In the old days of King Arthur . . . (p. 337, line 1) -- There used to be fairies and elves, but now there are only frairs, who bless everything so the fairies are driven away. And so women can walk safe, as "there is no other incubus but he [the Friar] -- / and he won't do anything but dishonor to them" (p. 337, lines 24-25).
"It so happened that this King Arthur / had in his house a lusty bachelor . . ." (p. 339, lines 26-27). The lusty bachelor commits rape, and is in danger of being decapitated, but the Queen intervenes and gives him a year and a day to discover "what thing it is that women most desire" (p. 339, line 49).
"He sought in every house and every place" (p. 339, line 63), but hears only plausible theories:
"Some said women love riches best; some said honor; some said amusement; some, rich apparel; some said pleasure in bed, and often to be widowed and remarried" (p. 341, lines 69 - 72).
"And some said we love best to be free, and do just as we please, and to have no man reprove us for our vice . . ." (p. 341, lines 79 -81).
"And some said that we take delight in being thought reliable and able to keep a secret" (p. 341, lines 89 - 90). --The Wife of Bath scoffs at this idea and so tells the story of how the wife of Midas revealed that he had Ass's ears.
"When this knight whom my tale specially concerns saw that he couldn't come by it— that is to say what women love most—" (p. 343, lines 127 - 129). --On his way back from his seemingly hopeless quest, the knight sees more than 24 ladies dancing, but they vanish, and an ugly crone remains. She offers to tell him the answer to his question if he promises to grant her next request if he is able, that is, after he successfully answers the question and saves his life. He presents his answer before the Queen and a court of ladies. The answer is that "generally / women desire to have dominion / over their husbands as well as their lovers, / and to be above them in mastery . . ." (p. 347, lines 181 - 184). The women cannot deny this and agree that the knight should live.
"And at that word up jumped the old woman / who the knight had seen sitting on the green . . ." (p. 347, lines 190 - 191). --The crone claims the knight as her husband. He hates it, but he has to marry her. On their wedding night she asks him what's wrong & says she could fix things. He replies that nothing can be fixed; she is "so loathsome and so old, / and what is more, of such low birth" (p. 349, lines 244 - 245), that he wishes that his heart would break.
"'Is this,' said she, 'the cause of your unrest?'" -- The crone repeats that she could fix everything, and within three days, but then she goes on to give a long speech about the Knight's wrong ideas:
"But in the matter of your speaking of such nobility as decends from ancient wealth, claiming that because of it you are supposed to be noblemen—such arrogance is not worth a hen." (pp. 350 - 351, lines 253 - 256). --She concludes this long section by saying, "then I am noble, from the time I begin / to live virtuously and avoid sin." (p. 353, lines 319 - 320).
"And as for the poverty you reprove me for . . ." (p. 353, line 321).
"Now sir, you reprove me for age . . ." (p. 355, line 351).
"Now as to the point that I am ugly and old— . . ." (p. 355, line 357). -- He won't have to worry about being a cuckold, but she can satisfy his fleshly desires if he makes a crucial choice correctly.
"'Choose now,' said she, 'one of these two things . . .'" (p. 357, line 363). -- Note, if she's young and beautiful, he has to take his chances, and he cannot keep a watch on her. Also note: the use of that key word, "mastery" at line 380.
"And thus the lived to the end of their lives / in perfect joy . . ." (p. 359, lines 401 - 402). -- The Wife of Bath's dearest hope is for young lusty husbands who obey their wives, and she curses their opposites.