Wife Of Bath Prologue

Question 1

Wo

Answer 1

Woe

Question 2

Lordynges

Answer 2

Gentlemen

Question 3

Enterne on lyve

Answer 3

Eternally alive

Question 4

Housbondes at chirche dore I have had fyve

Answer 4

I have had five husbands at the church door

Question 5

Degree

Answer 5

In their own way

Question 6

But me was toold, certeyn, nat longe agoon is

Answer 6

But to me it was told, certainly, it is not long ago

Question 7

Cane of Galilee

Answer 7

Cana of Galilee

Question 8

Herkne eek, lo,

Answer 8

Listen also, lo

Question 9

Spak in repreeve

Answer 9

Spoke in reproof

Question 10

Nones

Answer 10

Purpose

Question 11

ilke

Answer 11

Same

Question 12

Axe

Answer 12

Ask

Question 13

Myn age

Answer 13

My lifetime

Question 14

Upon this nombre diffinicioun

Answer 14

A definition of this number

Question 15

Men may devyne and glosen, up and doun

Answer 15

Men may conjecture and interpret in every way

Question 16

Woot

Answer 16

Know

Question 17

Lye

Answer 17

Lie

Question 18

God bad us for to wexe

Answer 18

God commanded us to grow fruitful

Question 19

But of no nombre mencion made he, of bigamye, or of octgamye

Answer 19

But he made no mention of number, of marrying two, or of marrying eight

Question 20

Why sholde men thanne speke of it vileynye?

Answer 20

Why should men then speak evil of it?

Question 21

Daun

Answer 21

Dan

Question 22

I trowe he hadde

Answer 22

I believe he had

Question 23

As wolde God it leveful were unto me

Answer 23

As would God it were lawful unto me

Question 24

Hadde he for alle his wyvys!

Answer 24

He had because of all his wives!

Question 25

No man hath swich that in this world alyve is

Answer 25

No man that in this world is alive has such

Question 26

Woot

Answer 26

Knows

Question 27

As to my wit

Answer 27

According to my judgement

Question 28

Myrie

Answer 28

Merry

Question 29

So wel was hym on lyve

Answer 29

So well things went for him in his lifetime

Question 30

Nether purs and of here cheste

Answer 30

Lower purse and of their strongbox

Question 31

Diverse scoles maken parfyt clerks

Answer 31

Differing schools make perfect clerks

Question 32

Sondry

Answer 32

Various

Question 33

Parfyt sekirly

Answer 33

Truly perfect

Question 34

Of fyve husbondes scoleiyng am I

Answer 34

Of five husbands' schooling am I

Question 35

Sothe

Answer 35

Truly

Question 36

Anon

Answer 36

Straightaway

Question 37

A Goddes half, where it liketh me

Answer 37

By God's side, wherever it pleases me

Question 38

Bet it is to be wedded than to brynne

Answer 38

It is better to be wedded than to burn

Question 39

What rekketh me, thogh folk seye vileynye of shrewed Lameth and his bigayme?

Answer 39

What do I care, though folk speak evil of cursed Lamech and his bigamy?

Question 40

Ferforth

Answer 40

Insofar

Question 41

Seye

Answer 41

Find

Question 42

Manere age

Answer 42

Historical period

Question 43

Defended

Answer 43

Forbad

Question 44

Drede

Answer 44

Doubt

Question 45

He seyde that precept therof hadde he noon

Answer 45

He said that he had no precept concerning it

Question 46

Men may conseille a womman to been oon

Answer 46

Men may advise women to be one

Question 47

Conseillyng

Answer 47

Advising

Question 48

Putte

Answer 48

Left

Question 49

Dampned

Answer 49

Damned

Question 50

Dede

Answer 50

Act

Question 51

Wherof

Answer 51

Where from

Question 52

Poul dorste nat comanden, atte leeste

Answer 52

In any case, Paul dared not command

Question 53

Yaf noon heeste

Answer 53

Gave no command

Question 54

Dart

Answer 54

Prize

Question 55

Cacche whoso may, who renneth best lat see

Answer 55

Catch it whoever can, let's see who runs best

Question 56

But this word is nat taken of every wight

Answer 56

But this word does not apply to every person

Question 57

But ther as God lust gyve it of his myght

Answer 57

But where God desires to give it by his power

Question 58

Mayde

Answer 58

Virgin

Question 59

Wroot

Answer 59

Wrote

Question 60

Swich

Answer 60

Such

Question 61

Al nys but conseil to virginitee

Answer 61

All is nothing but advice to virginity

Question 62

For to been a wyf he yaf me leve | Of indulgence; so nys it no repreve

Answer 62

He gave me leave to be a wife | By explicit permission; so it is not blameful

Question 63

If that make dye

Answer 63

If my mate should die

Question 64

Excepcion to bigamy

Answer 64

Objection to bigamy

Question 65

Al were it good no womman for to touche

Answer 65

Although it would be good to touch no woman

Question 66

For peril is bothe fyr and tow t' assemble

Answer 66

For it is perilous to assemble both fire and flax

Question 67

Resemble

Answer 67

Apply to

Question 68

Al and som

Answer 68

The sum of it

Question 69

Freeletee clepe I, but if that he and she

Answer 69

Weakness I call it, unless he and she

Question 70

Would leden al hir

Answer 70

Would lead all their life

Question 71

Preferre bigamye

Answer 71

May have precedence over a second marriage

Question 72

It liketh hem

Answer 72

It pleases them

Question 73

Goost

Answer 73

Spirit

Question 74

Of myn estaat I nyl nat make no boost

Answer 74

Of my state I will make no boast

Question 75

He nath nat every vessel al of gold

Answer 75

He has not every utensil all of gold

Question 76

Clepeth

Answer 76

Calls

Question 77

Sondry wyse

Answer 77

Various ways