Now  elles,  frere,  I  wol  oeshrewe  thy  face,
(Quod  this  Sompnour)  and  I  beshrewe  me,
But  if  I  telle  tales  two  or  three
Of  freres,  or  T  come  to  Sidenbome,
That  I  shal  make  thin  herte  for  to  mome :
For  wel  I  wot  thv  patience  is  gon.
Our  hoste  cried ;  pees,  and  tnat  anon;
And  sayde ;  let  the  woman  tell  hire  tale.
Ye  fare  as  folk  that  dronken  ben  of  ale.
Do,  dame,  tell  forth  your  tale,  and  that  is  best.
Al  redy,  sire,  quod  she,  right  as  you  lest,
If  I  have  licence  of  this  worthy  frere.
Yes,  dame,  qaod  he,  teU  forth,  and  I  wol  here.
%\t  li;if  at  §nt\ts  Mt

In  olde  dayes  of  the  king  Artour,*

Of  which  that  Bretons  speken  gret  honour.
All  was  this  lond  fulfilled  of  faerie ;

The  Elf-quene,  with  hire  joly  compagnie.
Danced  ful  oft  in  many  a  grene  mede

This  was  the  old  opinion  as  I  rede ;!
'  Brother.  *  Sing,  t.  e.,  laugh*  i^uckle. — See  T^sfrwhitt.
8  Interpose.
*I  hope  that  Chaucer,  by  placing  his  Elf-quene  in  the  dayet  of  King
Artour^  did  not  mean  to  intimate  that  the  two  monarchies  were  equally


-.^


The  Wif  of  Bathes  Tale.
P.  179.
