The Prologue + 

“Hey! Goddë’s mercy!” said our Hostë tho, + 

“Now such a wife I pray God keep me fro’. + 

Lo, suchë sleightës and subtilities + 

In women be; for aye as busy as bees + 

Are they us silly men for to deceive, + 

And from the soothë will they ever weive, + 

As this Merchantë’s tale it proveth well. + 

But natheless, as true as any steel, + 

I have a wife, though that she poorë be; + 

But of her tongue a labbing shrew is she; + 

And yet she hath a heap of vices mo’. + 

Thereof no force; let all such thingës go. + 

But wit ye what? in counsel be it said, + 

Me rueth sore I am unto her tied; + 

For, an’ I shouldë reckon every vice + 

Which that she hath, y-wis I were too nice; + 

And causë why, it should reported be + 

And told her by some of this companý + 

(By whom, it needeth not for to declare, + 

Since women connen utter such chaffáre), + 

And eke my wit sufficeth not thereto + 

To tellen all; wherefore my tale is do. + 

Squiër, come near, if it your willë be, + 

And say somewhat of love, for certes ye + 

Connë thereon as much as any man.” + 

“Nay, Sir,” quoth he; “but such thing as I can, + 

With hearty will⁠—for I will not rebel + 

Against your lust,⁠—a tale will I tell. + 

Have me excused if I speak amiss; + 

My will is good; and lo, my tale is this.” + 