情色书屋

THE TALE
书名： 坎特伯雷故事集 作者： （英） 乔叟 本章字数： 8605 更新时间： 2024-06-13 17:43:43

Oscatheful harm, condition of poverty,

With thirst, with cold, with hunger so confounded;

To aske help thee shameth in thine hearte;

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

That very need unwrappeth all thy wound hid.

Maugre thine head thou must for indigence

Or steal, or beg, or borrow thy dispence*. *expense

Thou blamest Christ, and sayst full bitterly,

He misdeparteth* riches temporal; *allots amiss

Thy neighebour thou witest* sinfully, *blamest

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*,*burn in the fire

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 selve* neighebour will thee despise, *that same*

If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence.

Yet of the wise man take this sentence,

Alle the days of poore men be wick’*, *wicked, evil

Beware therefore ere thou come to that prick*. *point

If thou be poor, thy brother hateth thee,

And all thy friendes flee from thee, alas

O riche merchants, full of wealth be ye,

O noble, prudent folk, as in this case,

Your bagges be not fill’d with *ambes ace,* *two aces*

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

At Christenmass well merry may ye dance.

Ye seeke land and sea for your winnings,

As wise folk ye knowen all th’ estate

Of regnes*; ye be fathers of tidings, *kingdoms

And tales, both of peace and of debate*: *contention,war

I were right now of tales desolate*, *barren, empty.

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 sad* and true, *grave,steadfast

Clothes of gold, and satins rich of hue.

That widewhere* sent their spicery, *to distant parts

Their chaffare* was so thriftly** and so new, *wares**advantageous

That every wight had dainty* to chaffare** *pleasure**deal

With them, and eke to selle them their ware.

Now fell it, that the masters of that sort

Have *shapen them* to Rome for to wend, *determined,prepared*

Were it for chapmanhood* or for disport, *trading

None other message would they thither send,

But come themselves to Rome, this is the end:

And in such place as thought them a vantage

For their intent, they took their herbergage.* *lodging

Sojourned have these merchants in that town

A certain time as fell to their pleasance:

And so befell, that th’ excellent renown

Of th’ emperore’s daughter, Dame Constance,

Reported was, with every circumstance,

Unto these Syrian merchants in such wise,

From day to day, as I shall you devise* *relate

This was the common voice of every man

“Our emperor of Rome, God him see*, *look on with favour

A daughter hath, that since the the world began,

To reckon as well her goodness and beauty,

Was never such another as is she:

I pray to God in honour her sustene*, *sustain

And would she were of all Europe the queen.

“In her is highe beauty without pride,

And youth withoute greenhood* or folly: *childishness,immaturity

To all her workes 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 minister of freedom for almess*.” *almsgiving And all this voice was sooth, as God is true;

But now to purpose* let us turn again. *our tale

These merchants have done freight their shippes new,

And when they have this blissful maiden seen,

Home to Syria then they went full fain,

And did their needes*, as they have done yore,**business **formerly

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

Now fell it, that these merchants stood in grace**favour

Of him that was the Soudan* of Syrie: *Sultan

For when they came from any strange place

He would of his benigne courtesy

Make them good cheer, and busily espy* *inquire

Tidings of sundry regnes*, for to lear** *realms**learn

The wonders that they mighte see or hear.

Amonges other thinges, specially

These merchants have him told of Dame Constance

So great nobless, in earnest so royally,

That this Soudan hath caught so great pleasance**pleasure

To have her figure in his remembrance

That all his lust*, and all his busy cure**, *pleasure**care

Was for to love her while his life may dure.

Paraventure in thilke* large book, *that

Which that men call the heaven, y-written was

With starres, when that he his birthe took,

That he for love should have his death, alas!

For in the starres, clearer than is glass,

Is written, God wot, whoso could it read,

The death of every man withoute dread.* *doubt

In starres 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 mennes wittes 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*, *to pass briefly by

He hath to them declared his intent,

And told them certain, but* he might have grace*unless

To have Constance, within a little space,

He was but dead; and charged them in hie* *haste

To shape* for his life some remedy. *contrive

Diverse men diverse thinges said;

And arguments they casten up and down;

Many a subtle reason forth they laid;

They speak of magic, and abusion*; *deception

But finally, as in conclusion

They cannot see in that none avantage,

Nor in no other way, save marriage.

