Excufe me, dear, if aught amifs was said, 790
For, on my foul, amends fhall foon be made;
Let my repentance your forgiveness draw,
By heav'n, I fwore but what I thought I faw.

Ah mylov'dlord! 'twas much unkind (shecry'd) On bare fufpicion thus to treat your bride. 795 But till your fight's establish'd, for a while, Imperfect objects may your fenfe beguile. Thus when from sleep we first our eyes display, The balls are wounded with the piercing ray, And dusky vapours rise, and intercept the day: So juft recov'ring from the fhades of night, 801 Your swimming eyes are drunk with fudden light, Strange phantoms dance around, and fkim before your fight.

Then, Sir, be cautious, nor too rafhly deem; Heav'n knows how feldom things are what they feem! 805

Confult your reason, and you foon fhall find
'Twas you were jealous, not your wife unkind :
Jove ne'er spoke oracle more true than this,
None judge fo wrong as those who think amifs.

With that she leap'd into her Lord's embrace With well diffembled virtue in her face.

811

He hugg'd her close, and kiss'd her o'er and o'er, Disturb'd with doubts and jealoufies no more;

Both, pleas'd and blefs'd, renew'd their mutual

Vows,

A fruitful wife, and a believing spouse,

815

Thus ends our tale, whofe moral next to make, Let all wife husbands hence example take; And pray, to crown the pleasure of their lives, To be so well deluded by their wives.

THE

WIFE of BATH

HER

PROLOGUE.

FROM

CHAUCER.

1