Wifeless hath been, though that men would him rive* *wound
Into the hearte, could in no mannere
Telle so much sorrow, as I you here
Could tellen of my wife's cursedness."* *wickedness

"Now," quoth our Host, "Merchant, so God you bless,
Since ye so muche knowen of that art,
Full heartily I pray you tell us part."
"Gladly," quoth he; "but of mine owen sore,
For sorry heart, I telle may no more."


Notes to the Prologue to the Merchant's Tale


1. Though the manner in which the Merchant takes up the
closing words of the Envoy to the Clerk's Tale, and refers to
the patience of Griselda, seems to prove beyond doubt that
the order of the Tales in the text is the right one, yet in
some manuscripts of good authority the Franklin's Tale
follows the Clerk's, and the Envoy is concluded by this
stanza: --
"This worthy Clerk when ended was his tale,
Our Hoste said, and swore by cocke's bones
'Me lever were than a barrel of ale
My wife at home had heard this legend once;
This is a gentle tale for the nonce;
As, to my purpose, wiste ye my will.
But thing that will not be, let it be still.'"