Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: The Man Of Law's Tale First Part (A Minimalist Translation) Poem by Forrest Hainline

Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: The Man Of Law's Tale First Part (A Minimalist Translation)

In Syria once dwelt a company
135 Of chapmen rich, and thereto steady and true,
That wide-where sent their spicery,
Cloths of gold, and satins rich of hue.
Their chaffer was so thrifty and so new
That every wight had dainties to chaffer
140 With them, and eek to sell them their ware.

Now fill it that the masters of that sort
Have shaped them to Rome for to wend;
Were it for chapmanhood or for disport,
No other message would they thither send,
145 But come themselves to Rome, this is the end.
And in such place as thought them advantage
For their intent, they take their harborage.

Sojourned have these merchants in that town
A certain time, as fell to their pleasance.
150 And so befell that the excellent renown
Of the Emperor'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.

155 This was the common voice of every man:
"Our Emperor of Rome - God him see! -
A daughter has that, since the world began,
To reckon as well her goodness as beauty,
There was never such another as is she.
160 I pray to God to honor her sustain,
And would she were of all Europe the queen.

In her is high beauty, without pride,
Youth, without green-head or folly;
To all her works virtue is her guide;
165 Humbleness has slain in her all tyranny.
She is mirror of all courtesy;
Her heart is very chamber of holiness,
Her hand, minister of freedom for largess."

And all this voice was sooth, as God is true.
170 But now to purpose let us turn again.
These merchants have done fraught their ships new,
And when they have this blissful maiden seen,
Home to Syria they went full fain,
And did their needs as they have done yore,
175 And live in weal; I can say you no more.

Now fill it that these merchants stood in grace
Of him that was the Sultan of Syria;
For when they came from any strange place,
He would, of his benign courtesy,
180 Make them good cheer, and busily espy
Tidings of sundry reigns, for to learn
The wonders that they might've seen or heard.

Among other things, specially,
These merchants have him told of Lady Constance
185 Such great noblesse in earnest, seriously,
That this Sultan has caught so great pleasance
To have her figure in his remembrance,
That all his lust and all his busy cure
Was to love her while his life may dure.

190 Peradventure in that large book
Which that men call the heaven written was
With stars, when that he his birth took,
That he for love should have his death, alas!
For in the stars, clearer than is glass,
195 Is written, God knows, whoso could it read,
The death of every man, without dread.

In stars, many a winter therebeforn,
Was written the death of Hector, Achilles,
Of Pompey, Julius, ere they were born;
200 The strife of Thebes; and of Hercules,
Of Sampson, Turnus, and of Socrates
The death; but men's wits be so dull
That no wight can well read it at full.

This Sultan for his privy council sent,
205 And, shortly of this matter for to pace,
He has to them declared his intent,
And said them, certain, but he might have grace
To have Constance within a little space,
He was but dead; and charged them in high
210 To shape for his life some remedy.

Diverse men diverse things said;
They argue, cast up and down;
Many a subtle reason forth they laid;
They speak of magic and abusion.
215 But finally, as in conclusion,
They cannot see in that no advantage,
Nor in no other way, save marriage.

Then saw they therein such difficulty
By way of reason, for to speak all plain,
220 Because that there was such diversity
Between their both laws, that they say
They trow that no "Christian prince would fain
Wed his child under our law sweet
That us were taught us by Mohammed, our prophet."

225 And he answered, "Rather than I lose
Constance, I will be christened, doubtless.
I must be hers; I may no other choose.
I pray you hold arguments in peace;
Save my life, and be not reckless
230 To get her that has my life in cure,
For in this woe I may not long endure."

What needs greater dilatation?
I say, by treaty and embassadry,
And by the pope's mediation,
235 And all the church, and all the chivalry,
That in destruction of Mohametry,
And in increase of Christ's law dear,
They were accorded, so as you shall hear:

How that the Sultan and his baronage
240 And all his lieges should christened be,
And he shall have Constance in marriage,
And certain gold, I know not what quantity;
And hereto found sufficient surety.
This same accord was sworn on either side;
245 Now, fair Constance, almighty God thee guide!

Now would some men wait, as I guess,
That I should tell all the purveyance
That the Emperor, of his great noblesse,
Has shaped his daughter, Lady Constance.
250 Well may men know that so great ordinance
May no man tell in a little clause
As was arrayed for so high a cause.

Bishops were shaped with her for to wend,
Lords, ladies, knights of renown,
255 And other folk enough; this is the end;
And notified is throughout the town
That every wight, with great devotion,
Should pray Christ that he this marriage
Receive in gree and speed this voyage.

