THE

WIFE of BATH

HER

PROLOGUE,

FROM

CHAUCER.

Nnn

THE

WIFE of BATH.

FROM

CHAUCER.

B

Ehold the woes of matrimonial life,

And hear with rev'rence an experienc'd wife!
To dear-bought wisdom give the credit due,
And think, for once, a woman tells you true.
In all these trials I have born a part;

I was my felf the fcourge that caus'd the smart;
For, fince fifteen, in triumph have I led
Five captive husbands from the church to bed.

Christ faw a wedding once, the fcripture fays,
And faw but one, 'tis thought, in all his days;

3

Whence

.

231

Whence fome infer, whofe confcience is too nice, No pious Christian ought to marry twice.

But let them read, and folve me, if they can, The words addrefs'd to the Samaritan: Five times in lawful wedlock she was join'd; And fure the certain ftint was ne'er defin'd.

Encrease and multiply was heav'ns command,
And that's a text I clearly understand.

This too, "Let men their fires and mothers leave,
"And to their dearer wives for ever cleave.
More wives than one by Solomon were try'd,
Or elfe the wifeft of mankind's bely'd.
I've had my felf full many a merry fit,
And truft in heav'n I may have many yet.
For when my transitory spouse, unkind,
Shall die, and leave his woful wife behind,
I'll take the next good Christian I can find.

Paul, knowing one could never ferve our turn, Declar'd 'twas better far to wed, than burn; There's danger in assembling fire and tow,

I grant 'em that, and what it means you know.

The

The fame Apostle too has elsewhere own'd
No precept for virginity he found:

'Tis but a counfel------and we women ftill
Take which we like, the counfel, or our will.
I envy not their blifs, if he or fhe
Think fit to live in perfect chastity,

Pure let them be, and free from taint of vice;
I, for a few flight spots, am not so nice.
Heav'n calls us diff'rent ways, on these bestows
One proper gift, another grants to those:
Not ev'ry man's oblig'd to fell his store,
And give up all his fubftance to the poor;
Such as are perfect, may, I can't deny ;
But, by your leave, divines, fo am not I.

Full many a faint, fince first the world began,
Liv'd an unfpotted maid in fpite of man:
Let fuch (a God's name) with fine wheat be fed,
And let us honeft wives eat barly bread.
For me, I'll keep the poft affign'd by heav'n,'
And use the copious talent it has giv'n ;
Let my good spouse pay tribute, do me right,
And keep an equal reckning ev'ry night;