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From The Wife of Bath's Prologue, lines 309-329:
Envy and the power of gold
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Wife of Bath's Prologue
lines 330-342: Sexual favour and the power of gold


       Of alle men yblessed moot he be,
330The wise astrologien, Daun Ptholome,
That seith this proverbe in his Almageste:
`Of alle men his wysdom is the hyeste,
That rekketh nevere who hath the world in honde.'
By this proverbe thou shalt understonde,
335Have thou ynogh, what thar thee recche or care
How myrily that othere folkes fare?
For certeyn, olde dotard, by youre leve,
Ye shul have queynte right ynogh at eve.
He is to greet a nygard, that wolde werne
340A man to lighte his candle at his lanterne;
He shal have never the lasse light, pardee,
Have thou ynogh, thee thar nat pleyne thee.
       Of all men the most blessed may he be,
330That wise astrologer, Dan Ptolemy,
Who says this proverb in his Almagest:
'Of all men he's in wisdom the highest
That nothing cares who has the world in hand.'
And by this proverb shall you understand:
335Since you've enough, why do you reck or care
How merrily all other people may fare?
For certainly, old dotard, by your leave,
You shall have cunt all right enough at eve.
He is too much a niggard who's so tight
340That from his lantern he'll give none a light.
For he'll have never the less light, by gad;
Since you've enough, you need not be so sad.




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From The Wife of Bath's Prologue, lines 343-353:
The Wife of Bath rejects austerity and frugality
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