the prologue from the canterbury tales essay

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The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey chaucer.

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A Summary and Analysis of Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘General Prologue’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

The General Prologue to Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales is one of the jewels in the crown of medieval English literature. From its opening lines extolling the virtues of April showers through to Chaucer’s wonderfully descriptive introductions to the various pilgrims travelling from London to Canterbury, the General Prologue provides a window onto medieval culture while also reminding us that some features of human nature are timeless and common to all generations and ages.

The opening lines of the General Prologue are one of the most powerful and evocative pieces of writing about spring in all of English literature, from its first reference to the rejuvenating qualities of April showers through to the zodiacal allusions to Aries (the Ram). You can read the General Prologue in the original Middle English here before proceeding to our summary and analysis below.

The General Prologue: summary

One April, Chaucer, the poet and narrator of the Canterbury Tales , arrives at a tavern called the Tabard in Southwark, London. It is the time of year when people in medieval times go on pilgrimages, and Chaucer is about to set off with the tavern’s landlord, Harry Bailly, on the long ride to Canterbury in Kent, to visit the shrine of the martyr Thomas Becket.

Twenty-nine other pilgrims arrive at the inn, ready to set off on their pilgrimage. Chaucer describes each of the pilgrims, from the knight and his squire, to the miller, the parson, the Wife of Bath, and the various other representatives of medieval society.

Bailly, who is hosting the group of pilgrims at the inn, suggests that they each take it in turns to tell stories to everyone as they travel, to liven up the journey. The pilgrim who tells the best story will be treated to a supper by the rest of the pilgrims when they get back to the inn. Harry Bailly himself will be the judge of the contest. And so the pilgrims set off for Canterbury …

The General Prologue: analysis

The notion of having an overarching narrative which would allow for various characters to tell numerous stories within that broader story was something that Chaucer probably picked up from Boccaccio, the Italian author whose Decameron sees a group of Italians fleeing the city of Florence during the Black Death and holing themselves up outside the city, telling stories to each other to pass the time.

But another important (though less well-known) influence on Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales was something known as the ‘estates satire’, a medieval genre in which various trades and professions were mocked and satirised through a certain type (usually a stereotype) which represented their trade.

In each case, the character lays bare the shortcomings of the trade or class which they emblematise. We can clearly see this in Chaucer’s characters: in the pardoner who is not exactly free from sin himself, or the Wife of Bath who readily admits to adultery, and so on.

But Chaucer’s characters go beyond the mere archetypes (or stereotypes) found in such medieval satires. He makes his characters more individual, more ambiguous, and more difficult to categorise.

Is the Wife of Bath a terrible wife because she has cheated on at least one of her five husbands, or a model wife because she has learned how to tame and control the often abusive or wayward men she has married? Is the Miller right to mock the Knight’s ‘straight’ tale of courtly chivalry? Such tensions and ambiguities are held in balance throughout the Canterbury Tales , and they are immediately present in the famous opening lines of the General Prologue:

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote, The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licóur Of which vertú engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne, And smale foweles maken melodye, That slepen al the nyght with open ye, So priketh hem Natúre in hir corages, Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages …

This is hardly a placid and beautifying picture of spring: to borrow from more recent artistic modes, we might say it has the restless energy of the opening of a movie rather than the stillness of a photograph.

The reference to ‘the Ram’, the animal that represents the star sign Aries, is also a nod to rutting season and the idea of mating, copulation, and the wildness of nature – and many of the pilgrims will prove to be in the possession of wild and even violent passions, such as lust, greed, avarice, and other desires.

And ‘folk’ might ‘longen’ to ‘goon on pilgrimages’ for reasons that are not altogether holy, as Lesley A. Coote points out in her informative contextual notes to The Canterbury Tales (Wordsworth Poetry Library) .

It is this sense of ambiguity that makes The Canterbury Tales so varied and so surprising an anthology of tales, with the pace and tone constantly shifting as each pilgrim hands the storytelling baton to another (or has it wrenched from his hand, as happens to Chaucer himself when telling his disastrous Tale of Sir Thopas ).

Coote provides a good example of this ambiguity and how subtly and deftly Chaucer weaves it into his descriptions of the various pilgrims. Consider the Prioress, who carries a rosary – as we’d expect a medieval religious woman to – but one with the inscription ‘ amor vincit omnia ’ on it.

This means ‘love conquers all’: a reference to God’s love and how it overcomes everything else? Perhaps, except that ‘ amor vincit omnia ’ is a quotation from Virgil, a pagan poet, rather than from the Bible or other Christian text. Is the Prioress as interested in human passion as with divine love or agape ?

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The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

By Geoffrey Chaucer

‘The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ by Geoffrey Chaucer expresses the poem’s satirical view on the society of its time.

Geoffrey Chaucer

Nationality: English

He is best known for The Canterbury Tales.

Poem Analyzed by Miz Alb

M.A. in English Literature, Ph.D. in English Language Teaching

‘The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue ’ is an interesting work of art by Geoffrey Chaucer, popularly known as the father of English poetry. It serves as a framework for the poem and depicts the life of Renaissance England. Chaucer modeled this after Boccaccio’s Decameron but added more insight to the work by his genuine humor and humanism.

Explore Prologue to Canterbury Tales

• 1 Summary of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
• 2 Characters in The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
• 3 Themes and Setting of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
• 4 Form and Structure of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
• 5 The Tone of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
• 6 Use of Irony in The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
• 7 Symbolism in The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
• 8 Analysis of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue
• 9 Historical Context
• 10 Similar Poetry

Summary of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

In ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue, ‘ Chaucer expresses his satirical view on the society of his time. Especially on the church and its representatives, who are more worldly than holy and simple.

Chaucer opens the Prologue with a description of spring. He, along with other pilgrimages, gathered on a spring evening at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, the place of departure and arrival for the pilgrimages to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket at Canterbury. He forms a company of pilgrims representing the entire range of the English Society of the fourteenth century. It consists of a total of thirty-two pilgrims, including the poet. At supper, the host of the Tabard Inn proposes that each of them should tell two tales, respectively, during their journey to Canterbury and during their return. They happily agreed and set off early the next morning on their journey.  It is also decided that the person who tells the best story will be rewarded with a sumptuous dinner, and the Host will join them on their journey and serve as the judge of the tales.

Characters in  The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

There are many characters in  ‘The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ listed below. For more information on the characters, read our in-depth look into each character from  ‘The Canterbury Tales’ :

• The Narrator
• The Host (Harry Bailey)
• The Prioress (Madame Eglantine)
• The Three Priests
• Hubert, the Friar
• The Merchant
• The Man of Law (or Sergent of Law)

Themes and Setting of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

Chaucer explores various social conditions of his period and the manners of people in ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ . The poem explores the ugly truth of life in all aspects of society.  It is a satire on Social Status, Corruption in the Church, Friendship, and Companionship for all the classes of medieval society except the highest aristocracy and the lowest order of life.  ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ is set on a spring evening at the Tabard Inn in Southwark, a suburb at the southern end of London Bridge.

Form and Structure of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

‘The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ is written in Middle English, a form of English spoken from around the 12th to 15th centuries. It serves as an introductory note to the tale-tellers and their host. Also, it explains the context in which the tales are being told. Chaucer wrote his poem in rhyming couplets , with every two lines rhyming with each other. Though they are divided into stanzas , it is structured with the lines of iambic pentameter , with five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables. The narrator opens the General Prologue with a description of the return of spring. The travelers were a diverse group who, like the narrator, were on their way to Canterbury.

The Tone of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

Chaucer uses a satirical tone in his Canterbury Tales , especially in his description of characters in ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue.’ Chaucer is poking fun at the representatives of medieval society through his handpicked characters. The main focus of Chaucer’s satire is on the medieval Church and its representatives, clearly presented through the ecclesiastical characters.

Use of Irony in The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

Chaucer makes ample use of irony in ‘The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue,’ for his main purpose is a criticism of medieval society. The irony is also employed in the portrait of the Friar, especially when Chaucer addresses him as: “He was a noble pillar of his order” when he is a mercenary focusing only on money. The Monk’s character, too, is portrayed satirically. For he is fond of hunting and keeps a large number of fine horses in his stable. His worldliness is clearly exposed by his partiality to a roast swan.

The Prioress’s character too ironically represented in contrast to the general expectation of a Prioress’s attitudes and nature.  She wore a brooch in her hand with the inscription “Love conquers all” in Latin. Further, in the character of the Wife of Bath, we see the irony employed. Chaucer says she is a good woman who had “Housbondes at Chirche dore she hadde five.”

Symbolism in The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

In ‘The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue, ‘ Chaucer uses symbols to represent his view on the period and the social condition. Every character is a representation of the social class to which they belong. The first symbol is the springtime. The prologue opens in April, the season that symbolizes rebirth and fresh beginnings. The Squire, too, with his liveliness, represents the season, for Chaucer compares him to the freshness of the month of May.

Description of garments, too, symbolizes the personality beneath each clothes. The Physicians clothe with rich silk and unique fur reveals his passion and desire for wealth.  Also, the excessive floral design in the Squire’s clothe represents his vanity of youth.

Moreover, the physical appearance of each character described by the poet symbolizes the characteristics and the social section they belong to. The Merchant’s forked beard could be taken as a symbol of his duplicity as Chaucer hints. Miller’s appearance “round and ruddy” stereotypically represents the peasant’s community most clearly suited for rough and simple work. The Pardoner’s glaring eyes and limp hair illustrate his fraudulence.

Analysis of The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

“Here bygynneth the Book of the tales of Caunterbury,” thus begins ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ of Chaucer. He intentionally makes his purpose clear with this simple line. Though the work of art is titled as “tales” one could see that it is written in verse , the popular form of his time. In this general prologue, Chaucer delineates his characters (tale-tellers), handpicked from 14 th century England with his unbiased nature and artistic ability.

Stanza 1 (Lines 1-18)

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote, The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licóur Of which vertú engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne, And smale foweles maken melodye, That slepen al the nyght with open ye, So priketh hem Natúre in hir corages, Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; And specially, from every shires ende Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende, The hooly blisful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.

In the first stanza of ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ , Chaucer gives a beautiful description of April, the spring that has inspired a universal feeling. The April Shower added with the fragrance is carried by the west wind, and the music produced by the little birds seems to intrigue the people to go on a pilgrimage. They go across countries looking for far off saints on strange shores. The people of England from all corners come down to Canterbury to seek the holy martyr, St. Thomas,  the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162  to 1170. He was murdered by followers of the King Henry II in Canterbury Cathedral, against his conflict over the rights and privileges of the Church. Soon after his death, he was canonized by Pope Alexander III. It was believed that he helped them out in their sickness, thus, the pilgrims across the country visit as a way of respect.

Stanzas 2-3 (Lines 19-42)

Bifil that in that seson on a day, In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay, Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage To Caunterbury with ful devout corage, At nyght were come into that hostelrye Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye Of sondry folk, by áventure y-falle In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle, That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde. The chambres and the stables weren wyde, And wel we weren esed atte beste. And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, So hadde I spoken with hem everychon, That I was of hir felaweshipe anon, And made forward erly for to ryse, To take oure wey, ther as I yow devyse. But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space, Er that I ferther in this tale pace, Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun To telle yow al the condicioun Of ech of hem, so as it semed me, And whiche they weren and of what degree, And eek in what array that they were inne; And at a Knyght than wol I first bigynne.

In stanza two, Chaucer shares his visit to Canterbury. During his journey, he stayed at the Tabard Inn in Southwark. Another twenty-nine pilgrim too joined him and by chance , they were all going to Canterbury. Since the tavern had enough rooms and spacious stables they decided to stay at that place. By evening he made acquaintance with them all and they formed a fellowship for their purpose were the same.  The poet promises to begin his journey along with them the next morning. Nevertheless, since he had some more time to spare, the poet decides to describe the characters he met that day before he commences his journey.

Stanzas 4-6 (Lines 43-78)

A Knyght ther was, and that a worthy man, That fro the tyme that he first bigan To riden out, he loved chivalrie, Trouthe and honóur, fredom and curteisie. Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre, And thereto hadde he riden, no man ferre, As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse, And evere honóured for his worthynesse. At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne; Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne Aboven alle nacions in Pruce. In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce,— No cristen man so ofte of his degree. In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye. At Lyeys was he, and at Satalye, Whan they were wonne; and in the Grete See At many a noble armee hadde he be. At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene In lyste thries, and ay slayn his foo. This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also Somtyme with the lord of Palatye Agayn another hethen in Turkye; And evermoore he hadde a sovereyn prys. And though that he were worthy, he was wys, And of his port as meeke as is a mayde. He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde, In al his lyf, unto no maner wight. He was a verray, parfit, gentil knyght. But for to tellen yow of his array, His hors weren goode, but he was nat gay; Of fustian he wered a gypon Al bismótered with his habergeon; For he was late y-come from his viage, And wente for to doon his pilgrymage.

Chaucer begins his description of the characters with the Knight in stanzas four to six of ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue ‘ . The Knight is represented as a distinguished man, for he has followed chivalry, truth, honor freedom, and courtesy. He had been a part of many wars and expeditions at places like Algezir, Belmarye (Benamarin), Lyeys (Ayas), and Satalye (Attalia). Also, he had been on many naval expeditions in the Mediterranean. He has taken part in about fifteen deadly battles. Also, he has fought thrice for his faith (Christianity) and slew his enemies always. This knight has once been with the lord of Palatia against Turkey. The knight is distinguished and wise but as Chaucer describes there is no trace of such pride in his behavior for he is amiable and modest with his companions.

In stanza six, Chaucer gives the detail of his dressing. He has come on a fine horse but wasn’t dress up in the manner knight’s will dress up in usual. He wore a doublet of fustian (coarse cloth), stained and dark with smudges where his armor had left marks. It looked as if he has come to do his pilgrimages immediately after he had returned home from his service.

Stanza 7 (Lines 79-100)

With hym ther was his sone, a yong Squiér, A lovyere and a lusty bacheler, With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse. Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse. Of his statúre he was of evene lengthe, And wonderly delyvere and of greet strengthe. And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Pycardie, And born hym weel, as of so litel space, In hope to stonden in his lady grace. Embrouded was he, as it were a meede Al ful of fresshe floures whyte and reede. Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day; He was as fressh as is the month of May. Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde; Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde; He koude songes make and wel endite, Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write. So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale. Curteis he was, lowely and servysáble, And carf biforn his fader at the table.

Chaucer gives a description of the knight’s son, a young squire who accompanied him on the pilgrimage. He is a merry bachelor about the age of twenty with curly locks as if they had been laid in press. Like his father, he too bore a remarkable appearance with agility and strength through moderate in height. He had been out once with cavalry and conducted himself valiantly in Flaundres (Flanders), Artoys (Artios), and Pycar dye (Picardy).

For his dressing, he wore a garment so embroidered as if it were a meadow full of fresh flowers, white and red. He bore a fresh appearance by singing or fluting all the time, like the fresh flowers of May. Also, he seemed to be a talented youth for he could make songs and recite, fight in a tournament dance, paint well, and write. He is a lover who loved his lady fervently that he could sleep like a nightingale at night. Similar to his father (knight), he was courteous, humble, and serviceable, and carved to serve his father at the table.

Stanza 8 (Lines 101-117)

A Yeman hadde he and servántz namo At that tyme, for hym liste ride soo; And he was clad in cote and hood of grene. A sheef of pecock arwes bright and kene, Under his belt he bar ful thriftily— Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly; His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe— And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe. A not-heed hadde he, with a broun viságe. Of woodecraft wel koude he al the uságe. Upon his arm he baar a gay bracér, And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler, And on that oother syde a gay daggere, Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere; A Cristophere on his brest of silver sheene. An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene. A forster was he, soothly as I gesse.

The knight brought along with him a yeoman, and in stanza, eight Chaucer speaks of him. The yeoman wore a coat and a hood of green. He carried carefully under his belt a neatly sheathed sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen. On the other, he carried a dagger, sharp as the point of the spear. As a yeoman, he dressed up and bore a mighty bow in his hand. Upon his arms, he bore a saucy brace to ward it from the bowstrings. On his breast, he wore a medal of St. Christopher (the patron saint of travelers), made of bright silver. He also carried a hunting horn and the belt he wore was green, by all these Chaucer states that he could be a forester.

Stanzas 9-10 (Lines 119-163)

Ther was also a Nonne, a Prioresse, That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy; Hire gretteste ooth was but by seinte Loy, And she was cleped madame Eglentyne. Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne, Entuned in hir nose ful semely; And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly, After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe, For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe. At mete wel y-taught was she with-alle: She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe. Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe Thát no drope ne fille upon hire brist; In curteisie was set ful muchel hir list. Hire over-lippe wyped she so clene That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte. Ful semely after hir mete she raughte. And sikerly she was of greet desport, And ful plesáunt and amyable of port, And peyned hire to countrefete cheere Of court, and been estatlich of manere, And to ben holden digne of reverence. But for to speken of hire conscience, She was so charitable and so pitous She wolde wepe if that she saugh a mous Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. Of smale houndes hadde she, that she fedde With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel breed; But soore wepte she if oon of hem were deed, Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte; And al was conscience and tendre herte. Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was; Hire nose tretys, her eyen greye as glas, Hir mouth ful smal and ther-to softe and reed; But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed; It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe; For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe. Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war; Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene, And ther-on heng a brooch of gold ful sheene, On which ther was first write a crowned A, And after, Amor vincit omnia. Another Nonne with hire hadde she, That was hire chapeleyne, and Preestes thre.

Following his description of the knight and his companions in line 119, Chaucer now turns his direction towards ecclesiastical characters. The prioress has come with the company of another nun, her chaplain, and three priests. She was very simple and shy, known as Madam Eglantine. Also, spoke French taught at Stratford-atte-Bowe, not the one spoken in Paris. Moreover, she was very well trained in table manners, for she neither let a morsel fall from her lips nor dipped her fingers too deep in the sauce. Though she is a nun, she seems to have a special zest for courtesy and tries to present herself of high stature. She appeared dignified in all her deals and expressed sympathy and tender feelings.

In her appearance, she looked elegant with fine features: grey eyes, elegant nose, small but soft and red lips. She also wore an elegant cloak and her veils were gracefully pleated. On her arm, she wore a coral trinket, a set of beads, and upon it hung a golden brooch with a crowned ‘A’ engraved upon it along with a Latin phrase “Amor vincit omnia”.

Stanza 11 (Lines 164-206)

A Monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie, An outridere, that lovede venerie; A manly man, to been an abbot able. Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable; And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere Gýnglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere, And eek as loude, as dooth the chapel belle, Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle. The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit, By-cause that it was old and som-del streit,— This ilke Monk leet olde thynges pace, And heeld after the newe world the space. He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men, Ne that a monk, whan he is recchelees, Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees,— This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre. But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre; And I seyde his opinioun was good. What sholde he studie and make hymselven wood, Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure, Or swynken with his handes and labóure, As Austyn bit? How shal the world be served? Lat Austyn have his swynk to him reserved. Therfore he was a prikasour aright: Grehoundes he hadde, as swift as fowel in flight; Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare. I seigh his sleves y-púrfiled at the hond With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond; And for to festne his hood under his chyn He hadde of gold y-wroght a curious pyn; A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was. His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas, And eek his face, as he hadde been enoynt. He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt; His eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed, That stemed as a forneys of a leed; His bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat. Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat. He was nat pale, as a forpyned goost: A fat swan loved he best of any roost. His palfrey was as broun as is a berye.

The Monk was a leader in fashions. He was passionate about inspecting farming and hunting. Also, he had many horses in his stables. When he rode, his bridle jingled like a chapel bell. The monk preferred to ignore the old rules of St. Maur or St. Benet because he felt it to be old and strict. He followed the modern spacious way and never regarded the text that says hunters are not holy men or that a monk who spends his time outside the cloister is like a fish out of water. Ignoring all those words of the saints he preferred to be a hard rider, even though he is a monk.  Also, he had hounds as swift as birds. Even his sleeves were furnished with the finest fur in the land. He has fastened his hood under his chin with a fashionable gold pin.

He was a fat and impressive priest with a bald head and a glowing face.  His bright eyes rolled in his head and looked like a furnace of lead. His boots were supple and he rode on a fine horse as brown as berry. Thus, Chaucer comments that with his appearance he would definitely pass for a stately prelate. In no way he looked like a tormented soul which is expected of a monk.

