Disciplina Clericalis/Tale 29

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Disciplina Clericalis (English translation) from the fifteenth century Worcester Cathedral Manuscript F. 172
Peter Alphonse, translated by William Henry Hulme, edited by William Henry Hulme
The Roman Merchant Who Laid a Wager on His Wife's Chastity
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3824347Disciplina Clericalis (English translation) from the fifteenth century Worcester Cathedral Manuscript F. 172 — The Roman Merchant Who Laid a Wager on His Wife's ChastityWilliam Henry HulmePeter Alphonse
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XXIX. The Roman Merchant Who Laid a Wager on His Wife's Chastity.[1]

Ther were ii manchauntis in Rome of the whiche that oon had a wif, a chast[2] and a faire womman. Forsoth that other no trustifeith had in no womman. Whan and wherfor sumtyme whan and other wern disceived of wymmens[3] lightnes[4] he joied[5]; he forsoth of the trust and feith of his wif ageynsaide that other, of the whiche thei[6] put in plegge al their possessioun: this that he shuld corrupt hir withyn xv daies, he forwhi as with this condicioun stidefastly kept: that the husbond shuld nat warne or tel his wif of this covenaunt. She therfor busied with al maner of lightnes as with nothyng lad nor huyred, bi hir footemayde or seruaunt with yiftes corrupt she was disceived. Forsoth she had a Ryng that is to of hir first husbondes yift[7] above al possessiouns most diere.[8] She had also a vernacle[9] in signe and of an hand and an half from the kne vnto the Right hipe. And whan so bi the footemaide or seruaunt prively had taken he that knowen Ryng, and with the knowlache that I have saide, told and rehersed to his felaw as signes and tokenes of most certayne advowtrye, he bitake with cursid suspeccioun exiled hymsilf of his possessioun and vsid of exile. This ​thyng noised bi the Citee, she was outcast as advowteres and to the nephew or cosyn[10] of hir husbond she was committed.

Thei cam in to Alisaunder, and covered and hid with strength and kynde of clothis; beryng hymsilf evene to the kyng in manyfold seruice, in the friendship of the kyng hym bare as myght be in curtesye most swift and light. As admynistratrice of al the Realme the kynges Rentis wern infinytily multiplied bi his providence. Than themperour of Rome dede; his yong sone whan he Empired in the (f. 137b) Empire, herd of the sapient wisdam[11] of hym of Alisaunder, sent hym to Rome. [He] peased thempire, Restored soft and easy lawes in to the friendship of themperour and the Citezeins and the provynce with his high merites, nat puttyng hymsilf any symulacioun or token vnto his traitour. Bi hap and fortune [she] fond hir husbond among poore folk most porest and dide hym to be nurisshed. And bifore his traitour dide to be Rehersed his treason bifore the Citezeyns; that don arraied a feste to the delectacioun that is to say of felawship and festers; than at the last he opened and deemed into deth of his owne confessioun. The pore man went his wey and she to hir husbond.

  1. ↑ See Mod. Lang. Notes, vol. XXIV, p. 219; H. & S., I, 71-72.
  2. ↑ H. & S. 'chaste.'
  3. ↑ H. & S. 'wymmenis.'
  4. ↑ 'lightnes' inserted on margin of Ms.
  5. ↑ H. & S. omit 'he joied.'
  6. ↑ H. & S. 'the.'
  7. ↑ Lat. (I, 71, l. 19) Habebat autem anulum sibi primum mariti manus. When this tale was printed in Mod. Lang. Notes several years ago (1909), the Latin original had not been published. For this reason I offer there a few emendations of the Middle English text: with the Latin text now accessible, my emendations are, for the most part, omitted in this reprint.
  8. ↑ H. & S. 'kiere'. Lat. carum (I, 71, l. 21.)
  9. ↑ Lat. verrucam.
  10. ↑ Lat. nepos.
  11. ↑ H. & S. 'wisdom.'
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