Experience, though none authorite
Were I this world, is right ynow for me
To speke of wo that is in maryage
For lordynges, syth I twelue yere was of age
Thonked be god, that is eterne on lyue
Husbondes at chirche dore have I had fyue
If I so ofte might haue wedded be
And al were worthy men in her degre.

But me was tolde not longe ago iwys
That sythen Chust went neuer but onys
To weddyng, in the cane of Galilee
That by thuse ensample taught he me
That I ne shulde wedded be, but ones.
Lo here, which a sharpe word for y nonce
Besyde a well, Jesu god and man
Spake in repriefe of the Samaritan
Thou hast had fyue husbandes (q[uo]d he)
And that ilke man that nowe hath the
Is not thyne husbonde: thus said he certain
What he ment therby I can not sayn
But that I aske, why the fyfte man
Was nat husbonde to the Samaritan
Howe many might she haue in marriage:
Yet herde I neuer tellen in myne age
Upon this nombre trewe diffynition
Men may deuyne, and glosen up and doun
  
But well I wotte expresse without lye
God badde us for to wexe and multiply
That gentyll text can I well understonde
  
Eke well I wotte (he said) myn husbonde
Shuld leaue father I mother, and take to me
But of nombre no mention made he
Of bigamye or of octogamye
Why shull men speke of it uillany:
 
Lo he the wife kyng Salomon
I trowe had wyues mo than one
As wolde god it lefull were to me
To be refresshed halfe so ofte as he
Which a gifte of god had he, for all his wyuis
No man hath such, y in this worlde a lyue is
God wotte this noble kyng, as to my wytte
The first nyght had many a mery fytte
With eche of hem, so wel was him a lyue
Blessed be god, I haue had fyue
Welcome the syxte whan euer he shal
For sothe I wol not kepe me chaste in al
Whan myn husbonde is fro the worlde ygon
Some crysten man shal wedde me anon
For than the apostel saythe, that I am fre
To wedde a goddeshalfe, where it lyketh me
He saythe, that to be wedded is no synne
Better is to be wedded than to brinne
  
What recketh me though folke say uillany
Of shrewde Lameth, and of his bigamy
I wotte well Abraham was an holy man
And Jacob eke, as fer as euer I here can
And eche of hem had wyues mo than two
And many another holy man also
Where can ye say in any maner age
That euer god defended mariage
By expresse wordes: I pray you tell me
Or where comaunded he uirginyte:
  
I wotte as well as ye, it is no drede
The Apostell, whan he spake of maydenhede
He said, therof precept had he none
Men may counsayle a woman to be one
But counsaylyng is no comaundment
He put it in our owne iugement
  
For had god comaunded maydenhede
Than had he dampned weddyng out of drede
And certes, is there were no sede ysowe
Uirgynite than wherof shulde it growe:
  
Poule durste not comaunde at the leste
A thing, of which his mayster yafe none heste
The darte is set up for uirgynite
Latche who so may, who renneth beste let se.
But this worde is not take of euery wyght
But there as god lyst yeue it of his myght
  
I wotte wel that the apostel was a mayde
But nathelesse, though that he wrote i sayde
He wolde that euery wight were suche as he
Al nys but counsayle to uirginite
And for to ben a wyfe he yaue me leue
Of indulgence, so it be not to repreue
To wedde me, if that my make dye
Without exception of bygamye
Al were it good no woman for to touche
He ment as in his bedde or in his couche
For peryl is, bothe fyre and towe to assemble
Ye knowe what this ensample may resemble
This is al and some, he helde uirginite
More parfyte than weddynge in freelte.
Freelte clepe I, but if that he and she
Wolde lede her lyfe al in chastyte

This extract was taken from 1532 edition (published in London by T. Godfray) of Canterbury Tales: The Wyfe of Bathes.
Read by Kerry Greenwood
Recorded on 28 March 2007