260 The day is come of her departing;
I say, the woeful fatal day is come,
That there may be no longer tarrying,
But forthward they them dress, all and some.
Constance, that was with sorrow all overcome,
265 Full pale arises, and dressed her to wend;
For well she saw there is no other end.

Alas, what wonder is it though she wept,
That shall be sent to strange nation
From friends that so tenderly her kept,
270 And to be bound under subjection
Of one, she knows not his condition?
Husbands be all good, and have been yore;
That know wives; I dare say you no more.

"Father, " she said, "thy wretched child Constance,
275 Thy young daughter fostered up so soft,
And you, my mother, my sovereign pleasance
Over all things, except Christ on-loft,
Constance your child her recommends oft
Unto your grace, for I shall to Syria,
280 Nor shall I never see you more with eye.

Alas, unto the Barber nation
I must go anon, since that it is your will;
But Christ, that died for our redemption
So give me grace his hest to fulfill!
285 I, wretched woman, no force though I spill!
Women are born to thralldom and penance,
And to be under man's governance."

I trow at Troy, when Pyrrhus broke the wall
Before Ilium burned, at Thebes the city,
290 Nor at Rome, for the harm through Hannibal
That Romans has vanquished times three,
Was heard such tender weeping for pity
As in the chamber was for her departing;
But forth she must, whereso she weep or sing.

295 O first moving! Cruel firmament,
With thy diurnal sway that crowds ay
And hurls all from East til Occident
That naturally would hold another way,
Thy crowding set the heaven in such array
300 At the beginning of this fierce voyage,
That cruel Mars has slain this marriage.

Unfortunate ascendant tortuous
Of which the lord is helpless fallen, alas,
Out of his angle into the darkest house!
305 O Mars, O Atazir, as in this case!
O feeble moon, unhappy be thy pace!
Thou knittest thee where thou art not received;
There thou were well, from thence art thou weaved.

Imprudent Emperor of Rome, alas!
310 Was there no philosopher in all thy town?
Is no time better than another in such case?
Of voyage is there no election,
Namely for folk of high condition?
Not when a root is of a birth unknow?
315 Alas, we've been too lewd or too slow!

To ship is brought this woeful fair maid
Solemnly, with every circumstance.
"Now Jesus Christ be with you all! " she said;
There's no more, but "Farewell, fair Constance! "
320 She pained her to make good countenance;
And forth I let her sail in this manner,
And turn I will again to my matter.

The mother of the Sultan, well of vices,
Espied has her son's plain intent,
325 How he will leave his old sacrifices;
And right anon she for her council sent,
And they be come to know what she meant.
And when assembled was this folk in fere,
She set her down, and said as you shall hear.

330 "Lords, " said she, "you know every one,
How that my son in point is for to let
The holy laws of our Alkoran,
Given by God's messenger Mohomet.
But one vow to great God I hest,
335 The life shall rather out of my body start
Before Mohomet's law out of my heart!

"What should us tide of this new law
Except thralldom to our bodies and penance,
And afterward hell to be draw,
340 For we deny Moham our credence?
But, lords, will you make assurance,
As I shall say, assenting to my lore,
And I shall make us safe for evermore? "

They swore and assent, every man,
345 To live with her and die, and by her stand,
And each one, in the best wise he can,
To strengthen her shall all his friends found;
And she has this emprise take in hand,
Which you shall hear that I shall devise,
350 And to them all she spoke right in this wise:

"We shall first feign us Christendom to take -
Cold water shall not grieve us but a lite! -
And I shall such a feast and revel make
That, as I trow, I shall the Sultan quite.
355 For though his wife be christened never so white,
She shall have need to wash away the red,
Though she a font full water with her led."

O Sultana, root of iniquity!
Virago, thou Semirames the second!
360 O serpent under femininity,
Like to the serpent deep in hell bound!
O feigned woman, all that may confound
Virtue and innocence, through thy malice,
Is bred in thee, as nest of every vice!

365 O Satan, envious since that day
That thou were chased from our heritage,
Well knowest thou to women the old way!
Thou madest Eve bring us in servage;
Thou wilt fordo this Christian marriage.
370 Thy instrument so - wellaway the while! -
Makest of women, when thou wilt beguile.

This Sultana, whom I thus blame and warye,
Let privily her council go their way.
What should I in this tale longer tarry?
375 She rides to the Sultan on a day,
And said him that she would reneye her lay,
And Christendom of priest's hands fonge,
Repenting her she heathen was so long,

Beseeching him to do her that honor,
380 That she might have the Christian folk to feast -
"To please them I will do my labor."
The Sultan says, "I will do at your hest."
And kneeling thanks her of that request.
So glad he was, he knew not what to say.
385 She kissed her son, and home she went her way.

Explicit prima pars