Then saw they therein such difficult

By way of reason, for to speak all plain,

Because that there was such diversity

Between their bothe lawes, that they sayn,

They trowe* that no Christian prince would fain***believe **willingly

Wedden his child under our lawe sweet,

That us was given by Mahound* our prophete. *Mahomet

And he answered: “Rather than I lose

Constance, I will be christen’d doubteless

I must be hers, I may none other choose,

I pray you hold your arguments in peace,

Save my life, and be not reckeless

To gette her that hath my life in cure,* *keeping

For in this woe I may not long endure.”

What needeth greater dilatation?

I say, by treaty and ambassadry,

And by the Pope’s mediation,

And all the Church, and all the chivalry,

That in destruction of Mah’metry,* *Mahometanism

And in increase of Christe’s lawe dear,

They be accorded* so as ye may hear; *agreed

How that the Soudan, and his baronage,

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

And he shall have Constance in marriage,

And certain gold, I n’ot* what quantity, *know not

And hereto find they suffisant suret

The same accord is sworn on either side;

Now, fair Constance, Almighty God thee guide!

Now woulde some men waiten, as I guess,

That I should tellen all the purveyance*, *provision

The which the emperor of his noblesse

Hath shapen* for his daughter, Dame Constance. *prepared

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 shapen with her for to wend,

Lordes, ladies, and knightes of renown,

And other folk enough, this is the end.

And notified is throughout all the town

That every wight with great devotioun

Should pray to Christ, that he this marriage

Receive *in gree*, and speede this voyage. *with good will, favour*

The day is comen of her departing, —

I say the woful fatal day is come,

That there may be no longer tarrying,

But forward they them dressen* all and some. *prepare to set out*

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 nation

From friendes, that so tenderly her kept,

And to be bound under subjection

of one, she knew not his condition?

Husbands be all good, and have been *of yore*, *of old*

That knowe wives; I dare say no more.

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

Thy younge daughter, foster’d up so soft,

And you, my mother, my sov’reign pleasance

Over all thing, out-taken* Christ *on loft*, *except*on high*

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 nation

I must anon, since that it is your will:

But Christ, that starf* for our redemption, *died

So give me grace his hestes* to fulfil. *command

I, wretched woman, *no force though I spill!* *no matter though

Women are born to thraldom and penance, I perish*

And to be under mannes 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 times three,

Was heard such tender weeping for pity,

As in the chamber was for her parting;

But forth she must, whether she weep or sing.

O firste moving cruel Firmament,<5

With thy diurnal sway that crowdest* aye, *pushest together, drivest

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 voyage

That cruel Mars hath slain this marriage.

Unfortunate ascendant tortuous,

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

Out of his angle into the darkest house;

O Mars, O Atyzar, as in this case;

O feeble Moon, unhappy is thy pace.* *progress

Thou knittest thee where thou art not receiv'd,

Where thou wert well, from thennes art thou weiv'd.

Imprudent emperor of Rome, alas!

Was there no philosopher in all thy town?

Is no time bet* than other in such case? *better

Of voyage is there none election,

Namely* to folk of high condition, *especially

Not *when a root is of a birth y-know?* *when the nativity is known*

Alas! we be too lewed*, or too slow. *ignorant

To ship was brought this woeful faire maid

Solemnely, with every circumstance:

"Now Jesus Christ be with you all," she said.

There is no more,but "Farewell, fair Constance."

She *pained her* to make good countenance. *made an effort*

And forth I let her sail in this manner,

And turn I will again to my matter.

The mother of the Soudan, well of vices,

Espied hath her sone's plain intent,

How he will leave his olde sacrifices

And right anon she for her council sent,

And they be come, to knowe what she meant,

And when assembled was this folk *in fere*, *together*

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

"Lordes," she said, "ye knowen every one,

How that my son in point is for to lete* *forsake

The holy lawes of our Alkaron*, *Koran

Given by God's messenger Mahomete:

But one avow to greate God I hete*, *promise

Life shall rather out of my body start,

Than Mahomet's law go out of mine heart.

"What should us tiden* of this newe law, *betide,befall

But thraldom to our bodies, and penance,

And afterward in hell to be y-draw,

For we *renied Mahound our creance?* *denied Mahomet our belief*

But, lordes, will ye maken assurance,

As I shall say, assenting to my lore*? *advice

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 friendes fand.**endeavour

And she hath this emprise taken in hand,

Which ye shall heare that I shall devise*; *relate

And to them all she spake right in this wise.

"We shall first feign us *Christendom to take*; *embrace Christianity*

Cold water shall not grieve us but a lite*: *little

And I shall such a feast and revel make,

That, as I trow, I shall the Soudan quite.* *requite,match

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*, root of iniquity, *Sultaness

Virago thou, Semiramis the second!