Stanza 12 (Lines 207-270)

A Frere ther was, a wantowne and a merye, A lymytour, a ful solémpne man. In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage. He hadde maad ful many a mariage Of yonge wommen at his owene cost. Unto his ordre he was a noble post. Ful wel biloved and famulier was he With frankeleyns over al in his contree, And eek with worthy wommen of the toun; For he hadde power of confessioun, As seyde hym-self, moore than a curát, For of his ordre he was licenciat. Ful swetely herde he confessioun, And plesaunt was his absolucioun. He was an esy man to yeve penaunce There as he wiste to have a good pitaunce; For unto a povre ordre for to yive Is signe that a man is wel y-shryve; For, if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt He wiste that a man was répentaunt; For many a man so hard is of his herte He may nat wepe al-thogh hym soore smerte. Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyéres Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres. His typet was ay farsed full of knyves And pynnes, for to yeven faire wyves. And certeinly he hadde a murye note: Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rote; Of yeddynges he baar outrely the pris. His nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys; Ther-to he strong was as a champioun. He knew the tavernes wel in every toun, And everich hostiler and tappestere Bet than a lazar or a beggestere; For unto swich a worthy man as he Acorded nat, as by his facultee, To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce; It is nat honest, it may nat avaunce Fór to deelen with no swich poraille, But al with riche and selleres of vitaille. And over-al, ther as profit sholde arise, Curteis he was and lowely of servyse. Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous. He was the beste beggere in his hous; [And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt, Noon of his brethren cam ther in his haunt;] For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho, So plesaunt was his In principio, Yet wolde he have a ferthyng er he wente: His purchas was wel bettre than his rente. And rage he koude, as it were right a whelpe. In love-dayes ther koude he muchel helpe, For there he was nat lyk a cloysterer With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scolér, But he was lyk a maister, or a pope; Of double worstede was his semycope, That rounded as a belle, out of the presse. Somwhat he lipsed for his wantownesse, To make his Englissh sweete upon his tonge; And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe, His eyen twynkled in his heed aryght As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght. This worthy lymytour was cleped Hubérd.

In ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue ‘ , the next character Chaucer introduces us is the “Friar.” The friar is a wanton and merry fellow. He is a limiter and a festive man. Of all the four orders (Dominican, Franciscan, Augustinian) there is no one who knows flattery as his. He seems to be popular among the franklins and also with esteemed women of the town. For, he was qualified to hear confessions and had a special license too from the Pope. Pleasantly he heard confessions and pronounced absolutions. He was an easy man in giving penance for he made a decent living with that. Also, he had a merry voice , and he could sing and play on a harp.

A worthy man as he was, he had acquaintance with every innkeeper and barmaid than with a leper or a beggar woman.  In the place where it is profitable, he served amiably but with poor, he ensured that he got a farthing even if he couldn’t get a coin. Thus, he earned his income much more than his regular wages. His name as Chaucer said is “ Hubérd .”

Stanza 13 (Lines 271-285)

A Marchant was ther with a forked berd, In motteleye, and hye on horse he sat; Upon his heed a Flaundryssh bevere hat; His bootes clasped faire and fetisly. His resons he spak ful solémpnely, Sownynge alway thencrees of his wynnyng. He wolde the see were kept for any thing Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle. Wel koude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle. This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette; Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette, So estatly was he of his gouvernaunce, With his bargaynes and with his chevyssaunce. For sothe he was a worthy man with-alle, But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle.

Following the characters of the church, Chaucer introduces us to the merchant who stands to symbolize the people of business. The merchant with a forking beard and in motley dress sat high on a horse. On his head, he had a Flemish beaver hat. His boots were fairly and neatly buckled. He stated his arguments solemnly, talking always of his increasing profit. Further, he expressed his concern about the sea between Middleburg and Orwell being protected against any hostile actions. With his intelligence as an advantage, he managed his situations well. Certainly, Chaucer sees him as a worthy man, but he wonders what would be the reaction of other people.

Stanza 14 (Lines 286-310)

A Clerk ther was of Oxenford also, That unto logyk hadde longe y-go. As leene was his hors as is a rake, And he nas nat right fat, I undertake, But looked holwe, and ther-to sobrely. Ful thredbare was his overeste courtepy; For he hadde geten hym yet no benefice, Ne was so worldly for to have office; For hym was lévere háve at his beddes heed Twénty bookes, clad in blak or reed, Of Aristotle and his philosophie, Than robes riche, or fíthele, or gay sautrie. But al be that he was a philosophre, Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre; But al that he myghte of his freendes hente On bookes and on lernynge he it spente, And bisily gan for the soules preye Of hem that yaf hym wher-with to scoleye. Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede. Noght o word spak he moore than was neede; And that was seyd in forme and reverence, And short and quyk and ful of hy senténce. Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche; And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche.

In this stanza of ‘The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ , we are moving on to have a look at a learned man, a “clerk” from Oxford. He is a man who learned logic and he came on a horse that looked as lean as a rake. Even he wasn’t very fat but looked emaciated and self-disciplined. He also wore a simple dress. On the whole, he looked like a man who preferred to lead a simple life with his books than lead a rich life filled with ornaments and gaudy garments. Even though he was a philosopher, he had but little gold in his strongbox. Still, he diligently prayed for the souls of those who provided him with resources to attend the schools. It was evident that he spent more on study than on anything.

Compared to his other companions he has spoken only a little. Even then he spoke with formality and respect. Further, whatever he spoke was short and lively and full of elevated content filled with virtue. Altogether he seemed a man who would gladly learn and gladly teach.

Stanza 15 (Lines 311-333)

A Sergeant of the Lawe, war and wys, That often hadde been at the Parvys, Ther was also, ful riche of excellence. Discreet he was, and of greet reverence— He semed swich, his wordes weren so wise. Justice he was ful often in assise, By patente, and by pleyn commissioun. For his science and for his heigh renoun, Of fees and robes hadde he many oon. So greet a purchasour was nowher noon: Al was fee symple to hym in effect; His purchasyng myghte nat been infect. Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas, And yet he semed bisier than he was. In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle That from the tyme of kyng William were falle. Ther-to he koude endite and make a thyng, Ther koude no wight pynche at his writyng; And every statut koude he pleyn by rote. He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote, Girt with a ceint of silk, with barres smale; Of his array telle I no lenger tale.

Now, Chaucer diverts his attention toward the man of law, a prudent and high-ranking attorney. The lawyer seemed to have visited St, Paul’s often where the lawyers generally gather. He was judicious and of great dignity, for he has spoken with such knowledge. It seems that he had been a judge in the court of assizes by royal appointment, for his knowledge and reputation. He had a great yearly income that he spent on buying land. Moreover, he was a very busy man for in his yearbook, he had all the accounts of the case for which he had found solutions.

Further, he knew how to draw up legal documents that enabled him to be free from flaws in his writing. He also remembered every statute by heart; still, he wore a simple particolored coat, girded with a belt of silk with small stripes. Chaucer makes a unique contradiction with his rich knowledge and simple appearance.

Stanza 16 (Lines 334-364)

A Frankeleyn was in his compaignye. Whit was his berd as is the dayesye; Of his complexioun he was sangwyn. Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn; To lyven in delit was evere his wone, For he was Epicurus owene sone, That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit Was verraily felicitee parfit. An housholdere, and that a greet, was he; Seint Julian he was in his contree. His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon; A bettre envyned man was nowher noon. Withoute bake mete was nevere his hous, Of fissh and flessh, and that so plentevous, It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke, Of alle deyntees that men koude thynke, After the sondry sesons of the yeer; So chaunged he his mete and his soper. Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in muwe, And many a breem and many a luce in stuwe. Wo was his cook but if his sauce were Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geere. His table dormant in his halle alway Stood redy covered al the longe day. At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire; Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire. An anlaas, and a gipser al of silk, Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk. A shirreve hadde he been, and a countour; Was nowher such a worthy vavasour.

In their company, Chaucer had a Frankeleyn (franklin) who had a beard as white as a lily and he was a humorous man. In the morning he loved to have his bread dipped in wine. He leads a life of delight, as Chaucer comments he was a son of Epicurus, an ancient Greek philosopher, and sage who founded Epicureanism. Considered Saint Julian (patron of hospitality) in his country, for he was a great householder.

His hospitality is well known for his house is stocked with wine and never short of baked pies, fish, or meat. He had the independence of choice that he changed his midday meal and supper depending on the season. And he had many partridges in pens and bream and pike in his fish pond. His dining table was made all through the day to serve anyone on call. Moreover, he presided as lord and sire at court sessions and also had been a Member of Parliament many times. He had also been a sheriff and an auditor of taxes. He had a dagger and a purse all of the silk hung at his belt as white as morning milk. Chaucer concludes his description with the note that “Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour” no one could find such a worthy landowner as him anywhere.

Stanza 17 (Lines 365-383)

An Haberdasshere, and a Carpenter, A Webbe, a Dyere, and a Tapycer,— And they were clothed alle in o lyveree Of a solémpne and a greet fraternitee. Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was; Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras, But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel. Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys To sitten in a yeldehalle, on a deys. Éverich, for the wisdom that he kan, Was shaply for to been an alderman; For catel hadde they ynogh and rente, And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente, And elles certeyn were they to blame. It is ful fair to been y-cleped Madame, And goon to vigilies al bifore, And have a mantel roialliche y-bore.

In their company, they had the people of the working class: a haberdasher and a carpenter, a weaver, a dyer, and a tapestry-maker. They all were clothed in livery of solemn and a great parish guild. They had the equipment adorned all freshly and their knives too were wrought in silver. Their belts and their purses showed that they could be esteemed as solid citizens and occupy the dais in a city hall. Each had enough possessions and income to be an alderman. They had wives who were equal to their worth and success otherwise, they would be blamed. It was a credit to be called “my lady” and to go to feasts on holiday eves heading the procession and having a gown royally carried.

Stanza 18 (Lines 384-393)

A Cook they hadde with hem for the nones, To boille the chiknes with the marybones, And poudre-marchant tart, and galyngale. Wel koude he knowe a draughte of Londoun ale. He koude rooste, and sethe, and broille, and frye, Máken mortreux, and wel bake a pye. But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me, That on his shyne a mormal hadde he; For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.

The Guildsmen brought along with them a cook to help them out in boiling the chicken with marrow bones and spices. The cook seems to be an expert in cooking for he knew how to distinguish the London ale by flavor. He was skilled at the roast, seethe, boil and fry. Also, he could make thick soup and bake a tasty pie. Unfortunately, he had an open shore on his shin, although he could make minced capon with cream, sugar, and flour, and other best ingredients.

Stanza 19 (Lines 394-411)

A Shipman was ther, wonynge fer by weste; For aught I woot he was of Dertemouthe. He rood upon a rouncy, as he kouthe, In a gowne of faldyng to the knee. A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun. The hoote somer hadde maad his hewe al broun; And certeinly he was a good felawe. Ful many a draughte of wyn hadde he y-drawe Fro Burdeux-ward, whil that the chapman sleep. Of nyce conscience took he no keep. If that he faught and hadde the hyer hond, By water he sente hem hoom to every lond. But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes, His stremes, and his daungers hym bisides, His herberwe and his moone, his lode-menage, Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage. Hardy he was and wys to undertake; With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake. He knew alle the havenes, as they were, From Gootlond to the Cape of Fynystere, And every cryke in Britaigne and in Spayne. His barge y-cleped was the Maudelayne.

There was a shipman in the company of the pilgrims, who hailed far west, and could be from Dartmouth. He rode upon a farmer’s horse up to the best of his ability to match up with his other companions. For his clothing, he wore coarse stuff going down to the knee. He had a dagger hanging on a string from his neck under his arm and down. It looked as if the hot summer had tanned his color brown.

Chaucer calls him a good fellow, though he had drawn wine from the merchant when he was asleep without bothering about conscience. But, in his ability to calculate the tides, currents, the approaching perils, the harbor, the position of the moon, and navigation, there was none to equal him from Hull to Cartagena (Spain). He was well versed with all the ports as they stood from Gottland to Cape of Finistere and every creek in Britain and Spain. Chaucer concludes the description of the shipman with the name of his vessel as The Maudelayne.

Stanza 20 (Lines 412-445)

With us ther was a Doctour of Phisik; In all this world ne was ther noon hym lik, To speke of phisik and of surgerye; For he was grounded in astronomye. He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel In houres, by his magyk natureel. Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent Of his ymáges for his pacient. He knew the cause of everich maladye, Were it of hoot, or cold, or moyste, or drye, And where they engendred and of what humour. He was a verray, parfit praktisour; The cause y-knowe, and of his harm the roote, Anon he yaf the sike man his boote. Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries To sende him drogges and his letuaries; For ech of hem made oother for to wynne, Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne. Wel knew he the olde Esculapius, And De{“y}scorides, and eek Rufus, Old Ypocras, Haly, and Galyen, Serapion, Razis, and Avycen, Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn, Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn. Of his diete mesurable was he, For it was of no superfluitee, But of greet norissyng and digestíble. His studie was but litel on the Bible. In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al, Lyned with taffata and with sendal. And yet he was but esy of dispence; He kepte that he wan in pestilence. For gold in phisik is a cordial; Therfore he lovede gold in special.

Along with them rode a Doctour of Phisik (doctor of medicine), who had no match for him in medicine and surgery. It seems like he was well-instructed in astronomy too. Being an accomplished practitioner, he knew the cause of every sickness. Once he gets a clue of the sickness he provides the remedy instantaneously. All his apothecaries were aware of the medicine and he would suggest that they are ready always with the medicine. Chaucer makes a comment that they both earn from the other’s guile. The poet says that he rarely consults the Bible and has an unhealthy love of financial gain. Particularly, he saves his profit in gold, for he has a special love for it.

Stanza 21 (Lines 446-477)

A Good Wif was ther of biside Bathe, But she was som-del deef, and that was scathe. Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt. In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon; And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she That she was out of alle charitee. Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground; I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound That on a Sonday weren upon hir heed. Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed, Ful streite y-teyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe. Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe. She was a worthy womman al hir lyve; Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve, Withouten oother compaignye in youthe; But ther-of nedeth nat to speke as nowthe. And thries hadde she been at Jérusalem; She hadde passed many a straunge strem; At Rome she hadde been, and at Boloigne, In Galice at Seint Jame, and at Coloigne. She koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye. Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye. Upon an amblere esily she sat, Y-wympled wel, and on hir heed an hat As brood as is a bokeler or a targe; A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large, And on hire feet a paire of spores sharpe. In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe; Of remedies of love she knew per chauncé, For she koude of that art the olde daunce.

Following the doctor of medicine, Chaucer takes his readers on the journey of understanding the character “Wife of Bath.” It is often considered as Chaucer’s masterly creation. It seems that she is a respectable woman in society, but unfortunately, has some difficulty in hearing. Her skills in cloth making had surpassed many cloth-makers of Ypres and Ghent. Also, she had the privilege of offering before any women in the parish could do. Further, she wore a hander kerchief as exaggerated by Chaucer could weigh up to ten pounds. Her stockings too were of fine scarlet red and she wore shore very supple and new.

She had been a worthy woman all her life. Her chief distinction is that she had married five times “Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve,” not to mention the several affairs she had in youth. Besides, she was a wide traveler who visited important shrines in Rome, Bologne, Galicia, and Cologne. She had been to Jerusalem too, but the purpose of her visit cannot be claimed to be solely for the purpose of faith. In addition, she knew a trick or two of amatory art: “Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce, / For she koude of that art the olde daunce.”

Stanza 22 (Lines 478-529)

A good man was ther of religioun, And was a povre Person of a Toun; But riche he was of hooly thoght and werk. He was also a lerned man, a clerk, That Cristes Gospel trewely wolde preche; His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche. Benygne he was, and wonder diligent, And in adversitee ful pacient; And swich he was y-preved ofte sithes. Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes, But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute, Unto his povre parisshens aboute, Of his offrýng and eek of his substaunce; He koude in litel thyng have suffisaunce. Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder, But he ne lafte nat, for reyn ne thonder, In siknesse nor in meschief to visíte The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite, Upon his feet, and in his hand a staf. This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf, That first he wroghte and afterward he taughte. Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte; And this figure he added eek therto, That if gold ruste, what shal iren doo? For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, No wonder is a lewed man to ruste; And shame it is, if a prest take keep, A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep. Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yive By his clennesse how that his sheep sholde lyve. He sette nat his benefice to hyre And leet his sheep encombred in the myre, And ran to Londoun, unto Seinte Poules, To seken hym a chaunterie for soules, Or with a bretherhed to been withholde; But dwelte at hoom and kepte wel his folde, So that the wolf ne made it nat myscarie; He was a shepherde, and noght a mercenarie. And though he hooly were and vertuous, He was to synful man nat despitous, Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne, But in his techyng díscreet and benygne. To drawen folk to hevene by fairnesse, By good ensample, this was his bisynesse. But it were any persone obstinat, What so he were, of heigh or lough estat, Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys. A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys. He waited after no pompe and reverence, Ne maked him a spiced conscience; But Cristes loore and his apostles twelve He taughte, but first he folwed it hymselve.

Following all these characters, Chaucer presents a good man of religion. He was a poor parson of a town but with rich holy thoughts. Being a scholar himself he could preach the gospel truth. Also, it seemed that he earnestly preached to his parishioners. To speak of his character he was benign, diligent, and full patient in adversity. He set a noble example to his parishioners for he was a man to act first before speaking. From the Gospel he got a proverb that became the ideology for his life: “if gold gets rusty, what will then iron do?” Similarly, if a priest goes the evil way, there is no wonder a commoner would go the same way. Unlike others, he preferred to stay put in his home to look after his sheep (parishioners).

He was wise and gracious in his teaching for he believed that his task was to show fair behavior and draw people to heaven. Unlike, many other priests he had expected any ceremonial show or reverence. He taught the doctrine of Christ and his disciples and, at the same time followed what he preached.

Stanza 23 (Lines 530-542)

With hym ther was a Plowman, was his brother, That hadde y-lad of dong ful many a fother; A trewe swynkere and a good was he, Lyvynge in pees and parfit charitee. God loved he best, with al his hoole herte, At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte. And thanne his neighebor right as hymselve. He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve, For Cristes sake, for every povre wight, Withouten hire, if it lay in his myght. His tithes payede he ful faire and wel, Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel. In a tabard he rood upon a mere.

The Parson came along with his brother, a plowman. He was a true and good worker, living in peace and perfect charity. He loved God wholeheartedly in all situations even in adversity. Following the scripture, he loved his neighbors’ as he loved himself. He would thrash his corn and help the poor if it was in his power. He paid his taxes in full and on time. Clad in a tabard smoke he rode on a mare.

Stanzas 24-25 (Lines 543-567)

Ther was also a Reve and a Millere, A Somnour and a Pardoner also, A Maunciple, and myself,—ther were namo. The Millere was a stout carl for the nones; Ful byg he was of brawn and eek of bones. That proved wel, for over-al, ther he cam, At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram. He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre; Ther nas no dore that he nolde heve of harre, Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed. His berd as any sowe or fox was reed, And therto brood, as though it were a spade. Upon the cop right of his nose he hade A werte, and thereon stood a toft of herys, Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys; His nosethirles blake were and wyde. A swerd and a bokeler bar he by his syde. His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys; He was a janglere and a goliardeys, And that was moost of synne and harlotries. Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thries; And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee. A whit cote and a blew hood wered he. A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne, And therwithal he broghte us out of towne.

The other travelers include a Reeve, a Miller, a Summoner, a Pardoner, and then a Manciple and the poet himself. The Miler was a bulky fellow, who sacked the ram in all the wrestling matches. He was short-shouldered and broad-chested. There was no door he couldn’t lift off its hinges or break with his head. He was a wrangler and buffoon and that was the worst of sin and lewdness. For his dress, he wore a white coat and a blue hood. He had a talent for playing the bagpipe. The poet humorously makes a comment that he brought them all out of town by blowing his bagpipe.

