The Canterbury Tales · The Man of Law’s Tale · The Tale 1424 (1/4)

The Tale1424

O scatheful harm, condition of povérty,

With thirst, with cold, with hunger so confounded;

To askë help thee shameth in thine heartë;

If thou none ask, so sore art thou y-wounded,

That very need unwrappeth all thy wound hid.

Maugré thine head thou must for indigence

Or steal, or beg, or borrow thy dispence.1425

Thou blamest Christ, and sayst full bitterly,

He misdeparteth1426 riches temporal;

Thy neighëbour thou witest1427 sinfully,

And sayst, thou hast too little, and he hath all:

“Parfay (sayst thou) sometime he reckon shall,

When that his tail shall brennen in the glede,1428

For he not help’d the needful in their need.”

Hearken what is the sentence of the wise:

Better to die than to have indigence.

Thy selvë neighëbour1429 will thee despise,

If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence.

Yet of the wisë man take this senténce,

Allë the days of poorë men be wick’,1430

Beware therefore ere thou come to that prick.1431

If thou be poor, thy brother hateth thee,

And all thy friendës flee from thee, alas!

O richë merchants, full of wealth be ye,

O noble, prudent folk, as in this case,

Your baggës be not fill’d with ambës ace,1432

But with six-cinque,1433 that runneth for your chance;

At Christenmass well merry may ye dance.

Ye seekë land and sea for your winníngs,

As wisë folk ye knowen all th’ estate

Of regnës;1434 ye be fathers of tidings,

And talës, both of peace and of debate:1435

I were right now of talës desolate,1436

But that a merchant, gone in many a year,

Me taught a tale, which ye shall after hear.

In Syria whilom dwelt a company

Of chapmen rich, and thereto sad1437 and true,

That widëwherë1438 sent their spicery,

Clothës of gold, and satins rich of hue.

Their chaffare1439 was so thriftly1440 and so new,

That every wight had dainty1441 to chaffare1442

With them, and eke to sellë them their ware.

Now fell it, that the masters of that sort

Have shapen them1443 to Romë for to wend,

Were it for chapmanhood1444 or for disport,

None other message would they thither send,

But come themselves to Rome, this is the end:

And in such place as thought them ávantage

For their intent, they took their herbergage.1445

Sojourned have these merchants in that town

A certain time as fell to their pleasance:

And so befell, that th’ excellent renown

Of th’ emperorë’s daughter, Dame Constance,

Reported was, with every circumstance,

Unto these Syrian merchants in such wise,

From day to day, as I shall you devise1446

This was the common voice of every man:

“Our emperor of Romë, God him see,1447

A daughter hath, that since the world began,

To reckon as well her goodness and beautý,

Was never such another as is she:

I pray to God in honour her sustene,

And would she were of all Európe the queen.

“In her is highë beauty without pride,

And youth withoutë greenhood1448 or follý:

To all her workës virtue is her guide;

Humbless hath slain in her all tyranny:

She is the mirror of all courtesy,

Her heart a very chamber of holiness,

Her hand miníster of freedom for almess.”1449

And all this voice was sooth, as God is true;

But now to purpose1450 let us turn again.

These merchants have done freight1451 their shippës new,

And when they have this blissful maiden seen,

Homë to Syria then they went full fain,

And did their needës,1452 as they have done yore,1453

And liv’d in weal;1454 I can you say no more.

Now fell it, that these merchants stood in grace1455

Of him that was the Soudan1456 of Syrie:

For when they came from any strangë place

He would of his benignë courtesy

Make them good cheer, and busily espy1457

Tidings of sundry regnës,1458 for to lear1459

The wonders that they mightë see or hear.

Amongës other thingës, speciálly

These merchants have him told of Dame Constance’

So great nobless, in earnest so royálly,

That this Soudan hath caught so great pleasance

To have her figure in his remembránce,

That all his lust,1460 and all his busy cure,1461

Was for to love her while his life may dure.

Paráventure in thilkë1462 largë book,

Which that men call the heaven, y-written was

With starrës, when that he his birthë took,

That he for love should have his death, alas!

For in the starrës, clearer than is glass,

Is written, God wot, whoso could it read,

The death of every man withoutë dread.1463

In starrës many a winter therebeforn

Was writ the death of Hector, Achilles,

Of Pompey, Julius, ere they were born;

The strife of Thebes; and of Hercules,

Of Samson, Turnus, and of Socrates

The death; but mennë’s wittës be so dull,

That no wight can well read it at the full.

