THE WIFE OF BATHS TALE（第1页）

theprologue

experience，thoughnoneauthority**authoritativetexts

wereinthisworld，isrightenoughforme

tospeakofwoethatisinmarriage:

for，lordings，sinceitwelveyearwasofage，

（thankedbegodthat*iseternonlive），**liveseternally*

husbandsatthechurchdoorhaveihadfive，

forisooftenhavey-weddedbe，

andallwereworthymenintheirdegree.

butmewastold，notlongetimegoneis

thatsithen*christewentneverbutones*since

towedding，inthecane*ofgalilee，*cana

thatbythatilk*exampletaughtheme，*same

thatinotweddedshouldebebutonce.

lo，hearkenekeasharpwordforthenonce，**oasion

besideawellejesus，godandman，

spakeinreproofofthesamaritan:

"thouhasty-hadfivehusbandes，"saidhe

"andthilke*man，thatnowhathweddedthee，*that

isnotthinehusband:"

thussaidhecertain;

whatthathemeantthereby，icannotsayn.

butthatiaske，whythefifthema

wasnothusbandtothesamaritan?

howmanymightshehaveinmarriage?

yetheardinevertellen*inmineage**inmylife*

uponthisnumberdefinitioun

menmaydivine，andglosen*upanddown;*ment

butwelliwot，expresswithoutalie，

godbadeusfortowaxandmultiply;

thatgentletextcaniwel露nderstand.