Stanza 26 (Lines 568-587)

A gentil Maunciple was ther of a temple, Of which achátours myghte take exemple For to be wise in byynge of vitaille; For, wheither that he payde or took by taille, Algate he wayted so in his achaat That he was ay biforn and in good staat. Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace, That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace The wisdom of an heep of lerned men? Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten, That weren of lawe expert and curious, Of whiche ther weren a duszeyne in that hous Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond Of any lord that is in Engelond, To maken hym lyve by his propre good, In honour dettelees, but if he were wood, Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desire; And able for to helpen al a shire In any caas that myghte falle or happe; And yet this Manciple sette hir aller cappe

There was this good-natured Maunciple (Manciple) of the Inner Temple (law school) who also rode with them. All buyers of provisions may learn from him to be wide in buying. For, whether he paid in cash or bought on credit, he was always careful and made a good bargain. He had more than thirty masters who were well-versed in law but he fooled them all. For, he made good bargains to get his own gains.

Stanza 27 (Lines 588-624)

The Reve was a sclendre colerik man. His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan; His heer was by his erys round y-shorn; His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn. Ful longe were his legges and ful lene, Y-lyk a staf, ther was no calf y-sene. Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne; Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne. Wel wiste he, by the droghte and by the reyn, The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn. His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye, His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye, Was hoolly in this reves governyng; And by his covenant yaf the rekenyng Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age; There koude no man brynge hym in arrerage. There nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne, That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne; They were adrad of hym as of the deeth. His wonyng was ful fair upon an heeth; With grene trees shadwed was his place. He koude bettre than his lord purchace; Ful riche he was a-stored pryvely. His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly, To yeve and lene hym of his owene good, And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood. In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster; He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. This Reve sat upon a ful good stot, That was al pomely grey, and highte Scot. A long surcote of pers upon he hade, And by his syde he baar a rusty blade. Of Northfolk was this Reve of which I telle, Biside a toun men clepen Baldeswelle. Tukked he was as is a frere, aboute. And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route.

The Reeve (farm-bailiff) was a slender, irritable man. His beard was shaven as closely as he could, and his hair stood above his ears. His legs were long and lean like a staff. He took good care of his garners and bins. No accountant could get the better of him. For, he knew whether there was rain or drought and how much would be his harvest. He was entrusted with all of his Lord’s belongings. There is no one in the neighborhood that does not know of his deceit or tricks yet they are afraid of him to speak a word of it. He impressed his lord with his handicraft. He came on a nag, dappled grey, and called Scot. For his dressing, he put on a long overcoat of dark blue, and by his side hung a rusty sword. He rode on the hindmost of the cavalcade.

Stanza 28 (Lines 625-670)

A Somonour was ther with us in that place, That hadde a fyr-reed cherubynnes face, For sawcefleem he was, with eyen narwe. As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe, With scaled browes blake and piled berd,— Of his visage children were aferd. Ther nas quyk-silver, lytarge, ne brymstoon, Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon, Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte, That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white, Nor of the knobbes sittynge on his chekes. Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes, And for to drynken strong wyn, reed as blood. Thanne wolde he speke, and crie as he were wood. And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn, Than wolde he speke no word but Latyn. A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre, That he had lerned out of som decree,— No wonder is, he herde it al the day; And eek ye knowen wel how that a jay Kan clepen “Watte” as wel as kan the pope. But whoso koude in oother thyng hym grope, Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophie; Ay “Questio quid juris” wolde he crie. He was a gentil harlot and a kynde; A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde. He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn A good felawe to have his concubyn A twelf month, and excuse hym atte fulle; And prively a fynch eek koude he pulle. And if he foond owher a good felawe, He wolde techen him to have noon awe, In swich caas, of the erchedekenes curs, But if a mannes soule were in his purs; For in his purs he sholde y-punysshed be: “Purs is the erchedekenes helle,” seyde he. But wel I woot he lyed right in dede. Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him drede, For curs wol slee, right as assoillyng savith; And also war him of a Significavit. In daunger hadde he at his owene gise The yonge girles of the diocise, And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed. A gerland hadde he set upon his heed, As greet as it were for an ale-stake; A bokeleer hadde he maad him of a cake.

The summoner who rode with them had a fiery-red cherub’s face for it was covered with red pimples. He was as hot and wanton as a sparrow with black scabby brows and a thin beard. His appearance scared the children away. He loved garlic, onions, and leek. Also, he preferred his wines as red as blood. Chaucer ironically calls him a good fellow for he would any man to have his concubine a good quart of wine. Also, he knew many other tricks to have his way. Since he knew the secret of all the people and volunteered himself to be their advisor. He has dissuaded many people from being worried about being excommunicated from society. He had a round cake set upon which he intended as a shield. The summoner has a belief that money is everything and he feels that one could have their way out with money.

Stanza 29 (Lines 671-716)

With hym ther rood a gentil Pardoner Of Rouncivale, his freend and his compeer, That streight was comen fro the court of Rome. Ful loude he soong, “Com hider, love, to me!” This Somonour bar to hym a stif burdoun; Was nevere trompe of half so greet a soun. This Pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex, But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex; By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde, And therwith he his shuldres overspradde. But thynne it lay, by colpons, oon and oon; But hood, for jolitee, wered he noon, For it was trussed up in his walét. Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet; Dischevelee, save his cappe, he rood al bare. Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare. A vernycle hadde he sowed upon his cappe. His walet lay biforn hym in his lappe, Bret-ful of pardoun, comen from Rome al hoot. A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot. No berd hadde he, ne nevere sholde have, As smothe it was as it were late y-shave; I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare. But of his craft, fro Berwyk into Ware, Ne was ther swich another pardoner; For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer, Which that, he seyde, was Oure Lady veyl; He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl That Seinte Peter hadde, whan that he wente Upon the see, til Jesu Crist hym hente. He hadde a croys of latoun, ful of stones, And in a glas he hadde pigges bones. But with thise relikes, whan that he fond A povre person dwellynge upon lond, Upon a day he gat hym moore moneye Than that the person gat in monthes tweye; And thus with feyned flaterye and japes He made the person and the peple his apes. But trewely to tellen atte laste, He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste; Wel koude he rede a lessoun or a storie, But alderbest he song an offertorie; For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe, He moste preche, and wel affile his tonge To wynne silver, as he ful wel koude; Therefore he song the murierly and loude.

Along with the summoner came a pardoner from Rouncivale, his friend and comrade. He had come straight from the court of Rome and said loudly, Come hither, love to me! He had hair as yellow as wax that hung as smoothly as a hank of flax. Because of his liveliness of spirit of vanity, he had not worn a hood like others. He rode in a new style by looking disheveled and bareheaded except for his cap. Is wallet was full of pardons from Rome. He had a few relics with him and by exhibiting them to poor parsons he earned more money than he could receive in two months. After all, he could sing a song and tell a story or preach in church.

Stanza 30-32  (Lines 717-752)

Now have I toold you shortly, in a clause, Thestaat, tharray, the nombre, and eek the cause Why that assembled was this compaignye In Southwerk, at this gentil hostelrye That highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle. But now is tyme to yow for to telle How that we baren us that ilke nyght, Whan we were in that hostelrie alyght; And after wol I telle of our viage And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage. But first, I pray yow, of youre curteisye, That ye narette it nat my vileynye, Thogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere, To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere, Ne thogh I speke hir wordes proprely. For this ye knowen al-so wel as I, Whoso shal telle a tale after a man, He moot reherce, as ny as evere he kan, Everich a word, if it be in his charge, Al speke he never so rudeliche and large; Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe, Or feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe. He may nat spare, althogh he were his brother; He moot as wel seye o word as another. Crist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ, And wel ye woot no vileynye is it. Eek Plato seith, whoso kan hym rede, “The wordes moote be cosyn to the dede.” Also I prey yow to foryeve it me, Al have I nat set folk in hir degree Heere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde; My wit is short, ye may wel understonde.

In stanza thirty of ‘ The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue’ , Chaucer has come to the conclusion of his portrayal of characters: of their rank, dress, number, and also the purpose of their journey. They all have gathered in this Tabard Inn beside The Bell. Now he goes further to state the way they all conducted themselves on the first night at the Inn.

First of all, he expects the readers to accept his apology if he speaks plainly for he was about to use the words and phrases exactly as it was spoken by them. Christ spoke out plainly in the Holy Scriptures, and there is no way to reproach it. Similarly, as Plato said, “the words should be as cousin to deed.”

Further, he expects his readers to forgive him if he neglects the order and degree and what is due to a social position in this tale here. He also says that he is short of wit . And with that note, he started to speak of the host who cordially welcomed him and all the guests of the day.

Stanzas 33-37 (Lines 753-823)

Greet chiere made oure Hoost us everichon, And to the soper sette he us anon, And served us with vitaille at the beste: Strong was the wyn and wel to drynke us leste. A semely man Oure Hooste was with-alle For to been a marchal in an halle. A large man he was with eyen stepe, A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe; Boold of his speche, and wys, and well y-taught, And of manhod hym lakkede right naught. Eek thereto he was right a myrie man, And after soper pleyen he bigan, And spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges, Whan that we hadde maad our rekenynges; And seyde thus: “Now, lordynges, trewely, Ye been to me right welcome, hertely; For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye, I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye At ones in this herberwe as is now. Fayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how; And of a myrthe I am right now bythoght, To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght. “Ye goon to Canterbury—God yow speede, The blisful martir quite yow youre meede! And wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye, Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye; For trewely confort ne myrthe is noon To ride by the weye doumb as a stoon; And therfore wol I maken yow disport, As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort. And if you liketh alle, by oon assent, For to stonden at my juggement, And for to werken as I shal yow seye, To-morwe, whan ye riden by the weye, Now, by my fader soule, that is deed, But ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed! Hoold up youre hond, withouten moore speche.” Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche; Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys, And graunted hym withouten moore avys, And bad him seye his verdit, as hym leste. “Lordynges,” quod he, “now herkneth for the beste; But taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn; This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, That ech of yow, to shorte with oure weye In this viage, shal telle tales tweye, To Caunterbury-ward, I mene it so, And homward he shal tellen othere two, Of aventúres that whilom han bifalle. And which of yow that bereth hym beste of alle, That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas Tales of best sentence and moost solaas, Shal have a soper at oure aller cost, Heere in this place, sittynge by this post, Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury. And, for to make yow the moore mury, I wol myselven gladly with yow ryde, Right at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde; And whoso wole my juggement withseye Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye. And if ye vouche-sauf that it be so, Tel me anon, withouten wordes mo, And I wol erly shape me therfore.” This thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore With ful glad herte, and preyden hym also That he wolde vouche-sauf for to do so, And that he wolde been oure governour, And of our tales juge and réportour, And sette a soper at a certeyn pris; And we wol reuled been at his devys In heigh and lough; and thus, by oon assent, We been acorded to his juggement. And therupon the wyn was fet anon; We dronken, and to reste wente echon, Withouten any lenger taryynge.

The host seems to be a striking man fit to be a marshall in a hall. He had bright eyes and looked well-suited to his atmosphere . He was a merry man and thus entertained the guests after supper. At this point, he suggests to the pilgrims about his intention to join the company. He further suggests they tell two tales during their journey towards Canterbury, as well as during their return. In this way, he suggested that they could be saved from boredom. Also, he volunteers to be their guide and a judge for their story if they ever happen to accept his idea of storytelling.

Stanza 38 (Lines 824-843)

Amorwe, whan that day gan for to sprynge, Up roos oure Hoost and was oure aller cok, And gadrede us togidre alle in a flok; And forth we riden, a litel moore than paas, Unto the wateryng of Seint Thomas; And there oure Hoost bigan his hors areste, And seyde, “Lordynges, herkneth, if yow leste: Ye woot youre foreward and I it yow recorde. If even-song and morwe-song accorde, Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale. As ever mote I drynke wyn or ale, Whoso be rebel to my juggement Shal paye for all that by the wey is spent. Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne; He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne. Sire Knyght,” quod he, “my mayster and my lord Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord. Cometh neer,” quod he, “my lady Prioresse. And ye, sire Clerk, lat be your shamefastnesse, Ne studieth noght. Ley hond to, every man.”

In the morning, their host awakened them all and offered to take up the journey along with them, if they had any intention to follow his suggestion. Further, he offered to listen to the story and be a moderator and an unbiased judge for their stories. The members of the Canterbury Party readily agreed to his suggestion and invited him to be their fair judge. They further agreed to go by his guidance and directions. Thus, everything was settled and they all receded without further delay.

Stanza 39 (Lines 844-860)

Anon to drawen every wight bigan, And, shortly for to tellen as it was, Were it by áventúre, or sort, or cas, The sothe is this, the cut fil to the Knyght, Of which ful blithe and glad was every wyght; And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun, By foreward and by composicioun, As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo? And whan this goode man saugh that it was so, As he that wys was and obedient To kepe his foreward by his free assent, He seyde, “Syn I shal bigynne the game, What, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name! Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.” And with that word we ryden forth oure weye; And he bigan with right a myrie cheere His tale anon, and seyde in this manére.

In this concluding part of the prologue, Chaucer further explains how the Inn Keeper joined them on the journey. So, the next morning they all set out towards, Canterbury. While they were a few paces away from the Inn, the host reminded them of their agreement. Further, he plans to pick a lot of the names of the passengers. Unanimously, they decide to go by the lot. that the one who is chosen for the first lot will have to lead. Soon everybody began to draw a lot and the first lot fell upon the Knight. It wasn’t clear whether it was by chance or destiny or accident. When he saw that it was his turn, the knight accepted it readily as if it was a command from heaven and commenced his tale as they resumed their journey towards Canterbury.

Historical Context

The Age of Chaucer roughly covers the whole of the 14 th century. It was remarkable for many significant political, religious, social, and literary activities. There was a great expansion in trade and commerce. Also during the years 1340 – 1369, England was at war with Scotland and France. The victories in the Hundred Year’s War marked the beginning of the growth of the power of the middle classes and the downfall of Feudalism. Further, corruption in the church too assumed terrifying proportions. Moreover, Chaucer’s world was largely medieval, and he grew up under the influence of medieval literature and medieval ideas. Altogether, Chaucer got inspiration from all this and used it in his Canterbury Tales.

Similar Poetry

Satire and Irony are commonly used in literature across ages. When satire and irony are present, the effect is often humorous. Some of the poems from famous poets that represent irony are:

• “ Fame Is a Bee ” by Emily Dickinson
• “ For Annie ” by Edgar Allan Poe
• “ The Rime of the Ancient Mariner ” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• “ Rape of the Lock ” by Alexander Pope

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• 1.1 General Prologue

The Middle English text is from Larry D. Benson., Gen. ed., The Riverside Chaucer, Houghton-Mifflin Company; used with permission of the publisher.

1         Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote                   When April with its sweet-smelling showers 2         The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,                  Has pierced the drought of March to the root, 3         And bathed every veyne in swich licour                  And bathed every vein (of the plants) in such liquid 4         Of which vertu engendred is the flour;                  By which power the flower is created; 5         Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth                  When the West Wind also with its sweet breath, 6         Inspired hath in every holt and heeth                  In every wood and field has breathed life into 7         The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne                  The tender new leaves, and the young sun 8         Hath in the Ram his half cours yronne,                  Has run half its course in Aries, 9         And smale foweles maken melodye,                  And small fowls make melody, 10         That slepen al the nyght with open ye                  Those that sleep all the night with open eyes 11         (So priketh hem Nature in hir corages),                  (So Nature incites them in their hearts), 12         Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,                  Then folk long to go on pilgrimages, 13         And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,                  And professional pilgrims to seek foreign shores, 14         To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;                  To distant shrines, known in various lands; 15         And specially from every shires ende                  And specially from every shire's end 16         Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,                  Of England to Canterbury they travel, 17         The hooly blisful martir for to seke,                  To seek the holy blessed martyr, 18         That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.                  Who helped them when they were sick.

19         Bifil that in that seson on a day,                  It happened that in that season on one day, 20         In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay                  In Southwark at the Tabard Inn as I lay 21         Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage                  Ready to go on my pilgrimage 22         To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,                  To Canterbury with a very devout spirit, 23         At nyght was come into that hostelrye                  At night had come into that hostelry 24         Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye                  Well nine and twenty in a company 25         Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle                  Of various sorts of people, by chance fallen 26         In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,                  In fellowship, and they were all pilgrims, 27         That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.                  Who intended to ride toward Canterbury. 28         The chambres and the stables weren wyde,                  The bedrooms and the stables were spacious, 29         And wel we weren esed atte beste.                  And we were well accommodated in the best way. 30         And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste,                  And in brief, when the sun was (gone) to rest, 31         So hadde I spoken with hem everichon                  I had so spoken with everyone of them 32         That I was of hir felaweshipe anon,                  That I was of their fellowship straightway, 33         And made forward erly for to ryse,                  And made agreement to rise early, 34         To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse.                  To take our way where I (will) tell you.

35         But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space,                  But nonetheless, while I have time and opportunity, 36         Er that I ferther in this tale pace,                  Before I proceed further in this tale, 37         Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun                  It seems to me in accord with reason 38         To telle yow al the condicioun                  To tell you all the circumstances 39         Of ech of hem, so as it semed me,                  Of each of them, as it seemed to me, 40         And whiche they weren, and of what degree,                  And who they were, and of what social rank, 41         And eek in what array that they were inne;                  And also what clothing that they were in; 42         And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne.                  And at a knight then will I first begin.

43         A KNYGHT ther was, and that a worthy man,                  A KNIGHT there was, and that (one was) a worthy man, 44         That fro the tyme that he first bigan                  Who from the time that he first began 45         To riden out, he loved chivalrie,                  To ride out, he loved chivalry, 46         Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.                  Fidelity and good reputation, generosity and courtesy. 47         Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,                  He was very worthy in his lord's war, 48         And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,                  And for that he had ridden, no man farther, 49         As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,                  As well in Christendom as in heathen lands, 50         And evere honoured for his worthynesse;                  And (was) ever honored for his worthiness; 51         At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne.                  He was at Alexandria when it was won. 52         Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne                  He had sat very many times in the place of honor, 53         Aboven alle nacions in Pruce;                  Above (knights of) all nations in Prussia; 54         In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce,                  He had campaigned in Lithuania and in Russia, 55         No Cristen man so ofte of his degree.                  No Christian man of his rank so often. 56         In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be                  Also he had been in Grenada at the siege 57         Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye.                  Of Algeciras, and had ridden in Morocco. 58         At Lyeys was he and at Satalye,                  He was at Ayash and at Atalia, 59         Whan they were wonne, and in the Grete See                  When they were won, and in the Mediterranean 60         At many a noble armee hadde he be.                  He had been at many a noble expedition. 61         At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene,                  He had been at fifteen mortal battles, 62         And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene                  And fought for our faith at Tlemcen 63         In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.                  Three times in formal duels, and each time slain his foe. 64         This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also                  This same worthy knight had also been 65         Somtyme with the lord of Palatye                  At one time with the lord of Balat 66         Agayn another hethen in Turkye;                  Against another heathen in Turkey; 67         And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys.                  And evermore he had an outstanding reputation 68         And though that he were worthy, he was wys,                  And although he was brave, he was prudent, 69         And of his port as meeke as is a mayde.                  And of his deportment as meek as is a maid. 70         He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde                  He never yet said any rude word 71         In al his lyf unto no maner wight.                  In all his life unto any sort of person. 72         He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.                  He was a truly perfect, noble knight. 73         But for to tellen yow of his array,                  But to tell you of his clothing, 74         His hors were goode, but he was nat gay.                  His horses were good, but he was not gaily dressed. 75         Of fustian he wered a gypon                  He wore a tunic of coarse cloth 76         Al bismotered with his habergeon,                  All stained (with rust) by his coat of mail, 77         For he was late ycome from his viage,                  For he was recently come (back) from his expedition, 78         And wente for to doon his pilgrymage.                  And went to do his pilgrimage.