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 malice,

Is bred in thee, as nest of every vice!

O Satan envious! since thilke day

That thou wert chased from our heritage,

Well knowest thou to woman th' olde way.

Thou madest Eve to bring us in servage*: *bondage

Thou wilt fordo* this Christian marriage: *ruin

Thine instrument so (well-away the while!)

Mak'st thou of women when thou wilt beguile.

This Soudaness, whom I thus blame and warray*,*oppose, censure

Let privily her council go their way:

Why should I in this tale longer tarry?

She rode unto the Soudan on a day,

And said him, that she would *reny her lay,* *renounce her creed*

And Christendom of priestes' handes fong*, *take

Repenting her she heathen was so long;

Beseeching him to do her that honour,

That she might have the Christian folk to feast:

"To please them I will do my labour."

The Soudan said, "I will do at your hest,*" *desire

And kneeling, thanked her for that request;

So glad he was, he wist* not what to say. *knew

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

Arrived be these Christian folk to land

In Syria, with a great solemne rout,

And hastily this Soudan sent his sond,* *message

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 again* the queen, *to meet

The honour of his regne* to sustene. *realm

Great was the press, and rich was the array

Of Syrians and Romans met *in fere*. *in company*

The mother of the Soudan rich and gay

Received her with all so glad a cheer* *face

As any mother might her daughter dear

And to the nexte city there beside

A softe pace solemnely they ride.

Nought, trow I, the triumph of Julius

Of which that Lucan maketh such a boast,

Was royaller, or more curious,

Than was th' assembly of this blissful host

But O this scorpion, this wicked ghost,* *spirit

The Soudaness, for all her flatterin

Cast* under this full mortally to sting. *contrived

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 matter is that I tell;

When the time came, men thought it for the best

That revel stint,* and men go to their rest. *cease

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, bothe 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.

O sudden woe, that ev'r art successour

To worldly bliss! sprent* is with bitterness *sprinkled

Th' end of our joy, of our worldly labour;

Woe *occupies the fine* of our gladness. *seizes the end*

Hearken this counsel, for thy sickerness*: *security

Upon thy glade days have in thy mind

The unware* woe of harm, that comes behind. *unforeseen

For, shortly for to tell it at a word,

The Soudan and the Christians every one

Were all *to-hewn and sticked* at the board, *cut to pieces*

But it were only Dame Constance alone.

This olde Soudaness, this cursed crone,

Had with her friendes done this cursed deed,

For she herself would all the country lead.

Nor there was Syrian that was converted,

That of the counsel of the Soudan wot*, *knew

That was not all to-hewn, ere he asterted*: *escaped

And Constance have they ta'en anon foot-hot*,*immediately

And in a ship all steereless,* God wot, *without rudder

They have her set, and bid her learn to sail

Out of Syria *again-ward to Itale.* *back to Italy*

A certain treasure that she thither lad,* *took

And, sooth to say, of victual great plenty,

They have her giv'n, and clothes eke she had

And forth she sailed in the salte sea:

O my Constance, full of benignity,

O emperores younge daughter dear,

He that is lord of fortune be thy steer*! *rudder,guide

She bless'd herself, and with full piteous voice

Unto the cross of Christ thus saide she;

"O dear, O wealful* altar, holy cross, *blessed,beneficen

Red of the Lambes blood, full of pity,

That wash'd the world from old iniquity,

Me from the fiend and from his clawes keep

That day that I shall drenchen* in the deepe. *drown

"Victorious tree, protection of the true,

That only worthy were for to bear

The King of Heaven, with his woundes new,

The white Lamb, that hurt was with a spear;

Flemer* of fiendes out of him and her *banisher, driver out

On which thy limbes faithfully extend,

Me keep, and give me might my life to mend."

Yeares and days floated this creatur

Throughout the sea of Greece, unto the strait

Of Maroc*, as it was her a venture: *Morocco; Gibraltar

On many a sorry meal now may she bait,

After her death full often may she wait*, *expect

Ere that the wilde waves will her drive

Unto the place *there as* she shall arrive. *where

Men mighten aske, why she was not slain?

Eke at the feast who might her body save?

And I answer to that demand again,

Who saved Daniel in the horrible cave,

Where every wight, save he, master or knave*, *servant

Was with the lion frett*, ere he astart?** *devoured** escaped

No wight but God, that he bare in his heart.

