love, which nis but childish vanitee.
And trewely it sit wel to be so,
That bacheleres[1] have often peyne and wo;
On brotel ground they builde, and brotelnesse
1280They finde, whan they wene sikernesse.
They live but as a brid or as a beste,[2]
In libertee, and under non areste,[2]
Ther-as a wedded man in his estaat
(40)Liveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat,
1285Under the[3] yok of mariage y-bounde;
Wel may his herte in Ioye and blisse habounde.
For who can be so buxom as a wyf?
Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
To kepe him, syk and hool, as is his make?
1290For wele or wo, she wol him nat forsake.
She nis nat wery him to love and serve,
Thogh that he lye bedrede til he sterve.
And yet somme clerkes seyn, it nis[4] nat so,
(50)Of whiche he, Theofraste, is oon of tho.
1295What force though Theofraste liste lye?
'Ne take no wyf,' quod he, 'for housbondrye,
As for to spare in houshold thy dispence;
A trewe servant dooth more diligence,
Thy good to kepe, than thyn owene wyf.
1300For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf;
And if that[5] thou be syk, so god me save,
Thy verray frendes or a trewe knave
Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay
(60)After thy good, and hath don many a day.
[T. om.And if thou take a wyf un-to thyn hold,[6]
[T. om.Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold.'[6]
And lede his lyf in Ioye and in solas,
(30)Wher-as thise bacheleres[1] singe 'allas,'
1275Whan that they finden any adversitee
In love, which nis but childish vanitee.
And trewely it sit wel to be so,
That bacheleres[1] have often peyne and wo;
On brotel ground they builde, and brotelnesse
1280They finde, whan they wene sikernesse.
They live but as a brid or as a beste,[2]
In libertee, and under non areste,[2]
Ther-as a wedded man in his estaat
(40)Liveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat,
1285Under the[3] yok of mariage y-bounde;
Wel may his herte in Ioye and blisse habounde.
For who can be so buxom as a wyf?
Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
To kepe him, syk and hool, as is his make?
1290For wele or wo, she wol him nat forsake.
She nis nat wery him to love and serve,
Thogh that he lye bedrede til he sterve.
And yet somme clerkes seyn, it nis[4] nat so,
(50)Of whiche he, Theofraste, is oon of tho.
1295What force though Theofraste liste lye?
'Ne take no wyf,' quod he, 'for housbondrye,
As for to spare in houshold thy dispence;
A trewe servant dooth more diligence,
Thy good to kepe, than thyn owene wyf.
1300For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf;
And if that[5] thou be syk, so god me save,
Thy verray frendes or a trewe knave
Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay
(60)After thy good, and hath don many a day.
[T. om.And if thou take a wyf un-to thyn hold,[6]
[T. om.Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold.'[6]