79         With hym ther was his sone, a yong SQUIER,                  With him there was his son, a young SQUIRE, 80         A lovyere and a lusty bacheler,                  A lover and a lively bachelor, 81         With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse.                  With locks curled as if they had been laid in a curler. 82         Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse.                  He was twenty years of age, I guess. 83         Of his stature he was of evene lengthe,                  Of his stature he was of moderate height, 84         And wonderly delyvere, and of greet strengthe.                  And wonderfully agile, and of great strength. 85         And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie                  And he had been for a time on a cavalry expedition 86         In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Pycardie,                  In Flanders, in Artois, and Picardy, 87         And born hym weel, as of so litel space,                  And conducted himself well, for so little a space of time, 88         In hope to stonden in his lady grace.                  In hope to stand in his lady's good graces. 89         Embrouded was he, as it were a meede                  He was embroidered, as if it were a mead 90         Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede.                  All full of fresh flowers, white and red. 91         Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day;                  Singing he was, or fluting, all the day; 92         He was as fressh as is the month of May.                  He was as fresh as is the month of May. 93         Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde.                  His gown was short, with long and wide sleeves. 94         Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.                  He well knew how to sit on horse and handsomely ride. 95         He koude songes make and wel endite,                  He knew how to make songs and well compose (the words), 96         Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write.                  Joust and also dance, and well draw and write. 97         So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale                  He loved so passionately that at nighttime 98         He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale.                  He slept no more than does a nightingale. 99         Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable,                  Courteous he was, humble, and willing to serve, 100         And carf biforn his fader at the table.                  And carved before his father at the table.

101         A YEMAN hadde he and servantz namo                  He (the Knight) had A YEOMAN and no more servants 102         At that tyme, for hym liste ride so,                  At that time, for it pleased him so to travel, 103         And he was clad in cote and hood of grene.                  And he (the yeoman) was clad in coat and hood of green. 104         A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene,                  A sheaf of peacock arrows, bright and keen, 105         Under his belt he bar ful thriftily                  He carried under his belt very properly 106         (Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly;                  (He well knew how to care for his equipment as a yeoman should; 107         His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe),                  His arrows did not fall short because of drooping feathers), 108         And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe.                  And in his hand he carried a mighty bow. 109         A not heed hadde he, with a broun visage.                  He had a close-cropped head, with a brown face. 110         Of wodecraft wel koude he al the usage.                  He well knew all the practice of woodcraft. 111         Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer,                  He wore an elegant archer's wrist-guard upon his arm, 112         And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler,                  And by his side a sword and a small shield, 113         And on that oother syde a gay daggere                  And on that other side an elegant dagger 114         Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere;                  Well ornamented and sharp as the point of a spear; 115         A Cristopher on his brest of silver sheene.                  A Christopher-medal of bright silver on his breast. 116         An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene;                  He carried a horn, the shoulder strap was green; 117         A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse.                  He was a forester, truly, as I guess.

118         Ther was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE,                  There was also a Nun, a PRIORESS, 119         That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;                  Who was very simple and modest in her smiling; 120         Hire gretteste ooth was but by Seinte Loy;                  Her greatest oath was but by Saint Loy; 121         And she was cleped madame Eglentyne.                  And she was called Madam Eglantine. 122         Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,                  She sang the divine service very well, 123         Entuned in hir nose ful semely;                  Intoned in her nose in a very polite manner; 124         And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,                  And she spoke French very well and elegantly, 125         After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,                  In the manner of Stratford at the Bow, 126         For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe.                  For French of Paris was to her unknown. 127         At mete wel ytaught was she with alle;                  At meals she was well taught indeed; 128         She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,                  She let no morsel fall from her lips, 129         Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;                  Nor wet her fingers deep in her sauce; 130         Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe                  She well knew how to carry a morsel (to her mouth) and take good care 131         That no drope ne fille upon hire brest.                  That no drop fell upon her breast. 132         In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest.                  Her greatest pleasure was in good manners. 133         Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene                  She wiped her upper lip so clean 134         That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene                  That in her cup there was seen no tiny bit 135         Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.                  Of grease, when she had drunk her drink. 136         Ful semely after hir mete she raughte.                  She reached for her food in a very seemly manner. 137         And sikerly she was of greet desport,                  And surely she was of excellent deportment, 138         And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,                  And very pleasant, and amiable in demeanor, 139         And peyned hire to countrefete cheere                  And she took pains to imitate the manners 140         Of court, and to been estatlich of manere,                  Of court, and to be dignified in behavior, 141         And to ben holden digne of reverence.                  And to be considered worthy of reverence. 142         But for to speken of hire conscience,                  But to speak of her moral sense, 143         She was so charitable and so pitous                  She was so charitable and so compassionate 144         She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous                  She would weep, if she saw a mouse 145         Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.                  Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bled. 146         Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde                  She had some small hounds that she fed 147         With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.                  With roasted meat, or milk and fine white bread. 148         But soore wepte she if oon of hem were deed,                  But sorely she wept if one of them were dead, 149         Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte;                  Or if someone smote it smartly with a stick; 150         And al was conscience and tendre herte.                  And all was feeling and tender heart. 151         Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was,                  Her wimple was pleated in a very seemly manner, 152         Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,                  Her nose well formed, her eyes gray as glass, 153         Hir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed.                  Her mouth very small, and moreover soft and red. 154         But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed;                  But surely she had a fair forehead; 155         It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;                  It was almost nine inches broad, I believe; 156         For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe.                  For, certainly, she was not undergrown. 157         Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war.                  Her cloak was very well made , as I was aware. 158         Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar                  About her arm she bore of small coral 159         A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene,                  A set of beads, adorned with large green beads, 160         And theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene,                  And thereon hung a brooch of very bright gold, 161         On which ther was first write a crowned A,                  On which there was first written an A with a crown, 162         And after Amor vincit omnia.                  And after "Love conquers all."

163         Another NONNE with hire hadde she,                  She had another NUN with her, 164         That was hir chapeleyne, and preestes thre.                  Who was her secretary, and three priests.

165         A MONK ther was, a fair for the maistrie,                  There was a MONK, an extremely fine one, 166         An outridere, that lovede venerie,                  An outrider (a monk with business outside the monastery), who loved hunting, 167         A manly man, to been an abbot able.                  A virile man, qualified to be an abbot. 168         Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable,                  He had very many fine horses in his stable, 169         And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere                  And when he rode, one could hear his bridle 170         Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere                  Jingle in a whistling wind as clear 171         And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle                  And also as loud as does the chapel belle 172         Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle.                  Where this lord was prior of the subordinate monastery. 173         The reule of Seint Maure or of Seint Beneit --                  The rule of Saint Maurus or of Saint Benedict -- 174         By cause that it was old and somdel streit                  Because it was old and somewhat strict 175         This ilke Monk leet olde thynges pace,                  This same Monk let old things pass away, 176         And heeld after the newe world the space.                  And followed the broader customs of modern times. 177         He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen,                  He gave not a plucked hen for that text 178         That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men,                  That says that hunters are not holy men, 179         Ne that a monk, whan he is recchelees,                  Nor that a monk, when he is heedless of rules, 180         Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees --                  Is like a fish that is out of water -- 181         This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre.                  This is to say, a monk out of his cloister. 182         But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre;                  But he considered that same text not worth an oyster; 183         And I seyde his opinion was good.                  And I said his opinion was good. 184         What sholde he studie and make hymselven wood,                  Why should he study and make himself crazy, 185         Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure,                  Always to pore upon a book in the cloister, 186         Or swynken with his handes, and laboure,                  Or work with his hands, and labor, 187         As Austyn bit? How shal the world be served?                  As Augustine commands? How shall the world be served? 188         Lat Austyn have his swynk to hym reserved!                  Let Augustine have his work reserved to him! 189         Therfore he was a prikasour aright:                  Therefore he was indeed a vigorous horseman: 190         Grehoundes he hadde as swift as fowel in flight;                  He had greyhounds as swift as fowl in flight; 191         Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare                  Of tracking and of hunting for the hare 192         Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.                  Was all his pleasure, by no means would he refrain from it. 193         I seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond                  I saw his sleeves lined at the hand 194         With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;                  With squirrel fur, and that the finest in the land; 195         And for to festne his hood under his chyn,                  And to fasten his hood under his chin, 196         He hadde of gold ywroght a ful curious pyn;                  He had a very skillfully made pin of gold; 197         A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.                  There was an elaborate knot in the larger end. 198         His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,                  His head was bald, which shone like any glass, 199         And eek his face, as he hadde been enoynt.                  And his face did too, as if he had been rubbed with oil. 200         He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt;                  He was a very plump lord and in good condition; 201         His eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed,                  His eyes were prominent, and rolling in his head, 202         That stemed as a forneys of a leed;                  Which gleamed like a furnace under a cauldron; 203         His bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat.                  His boots supple, his horse in excellent condition. 204         Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat;                  Now certainly he was a handsome ecclesiastical dignitary; 205         He was nat pale as a forpyned goost.                  He was not pale as a tormented spirit. 206         A fat swan loved he best of any roost.                  A fat swan loved he best of any roast. 207         His palfrey was as broun as is a berye.                  His saddle horse was as brown as is a berry.

208         A FRERE ther was, a wantowne and a merye,                  There was a FRIAR, a pleasure-loving and merry one, 209         A lymytour, a ful solempne man.                  A limiter (with an assigned territory), a very solemn man. 210         In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan                  In all the four orders of friars is no one that knows 211         So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage.                  So much of sociability and elegant speech. 212         He hadde maad ful many a mariage                  He had made very many a marriage 213         Of yonge wommen at his owene cost.                  Of young women at his own cost. 214         Unto his ordre he was a noble post.                  He was a noble supporter of his order. 215         Ful wel biloved and famulier was he                  Very well beloved and familiar was he 216         With frankeleyns over al in his contree,                  With landowners every where in his country, 217         And eek with worthy wommen of the toun;                  And also with worthy women of the town; 218         For he hadde power of confessioun,                  For he had power of confession, 219         As seyde hymself, moore than a curat,                  As he said himself, more than a parish priest, 220         For of his ordre he was licenciat.                  For he was licensed by his order. 221         Ful swetely herde he confessioun,                  He heard confession very sweetly, 222         And plesaunt was his absolucioun:                  And his absolution was pleasant: 223         He was an esy man to yeve penaunce,                  He was a lenient man in giving penance, 224         Ther as he wiste to have a good pitaunce.                  Where he knew he would have a good gift. 225         For unto a povre ordre for to yive                  For to give to a poor order (of friars) 226         Is signe that a man is wel yshryve;                  Is a sign that a man is well confessed; 227         For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,                  For if he gave, he (the friar) dared to assert, 228         He wiste that a man was repentaunt;                  He knew that a man was repentant; 229         For many a man so hard is of his herte,                  For many a man is so hard in his heart, 230         He may nat wepe, althogh hym soore smerte.                  He can not weep, although he painfully suffers. 231         Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres                  Therefore instead of weeping and prayers 232         Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres.                  One may give silver to the poor friars. 233         His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves                  His hood was always stuffed full of knives 234         And pynnes, for to yeven faire wyves.                  And pins, to give to fair wives. 235         And certeinly he hadde a murye note:                  And certainly he had a merry voice: 236         Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rote;                  He well knew how to sing and play on a rote (string instrument); 237         Of yeddynges he baar outrely the pris.                  He absolutely took the prize for reciting ballads. 238         His nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys;                  His neck was white as a lily flower; 239         Therto he strong was as a champioun.                  Furthermore he was strong as a champion fighter. 240         He knew the tavernes wel in every toun                  He knew the taverns well in every town 241         And everich hostiler and tappestere                  And every innkeeper and barmaid 242         Bet than a lazar or a beggestere,                  Better than a leper or a beggar-woman, 243         For unto swich a worthy man as he                  For unto such a worthy man as he 244         Acorded nat, as by his facultee,                  It was not suitable, in view of his official position, 245         To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce.                  To have acquaintance with sick lepers. 246         It is nat honest; it may nat avaunce,                  It is not respectable; it can not be profitable, 247         For to deelen with no swich poraille,                  To deal with any such poor people, 248         But al with riche and selleres of vitaille.                  But all with rich people and sellers of victuals. 249         And over al, ther as profit sholde arise,                  And every where, where profit should arise, 250         Curteis he was and lowely of servyse;                  He was courteous and graciously humble; 251         Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous.                  There was no man anywhere so capable (of such work). 252         He was the beste beggere in his hous;                  He was the best beggar in his house; 252a         [And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt;             [And he gave a certain fee for his grant (of begging rights); 252a         Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt;]             None of his brethren came there in his territory;] 253         For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho,                  For though a widow had not a shoe, 254         So plesaunt was his "In principio,"                  So pleasant was his "In the beginning," 255         Yet wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente.                  Yet he would have a farthing, before he went away. 256         His purchas was wel bettre than his rente.                   His total profit was much more than his proper income. 257         And rage he koude, as it were right a whelp.                  And he knew how to frolic, as if he were indeed a pup. 258         In love-dayes ther koude he muchel help,                  He knew how to be much help on days for resolving disputes, 259         For ther he was nat lyk a cloysterer                  For there he was not like a cloistered monk 260         With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler,                  With a threadbare cope, like a poor scholar, 261         But he was lyk a maister or a pope.                  But he was like a master of arts or a pope. 262         Of double worstede was his semycope,                  Of wide (expensive) cloth was his short cloak, 263         That rounded as a belle out of the presse.                  Which was round as a bell fresh from the clothespress. 264         Somwhat he lipsed, for his wantownesse,                  Somewhat he lisped, for his affectation, 265         To make his Englissh sweete upon his tonge;                  To make his English sweet upon his tongue; 266         And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe,                  And in his harping, when he had sung, 267         His eyen twynkled in his heed aryght                  His eyes twinkled in his head exactly 268         As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.                  As do the stars in the frosty night. 269         This worthy lymytour was cleped Huberd.                  This worthy friar was called Huberd.

270         A MARCHANT was ther with a forked berd,                  There was a MERCHANT with a forked beard, 271         In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat;                  Wearing parti-colored cloth, and proudly he sat on his horse; 272         Upon his heed a Flaundryssh bever hat,                  Upon his head (he wore a) Flemish beaver hat, 273         His bootes clasped faire and fetisly.                  His boots were buckled handsomely and elegantly. 274         His resons he spak ful solempnely,                  His opinions he spoke very solemnly, 275         Sownynge alwey th' encrees of his wynnyng.                  Concerning always the increase of his profits. 276         He wolde the see were kept for any thyng                  He wanted the sea to be guarded at all costs 277         Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle.                  Between Middelburgh (Holland) and Orwell (England). 278         Wel koude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle.                  He well knew how to deal in foreign currencies. 279         This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette:                  This worthy man employed his wit very well: 280         Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette,                  There was no one who knew that he was in debt, 281         So estatly was he of his governaunce                  He was so dignified in managing his affairs 282         With his bargaynes and with his chevyssaunce.                  With his buying and selling and with his financial deals. 283         For sothe he was a worthy man with alle,                  Truly, he was a worthy man indeed, 284         But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle.                  But, to say the truth, I do not know what men call him.

285         A CLERK ther was of Oxenford also,                  There was also a CLERK (scholar) from Oxford, 286         That unto logyk hadde longe ygo.                  Who long before had begun the study of logic. 287         As leene was his hors as is a rake,                  His horse was as lean as is a rake, 288         And he nas nat right fat, I undertake,                  And he was not very fat, I affirm, 289         But looked holwe, and therto sobrely.                  But looked emaciated, and moreover abstemious. 290         Ful thredbare was his overeste courtepy,                  His short overcoat was very threadbare, 291         For he hadde geten hym yet no benefice,                  For he had not yet obtained an ecclesiastical living, 292         Ne was so worldly for to have office.                  Nor was he worldly enough to take secular employment. 293         For hym was levere have at his beddes heed                  For he would rather have at the head of his bed 294         Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed,                  Twenty books, bound in black or red, 295         Of Aristotle and his philosophie                  Of Aristotle and his philosophy 296         Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie.                  Than rich robes, or a fiddle, or an elegant psaltery. 297         But al be that he was a philosophre,                  But even though he was a philosopher, 298         Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre;                  Nevertheless he had but little gold in his strongbox; 299         But al that he myghte of his freendes hente,                  But all that he could get from his friends, 300         On bookes and on lernynge he it spente,                  He spent on books and on learning, 301         And bisily gan for the soules preye                  And diligently did pray for the souls 302         Of hem that yaf hym wherwith to scoleye.                  Of those who gave him the wherewithal to attend the schools. 303         Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede.                  He took most care and paid most heed to study. 304         Noght o word spak he moore than was neede,                  He spoke not one word more than was needed, 305         And that was seyd in forme and reverence,                  And that was said with due formality and respect, 306         And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence;                  And short and lively and full of elevated content; 307         Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche,                  His speech was consonant with moral virtue, 308         And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche.                  And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.

309         A SERGEANT OF THE LAWE, war and wys,                  A SERGEANT OF THE LAW (high-ranking attorney), prudent and wise, 310         That often hadde been at the Parvys,                  Who often had been at the Porch of St. Paul's (where lawyers gather) 311         Ther was also, ful riche of excellence.                  Was also there, very rich in superior qualities. 312         Discreet he was and of greet reverence --                  He was judicious and of great dignity -- 313         He semed swich, his wordes weren so wise.                  He seemed such, his words were so wise. 314         Justice he was ful often in assise,                  He was very often a judge in the court of assizes, 315         By patente and by pleyn commissioun.                  By royal appointment and with full jurisdiction. 316         For his science and for his heigh renoun,                  For his knowledge and for his excellent reputation, 317         Of fees and robes hadde he many oon.                  He had many grants of yearly income. 318         So greet a purchasour was nowher noon:                  There was nowhere so great a land-buyer: 319         Al was fee symple to hym in effect;                  In fact, all was unrestricted possession to him; 320         His purchasyng myghte nat been infect.                  His purchasing could not be invalidated. 321         Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas,                  There was nowhere so busy a man as he, 322         And yet he semed bisier than he was.                  And yet he seemed busier than he was. 323         In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle                  He had in Year Books all the cases and decisions 324         That from the tyme of kyng William were falle.                  That from the time of king William have occurred. 325         Therto he koude endite and make a thyng,                  Furthermore, he knew how to compose and draw up a legal document, 326         Ther koude no wight pynche at his writyng;                  So that no one could find a flaw in his writing; 327         And every statut koude he pleyn by rote.                  And he knew every statute completely by heart. 328         He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote,                  He rode but simply in a parti-colored coat, 329         Girt with a ceint of silk, with barres smale;                  Girded with a belt of silk, with small stripes; 330         Of his array telle I no lenger tale.                  I tell no longer tale of his clothing.

331         A FRANKELEYN was in his compaignye.                  A FRANKLIN was in his company. 332         Whit was his berd as is the dayesye;                  His beard was white as a daisy; 333         Of his complexioun he was sangwyn.                  As to his temperament, he was dominated by the humor blood. 334         Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn;                  He well loved a bit of bread dipped in wine in the morning; 335         To lyven in delit was evere his wone,                  His custom was always to live in delight, 336         For he was Epicurus owene sone,                  For he was Epicurus' own son, 337         That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit                  Who held the opinion that pure pleasure 338         Was verray felicitee parfit.                  Was truly perfect happiness. 339         An housholdere, and that a greet, was he;                  He was a householder, and a great one at that; 340         Seint Julian he was in his contree.                  He was Saint Julian (patron of hospitality) in his country. 341         His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon;                  His bread, his ale, was always of the same (good) quality; 342         A bettre envyned man was nowher noon.                  Nowhere was there any man better stocked with wine. 343         Withoute bake mete was nevere his hous,                  His house was never without baked pies 344         Of fissh and flessh, and that so plentevous                  Of fish and meat, and that so plentiful 345         It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke;                  That in his house it snowed with food and drink; 346         Of alle deyntees that men koude thynke,                  Of all the dainties that men could imagine, 347         After the sondry sesons of the yeer,                  In accord with the various seasons of the year, 348         So chaunged he his mete and his soper.                  So he varied his midday meal and his supper. 349         Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in muwe,                  He had very many fat partridges in pens, 350         And many a breem and many a luce in stuwe.                  And many a bream and many a pike in his fish pond. 351         Wo was his cook but if his sauce were                  Woe was his cook unless his sauce was 352         Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geere.                  Hotly spiced and sharp, and ready all his cooking equipment. 353         His table dormant in his halle alway                  In his hall his dining table always 354         Stood redy covered al the longe day.                  Stood covered (with table cloth) and ready all the long day. 355         At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire;                  He presided as lord and sire at court sessions; 356         Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire.                  He was a member of parliament many times. 357         An anlaas and a gipser al of silk                  A dagger and a purse all of silk 358         Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk.                  Hung at his belt, white as morning milk. 359         A shirreve hadde he been, and a contour.                  He had been a sheriff, and an auditor of taxes. 360         Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour.                  There was nowhere such a worthy landowner.