God list* to shew his wonderful miracle *it pleased

In her, that we should see his mighty workes:

Christ, which that is to every harm triacle*, *remedy,salve

By certain meanes oft, as knowe clerkes*, *scholars

Doth thing for certain ende, that full derk is

To manne's wit, that for our, ignorance

Ne cannot know his prudent purveyance*. *foresight

Now since she was not at the feast y-slaw,* *slain

Who kepte her from drowning in the sea?

Who kepte Jonas in the fish's maw

Till he was spouted up at Nineveh?

Well may men know, it was no wight but he

That kept the Hebrew people from drowning,

With drye feet throughout the sea passing.

Who bade the foure spirits of tempest,

That power have t' annoye land and sea,

Both north and south, and also west and east,

Annoye neither sea, nor land, nor tree?

Soothly the commander of that was he

That from the tempest aye this woman kept,

As well when she awoke as when she slept.

Where might this woman meat and drinke have?

Three year and more how lasted her vitaille*? *victuals

Who fed the Egyptian Mary in the cave

Or in desert? no wight but Christ *sans faille.* *without fail*

Five thousand folk it was as great marvaille

With loaves five and fishes two to fe

God sent his foison* at her greate need. *abundance

She drived forth into our ocean

Throughout our wilde sea, till at the last

Under an hold*, that nempnen** I not can, *castle**name

Far in Northumberland, the wave her cast

And in the sand her ship sticked so fast

That thennes would it not in all a tide:

The will of Christ was that she should abide.

The Constable of the castle down did fare* *go

To see this wreck, and all the ship he sought*, *searched

And found this weary woman full of care;

He found also the treasure that she brought:

In her language mercy she besought,

The life out of her body for to twin*, *divide

Her to deliver of woe that she was in.

A manner Latin corrupt was her speech,

But algate* thereby was she understond. *nevertheless

The Constable, when him list no longer seech*,*search

This woeful woman brought he to the lond.

She kneeled down, and thanked *Godde's sond*; *what God had sent*

But what she was she would to no man say

For foul nor fair, although that she should dey.* *die

She said, she was so mazed in the sea,

That she forgot her minde, by her truth.

The Constable had of her so great pity

And eke his wife, that they wept for ruth:* *pity

She was so diligent withoute slouth

To serve and please every one in that place,

That all her lov'd, that looked in her face.

The Constable and Dame Hermegild his wife

Were Pagans, and that country every where;

But Hermegild lov'd Constance as her life;

And Constance had so long sojourned there

In orisons, with many a bitter tear,

Till Jesus had converted through His grace

Dame Hermegild, Constabless of that place.

In all that land no Christians durste rout;* *assemble

All Christian folk had fled from that countr

Through Pagans, that conquered all about

The plages* of the North by land and sea. *regions,coasts

To Wales had fled the *Christianity *the Old Britons who

Of olde Britons,* dwelling in this isle; were Christians*

There was their refuge for the meanewhile.

But yet n'ere* Christian Britons so exiled, *there were

That there n'ere* some which in their privity not

Honoured Christ, and heathen folk beguiled;

And nigh the castle such there dwelled three:

And one of them was blind, and might not see,

But* it were with thilk* eyen of his mind, *except**those

With which men maye see when they be blind.

Bright was the sun, as in a summer's day,

For which the Constable, and his wife also,

And Constance, have y-take the righte way

Toward the sea a furlong way or two,

To playen, and to roame to and fro;

And in their walk this blinde man they met,

Crooked and old, with eyen fast y-shet.* *shut

"In the name of Christ," cried this blind Briton,

"Dame Hermegild, give me my sight again!"

This lady *wax'd afrayed of that soun',* *was alarmed by that cry*

Lest that her husband, shortly for to sayn,

Would her for Jesus Christe's love have slain,

Till Constance made her hold, and bade her wirch**work

The will of Christ, as daughter of holy Church

The Constable wax'd abashed* of that sight, *astonished

And saide; *"What amounteth all this fare?"* *what means all

Constance answered; "Sir, it is Christ's might, this ado?*

That helpeth folk out of the fiendes snare:

And *so farforth* she gan our law declare, *with such effect*

That she the Constable, ere that it were eve,

Converted, and on Christ made him believe.

This Constable was not lord of the place

Of which I speak, there as he Constance fand,* *found

But kept it strongly many a winter space,

Under Alla, king of Northumberland,

That was full wise, and worthy of his hand

Against the Scotes, as men may well hear;

But turn I will again to my mattere.

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