The Merchant's Prologue, ll. 1-32 (The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer)

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Merchant's Prologue

	"Wepyng and waylyng, care and oother sorwe
	I knowe ynogh, on even and a-morwe,"
	Quod the marchant, "and so doon other mo
	That wedded been. I trowe that it be so,
5	For wel I woot it fareth so with me.
	I have a wyf, the worste that may be;
	For thogh the feend to hire ycoupled were,
	She sholde hym overmacche, I dar wel swere.
	What sholde I yow reherce in special
10	Hir hye malice? She is a shrewe at al.
	Ther is a long and large difference
	Bitwix Grisildis grete pacience
	And of my wyf the passyng crueltee.
	Were I unbounden, also moot I thee!
15	I wolde nevere eft comen in the snare.
	We wedded men lyven in sorwe and care.
	Assaye whoso wole, and he shal fynde
	That I seye sooth, by Seint Thomas of Ynde,
	As for the moore part - I sey nat alle.
20	God shilde that it sholde so bifalle!
	A! goode sire hoost, I have ywedded bee
	Thise monthes two, and moore nat, pardee;
	And yet, I trowe, he that al his lyve
	Wyflees hath been, though that men wolde him ryve
25	Unto the herte, ne koude in no manere
	Tellen so muchel sorwe as I now heere
	Koude tellen of my wyves cursednesse!"
	Now," quod oure hoost, "Marchaunt, so God yow blesse,
	Syn ye so muchel knowen of that art
30	Ful hertely I pray yow telle us part."
	"Gladly," quod he, "but of myn owene soore,
	For soory herte, I telle may namoore."