361         AN HABERDASSHERE and a CARPENTER,                  A HABERDASHER and a CARPENTER, 362         A WEBBE, a DYERE, and a TAPYCER --                  A WEAVER, a DYER, and a TAPESTRY-MAKER -- 363         And they were clothed alle in o lyveree                  And they were all clothed in one livery 364         Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee.                  Of a solemn and a great parish guild. 365         Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was;                  Their equipment was adorned all freshly and new; 366         Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras                  Their knives were not mounted with brass 367         But al with silver, wroght ful clene and weel,                  But entirely with silver, wrought very neatly and well, 368         Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel.                  Their belts and their purses every bit. 369         Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys                  Each of them well seemed a solid citizen 370         To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys.                  To sit on a dais in a city hall. 371         Everich, for the wisdom that he kan,                  Every one of them, for the wisdom that he knows, 372         Was shaply for to been an alderman.                  Was suitable to be an alderman. 373         For catel hadde they ynogh and rente,                  For they had enough possessions and income, 374         And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;                  And also their wives would well assent to it; 375         And elles certeyn were they to blame.                  And otherwise certainly they would be to blame. 376         It is ful fair to been ycleped "madame,"                  It is very fine to be called "my lady," 377         And goon to vigilies al bifore,                  And go to feasts on holiday eves heading the procession, 378         And have a mantel roialliche ybore.                  And have a gown with a train royally carried.

379         A COOK they hadde with hem for the nones                  A COOK they had with them for the occasion 380         To boille the chiknes with the marybones,                  To boil the chickens with the marrow bones, 381         And poudre-marchant tart and galyngale.                  And tart poudre-marchant and galingale (spices). 382         Wel koude he knowe a draughte of Londoun ale.                  He well knew how to judge a draft of London ale. 383         He koude rooste, and sethe, and broille, and frye,                  He knew how to roast, and boil, and broil, and fry, 384         Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye.                  Make stews, and well bake a pie. 385         But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me,                  But it was a great harm, as it seemed to me, 386         That on his shyne a mormal hadde he.                  That he had an open sore on his shin. 387         For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.                  As for white pudding, he made that of the best quality.

388         A SHIPMAN was ther, wonynge fer by weste;                  A SHIPMAN was there, dwelling far in the west; 389         For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe.                  For all I know, he was from Dartmouth. 390         He rood upon a rouncy, as he kouthe,                  He rode upon a cart horse, insofar as he knew how, 391         In a gowne of faldyng to the knee.                  In a gown of woolen cloth (that reached) to the knee. 392         A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he                  He had a dagger hanging on a cord 393         Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun.                  About his neck, down under his arm. 394         The hoote somer hadde maad his hewe al broun;                  The hot summer had made his hue all brown; 395         And certeinly he was a good felawe.                  And certainly he was a boon companion. 396         Ful many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe                  He had drawn very many a draft of wine 397         Fro Burdeux-ward, whil that the chapman sleep.                  While coming from Bordeaux, while the merchant slept. 398         Of nyce conscience took he no keep.                  He had no concern for a scrupulous conscience. 399         If that he faught and hadde the hyer hond,                  If he fought and had the upper hand, 400         By water he sente hem hoom to every lond.                  He sent them home by water to every land (they walked the plank). 401         But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes,                  But of his skill to reckon well his tides, 402         His stremes, and his daungers hym bisides,                  His currents, and his perils near at hand, 403         His herberwe, and his moone, his lodemenage,                  His harbors, and positions of his moon, his navigation, 404         Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage.                  There was none other such from Hull to Cartagena (Spain). 405         Hardy he was and wys to undertake;                  He was bold and prudent in his undertakings; 406         With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake.                  His beard had been shaken by many a tempest. 407         He knew alle the havenes, as they were,                  He knew all the harbors, how they were, 408         Fro Gootlond to the cape of Fynystere,                  From Gotland to the Cape of Finisterre, 409         And every cryke in Britaigne and in Spayne.                  And every inlet in Brittany and in Spain. 410         His barge ycleped was the Maudelayne.                  His ship was called the Maudelayne.

411         With us ther was a DOCTOUR OF PHISIK;                  With us there was a DOCTOR OF MEDICINE 412         In al this world ne was ther noon hym lik,                  In all this world there was no one like him, 413         To speke of phisik and of surgerye,                  To speak of medicine and of surgery, 414         For he was grounded in astronomye.                  For he was instructed in astronomy. 415         He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel                  He took care of his patient very many times 416         In houres by his magyk natureel.                  In (astronomically suitable) hours by (use of) his natural science. 417         Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent                  He well knew how to calculate the planetary position 418         Of his ymages for his pacient.                  Of his astronomical talismans for his patient. 419         He knew the cause of everich maladye,                  He knew the cause of every malady, 420         Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye,                  Were it of hot, or cold, or moist, or dry elements, 421         And where they engendred, and of what humour.                  And where they were engendered, and by what bodily fluid. 422         He was a verray, parfit praktisour:                  He was a truly, perfect practitioner: 423         The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote,                  The cause known, and the source of his (patient's) harm, 424         Anon he yaf the sike man his boote.                  Straightway he gave the sick man his remedy. 425         Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries                  He had his apothecaries all ready 426         To sende hym drogges and his letuaries,                  To send him drugs and his electuaries, 427         For ech of hem made oother for to wynne --                  For each of them made the other to profit -- 428         Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne.                  Their friendship was not recently begun. 429         Wel knew he the olde Esculapius,                  He well knew the old Aesculapius, 430         And Deyscorides, and eek Rufus,                  And Dioscorides, and also Rufus, 431         Olde Ypocras, Haly, and Galyen,                  Old Hippocrates, Haly, and Galen, 432         Serapion, Razis, and Avycen,                  Serapion, Rhazes, and Avicenna, 433         Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn,                  Averroes, John the Damascan, and Constantine, 434         Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn.                  Bernard, and Gaddesden, and Gilbertus. 435         Of his diete mesurable was he,                  He was moderate in his diet, 436         For it was of no superfluitee,                  For it was of no excess, 437         But of greet norissyng and digestible.                  But greatly nourishing and digestible. 438         His studie was but litel on the Bible.                  His study was but little on the Bible. 439         In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al,                  He was clad all in red and in blue, 440         Lyned with taffata and with sendal.                  Lined with taffeta and with silk. 441         And yet he was but esy of dispence;                  And yet he was moderate in spending; 442         He kepte that he wan in pestilence.                  He kept what he earned in (times of) plague. 443         For gold in phisik is a cordial,                  Since in medicine gold is a restorative for the heart, 444         Therefore he lovede gold in special.                  Therefore he loved gold in particular.

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445         A good WIF was ther OF biside BATHE,                  There was a good WIFE OF beside BATH, 446         But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe.                  But she was somewhat deaf, and that was a pity. 447         Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt                  She had such a skill in cloth-making 448         She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt.                  She surpassed them of Ypres and of Ghent. 449         In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon                  In all the parish there was no wife 450         That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon;                  Who should go to the Offering before her; 451         And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she                  And if there did, certainly she was so angry 452         That she was out of alle charitee.                  That she was out of all charity (love for her neighbor). 453         Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground;                  Her kerchiefs were very fine in texture; 454         I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound                  I dare swear they weighed ten pound 455         That on a Sonday weren upon hir heed.                  That on a Sunday were upon her head. 456         Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed,                  Her stockings were of fine scarlet red, 457         Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe.                  Very closely laced, and shoes very supple and new. 458         Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe.                  Bold was her face, and fair, and red of hue. 459         She was a worthy womman al hir lyve:                  She was a worthy woman all her life: 460         Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve,                  She had (married) five husbands at the church door, 461         Withouten oother compaignye in youthe --                  Not counting other company in youth -- 462         But thereof nedeth nat to speke as nowthe.                  But there is no need to speak of that right now. 463         And thries hadde she been at Jerusalem;                  And she had been three times at Jerusalem; 464         She hadde passed many a straunge strem;                  She had passed many a foreign sea; 465         At Rome she hadde been, and at Boloigne,                  She had been at Rome, and at Boulogne, 466         In Galice at Seint-Jame, and at Coloigne.                  In Galicia at Saint-James (of Compostella), and at Cologne. 467         She koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye.                  She knew much about wandering by the way. 468         Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye.                  She had teeth widely set apart, truly to say. 469         Upon an amblere esily she sat,                  She sat easily upon a pacing horse, 470         Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat                  Wearing a large wimple, and on her head a hat 471         As brood as is a bokeler or a targe;                  As broad as a buckler or a shield; 472         A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,                  An overskirt about her large hips, 473         And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.                  And on her feet a pair of sharp spurs. 474         In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe.                  In fellowship she well knew how to laugh and chatter. 475         Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce,                  She knew, as it happened, about remedies for love 476         For she koude of that art the olde daunce.                  For she knew the old dance (tricks of the trade) of that art.

477         A good man was ther of religioun,                  A good man was there of religion, 478         And was a povre PERSOUN OF A TOUN,                  And (he) was a poor PARSON OF A TOWN, 479         But riche he was of hooly thoght and werk.                  But he was rich in holy thought and work. 480         He was also a lerned man, a clerk,                  He was also a learned man, a scholar, 481         That Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche;                  Who would preach Christ's gospel truly; 482         His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche.                  He would devoutly teach his parishioners. 483         Benygne he was, and wonder diligent,                  He was gracious, and wonderfully diligent, 484         And in adversitee ful pacient,                  And very patient in adversity, 485         And swich he was ypreved ofte sithes.                  And such he was proven many times. 486         Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes,                  He was very reluctant to excommunicate for (nonpayment of) his tithes, 487         But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute,                  But rather would he give, there is no doubt, 488         Unto his povre parisshens aboute                  Unto his poor parishioners about 489         Of his offryng and eek of his substaunce.                  Some of his offering (received at mass) and also some of his income. 490         He koude in litel thyng have suffisaunce.                  He knew how to have sufficiency in few possessions. 491         Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder,                  His parish was wide, and houses far apart, 492         But he ne lefte nat, for reyn ne thonder,                  But he did not omit, for rain nor thunder, 493         In siknesse nor in meschief to visite                  In sickness or in trouble to visit 494         The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite,                  Those living farthest away in his parish, high-ranking and low, 495         Upon his feet, and in his hand a staf.                  Going by foot, and in his hand a staff. 496         This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf,                  He gave this noble example to his sheep, 497         That first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte.                  That first he wrought, and afterward he taught. 498         Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte,                  He took those words out of the gospel, 499         And this figure he added eek therto,                  And this metaphor he added also to that, 500         That if gold ruste, what shal iren do?                  That if gold rust, what must iron do? 501         For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste,                  For if a priest, on whom we trust, should be foul 502         No wonder is a lewed man to ruste;                  It is no wonder for a layman to go bad; 503         And shame it is, if a prest take keep,                  And it is a shame, if a priest is concerned: 504         A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep.                  A shit-stained shepherd and a clean sheep. 505         Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yive,                  Well ought a priest to give an example, 506         By his clennesse, how that his sheep sholde lyve.                  By his purity, how his sheep should live. 507         He sette nat his benefice to hyre                  He did not rent out his benefice (ecclesiastical living) 508         And leet his sheep encombred in the myre                  And leave his sheep encumbered in the mire 509         And ran to Londoun unto Seinte Poules                  And run to London unto Saint Paul's 510         To seken hym a chaunterie for soules,                  To seek an appointment as a chantry priest (praying for a patron) 511         Or with a bretherhed to been withholde;                  Or to be hired (as a chaplain) by a guild; 512         But dwelte at hoom, and kepte wel his folde,                  But dwelt at home, and kept well his sheep fold (parish), 513         So that the wolf ne made it nat myscarie;                  So that the wolf did not make it go wrong; 514         He was a shepherde and noght a mercenarie.                  He was a shepherd and not a hireling. 515         And though he hooly were and vertuous,                  And though he was holy and virtuous, 516         He was to synful men nat despitous,                  He was not scornful to sinful men, 517         Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne,                  Nor domineering nor haughty in his speech, 518         But in his techyng discreet and benygne.                  But in his teaching courteous and kind. 519         To drawen folk to hevene by fairnesse,                  To draw folk to heaven by gentleness, 520         By good ensample, this was his bisynesse.                  By good example, this was his business. 521         But it were any persone obstinat,                  Unless it were an obstinate person, 522         What so he were, of heigh or lough estat,                  Whoever he was, of high or low rank, 523         Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys.                  He would rebuke him sharply at that time. 524         A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys.                  I believe that nowhere is there a better priest. 525         He waited after no pompe and reverence,                  He expected no pomp and ceremony, 526         Ne maked him a spiced conscience,                  Nor made himself an overly fastidious conscience, 527         But Cristes loore and his apostles twelve                  But Christ's teaching and His twelve apostles 528         He taughte; but first he folwed it hymselve.                  He taught; but first he followed it himself.

529         With hym ther was a PLOWMAN, was his brother,                  With him there was a PLOWMAN, who was his brother, 530         That hadde ylad of dong ful many a fother;                  Who had hauled very many a cartload of dung; 531         A trewe swynkere and a good was he,                  He was a true and good worker, 532         Lyvynge in pees and parfit charitee.                  Living in peace and perfect love. 533         God loved he best with al his hoole herte                  He loved God best with all his whole heart 534         At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte,                  At all times, whether it pleased or pained him, 535         And thanne his neighebor right as hymselve.                  And then (he loved) his neighbor exactly as himself. 536         He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve,                  He would thresh, and moreover make ditches and dig, 537         For Cristes sake, for every povre wight,                  For Christ's sake, for every poor person, 538         Withouten hire, if it lay in his myght.                  Without payment, if it lay in his power. 539         His tithes payde he ful faire and wel,                  He paid his tithes completely and well, 540         Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel.                  Both of his own labor and of his possessions. 541         In a tabard he rood upon a mere.                  He rode in a tabard (sleeveless jacket) upon a mare.

542         Ther was also a REVE, and a MILLERE,                  There was also a REEVE, and a MILLER, 543         A SOMNOUR, and a PARDONER also,                  A SUMMONER, and a PARDONER also, 544         A MAUNCIPLE, and myself -- ther were namo.                  A MANCIPLE, and myself -- there were no more.

545         The MILLERE was a stout carl for the nones;                  The MILLER was a stout fellow indeed; 546         Ful byg he was of brawn, and eek of bones.                  He was very strong of muscle, and also of bones. 547         That proved wel, for over al ther he cam,                  That was well proven, for wherever he came, 548         At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram.                  At wrestling he would always take the the prize. 549         He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre;                  He was stoutly built, broad, a large-framed fellow; 550         Ther was no dore that he nolde heve of harre,                  There was no door that he would not heave off its hinges, 551         Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed.                  Or break it by running at it with his head. 552         His berd as any sowe or fox was reed,                  His beard was red as any sow or fox, 553         And therto brood, as though it were a spade.                  And moreover broad, as though it were a spade. 554         Upon the cop right of his nose he hade                  Upon the exact top of his nose he had 555         A werte, and theron stood a toft of herys,                  A wart, and thereon stood a tuft of hairs, 556         Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys;                  Red as the bristles of a sow's ears; 557         His nosethirles blake were and wyde.                  His nostrils were black and wide. 558         A swerd and a bokeler bar he by his syde.                  He wore a sword and a buckler by his side. 559         His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys.                  His mouth was as large as a large furnace. 560         He was a janglere and a goliardeys,                  He was a loudmouth and a buffoon, 561         And that was moost of synne and harlotries.                  And that was mostly of sin and deeds of harlotry. 562         Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thries;                  He well knew how to steal corn and take payment three times; 563         And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee.                  And yet he had a thumb of gold, indeed. 564         A whit cote and a blew hood wered he.                  He wore a white coat and a blue hood. 565         A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne,                  He well knew how to blow and play a bag-pipe, 566         And therwithal he broghte us out of towne.                  And with that he brought us out of town.

567         A gentil MAUNCIPLE was ther of a temple,                  There was a fine MANCIPLE of a temple (law school), 568         Of which achatours myghte take exemple                  Of whom buyers of provisions might take example 569         For to be wise in byynge of vitaille;                  For how to be wise in buying of victuals; 570         For wheither that he payde or took by taille,                  For whether he paid (cash) or took (goods) on credit, 571         Algate he wayted so in his achaat                  Always he watched so (carefully for his opportunity) in his purchases 572         That he was ay biforn and in good staat.                  That he was always ahead and in good state. 573         Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace                  Now is not that a very fair grace of God 574         That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace                  That such an unlearned man's wit shall surpass 575         The wisdom of an heep of lerned men?                  The wisdom of a heap of learned men? 576         Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten,                  He had more than three times ten masters, 577         That weren of lawe expert and curious,                  Who were expert and skillful in law, 578         Of which ther were a duszeyne in that hous                  Of whom there were a dozen in that house 579         Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond                  Worthy to be stewards of rent and land 580         Of any lord that is in Engelond,                  Of any lord that is in England, 581         To make hym lyve by his propre good                  To make him live by his own wealth 582         In honour dettelees (but if he were wood),                  In honor and debtless (unless he were crazy), 583         Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desire;                  Or live as economically as it pleased him to desire; 584         And able for to helpen al a shire                  And (they would be) able to help all a shire 585         In any caas that myghte falle or happe.                  In any emergency that might occur or happen. 586         And yet this Manciple sette hir aller cappe.                  And yet this Manciple fooled them all.

587         The REVE was a sclendre colerik man.                  The REEVE was a slender choleric man. 588         His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan;                  His beard was shaved as close as ever he can; 589         His heer was by his erys ful round yshorn;                  His hair was closely cropped by his ears; 590         His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn.                  The top of his head in front was cut short like a priest's. 591         Ful longe were his legges and ful lene,                  His legs were very long and very lean, 592         Ylyk a staf; ther was no calf ysene.                  Like a stick; there was no calf to be seen. 593         Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne;                  He well knew how to keep a granary and a storage bin; 594         Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne.                  There was no auditor who could earn anything (by catching him). 595         Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn                  He well knew by the drought and by the rain 596         The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn.                  (What would be) the yield of his seed and of his grain. 597         His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye,                  His lord's sheep, his cattle, his herd of dairy cows, 598         His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye                  His swine, his horses, his livestock, and his poultry 599         Was hoolly in this Reves governynge,                  Was wholly in this Reeve's control, 600         And by his covenant yaf the rekenynge,                  And in accord with his contract he gave the reckoning, 601         Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age.                  Since his lord was twenty years of age. 602         Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage.                  There was no man who could find him in arrears. 603         Ther nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne,                  There was no farm manager, nor herdsman, nor other servant, 604         That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne;                  Whose trickery and treachery he did not know; 605         They were adrad of hym as of the deeth.                  They were afraid of him as of the plague. 606         His wonyng was ful faire upon an heeth;                  His dwelling was very nicely situated upon an heath; 607         With grene trees yshadwed was his place.                  His place was shaded by green trees. 608         He koude bettre than his lord purchace.                  He could buy property better than his lord could. 609         Ful riche he was astored pryvely.                  He was secretly very richly provided. 610         His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly,                  He well knew how to please his lord subtly, 611         To yeve and lene hym of his owene good,                  By giving and lending him some of his lord's own possessions, 612         And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood.                  And have thanks, and also a coat and hood (as a reward). 613         In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster:                  In youth he had learned a good craft: 614         He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter.                  He was a very good craftsman, a carpenter. 615         This Reve sat upon a ful good stot                  This Reeve sat upon a very good horse 616         That was al pomely grey and highte Scot.                  That was all dapple gray and was called Scot. 617         A long surcote of pers upon he hade,                  He had on a long outer coat of dark blue, 618         And by his syde he baar a rusty blade.                  And by his side he wore a rusty sword. 619         Of Northfolk was this Reve of which I telle,                  Of Northfolk was this Reeve of whom I tell, 620         Biside a toun men clepen Baldeswelle.                  Near to a town men call Bawdeswelle. 621         Tukked he was as is a frere aboute,                  He had his coat hitched up and belted, like a friar, 622         And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route.                  And ever he rode as the last of our company.