This Soudan for his privy council sent,

And, shortly of this matter for to pace,1464

He hath to them declared his intent,

And told them certain, but1465 he might have grace

To have Constance, within a little space,

He was but dead; and charged them in hie1466

To shapë1467 for his life some remedy.

Diversë men diversë thingës said;

And arguments they casten up and down;

Many a subtle reason forth they laid;

They speak of magic, and abusión;1468

But finally, as in conclusión,

They cannot see in that none ávantage,

Nor in no other way, save marriáge.

Then saw they therein such difficulty

By way of reason, for to speak all plain,

Because that there was such diversity

Between their bothë lawës, that they sayn,

They trowë1469 that no Christian prince would fain1470

Wedden his child under our lawë sweet,

That us was given by Mahound1471 our prophéte.

And he answered: “Rather than I lose

Constance, I will be christen’d doubtëless:

I must be hers, I may none other choose,

I pray you hold your arguments in peace,1472

Savë my life, and be not reckëless

To gettë her that hath my life in cure,1473

For in this woe I may not long endure.”

What needeth greater dilatation?

I say, by treaty and ambassadry,

And by the Popë’s mediation,

And all the Church, and all the chivalry,

That in destruction of Mah’metry,1474

And in increase of Christë’s lawë dear,

They be accorded1475 so as ye may hear;

How that the Soudan, and his baronage,

And all his lieges, shall y-christen’d be,

And he shall have Constance in marriáge,

And certain gold, I n’ot1476 what quantity,

And hereto find they suffisant suretý.

The same accord is sworn on either side;

Now, fair Constance, Almighty God thee guide!

Now wouldë some men waiten, as I guess,

That I should tellen all the purveyance,1477

The which the emperor of his nobless

Hath shapen1478 for his daughter, Dame Constance.

Well may men know that so great ordinance

May no man tellen in a little clause,

As was arrayed for so high a cause.

Bishops be shapen1479 with her for to wend,1480

Lordës, ladíes, and knightës of renown,

And other folk enough, this is the end.

And notified is throughout all the town,

That every wight with great devotioún

Should pray to Christ, that he this marriáge

Receive in gree,1481 and speedë this voyáge.

The day is comen of her départíng⁠—

I say the woful fatal day is come,

That there may be no longer tarrying,

But forward they them dressen1482 all and some.

Constance, that was with sorrow all o’ercome,

Full pale arose, and dressed her to wend,

For well she saw there was no other end.

Alas! what wonder is it though she wept,

That shall be sent to a strange natión

From friendës, that so tenderly her kept,

And to be bound under subjectión

of one, she knew not his conditión?

Husbands be all good, and have been of yore,1483

That knowë wivës; I dare say no more.

“Father,” she said, “thy wretched child Constance,

Thy youngë daughter, foster’d up so soft,

And you, my mother, my sov’reign pleasance

Over all thing, out-taken1484 Christ on loft,1485

Constance your child her recommendeth oft

Unto your grace; for I shall to Syrie,

Nor shall I ever see you more with eye.

“Alas! unto the barbarous natión

I must anon, since that it is your will:

But Christ, that starf1486 for our redemptión,

So give me grace his hestës1487 to fulfil.

I, wretched woman, no force though I spill

Women are born to thraldom and penánce,

And to be under mannë’s governance.”

I trow at Troy when Pyrrhus brake the wall,

Or Ilion burnt, or Thebes the city,

Nor at Rome for the harm through Hannibal,

That Romans hath y-vanquish’d timës three,

Was heard such tender weeping for pitý,

As in the chamber was for her partíng;

But forth she must, whether she weep or sing.

O firstë moving cruel Firmament,1489

With thy diurnal sway that crowdest1490 aye,

And hurtlest all from East till Occident

That naturally would hold another way;

Thy crowding set the heav’n in such array

At the beginning of this fierce voyáge,

That cruel Mars hath slain this marriáge.

Unfortunate ascendant tortuous,

Of which the lord is helpless fall’n, alas!

Out of his angle into the darkest house;

O Mars, O Atyzar,1491 as in this case;

O feeble Moon, unhappy is thy pace.1492

Thou knittest thee where thou art not receiv’d,1493

Where thou wert well, from thennës art thou weiv’d.1494

Imprudent emperor of Rome, alas!

Was there no philosópher in all thy town?

