Canterbury Tales Middle English Reading - The Wife of Bath's Portrait

Well, I'm back, and making an ass out of myself even more than usual. I didn't rehearse this before hand, and I've not read the Wife of Bath's portrait in a while, so I'm sure I made some mistakes, as this was my first off-the-cuff reading of this section in... um. A long time now. Anyway, enjoy. Words below.


The Wife of Bath's Portrait
445: A good wif was ther of biside bathe,
446: But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe.
447: Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt,
448: She passed hem of ypres and of gaunt.
449: In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon
450: That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon;
451: And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she,
452: That she was out of alle charitee.
453: Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground;
454: I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound
455: That on a sonday weren upon hir heed.
456: Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed,
457: Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe.
458: Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe.
459: She was a worthy womman al hir lyve:
460: Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve,
461: Withouten oother compaignye in youthe, --
462: But therof nedeth nat to speke as nowthe.
463: And thries hadde she been at jerusalem;
464: She hadde passed many a straunge strem;
465: At rome she hadde been, and at boloigne,
466: In galice at seint-jame, and at coloigne.

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[confzld77]

This was really helpful, thank you!

[Sestet]

@confzld77 You're welcome! <3

[Yperanthropoidsx]

you are coool!



[Sestet]

@Yperanthropoidsx Thanks. :) <3

[Ryio86]

Sestina approves. <3