THE WIFE OF BATHS TALE（第2页）

thatgentletextcaniwel露nderstand.

ekewelliwot，hesaid，thatminehusband

shouldleavefatherandther，andtaketome;

butofnonumbermentionmadehe，

ofbigamyorofoctogamy;

whythenshouldmenspeakofitvillainy?**asifitwereadisgrace

lohere，thewisekingdan*solon，*lord

itrowthathehadwivesrethanone;

aswouldtogoditlawfulweretome

toberefreshedhalfsooftashe!

whatgift*ofgodhadheforallhiswives?*specialfavour，licence

nomanhathsuch，thatinthisworldaliveis.

godwot，thisnobleking，*astomywit，**asiunderstand*

thefirstnighthadmanyamerryf

witheachofthem，so*wellwashinlive.**sowellhelived*

blessedbegodthatihaveweddedfive

welethesixthwheneverthatheshall.

forsinceiwillnotkeepmechasteinall，

whenminehusbandisfromtheworldy-gone，

somechristianmanshallweddemeanon.

forthenthapostlesaiththatiamfree

towed，*agodshalf，*whereitlikethme.*ongodspart*

hesaith，thattobeweddedisnosin;

betteristobeweddedthantobrin.**burn

whatrecketh*methoughfolksayvillainy***care**evil

ofshrewed*lamech，andhisbigamy?*impious，wicked

iwotwellabrahamwasaholyman，

andjacobeke，asfarasevrican.**know

andeachofthemhadwivesrethantwo;

andmanyanotherholymanalso.

wherecanyesee，*inanymannerage，**inanyperiod*