Is no time bet1495 than other in such case?

Of voyage is there none electión,

Namely1496 to folk of high conditión,

Not when a root is of a birth y-know?1497

Alas! we be too lewëd,1498 or too slow.

To ship was brought this woeful fairë maid

Solemnëly, with every circumstance:

“Now Jesus Christ be with you all,” she said.

There is no more, but “Farewell, fair Constance.”

She pained her1499 to make good countenance.

And forth I let her sail in this mannér,

And turn I will again to my mattér.

The mother of the Soudan, well of vices,

Espied hath her sonë’s plain intent,

How he will leave his oldë sacrifices:

And right anon she for her council sent,

And they be come, to knowë what she meant,

And when assembled was this folk in fere,1500

She sat her down, and said as ye shall hear.

“Lordës,” she said, “ye knowen every one,

How that my son in point is for to lete1501

The holy lawës of our Alkaron,1502

Given by God’s messenger Mahométe:

But one avow to greatë God I hete,1503

Life shall rather out of my body start,

Than Mahomet’s law go out of mine heart.

“What should us tiden1504 of this newë law,

But thraldom to our bodies, and penánce,

And afterward in hell to be y-draw,

For we renied Mahound our creance?1505

But, lordës, will ye maken assurance,

As I shall say, assenting to my lore?1506

And I shall make us safe for evermore.”

They sworen and assented every man

To live with her and die, and by her stand:

And every one, in the best wise he can,

To strengthen her shall all his friendës fand.1507

And she hath this emprise taken in hand,

Which ye shall hearë that I shall devise;1508

And to them all she spake right in this wise.

“We shall first feign us Christendom to take;1509

Cold water shall not grieve us but a lite:1510

And I shall such a feast and revel make,

That, as I trow, I shall the Soudan quite.1511

For though his wife be christen’d ne’er so white,

She shall have need to wash away the red,

Though she a fount of water with her led.”

O Soudaness,1512 root of iniquity,

Virago thou, Semiramis the secónd!

O serpent under femininity,

Like to the serpent deep in hell y-bound!

O feigned woman, all that may confound

Virtue and innocence, through thy malíce,

Is bred in thee, as nest of every vice!

O Satan envious! since thilkë day

That thou wert chased from our heritage,

Well knowest thou to woman th’ oldë way.

Thou madest Eve to bring us in serváge:1513

Thou wilt fordo1514 this Christian marriáge:

Thine instrument so (well-away the while!)

Mak’st thou of women when thou wilt beguile.

This Soudaness, whom I thus blame and warray,1515

Let privily her council go their way:

Why should I in this talë longer tarry?

She rode unto the Soudan on a day,

And said him, that she would reny her lay,1516

And Christendom of priestës’ handës fong,1517

Repenting her she heathen was so long;

Beseeching him to do her that honour,

That she might have the Christian folk to feast:

“To pleasë them I will do my laboúr.”

The Soudan said, “I will do at your hest,”1518

And kneeling, thanked her for that request;

So glad he was, he wist1519 not what to say.

She kiss’d her son, and home she went her way.

Arrived be these Christian folk to land

In Syria, with a great solemnë rout,

And hastily this Soudan sent his sond,1520

First to his mother, and all the realm about,

And said, his wife was comen out of doubt,

And pray’d them for to ride again1521 the queen,

The honour of his regnë1522 to sustene.

Great was the press, and rich was the array

Of Syrians and Romans met in fere.1523

The mother of the Soudan rich and gay

Received her with all so glad a cheer1524

As any mother might her daughter dear:

And to the nextë city there beside

A softë pace solemnely they ride.

Nought, trow I, the triúmph of Julius

Of which that Lucan maketh such a boast,

Was royaller, or morë curious,

Than was th’ assembly of this blissful host:

But O this scorpion, this wicked ghost,1525

The Soudaness, for all her flattering

Cast1526 under this full mortally to sting.

The Soudan came himself soon after this,

So royally, that wonder is to tell,

And welcomed her with all joy and bliss.

And thus in mirth and joy I let them dwell.

The fruit of his mattér is that I tell;

When the time came, men thought it for the best

That revel stint,1527 and men go to their rest.

The time is come that this old Soudaness

Ordained hath the feast of which I told,

And to the feast the Christian folk them dress

In general, yea, bothë young and old.

There may men feast and royalty behold,

And dainties more than I can you devise;

But all too dear they bought it ere they rise.