623         A SOMONOUR was ther with us in that place,                  There was a SUMMONER with us in that place, 624         That hadde a fyr-reed cherubynnes face,                  Who had a fire-red cherubim's face, 625         For saucefleem he was, with eyen narwe.                  For it was pimpled and discolored, with swollen eyelids. 626         As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe,                  He was as hot and lecherous as a sparrow, 627         With scalled browes blake and piled berd.                  With black, scabby brows and a beard with hair fallen out. 628         Of his visage children were aferd.                  Children were afraid of his face. 629         Ther nas quyk-silver, lytarge, ne brymstoon,                  There was no mercury, lead monoxide, nor sulphur, 630         Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon,                  Borax, white lead, nor any oil of tarter, 631         Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte,                  Nor ointment that would cleanse and burn, 632         That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white,                  That could cure him of his white pustules, 633         Nor of the knobbes sittynge on his chekes.                  Nor of the knobs sitting on his cheeks. 634         Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes,                  He well loved garlic, onions, and also leeks, 635         And for to drynken strong wyn, reed as blood;                  And to drink strong wine, red as blood; 636         Thanne wolde he speke and crie as he were wood.                  Then he would speak and cry out as if he were crazy. 637         And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn,                  And when he had drunk deeply of the wine, 638         Thanne wolde he speke no word but Latyn.                  Then he would speak no word but Latin. 639         A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre,                  He had a few legal terms, two or three, 640         That he had lerned out of som decree --                  That he had learned out of some text of ecclesiastical law -- 641         No wonder is, he herde it al the day;                  That is no wonder, he heard it all the day; 642         And eek ye knowen wel how that a jay                  And also you know well how a jay 643         Kan clepen "Watte" as wel as kan the pope.                  Can call out "Walter" as well as the pope can. 644         But whoso koude in oother thyng hym grope,                  But whoever knew how to examine him in other matters, 645         Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophie;                  (Would find that) he had used up all his learning; 646         Ay "Questio quid iuris" wolde he crie.                  Always "The question is, what point of the law applies?" he would cry. 647         He was a gentil harlot and a kynde;                  He was a fine rascal and a kind one; 648         A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde.                  One could not find a better fellow. 649         He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn                  For a quart of wine he would allow 650         A good felawe to have his concubyn                  A good fellow to have his concubine 651         A twelf month, and excuse hym atte fulle;                  For twelve months, and excuse him completely; 652         Ful prively a fynch eek koude he pulle.                  Secretly he also knew how to pull off a clever trick. 653         And if he foond owher a good felawe,                  And if he found anywhere a good fellow, 654         He wolde techen him to have noon awe                  He would teach him to have no awe 655         In swich caas of the ercedekenes curs,                  Of the archdeacon's curse (of excommunication) in such a case, 656         But if a mannes soule were in his purs;                  Unless a man's soul were in his purse; 657         For in his purs he sholde ypunysshed be.                  For in his purse he would be punished. 658         "Purs is the ercedekenes helle," seyde he.                  "Purse is the archdeacon's hell," he said. 659         But wel I woot he lyed right in dede;                  But well I know he lied right certainly; 660         Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him drede,                  Each guilty man ought to be afraid of excommunication, 661         For curs wol slee right as assoillyng savith,                  For excommunication will slay just as forgiveness saves, 662         And also war hym of a Significavit.                  And let him also beware of a Significavit (order for imprisonment). 663         In daunger hadde he at his owene gise                  In his control he had as he pleased 664         The yonge girles of the diocise,                  The young people of the diocese, 665         And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed.                  And knew their secrets, and was the adviser of them all. 666         A gerland hadde he set upon his heed,                  He had set a garland upon his heed, 667         As greet as it were for an ale-stake.                  As large as if it were for the sign of a tavern 668         A bokeleer hadde he maad hym of a cake.                  He had made himself a shield of a cake.

669         With hym ther rood a gentil PARDONER                  With him there rode a fine PARDONER 670         Of Rouncivale, his freend and his compeer,                  Of Rouncivale, his friend and his companion, 671         That streight was comen fro the court of Rome.                  Who had come straight from the court of Rome. 672         Ful loude he soong "Com hider, love, to me!"                  Very loud he sang "Come hither, love, to me!" 673         This Somonour bar to hym a stif burdoun;                  This Summoner harmonized with him in a strong bass; 674         Was nevere trompe of half so greet a soun.                  There was never a trumpet of half so great a sound. 675         This Pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex,                  This Pardoner had hair as yellow as wax, 676         But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex;                  But smooth it hung as does a clump of flax; 677         By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde,                  By small strands hung such locks as he had, 678         And therwith he his shuldres overspradde;                  And he spread them over his shoulders; 679         But thynne it lay, by colpons oon and oon.                  But thin it lay, by strands one by one. 680         But hood, for jolitee, wered he noon,                  But to make an attractive appearance, he wore no hood, 681         For it was trussed up in his walet.                  For it was trussed up in his knapsack. 682         Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet;                  It seemed to him that he rode in the very latest style; 683         Dischevelee, save his cappe, he rood al bare.                  With hair unbound, save for his cap, he rode all bare-headed. 684         Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare.                  He had glaring eyes such as has a hare. 685         A vernycle hadde he sowed upon his cappe.                  He had sewn a Veronica upon his cap. 686         His walet, biforn hym in his lappe,                  Before him in his lap, (he had) his knapsack, 687         Bretful of pardoun comen from Rome al hoot.                  Brimful of pardons come all fresh from Rome. 688         A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot.                  He had a voice as small as a goat has. 689         No berd hadde he, ne nevere sholde have;                  He had no beard, nor never would have; 690         As smothe it was as it were late shave.                  It (his face) was as smooth as if it were recently shaven. 691         I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare.                  I believe he was a eunuch or a homosexual. 692         But of his craft, fro Berwyk into Ware                  But as to his craft, from Berwick to Ware 693         Ne was ther swich another pardoner.                  There was no other pardoner like him. 694         For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer,                  For in his pouch he had a pillow-case, 695         Which that he seyde was Oure Lady veyl;                  Which he said was Our Lady's veil; 696         He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl                  He said he had a piece of the sail 697         That Seint Peter hadde, whan that he wente                  That Saint Peter had, when he went 698         Upon the see, til Jhesu Crist hym hente.                  Upon the sea, until Jesus Christ took him. 699         He hadde a croys of latoun ful of stones,                  He had a cross of latten (brass-like alloy) covered with stones, 700         And in a glas he hadde pigges bones.                  And in a glass container he had pigs' bones. 701         But with thise relikes, whan that he fond                  But with these relics, when he found 702         A povre person dwellynge upon lond,                  A poor parson dwelling in the countryside, 703         Upon a day he gat hym moore moneye                  In one day he got himself more money 704         Than that the person gat in monthes tweye;                  Than the parson got in two months; 705         And thus, with feyned flaterye and japes,                  And thus, with feigned flattery and tricks, 706         He made the person and the peple his apes.                  He made fools of the parson and the people. 707         But trewely to tellen atte laste,                  But truly to tell at the last, 708         He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste.                  He was in church a noble ecclesiast. 709         Wel koude he rede a lessoun or a storie,                  He well knew how to read a lesson or a story, 710         But alderbest he song an offertorie;                  But best of all he sang an Offertory; 711         For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe,                  For he knew well, when that song was sung, 712         He moste preche and wel affile his tonge                  He must preach and well smooth his speech 713         To wynne silver, as he ful wel koude;                  To win silver, as he very well knew how; 714         Therefore he song the murierly and loude.                  Therefore he sang the more merrily and loud.

715         Now have I toold you soothly, in a clause,                  Now have I told you truly, briefly, 716         Th' estaat, th' array, the nombre, and eek the cause                  The rank, the dress, the number, and also the cause 717         Why that assembled was this compaignye                  Why this company was assembled 718         In Southwerk at this gentil hostelrye                  In Southwark at this fine hostelry 719         That highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle.                  That is called the Tabard, close by the Bell. 720         But now is tyme to yow for to telle                  But now it is time to tell to you 721         How that we baren us that ilke nyght,                  How we conducted ourselves that same night, 722         Whan we were in that hostelrie alyght;                  When we had arrived in that hostelry; 723         And after wol I telle of our viage                  And after that I will tell of our journey 724         And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage.                  And all the rest of our pilgrimage. 725         But first I pray yow, of youre curteisye,                  But first I pray yow, of your courtesy, 726         That ye n' arette it nat my vileynye,                  That you do not attribute it to my rudeness, 727         Thogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere,                  Though I speak plainly in this matter, 728         To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere,                  To tell you their words and their behavior, 729         Ne thogh I speke hir wordes proprely.                  Nor though I speak their words accurately. 730         For this ye knowen al so wel as I:                  For this you know as well as I: 731         Whoso shal telle a tale after a man,                  Whoever must repeat a story after someone, 732         He moot reherce as ny as evere he kan                  He must repeat as closely as ever he knows how 733         Everich a word, if it be in his charge,                  Every single word, if it be in his power, 734         Al speke he never so rudeliche and large,                  Although he may speak ever so rudely and freely, 735         Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe,                  Or else he must tell his tale inaccurately, 736         Or feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe.                  Or make up things, or find new words. 737         He may nat spare, althogh he were his brother;                  He may not refrain from (telling the truth), although he were his brother; 738         He moot as wel seye o word as another.                  He must as well say one word as another. 739         Crist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ,                  Christ himself spoke very plainly in holy writ, 740         And wel ye woot no vileynye is it.                  And you know well it is no rudeness. 741         Eek Plato seith, whoso kan hym rede,                  Also Plato says, whosoever knows how to read him, 742         The wordes moote be cosyn to the dede.                  The words must be closely related to the deed. 743         Also I prey yow to foryeve it me,                  Also I pray you to forgive it to me, 744         Al have I nat set folk in hir degree                  Although I have not set folk in order of their rank 745         Heere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde.                  Here in this tale, as they should stand. 746         My wit is short, ye may wel understonde.                  My wit is short, you can well understand.

747         Greet chiere made oure Hoost us everichon,                  Our Host made great hospitality to everyone of us, 748         And to the soper sette he us anon.                  And to the supper he set us straightway. 749         He served us with vitaille at the beste;                  He served us with victuals of the best sort; 750         Strong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste.                  The wine was strong, and it well pleased us to drink. 751         A semely man OURE HOOSTE was withalle                  OUR HOST was an impressive man indeed 752         For to been a marchal in an halle.                  (Qualified) to be a master of ceremonies in a hall. 753         A large man he was with eyen stepe --                  He was a large man with prominent eyes -- 754         A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe --                  There was no better business man in Cheapside -- 755         Boold of his speche, and wys, and wel ytaught,                  Bold of his speech, and wise, and well mannered, 756         And of manhod hym lakkede right naught.                  And he lacked nothing at all of the qualities proper to a man. 757         Eek therto he was right a myrie man;                  Also moreover he was a right merry man; 758         And after soper pleyen he bigan,                  And after supper he began to be merry, 759         And spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges,                  And spoke of mirth among other things, 760         Whan that we hadde maad oure rekenynges,                  When we had paid our bills, 761         And seyde thus: "Now, lordynges, trewely,                  And said thus: "Now, gentlemen, truly, 762         Ye been to me right welcome, hertely;                  You are right heartily welcome to me; 763         For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye,                  For by my word, if I shall not lie (I must say), 764         I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye                  I saw not this year so merry a company 765         Atones in this herberwe as is now.                  At one time in this lodging as is (here) now. 766         Fayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how.                  I would gladly make you happy, if I knew how. 767         And of a myrthe I am right now bythoght,                  And I have just now thought of an amusement, 768         To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght.                  To give you pleasure, and it shall cost nothing.

769         "Ye goon to Caunterbury -- God yow speede,                  "You go to Canterbury -- God give you success, 770         The blisful martir quite yow youre meede!                  May the blessed martyr give you your reward! 771         And wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye,                  And well I know, as you go by the way, 772         Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye;                  You intend to tell tales and to amuse yourselves; 773         For trewely, confort ne myrthe is noon                  For truly, it is no comfort nor mirth 774         To ride by the weye doumb as a stoon;                  To ride by the way dumb as a stone; 775         And therfore wol I maken yow disport,                  And therefore I will make a game for you, 776         As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort.                  As I said before, and provide you some pleasure. 777         And if yow liketh alle by oon assent                  And if pleases you all unanimously 778         For to stonden at my juggement,                  To be subject to my judgment, 779         And for to werken as I shal yow seye,                  And to do as I shall tell you, 780         Tomorwe, whan ye riden by the weye,                  Tomorrow, when you ride by the way, 781         Now, by my fader soule that is deed,                  Now, by the soul of my father who is dead, 782         But ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed!                  Unless you be merry, I will give you my head! 783         Hoold up youre hondes, withouten moore speche."                  Hold up your hands, without more speech."

784         Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche.                  Our decision was not long to seek out. 785         Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys,                  It seemed to us it was not worthwhile to deliberate on it, 786         And graunted hym withouten moore avys,                  And (we) granted his request without more discussion, 787         And bad him seye his voirdit as hym leste.                  And asked him to say his decision as it pleased him. 788         "Lordynges," quod he, "now herkneth for the beste;                  "Gentlemen," said he, "now listen for the best course of action; 789         But taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn.                  But, I pray yow, do not take it in disdain (scorn it). 790         This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn,                  This is the point, to speak briefly and clearly, 791         That ech of yow, to shorte with oure weye,                  That each of yow, to make our way seem short by this means, 792         In this viage shal telle tales tweye                  Must tell two tales in this journey 793         To Caunterbury-ward, I mene it so,                  On the way to Canterbury, that is what I mean, 794         And homward he shal tellen othere two,                  And on the homeward trip he shall tell two others, 795         Of aventures that whilom han bifalle.                  About adventures that in old times have happened. 796         And which of yow that bereth hym best of alle --                  And whoever of you who does best of all -- 797         That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas                  That is to say, who tells in this case 798         Tales of best sentence and moost solaas --                  Tales of best moral meaning and most pleasure -- 799         Shal have a soper at oure aller cost                  Shall have a supper at the cost of us all 800         Heere in this place, sittynge by this post,                  Here in this place, sitting by this post, 801         Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury.                  When we come back from Canterbury. 802         And for to make yow the moore mury,                  And to make you the more merry, 803         I wol myselven goodly with yow ryde,                  I will myself gladly ride with you, 804         Right at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde;                  Entirely at my own cost, and be your guide; 805         And whoso wole my juggement withseye                  And whosoever will not accept my judgment 806         Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye.                  Shall pay all that we spend by the way. 807         And if ye vouche sauf that it be so,                  And if you grant that it be so, 808         Tel me anon, withouten wordes mo,                  Tell me straightway, without more words, 809         And I wol erly shape me therfore."                  And I will get ready early for this."

810         This thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore                  This thing was granted, and our oaths sworn 811         With ful glad herte, and preyden hym also                  With very glad hearts, and (we) prayed him also 812         That he wolde vouche sauf for to do so,                  That he would consent to do so, 813         And that he wolde been oure governour,                  And that he would be our governor, 814         And of oure tales juge and reportour,                  And judge and score keeper of our tales, 815         And sette a soper at a certeyn pris,                  And set a supper at a certain price, 816         And we wol reuled been at his devys                  And we will be ruled as he wishes 817         In heigh and lough; and thus by oon assent                  In every respect; and thus unanimously 818         We been acorded to his juggement.                  We are accorded to his judgment. 819         And therupon the wyn was fet anon;                  And thereupon the wine was fetched immediately; 820         We dronken, and to reste wente echon,                  We drank, and each one went to rest, 821         Withouten any lenger taryynge.                  Without any longer tarrying.

822         Amorwe, whan that day bigan to sprynge,                  In the morning, when day began to spring, 823         Up roos oure Hoost, and was oure aller cok,                  Our Host arose, and was the rooster of us all (awakened us). 824         And gadrede us togidre alle in a flok,                  And gathered us together all in a flock, 825         And forth we riden a litel moore than paas                  And forth we rode at little more than a walk 826         Unto the Wateryng of Seint Thomas;                  Unto the Watering of Saint Thomas; 827         And there oure Hoost bigan his hors areste                  And there our Host stopped his horse 828         And seyde, "Lordynges, herkneth, if yow leste.                  And said, "Gentlemen, listen, if you please. 829         Ye woot youre foreward, and I it yow recorde.                  You know your agreement, and I remind you of it. 830         If even-song and morwe-song accorde,                  If what you said last night agrees with what you say this morning, 831         Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale.                  Let's see now who shall tell the first tale. 832         As evere mote I drynke wyn or ale,                  As ever I may drink wine or ale, 833         Whoso be rebel to my juggement                  Whosoever may be rebel to my judgment 834         Shal paye for al that by the wey is spent.                  Shall pay for all that is spent by the way. 835         Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne;                  Now draw straws, before we depart further (from London); 836         He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne.                  He who has the shortest shall begin. 837         Sire Knyght," quod he, "my mayster and my lord,                  Sir Knight," said he, "my master and my lord, 838         Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord.                  Now draw a straw, for that is my decision. 839         Cometh neer," quod he, "my lady Prioresse.                  Come nearer," he said, "my lady Prioress. 840         And ye, sire Clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse,                  And you, sir Clerk, let be your modesty, 841         Ne studieth noght; ley hond to, every man!"                  And study not; lay hand to (draw a straw), every man!" 842         Anon to drawen every wight bigan,                  Every person began straightway to draw, 843         And shortly for to tellen as it was,                  And shortly to tell as it was, 844         Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas,                  Were it by chance, or destiny, or luck, 845         The sothe is this: the cut fil to the Knyght,                  The truth is this: the draw fell to the Knight, 846         Of which ful blithe and glad was every wyght,                  For which everyone was very happy and glad, 847         And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun,                  And he must tell his tale, as was reasonable, 848         By foreward and by composicioun,                  By our previous promise and by formal agreement, 849         As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo?                  As you have heard; what more words are needed? 850         And whan this goode man saugh that it was so,                  And when this good man saw that it was so, 851         As he that wys was and obedient                  Like one who was wise and obedient 852         To kepe his foreward by his free assent,                  To keep his agreement by his free assent, 853         He seyde, "Syn I shal bigynne the game,                  He said, "Since I must begin the game, 854         What, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name!                  What! Welcome be the draw, in God's name! 855         Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye."                  Now let us ride, and listen to what I say." 856         And with that word we ryden forth oure weye,                  And with that word we rode forth on our way, 857         And he bigan with right a myrie cheere                  And he began with a truly merry demeanor 858         His tale anon, and seyde as ye may heere.                  To tell his tale straightway, and said as you may hear.

