The Wife of Bath Quotes

“By God, if women had written stories,
As clerks had within here oratories,
They would have written of men more wickedness
Than all the mark of Adam may redress.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath's Prologue & Tale

“Chese now," quod she, "oon of thise thynges tweye:
To han me foul and old til that I deye,
And be to yow a trewe, humble wyf,
And nevere yow displese in al my lyf,
Or elles ye wol han me yong and fair,
And take youre aventure of the repair
That shal be to youre hous by cause of me,
Or in som oother place, may wel be.
Now chese yourselven, wheither that yow liketh.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath

“For as I may be saved by God above, I never used discretion when in love But ever followed on my appetite, Whether the lad was short, long, black or white. Little I cared, if he was fond of me, How poor he was, or what his rank might be.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath

“A knowing wife if she is worth her salt Can always prove her husband is at fault, And even though the fellow may have heard Some story told him by a little bird She knows enough to prove the bird is crazy And get her maid to witness she’s a daisy,”
― Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath