{
 "id": "john-donne/a-tale-of-a-citizen-and-his-wife",
 "title": "A Tale of a Citizen and His Wife",
 "ordinal": "Elegy XIV",
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "John Donne",
 "poet_slug": "john-donne",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems, by J. D. with Elegies on the Authors Death",
 "book_slug": "poems-1635",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": null,
 "container": "Elegies",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1635,
  "venue": "Poems, by J. D. with Elegies on the Authors Death (1635)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/bim_early-english-books-1475-1640_poems-_donne-john-poems-by-j_1635"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/john-donne_poetry",
  "file": "elegies.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofjohndonne01donn_1",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemswithelegie00chamgoog",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemswithelegie01chamgoog"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-15",
  "corrections": [
   {
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    "now": 1,
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    "checked_against": "https://archive.org/details/poemsofjohndonne01donn_1",
    "date": "2026-08-20"
   }
  ]
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 71,
  "n_stanzas": 2,
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  "longest_line_chars": 52,
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "I sing no harm, good sooth, to any wight,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To lord or fool, cuckold, beggar, or knight,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "To peace-teaching lawyer, proctor, or brave",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Reformed or reducèd captain, knave,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Officer, juggler, or justice of peace,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Juror or judge; I touch no fat sow’s grease;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I am no libeller, nor will be any,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But⁠—like a true man⁠—say there are too many.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I fear not ore tenus; for my tale",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Nor count nor counsellor will look red or pale.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "A citizen and his wife the other day",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Both riding on one horse, upon the way",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I overtook; the wench, a pretty peat,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And⁠—by her eye⁠—well fitting for the feat.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I saw the lecherous citizen turn back",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His head, and on his wife’s lip steal a smack;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Whence apprehending that the man was kind,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Riding before to kiss his wife behind,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To get acquaintance with him I began",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To sort discourse fit for so fine a man;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I ask’d the number of the plaguing bill;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Ask’d if the custom farmers held out still;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of the Virginian plot, and whether Ward",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The traffic of the island seas had marr’d;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Whether the Britain Burse did fill apace,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And likely were to give th’ Exchange disgrace.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of new-built Aldgate, and the Moor-field crosses,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of store of bankrupts, and poor merchants’ losses",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I urgèd him to speak; but he⁠—as mute",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As an old courtier worn to his last suit⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Replies with only yeas and nays; at last",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "—To fit his element⁠—my theme I cast",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "On tradesmen’s gains; that set his tongue a-going.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Alas! good sir,” quoth he, “there is no doing",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In court or city now”; she smiled, and I,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And, in my conscience, both gave him the lie",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In one met thought; but he went on apace,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And at the present time with such a face",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He rail’d, as fray’d me; for he gave no praise",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To any but my Lord of Essex’ days;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Call’d that the age of action⁠—“True!” quoth I⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“There’s now as great an itch of bravery,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And heat of taking up, but cold lay down,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For, put to push of pay, away they run;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Our only city trades of hope now are",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Bawds, tavern-keepers, whores, and scriveners.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The much of privileged kinsmen and store",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Of fresh protections make the rest all poor.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In the first state of their creation",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Though many stoutly stand, yet proves not one",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A righteous paymaster.” Thus ran he on",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In a continued rage; so void of reason",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Seem’d his harsh talk, I sweat for fear of treason.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And⁠—troth⁠—how could I less? when in the prayer",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For the protection of the wise Lord Mayor,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And his wise brethren’s worships, when one prayeth,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He swore that none could say amen with faith.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To get off him from what I glow’d to hear,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In happy time an angel did appear,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The bright sign of a loved and well-tried inn,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Where many citizens with their wives had been",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Well used and often; here I pray’d him stay,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To take some due refreshment by the way.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Look, how he look’d that hid the gold, his hope,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And at return found nothing but a rope,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So he at me; refused and made away,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Though willing she pleaded a weary stay.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "I found my miss, struck hands, and pray’d him tell⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To hold acquaintance still⁠—where he did dwell.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He barely named the street, promised the wine,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But his kind wife gave me the very sign.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}