The Canterbury Tales · The Shipman’s Tale 3675 · The Tale (2/2)

The merchant, when that ended was the fair,

To Saint Denís he gan for to repair,

And with his wife he madë feast and cheer,

And toldë her that chaffare3763 was so dear,

That needës must he make a chevisance;3764

For he was bound in a recognisance

To payë twenty thousand shields3765 anon.

For which this merchant is to Paris gone,

To borrow of certain friendës that he had

A certain francs, and some with him he lad.3766

And when that he was come into the town,

For great cherté3767 and great affectioún

Unto Dan John he wentë first to play;

Not for to borrow of him no monéy,

Bat for to weet3768 and see of his welfare,

And for to tellë him of his chaffare,

As friendës do, when they be met in fere.3769

Dan John him madë feast and merry cheer;

And he him told again full specially,

How he had well y-bought and graciously

(Thanked be God) all whole his merchandise;

Save that he must, in allë manner wise,

Maken a chevisance, as for his best;

And then he shouldë be in joy and rest.

Dan John answered, “Certes, I am fain3770

That ye in health be comë home again:

And if that I were rich, as have I bliss,

Of twenty thousand shields should ye not miss,

For ye so kindëly the other day

Lentë me gold, and as I can and may

I thankë you, by God and by Saint Jame.

But natheless I took unto our Dame,

Your wife at home, the samë gold again,

Upon your bench; she wot it well, certáin,

By certain tokens that I can her tell

Now, by your leave, I may no longer dwell;

Our abbot will out of this town anon,

And in his company I mustë gon.

Greet well our Dame, mine owen niecë sweet,

And farewell, dearë cousin, till we meet.”

This merchant, which that was full ware and wise,

Creanced hath, and paid eke in París

To certain Lombards ready in their hond

The sum of gold, and got of them his bond,

And home he went, merry as a popinjay.

For well he knew he stood in such array

That needës must he win in that voyáge3771

A thousand francs, above all his costáge.3772

His wife full ready met him at the gate,

As she was wont of old uságe algate;3773

And all that night in mirthë they beset;3774

For he was rich, and clearly out of debt.

When it was day, the merchant gan embrace

His wife all new, and kiss’d her in her face,

And up he went, and maked it full tough.

“No more,” quoth she, “by God ye have enough;”

And wantonly again with him she play’d,

Till at the last this merchant to her said.

“By God,” quoth he, “I am a little wroth

With you, my wife, although it be me loth;

And wot ye why? by God, as that I guess,

That ye have made a manner strangëness3775

Betwixtë me and my cousín, Dan John.

Ye should have warned me, ere I had gone,

That he you had a hundred frankës paid

By ready token; he had him evil apaid3776

For that I to him spake of chevisance,3777

(He seemed so as by his countenance);

But natheless, by God of heaven king,

I thoughtë not to ask of him no thing.

I pray thee, wife, do thou no morë so.

Tell me alway, ere that I from thee go,

If any debtor hath in mine absénce

Y-payed thee, lest through thy negligence

I might him ask a thing that he hath paid.”

This wife was not afeared nor afraid,

But boldëly she said, and that anon;

“Mary! I defy that false monk Dan John,

I keep3778 not of his tokens never a deal:3779

He took me certain gold, I wot it well.⁠—

What? evil thedom3780 on his monkë’s snout!⁠—

For, God it wot, I ween’d withoutë doubt

That he had given it me, because of you,

To do therewith mine honour and my prow,3781

For cousinage, and eke for bellë cheer

That he hath had full oftentimë here.

But since I see I stand in such disjoint,3782

I will answér you shortly to the point.

Ye have more slackë debtors than am I;

For I will pay you well and readily,

From day to day, and if so be I fail,

I am your wife, score it upon my tail,

And I shall pay as soon as ever I may.

For, by my troth, I have on mine array,

And not in waste, bestow’d it every deal.

And, for I have bestowed it so well,

For your honoúr, for Goddë’s sake I say,

As be not wroth, but let us laugh and play.

Ye shall my jolly body have to wed;3783

By God, I will not pay you but in bed;

Forgive it me, mine owen spousë dear;

Turn hitherward, and makë better cheer.”

The merchant saw none other remedy;

And for to chide, it were but a follý,

Since that the thing might not amended be.

“Now, wife,” he said, “and I forgive it thee;

But by thy lifë be no more so large;3784

Keep better my good, this give I thee in charge.”

Thus endeth now my tale; and God us send

Taling enough, until our livës’ end!