tormentrye

Middle English

Noun

tormentrye

1. Anything producing torment, annoyance, or pain.
   • late 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath's Prologue, The Canterbury Tales, line 248-252:

     Thou seist to me, it is a greet meschief
     To wedde a povre womman, for costage;
     And if that she be riche, of heigh parage,
     Than seistow that it is a tormentrye
     To suffre hir pryde and hir malencolye.

     Thou sayest to me it is a great misfortune
     To wed a poor woman, because of expense;
     And if she be rich, of high birth,
     Then thou sayest that it is a torment
     To put up with her pride and her angry moods.