conscience, The which I will rehearse in your presénce. I have,” quoth he, “heard said, full yore ago, There may no man have perfect blisses two, This is to say, on earth and eke in heaven. For though he keep him from the sinnës seven, And eke from every branch of thilkë tree, Yet is there so perfect felicity, And so great ease and lust, in marriáge, That ev’r I am aghast, now in mine age That I shall head now so merry a life, So delicate, withoutë woe or strife, That I shall have mine heav’n on earthë here. For since that very heav’n is bought so dear, With tribulatión and great penánce, How should I then, living in such pleasánce As allë wedded men do with their wivës, Come to the bliss where Christ etern on live is? This is my dread; and ye, my brethren tway, Assoilë me this question, I you pray.”
Justinus, which that hated his follý, Answér’d anon right in his japery; And, for he would his longë tale abridge, He wouldë no authority allege, But saidë; “Sir, so there be none obstácle Other than this, God of his high mirácle, And of his mercy, may so for you wirch, That, ere ye have your rights of holy church, Ye may repent of wedded mannë’s life, In which ye say there is no woe nor strife: And ellës God forbid, but if he sent A wedded man his grace him to repent Well often, rather than a single man. And therefore, Sir, the bestë rede I can, Despair you not, but have in your memóry, Paráventure she may be your purgatóry; She may be Goddë’s means, and Goddë’s whip; And then your soul shall up to heaven skip Swifter than doth an arrow from a bow. I hope to God hereafter ye shall know That there is none so great felicity In marriáge, nor ever more shall be, That you shall let of your salvatión; So that ye use, as skill is and reasón, The lustës of your wife attemperly, And that ye please her not too amorously, And that ye keep you eke from other sin. My tale is done, for my wit is but thin. Be not aghast hereof, my brother dear, But let us waden out of this mattére, The Wife of Bath, if ye have understand, Of marriáge, which ye have now in hand, Declared hath full well in little space; Fare ye now well, God have you in his grace.”