The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale Contents
- Author(s)
- Part 1: l.1 - 76
- Part 2: l.77 - 134
- Part 3: l.135-162
- Part 4: l.163-192
- Part 5: l.193-234
- Part 6: l.235-307
- Part 7: l.308-378
- Part 8: l.379-452
- Part 9: l.453-502
- Part 10: l.503-542
- Part 11: l.543-584
- Part 12: l.585-626
- Part 13: l.627-665
- Part 14: l.666-710
- Part 15: l.711-771
- Part 16: 772 - 828
- Part 17: l.829-856
- Part 18: l.857-898
- Part 19: l.899-951
- Part 20: l.952-1004
- Part 21: l.1005-1072
- Part 22: l.1073-1105
- Part 23: l.1106-1176
- Part 24: l.1177-1218
- Part 25: l.1219-1264
Part 3: l.135-162
135: But I seye noght that every wight is holde,
136: That hath swich harneys as I to yow tolde,
137: To goon and usen hem in engendrure.
138: Thanne sholde men take of chastitee no cure.
139: Crist was a mayde, and shapen as a man,
140: And many a seint, sith that the world bigan;
141: Yet lyved they evere in parfit chastitee.
142: I nyl envye no virginitee.
143: Lat hem be breed of pured whete-seed,
144: And lat us wyves hoten barly-breed;
145: And yet with barly-breed, mark telle kan,
146: Oure lord jhesu refresshed many a man.
147: In swich estaat as God hath cleped us
148: I wol persevere; I nam nat precius.
149: In wyfhod I wol use myn instrument
150: As frely as my makere hath it sent.
151: If I be daungerous, God yeve me sorwe!
152: Myn housbonde shal it have bothe eve and morwe,
153: Whan that hym list come forth and paye his dette.
154: An housbonde I wol have, I wol nat lette,
155: Which shal be bothe my dettour and my thral,
156: And have his tribulacion withal
157: Upon his flessh, whil that I am his wyf.
158: I have the power durynge al my lyf
159: Upon his propre body, and noght he.
160: Right thus the apostel tolde it unto me;
161: And bad oure housbondes for to love us weel.
162: Al this sentence me liketh every deel --
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