• Synopses and Prolegomena
• 1.2 The Knight's Tale
• 1.3 The Miller's Prologue and Tale
• 1.4 The Reeve's Prologue and Tale
• 1.5 The Cook's Prologue and Tale
• 2.1 The Man of Law's Introduction, Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue
• 3.1 The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
• 3.2 The Friar's Prologue and Tale
• 3.3 The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
• 4.1 The Clerk's Prologue, Tale, and Envoy
• 4.2 The Merchant's Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue
• 5.1 The Squire's Introduction and Tale
• 5.2 The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
• 6.1 The Physician's Tale
• 6.2 The Pardoner's Prologue, Introduction, and Tale
• 7.1 The Shipman's Tale
• 7.2 The Shipman-Prioress Link
• 7.3 The Prioress' Prologue and Tale
• 7.4 The Prologue and Tale of Sir Thopas, and the Host's Interruption
• 7.5 The Tale of Melibee
• 7.6 The Monk's Prologue and Tale
• 7.7 The Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue of the Nun's Priest
• 8.1 The Second Nun's Prologue and Tale
• 8.2 The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale
• 9.1 The Manciple's Prologue and Tale
• 10.1 The Parson's Prologue and Tale
• 10.2 Chaucer's Retraction

Poems & Poets

The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue

Here bygynneth the Book of the tales of Caunterbury Whan that Aprille with his shour e s soot e , The droghte of March hath perc e d to the root e , And bath e d every veyne in swich licóur Of which vertú engendr e d is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his swet e breeth Inspir e d hath in every holt and heeth The tendr e cropp e s, and the yong e sonn e Hath in the Ram his half e cours y-ronn e , And smal e fowel e s maken melody e , That slepen al the nyght with open y e , So priketh hem Natúre in hir corag e s, Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimag e s, And palmeres for to seken straung e strond e s, To fern e halw e s, kowthe in sondry lond e s; And specially, from every shir e s end e Of Eng e lond, to Caunterbury they wend e , The hooly blisful martir for to sek e , That hem hath holpen whan that they were seek e . Bifil that in that seson on a day, In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay, Redy to wenden on my pilgrymag e To Caunterbury with ful devout corag e , At nyght were come into that hostelry e Wel nyne and twenty in a compaigny e Of sondry folk, by áventure y-fall e In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they all e , That toward Caunterbury wolden ryd e . The chambr e s and the stabl e s weren wyd e , And wel we weren es e d att e best e . And shortly, whan the sonn e was to rest e , So hadde I spoken with hem everychon, That I was of hir felaweshipe anon, And mad e forward erly for to rys e , To take oure wey, ther as I yow devys e . But nath e lees, whil I have tyme and spac e , Er that I ferther in this tal e pac e , Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun To tell e yow al the condicioun Of ech of hem, so as it sem e d me, And whiche they weren and of what degree, And eek in what array that they were inn e ; And at a Knyght than wol I first bigynn e . A Knyght ther was, and that a worthy man, That fro the tym e that he first bigan To riden out, he lov e d chivalri e , Trouthe and honóur, fredom and curteisi e . Ful worthy was he in his lord e s werr e , And thereto hadde he riden, no man ferr e , As wel in cristendom as in heth e ness e , And evere honóur e d for his worthyness e . At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonn e ; Ful oft e tyme he hadde the bord bigonn e Aboven all e nac i ons in Pruc e . In Lettow hadde he reys e d and in Ruc e ,— No cristen man so ofte of his degree. In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be Of Algezir, and riden in Belmary e . At Lyeys was he, and at Sataly e , Whan they were wonne; and in the Gret e See At many a noble armee hadde he be. At mortal batailles hadde he been fiften e , And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssen e In lyst e thri e s, and ay slayn his foo. This ilk e worthy knyght hadde been also Somtym e with the lord of Palaty e Agayn another hethen in Turky e ; And evermoore he hadde a sovereyn prys. And though that he were worthy, he was wys, And of his port as meeke as is a mayd e . He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayd e , In al his lyf, unto no maner wight. He was a verray, parfit, gentil knyght. But for to tellen yow of his array, His hors weren good e , but he was nat gay; Of fustian he wer e d a gypon Al bismóter e d with his habergeon; For he was late y-come from his viag e , And went e for to doon his pilgrymag e . With hym ther was his sone, a yong Squiér, A lovyere and a lusty bacheler, With lokk e s crulle as they were leyd in press e . Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gess e . Of his statúre he was of evene length e , And wonderly delyvere and of greet strength e . And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachi e In Flaundr e s, in Artoys, and Pycardi e , And born hym weel, as of so litel spac e , In hope to stonden in his lady grac e . Embrouded was he, as it were a meed e Al ful of fressh e flour e s whyte and reed e . Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day; He was as fressh as is the month of May. Short was his gowne, with slev e s longe and wyd e ; Wel koude he sitte on hors and fair e ryd e ; He koud e song e s make and wel endit e , Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and writ e . So hoote he lov e de that by nyghtertal e He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngal e . Curteis he was, lowely and servysábl e , And carf biforn his fader at the tabl e . A Yeman hadde he and servántz namo At that tyme, for hym list e rid e soo; And he was clad in cote and hood of gren e . A sheef of pecock arw e s bright and ken e , Under his belt he bar ful thriftily— Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly; His arw e s droup e d noght with fether e s low e — And in his hand he baar a myghty bow e . A not-heed hadde he, with a broun viság e . Of wood e craft wel koude he al the uság e . Upon his arm he baar a gay bracér, And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler, And on that oother syde a gay dagger e , Harneis e d wel and sharp as point of sper e ; A Cristophere on his brest of silver sheen e . An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of gren e . A forster was he, soothly as I gess e . Ther was also a Nonne, a Prioress e , That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy; Hire gretteste ooth was but by seint e Loy, And she was clep e d madame Eglentyn e . Ful weel she soong the servic e dyvyn e , Entun e d in hir nose ful sem e ly; And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly, After the scole of Stratford att e Bow e , For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknow e . At met e wel y-taught was she with-all e : She leet no morsel from hir lipp e s fall e , Ne wette hir fyngr e s in hir sauc e dep e . Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kep e Thát no drope ne fille upon hire brist; In curteisie was set ful muchel hir list. Hire over-lipp e wyp e d she so clen e That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sen e Of grec e , whan she dronken hadde hir draught e . Ful sem e ly after hir mete she raught e . And sikerly she was of greet desport, And ful plesáunt and amyable of port, And peyn e d hire to countrefet e cheer e Of court, and been estatlich of maner e , And to ben holden digne of reverenc e . But for to speken of hire consc i enc e , She was so charitable and so pitous She wold e wepe if that she saugh a mous Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledd e . Of smal e hound e s hadde she, that she fedd e With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel breed; But soor e wepte she if oon of hem were deed, Or if men smoot it with a yerd e smert e ; And al was consc i ence and tendr e hert e . Ful semyly hir wympul pynch e d was; Hire nose tretys, her eyen greye as glas, Hir mouth ful smal and ther-to softe and reed; But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed; It was almoost a spann e brood, I trow e ; For, hardily, she was nat undergrow e . Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war; Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar A peire of bed e s, gauded al with gren e , And ther-on heng a brooch of gold ful sheen e , On which ther was first write a crown e d A, And after, Amor vincit omnia . Another Nonn e with hire hadd e she, That was hire chap e leyne, and Preest e s thre. A Monk ther was, a fair for the maistri e , An outridere, that lov e de veneri e ; A manly man, to been an abbot abl e . Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stabl e ; And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heer e Gýnglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleer e , And eek as loude, as dooth the chapel bell e , Ther as this lord was kepere of the cell e . The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit, By-cause that it was old and som-del streit,— This ilk e Monk leet old e thyng e s pac e , And heeld after the new e world the spac e . He yaf nat of that text a pull e d hen That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men, Ne that a monk, whan he is recch e lees, Is likn e d til a fissh that is waterlees,— This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystr e . But thilk e text heeld he nat worth an oystr e ; And I seyde his opinioun was good. What sholde he studie and make hymselven wood, Upon a book in cloystre alwey to pour e , Or swynken with his hand e s and labóur e , As Austyn bit? How shal the world be serv e d? Lat Austyn have his swynk to him reserv e d. Therfore he was a prikasour aright: Grehoundes he hadde, as swift as fowel in flight; Of prikyng and of huntyng for the har e Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spar e . I seigh his sleves y-púrfiled at the hond With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond; And for to festne his hood under his chyn He hadde of gold y-wroght a curious pyn; A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was. His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas, And eek his face, as he hadde been enoynt. He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt; His eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed, That stem e d as a forneys of a leed; His boot e s souple, his hors in greet estaat. Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat. He was nat pale, as a forpyn e d goost: A fat swan loved he best of any roost. His palfrey was as broun as is a bery e . A Frere ther was, a wantowne and a mery e , A lymytour, a ful solémpn e man. In all e the ordr e s foure is noon that kan So muchel of daliaunce and fair langag e . He hadd e maad ful many a mar i ag e Of yong e wommen at his owen e cost. Unto his ordre he was a nobl e post. Ful wel biloved and famulier was he With frankeleyns over al in his contree, And eek with worthy wommen of the toun; For he hadde power of confess i oun, As seyde hym-self, moor e than a curát, For of his ordre he was licenciat. Ful swet e ly herde he confess i oun, And plesaunt was his absoluc i oun. He was an esy man to yeve penaunc e There as he wiste to have a good pitaunc e ; For unto a povre ordr e for to yiv e Is sign e that a man is wel y-shryv e ; For, if he yaf, he dorst e make avaunt He wiste that a man was répentaunt; For many a man so hard is of his hert e He may nat wepe al-thogh hym soor e smert e . Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyér e s Men moote yeve silver to the povr e frer e s. His typet was ay fars e d full of knyv e s And pynn e s, for to yeven fair e wyv e s. And certeinly he hadde a murye not e : Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rot e ; Of yeddynges he baar outr e ly the pris. His nekk e whit was as the flour-de-lys; Ther-to he strong was as a champioun. He knew the tavernes wel in every toun, And everich hostiler and tappester e Bet than a lazar or a beggester e ; For unto swich a worthy man as he Acorded nat, as by his facultee, To have with sik e lazars aqueyntaunc e ; It is nat honest, it may nat avaunc e Fór to deelen with no swich poraill e , But al with riche and selleres of vitaill e . And over-al, ther as profit sholde aris e , Curteis he was and lowely of servys e . Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous. He was the best e beggere in his hous; [And yaf a certeyn ferm e for the graunt, Noon of his brethren cam ther in his haunt;] For thogh a wydw e hadd e noght a sho, So plesaunt was his In principio , Yet wolde he have a ferthyng er he went e : His purchas was wel bettr e than his rent e . And rage he koude, as it were right a whelp e . In lov e -dayes ther koude he muchel help e , For there he was nat lyk a cloysterer With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scolér, But he was lyk a maister, or a pop e ; Of doubl e worstede was his semycop e , That rounded as a belle, out of the press e . Somwhat he lips e d for his wantowness e , To make his Englissh sweete upon his tong e ; And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe, His eyen twynkl e d in his heed aryght As doon the sterr e s in the frosty nyght. This worthy lymytour was cleped Hubérd. A Marchant was ther with a fork e d berd, In mott e leye, and hye on horse he sat; Upon his heed a Flaundryssh bevere hat; His boot e s clasp e d faire and fetisly. His resons he spak ful solémpn e ly, Sownynge alway thencrees of his wynnyng. He wolde the see were kept for any thing Bitwix e Middelburgh and Or e well e . Wel koude he in eschaung e sheeld e s sell e . This worthy man ful wel his wit bisett e ; Ther wist e no wight that he was in dett e , So estatly was he of his gouvernaunc e , With his bargaynes and with his chevyssaunc e . For sothe he was a worthy man with-all e , But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym call e . A Clerk ther was of Oxenford also, That unto logyk hadd e longe y-go. As leen e was his hors as is a rak e , And he nas nat right fat, I undertak e , But look e d holwe, and ther-to sobr e ly. Ful thredbare was his overeste court e py; For he hadde geten hym yet no benefic e , Ne was so worldly for to have offic e ; For hym was lévere háve at his bedd e s heed Twénty book e s, clad in blak or reed, Of Aristotle and his philosophi e , Than rob e s riche, or fíthele, or gay sautri e . But al be that he was a philosophr e , Yet hadd e he but litel gold in cofr e ; But al that he myghte of his freend e s hent e On book e s and on lernynge he it spent e , And bisily gan for the soul e s prey e Of hem that yaf hym wher-with to scoley e . Of studie took he moost cure and moost heed e . Noght o word spak he moor e than was need e ; And that was seyd in forme and reverenc e , And short and quyk and ful of hy senténc e . Sownynge in moral vertu was his spech e ; And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly tech e . A Sergeant of the Law e , war and wys, That often hadd e been at the Parvys, Ther was also, ful riche of excellenc e . Discreet he was, and of greet reverenc e — He sem e d swich, his word e s weren so wis e . Justice he was ful often in assis e , By patente, and by pleyn commiss i oun. For his science and for his heigh renoun, Of fees and rob e s hadde he many oon. So greet a purchasour was nowher noon: Al was fee symple to hym in effect; His purchasyng myght e nat been infect. Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas, And yet he sem e d bisier than he was. In term e s hadde he caas and doom e s all e That from the tyme of kyng William were fall e . Ther-to he koude endite and make a thyng, Ther koud e no wight pynche at his writyng; And every statut koude he pleyn by rot e . He rood but hoomly in a medlee cot e , Girt with a ceint of silk, with barr e s smal e ; Of his array telle I no lenger tal e . A Frank e leyn was in his compaigny e . Whit was his berd as is the day e sy e ; Of his complex i oun he was sangwyn. Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn; To lyven in delit was evere his won e , For he was Epicurus owen e son e , That heeld opin i oun that pleyn delit Was verraily felicitee parfit. An housholdere, and that a greet, was he; Seint Julian he was in his contree. His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon; A bettre envyn e d man was nowher noon. Without e bak e mete was nevere his hous, Of fissh and flessh, and that so plent e vous, It snew e d in his hous of mete and drynk e , Of all e deyntees that men koud e thynk e , After the sondry sesons of the yeer; So chaung e d he his mete and his soper. Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in muw e , And many a breem and many a luce in stuw e . Wo was his cook but if his sauc e wer e Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geer e . His table dormant in his halle alway Stood redy cover e d al the long e day. At sessiouns ther was he lord and sir e ; Ful oft e tyme he was knyght of the shir e . An anlaas, and a gipser al of silk, Heeng at his girdel, whit as morn e milk. A shirreve hadde he been, and a countour; Was nowher such a worthy vavasour. An Haberdasshere, and a Carpenter, A Webbe, a Dyere, and a Tapycer,— And they were cloth e d alle in o lyveree Of a solémpne and a greet fraternitee. Ful fressh and newe hir geere apik e d was; Hir knyv e s wer e chap e d noght with bras, But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel Hire girdl e s and hir pouch e s everydeel. Wel sem e d ech of hem a fair burgeys To sitten in a yeldehalle, on a deys. Éverich, for the wisdom that he kan, Was shaply for to been an alderman; For catel hadd e they ynogh and rent e , And eek hir wyv e s wolde it wel assent e , And ell e s certeyn wer e they to blam e . It is ful fair to been y-cleped Madam e , And goon to vigili e s al bifor e , And have a mantel roialliche y-bor e . A Cook they hadd e with hem for the non e s, To boille the chikn e s with the marybon e s, And poudr e -marchant tart, and galyngal e . Wel koude he knowe a draughte of Londoun al e . He koud e rooste, and sethe, and broille, and fry e , Máken mortreux, and wel bake a py e . But greet harm was it, as it thought e me, That on his shyne a mormal hadd e he; For blankmanger, that made he with the best e . A Shipman was ther, wonynge fer by west e ; For aught I woot he was of Dert e mouthe. He rood upon a rouncy, as he kouth e , In a gowne of faldyng to the knee. A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun. The hoot e somer hadde maad his hewe al broun; And certeinly he was a good felaw e . Ful many a draughte of wyn hadde he y-draw e Fro Burdeux-ward, whil that the chapman sleep. Of nyc e consc i ence took he no keep. If that he faught and hadde the hyer hond, By water he sente hem hoom to every lond. But of his craft to rekene wel his tyd e s, His strem e s, and his daungers hym bisid e s, His herberwe and his moone, his lode-menag e , Ther nas noon swich from Hull e to Cartag e . Hardy he was and wys to undertak e ; With many a tempest hadde his berd been shak e . He knew all e the haven e s, as they wer e , From Gootlond to the Cape of Fynyster e , And every cryke in Britaigne and in Spayn e . His barge y-clep e d was the Maud e layn e . With us ther was a Doctour of Phisik; In all this world ne was ther noon hym lik, To speke of phisik and of surgery e ; For he was grounded in astronomy e . He kepte his pac i ent a ful greet deel In hour e s, by his magyk natureel. Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent Of his ymáges for his pac i ent. He knew the cause of everich malady e , Were it of hoot, or cold, or moyste, or dry e , And where they engendred and of what humour. He was a verray, parfit praktisour; The cause y-knowe, and of his harm the root e , Anon he yaf the sik e man his boot e . Ful redy hadde he his apothecari e s To sende him drogg e s and his letuari e s; For ech of hem made oother for to wynn e , Hir frendshipe nas nat new e to bigynn e . Wel knew he the old e Esculapius, And De{"y}scorides, and eek Rufus, Old Ypocras, Haly, and Galyen, Serapion, Razis, and Avycen, Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn, Bernard, and Gat e sden, and Gilbertyn. Of his diet e mesurable was he, For it was of no superfluitee, But of greet norissyng and digestíbl e . His studie was but litel on the Bibl e . In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al, Lyn e d with taffata and with sendal. And yet he was but esy of dispenc e ; He kept e that he wan in pestilenc e . For gold in phisik is a cord i al; Therfore he lov e de gold in spec i al. A Good Wif was ther of bisid e Bath e , But she was som-del deef, and that was scath e . Of clooth-makyng she hadd e swich an haunt She pass e d hem of Ypr e s and of Gaunt. In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon That to the offrynge bifore hire shold e goon; And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she That she was out of all e charitee. Hir coverchiefs ful fyn e weren of ground; I dorst e swere they wey e den ten pound That on a Sonday weren upon hir heed. Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed, Ful streite y-teyd, and shoes ful moyste and new e . Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hew e . She was a worthy womman al hir lyv e ; Housbondes at chirch e dore she hadd e fyv e , Withouten oother compaignye in youth e ; But ther-of nedeth nat to speke as nowth e . And thri e s hadde she been at Jérusalem; She hadd e pass e d many a straung e strem; At Rome she hadd e been, and at Boloign e , In Galice at Seint Jame, and at Coloign e . She koud e muchel of wandrynge by the wey e . Gat-toth e d was she, soothly for to sey e . Upon an amblere esily she sat, Y-wympl e d wel, and on hir heed an hat As brood as is a bokeler or a targ e ; A foot-mantel aboute hir hip e s larg e , And on hire feet a paire of spor e s sharp e . In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carp e ; Of remedies of love she knew per chauncé , For she koude of that art the old e daunc e . A good man was ther of relig i oun, And was a povr e Person of a Toun; But riche he was of hooly thoght and werk. He was also a lern e d man, a clerk, That Crist e s Gospel trew e ly wolde prech e ; His parisshens devoutly wolde he tech e . Benygne he was, and wonder diligent, And in adversitee ful pac i ent; And swich he was y-prev e d oft e sith e s. Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tith e s, But rather wolde he yeven, out of dout e , Unto his povr e parisshens about e , Of his offrýng and eek of his substaunc e ; He koude in litel thyng have suffisaunc e . Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder, But he ne laft e nat, for reyn ne thonder, In siknesse nor in meschief to visít e The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lit e , Upon his feet, and in his hand a staf. This noble ensampl e to his sheep he yaf, That first he wroghte and afterward he taught e . Out of the gospel he tho word e s caught e ; And this figure he added eek therto, That if gold rust e , what shal iren doo? For if a preest be foul, on whom we trust e , No wonder is a lew e d man to rust e ; And shame it is, if a prest tak e keep, A shiten shepherde and a clen e sheep. Wel oghte a preest ensampl e for to yiv e By his clennesse how that his sheep sholde lyv e . He sett e nat his benefice to hyr e And leet his sheep encombr e d in the myr e , And ran to Londoun, unto Seint e Poul e s, To seken hym a chaunterie for soul e s, Or with a bretherhed to been withhold e ; But dwelte at hoom and kept e wel his fold e , So that the wolf ne made it nat myscari e ; He was a shepherde, and noght a mercenari e . And though he hooly were and vertuous, He was to synful man nat despitous, Ne of his spech e daungerous ne dign e , But in his techyng díscreet and benygn e . To drawen folk to hevene by fairness e , By good ensample, this was his bisyness e . But it were any persone obstinat, What so he were, of heigh or lough estat, Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys. A bettr e preest I trowe that nowher noon ys. He waited after no pompe and reverenc e , Ne maked him a spic e d conscienc e ; But Crist e s loore and his apostl e s twelv e He taughte, but first he folw e d it hymselv e . With hym ther was a Plowman, was his brother, That hadde y-lad of dong ful many a fother; A trew e swynkere and a good was he, Lyvynge in pees and parfit charitee. God loved he best, with al his hool e hert e , At all e tym e s, thogh him gamed or smert e . And thanne his neigh e bor right as hymselv e . He wold e thresshe, and therto dyke and delv e , For Cristes sake, for every povr e wight, Withouten hire, if it lay in his myght. His tith e s pay e de he ful faire and wel, Bothe of his propr e swynk and his catel. In a tabard he rood upon a mer e . Ther was also a Reve and a Miller e , A Somnour and a Pardoner also, A Maunciple, and myself,—ther were namo. The Millere was a stout carl for the non e s; Ful byg he was of brawn and eek of bon e s. That prov e d wel, for over-al, ther he cam, At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram. He was short-sholdr e d, brood, a thikk e knarr e ; Ther nas no dore that he nolde heve of harr e , Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed. His berd as any sowe or fox was reed, And therto brood, as though it were a spad e . Upon the cop right of his nose he had e A werte, and thereon stood a toft of herys, Reed as the brustl e s of a sow e s erys; His nos e thirl e s blak e were and wyd e . A swerd and a bokeler bar he by his syd e . His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys; He was a janglere and a goliardeys, And that was moost of synne and harlotri e s. Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thri e s; And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee. A whit cote and a blew hood wer e d he. A bagg e pipe wel koude he blowe and sowne, And therwithal he broghte us out of town e . A gentil Maunciple was ther of a templ e , Of which achátours myght e take exempl e For to be wise in byynge of vitaill e ; For, wheither that he payde or took by taill e , Algate he wayted so in his achaat That he was ay biforn and in good staat. Now is nat that of God a ful fair grac e , That swich a lew e d mann e s wit shal pac e The wisdom of an heep of lern e d men? Of maistr e s hadde he mo than thri e s ten, That weren of lawe expert and curious, Of whiche ther weren a duszeyne in that hous Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond Of any lord that is in Eng e lond, To maken hym lyv e by his propr e good, In honour dettelees, but if he were wood, Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desir e ; And abl e for to helpen al a shir e In any caas that myght e falle or happ e ; And yet this Manciple sette hir aller capp e The Rev e was a sclendre colerik man. His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan; His heer was by his erys round y-shorn; His top was dokk e d lyk a preest biforn. Ful long e were his legg e s and ful len e , Y-lyk a staf, ther was no calf y-sen e . Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynn e ; Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynn e . Wel wiste he, by the droghte and by the reyn, The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn. His lord e s sheep, his neet, his day e ry e , His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultry e , Was hoolly in this rev e s governyng; And by his covenant yaf the rekenyng Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of ag e ; There koude no man brynge hym in arrerag e . There nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyn e , That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyn e ; They were adrad of hym as of the deeth. His wonyng was ful fair upon an heeth; With gren e tre e s shadw e d was his plac e . He koud e bettr e than his lord purchac e ; Ful riche he was a-stor e d pryv e ly. His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly, To yeve and lene hym of his owen e good, And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood. In youthe he hadd e lerned a good myster; He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. This Rev e sat upon a ful good stot, That was al pomely grey, and hight e Scot. A long surcote of pers upon he had e , And by his syde he baar a rusty blad e . Of Northfolk was this Reve of which I tell e , Biside a toun men clepen Bald e swell e . Tukk e d he was as is a frere, about e . And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure rout e . A Somonour was ther with us in that place, That hadde a fyr-reed cherubynn e s fac e , For sawc e fleem he was, with eyen narw e . As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparw e , With scal e d brow e s blake and pil e d berd,— Of his visag e children were aferd. Ther nas quyk-silver, lytarge, ne brymstoon, Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartr e noon, Ne oyn e ment that wold e clense and byt e , That hym myghte helpen of his whelk e s whit e , Nor of the knobb e s sittynge on his chek e s. Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lek e s, And for to drynken strong wyn, reed as blood. Thanne wolde he speke, and crie as he were wood. And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn, Than wolde he spek e no word but Latyn. A few e term e s hadde he, two or thre, That he had lern e d out of som decree,— No wonder is, he herde it al the day; And eek ye knowen wel how that a jay Kan clepen "Watte" as wel as kan the pope. But whoso koude in oother thyng hym grope, Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophi e ; Ay " Questio quid juris " wolde he cri e . He was a gentil harlot and a kynd e ; A bettr e felawe sholde men noght fynde. He wold e suffr e for a quart of wyn A good felawe to have his concubyn A twelf month, and excuse hym att e full e ; And priv e ly a fynch eek koude he pulle. And if he foond owher a good felaw e , He wold e techen him to have noon awe, In swich caas, of the erch e deken e s curs, But if a mann e s soule were in his purs; For in his purs he sholde y-punysshed be: "Purs is the erch e deken e s helle," seyde he. But wel I woot he ly e d right in ded e . Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him dred e , For curs wol slee, right as assoillyng savith; And also war him of a Significavit . In daunger hadde he at his owen e gise The yong e girl e s of the diocis e , And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed. A gerland hadde he set upon his heed, As greet as it were for an al e -stak e ; A bokeleer hadde he maad him of a cak e . With hym ther rood a gentil Pardoner Of Rouncivale, his freend and his compeer, That streight was comen fro the court of Rom e . Ful loude he soong, "Com hider, lov e , to me!" This Somonour bar to hym a stif burdoun; Was nevere trompe of half so greet a soun. This Pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex, But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex; By ounces henge his lokk e s that he hadd e , And therwith he his shuldr e s overspradd e . But thynne it lay, by colpons, oon and oon; But hood, for jolitee, wer e d he noon, For it was truss e d up in his walét. Hym thoughte he rood al of the new e jet; Dischevelee, save his cappe, he rood al bar e . Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an har e . A vernycle hadde he sowed upon his capp e . His walet lay biforn hym in his lapp e , Bret-ful of pardoun, comen from Rome al hoot. A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot. No berd hadde he, ne nevere shold e hav e , As smothe it was as it were late y-shav e ; I trowe he were a geldyng or a mar e . But of his craft, fro Berwyk into War e , Ne was ther swich another pardoner; For in his male he hadde a pilw e -beer, Which that, he seyd e , was Oure Lady veyl; He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl That Seint e Peter hadde, whan that he went e Upon the see, til Jesu Crist hym hent e . He hadde a croys of latoun, ful of ston e s, And in a glas he hadd e pigg e s bon e s. But with thise relik e s, whan that he fond A povr e person dwellynge upon lond, Upon a day he gat hym moore money e Than that the person gat in month e s twey e ; And thus with feyn e d flaterye and jap e s He made the person and the peple his ap e s. But trew e ly to tellen att e last e , He was in chirche a noble ecclesiast e ; Wel koude he rede a lessoun or a stori e , But alderbest he song an offertori e ; For wel he wist e , whan that song was song e , He moste preche, and wel affile his tong e To wynn e silver, as he ful wel koud e ; Therefore he song the murierly and loud e . Now have I toold you shortly, in a claus e , Thestaat, tharray, the nombre, and eek the caus e Why that assembl e d was this compaigny e In Southwerk, at this gentil hostelry e That highte the Tabard, fast e by the Bell e . But now is tym e to yow for to tell e How that we baren us that ilk e nyght, Whan we were in that hostelrie alyght; And after wol I telle of our viag e And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimag e . But first, I pray yow, of youre curteisy e , That ye narette it nat my vileyny e , Thogh that I pleynly speke in this mateer e , To tell e yow hir word e s and hir cheer e , Ne thogh I speke hir word e s propr e ly. For this ye knowen al-so wel as I, Whoso shal telle a tale after a man, He moot reherce, as ny as evere he kan, Everich a word, if it be in his charg e , Al speke he never so rud e liche and larg e ; Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrew e , Or feyn e thyng, or fynd e word e s new e . He may nat spare, althogh he were his brother; He moot as wel seye o word as another. Crist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ, And wel ye woot no vileynye is it. Eek Plato seith, whoso kan hym red e , "The word e s moote be cosyn to the ded e ." Also I prey yow to foryeve it me, Al have I nat set folk in hir degree Heere in this tale, as that they shold e stond e ; My wit is short, ye may wel understond e . Greet chier e made oure Hoost us everichon, And to the soper sette he us anon, And serv e d us with vitaille at the best e : Strong was the wyn and wel to drynke us lest e . A semely man Oure Hoost e was with-all e For to been a marchal in an hall e . A large man he was with eyen step e , A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chep e ; Boold of his speche, and wys, and well y-taught, And of manhod hym lakk e d e right naught. Eek thereto he was right a myrie man, And after soper pleyen he bigan, And spak of myrthe among e s other e thyng e s, Whan that we hadd e maad our rekenyng e s; And seyd e thus: "Now, lordynges, trew e ly, Ye been to me right welcome, hert e ly; For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat ly e , I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaigny e At on e s in this herberwe as is now. Fayn wolde I doon yow myrth e , wiste I how; And of a myrthe I am right now bythoght, To doon yow ese, and it shal cost e noght. "Ye goon to Canterbury—God yow speed e , The blisful martir quit e yow youre meed e ! And wel I woot, as ye goon by the wey e , Ye shapen yow to talen and to pley e ; For trew e ly confort ne myrthe is noon To rid e by the weye doumb as a stoon; And therfore wol I maken yow disport, As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort. And if you liketh alle, by oon assent, For to stonden at my jugg e ment, And for to werken as I shal yow sey e , To-morw e , whan ye riden by the wey e , Now, by my fader soul e , that is deed, But ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed! Hoold up youre hond, withouten moor e spech e ." Oure conseil was nat long e for to sech e ; Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys, And graunted hym withouten moore avys, And bad him seye his verdit, as hym lest e . "Lordynges," quod he, "now herkneth for the best e ; But taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn; This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, That ech of yow, to short e with oure wey e In this viage, shal tell e tal e s twey e , To Caunterbury-ward, I mene it so, And homward he shal tellen other e two, Of aventúres that whilom han bifall e . And which of yow that bereth hym beste of all e , That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas Tal e s of best sentence and moost solaas, Shal have a soper at oure aller cost, Heere in this plac e , sittynge by this post, Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury. And, for to mak e yow the moor e mury, I wol myselven gladly with yow ryd e , Right at myn owen e cost, and be youre gyd e ; And whoso wole my jugg e ment withsey e Shal paye al that we spenden by the wey e . And if ye vouch e -sauf that it be so, Tel me anon, withouten word e s mo, And I wol erly shap e me therfor e ." This thyng was graunted, and oure oth e s swor e With ful glad herte, and preyden hym also That he wolde vouch e -sauf for to do so, And that he wolde been oure governour, And of our tal e s juge and réportour, And sette a soper at a certeyn pris; And we wol reul e d been at his devys In heigh and lough; and thus, by oon assent, We been acorded to his jugg e ment. And therupon the wyn was fet anon; We dronken, and to rest e wente echon, Withouten any lenger taryyng e . Amorw e , whan that day gan for to spryng e , Up roos oure Hoost and was oure aller cok, And gadrede us togidre alle in a flok; And forth we riden, a litel moore than paas, Unto the wateryng of Seint Thomas; And there oure Hoost bigan his hors arest e , And seyd e , "Lordynges, herkneth, if yow lest e : Ye woot youre foreward and I it yow record e . If even-song and morw e -song accord e , Lat se now who shal telle the first e tal e . As ever mote I drynk e wyn or al e , Whoso be rebel to my jugg e ment Shal paye for all that by the wey is spent. Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynn e ; He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynn e . Sire Knyght," quod he, "my mayster and my lord Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord. Cometh neer," quod he, "my lady Prioress e . And ye, sire Clerk, lat be your shamefastness e , Ne studieth noght. Ley hond to, every man." Anon to drawen every wight bigan, And, shortly for to tellen as it was, Were it by áventúre, or sort, or cas, The sothe is this, the cut fil to the Knyght, Of which ful blithe and glad was every wyght; And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun, By foreward and by composic i oun, As ye han herd; what nedeth word e s mo? And whan this goode man saugh that it was so, As he that wys was and obedient To kepe his foreward by his free assent, He seyd e , "Syn I shal bigynne the gam e , What, welcome be the cut, a Godd e s name! Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I sey e ." And with that word we ryden forth oure wey e ; And he bigan with right a myrie cheer e His tale anon, and seyde in this manér e .

Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

A Translation of the OUP Edition of 1900

The general prologue.

Here biginneth the Book of the Tales of Caunterbury

1. Whan that Aprille with his shoures sote 2. The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote, 3. And bathed every veyne in swich licour, 4. Of which vertu engendred is the flour; 5. Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth 6. Inspired hath in every holt and heeth 7. The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne 8. Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne, 9. And smale fowles maken melodye, 10. That slepen al the night with open yë, 11. (So priketh hem nature in hir corages): 12. Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages 13. (And palmers for to seken straunge strondes) 14. To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes; 15. And specially, from every shires ende 16. Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende, 17. The holy blisful martir for to seke, 18. That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke. 19. Bifel that, in that seson on a day, 20. In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay 21. Redy to wenden on my pilgrimage 22. To Caunterbury with ful devout corage, 23. At night was come in-to that hostelrye 24. Wel nyne and twenty in a companye, 25. Of sondry folk, by aventure y-falle 26. In felawshipe, and pilgrims were they alle, 27. That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde; 28. The chambres and the stables weren wyde, 29. And wel we weren esed atte beste. 30. And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, 31. So hadde I spoken with hem everichon, 32. That I was of hir felawshipe anon, 33. And made forward erly for to ryse, 34. To take our wey, ther as I yow devyse. 35. But natheles, whyl I have tyme and space, 36. Er that I ferther in this tale pace, 37. Me thinketh it acordaunt to resoun, 38. To telle yow al the condicioun 39. Of ech of hem, so as it semed me, 40. And whiche they weren, and of what degree; 41. And eek in what array that they were inne: 42. And at a knight than wol I first biginne. 43. A Knight ther was, and that a worthy man, Knight . 44. That fro the tyme that he first bigan 45. To ryden out, he loved chivalrye, 46. Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisye. 47. Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre, 48. And therto hadde he riden (no man ferre) 49. As wel in Cristendom as hethenesse, 50. And ever honoured for his worthinesse. 51. At Alisaundre he was, whan it was wonne; 52. Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne 53. Aboven alle naciouns in Pruce. 54. In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce, 55. No Cristen man so ofte of his degree. 56. In Gernade at the sege eek hadde he be 57. Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye. 58. At Lyeys was he, and at Satalye, 59. Whan they were wonne; and in the Grete See 60. At many a noble aryve hadde he be. 61. At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, 62. And foughten for our feith at Tramissene 63. In listes thryes, and ay slayn his foo. 64. This ilke worthy knight had been also 65. Somtyme with the lord of Palatye, 66. Ageyn another hethen in Turkye: 67. And evermore he hadde a sovereyn prys. 68. And though that he were worthy, he was wys, 69. And of his port as meke as is a mayde. 70. He never yet no vileinye ne sayde 71. In al his lyf, un-to no maner wight. 72. He was a verray parfit gentil knight. 73. But for to tellen yow of his array, 74. His hors were gode, but he was nat gay. 75. Of fustian he wered a gipoun 76. Al bismotered with his habergeoun; 77. For he was late y-come from his viage, 78. And wente for to doon his pilgrimage. 79. With him ther was his sone, a yong Squyer, Squyer . 80. A lovyere, and a lusty bacheler, 81. With lokkes crulle, as they were leyd in presse. 82. Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse. 83. Of his stature he was of evene lengthe, 84. And wonderly deliver, and greet of strengthe. 85. And he had been somtyme in chivachye, 86. In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Picardye, 87. And born him wel, as of so litel space, 88. In hope to stonden in his lady grace. 89. Embrouded was he, as it were a mede 90. Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and rede. 91. Singinge he was, or floytinge, al the day; 92. He was as fresh as is the month of May. 93. Short was his goune, with sleves longe and wyde. 94. Wel coude he sitte on hors, and faire ryde. 95. He coude songes make and wel endyte, 96. Iuste and eek daunce, and wel purtreye and wryte, 97. So hote he lovede, that by nightertale 98. He sleep namore than dooth a nightingale. 99. Curteys he was, lowly, and servisable, 100. And carf biforn his fader at the table. 101. A Yeman hadde he, and servaunts namo Yeman . 102. At that tyme, for him liste ryde so; 103. And he was clad in cote and hood of grene; 104. A sheef of pecok-arwes brighte and kene 105. Under his belt he bar ful thriftily; 106. (Wel coude he dresse his takel yemanly: 107. His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe), 108. And in his hand he bar a mighty bowe. 109. A not-heed hadde he, with a broun visage. 110. Of wode-craft wel coude he al the usage. 111. Upon his arm he bar a gay bracer, 112. And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler, 113. And on that other syde a gay daggere, 114. Harneised wel, and sharp as point of spere; 115. A Cristofre on his brest of silver shene. 116. An horn he bar, the bawdrik was of grene; 117. A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse. 118. Ther was also a Nonne, a Prioresse, Prioresse . 119. That of hir smyling was ful simple and coy; 120. Hir gretteste ooth was but by sëynt Loy; 121. And she was cleped madame Eglentyne. 122. Ful wel she song the service divyne, 123. Entuned in hir nose ful semely; 124. And Frensh she spak ful faire and fetisly, 125. After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe, 126. For Frensh of Paris was to hir unknowe. 127. At mete wel y-taught was she with-alle; 128. She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, 129. Ne wette hir fingres in hir sauce depe. 130. Wel coude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe, 131. That no drope ne fille up-on hir brest. 132. In curteisye was set ful muche hir lest. 133. Hir over lippe wyped she so clene, 134. That in hir coppe was no ferthing sene 135. Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte. 136. Ful semely after hir mete she raughte, 137. And sikerly she was of greet disport, 138. And ful plesaunt, and amiable of port, 139. And peyned hir to countrefete chere 140. Of court, and been estatlich of manere, 141. And to ben holden digne of reverence. 142. But, for to speken of hir conscience, 143. She was so charitable and so pitous, 144. She wolde wepe, if that she sawe a mous 145. Caught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. 146. Of smale houndes had she, that she fedde 147. With rosted flesh, or milk and wastel-breed. 148. But sore weep she if oon of hem were deed, 149. Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte: 150. And al was conscience and tendre herte. 151. Ful semely hir wimpel pinched was; 152. Hir nose tretys; hir eyen greye as glas; 153. Hir mouth ful smal, and ther-to softe and reed; 154. But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed; 155. It was almost a spanne brood, I trowe; 156. For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe. 157. Ful fetis was hir cloke, as I was war. 158. Of smal coral aboute hir arm she bar 159. A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene; 160. And ther-on heng a broche of gold ful shene, 161. On which ther was first write a crowned A, 162. And after, Amor vincit omnia. 163. Another Nonne with hir hadde she, Nonne . 164. That was hir chapeleyne, and Preestes three. Preestes . 165. A Monk ther was, a fair for the maistrye, Monk . 166. An out-rydere, that lovede venerye; 167. A manly man, to been an abbot able. 168. Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable: 169. And, whan he rood, men mighte his brydel here 170. Ginglen in a whistling wind as clere, 171. And eek as loude as dooth the chapel-belle, 172. Ther as this lord was keper of the celle. 173. The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit, 174. By-cause that it was old and som-del streit, 175. This ilke monk leet olde thinges pace, 176. And held after the newe world the space. 177. He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen, 178. That seith, that hunters been nat holy men; 179. Ne that a monk, whan he is cloisterlees, 180. Is lykned til a fish that is waterlees; 181. This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloistre. 182. But thilke text held he nat worth an oistre; 183. And I seyde, his opinioun was good. 184. What sholde he studie, and make him-selven wood, 185. Upon a book in cloistre alwey to poure, 186. Or swinken with his handes, and laboure, 187. As Austin bit? How shal the world be served? 188. Lat Austin have his swink to him reserved. 189. Therfore he was a pricasour aright; 190. Grehoundes he hadde, as swifte as fowel in flight; 191. Of priking and of hunting for the hare 192. Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare. 193. I seigh his sleves purfled at the hond 194. With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond; 195. And, for to festne his hood under his chin, 196. He hadde of gold y-wroght a curious pin: 197. A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was. 198. His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas, 199. And eek his face, as he had been anoint. 200. He was a lord ful fat and in good point; 201. His eyen stepe, and rollinge in his heed, 202. That stemed as a forneys of a leed; 203. His botes souple, his hors in greet estat. 204. Now certeinly he was a fair prelat; 205. He was nat pale as a for-pyned goost. 206. A fat swan loved he best of any roost. 207. His palfrey was as broun as is a berye. 208. A Frere ther was, a wantown and a merye, Frere . 209. A limitour, a ful solempne man. 210. In alle the ordres foure is noon that can 211. So muche of daliaunce and fair langage. 212. He hadde maad ful many a mariage 213. Of yonge wommen, at his owne cost. 214. Un-to his ordre he was a noble post. 215. Ful wel biloved and famulier was he 216. With frankeleyns over-al in his contree, 217. And eek with worthy wommen of the toun: 218. For he had power of confessioun, 219. As seyde him-self, more than a curat, 220. For of his ordre he was licentiat. 221. Ful swetely herde he confessioun, 222. And plesaunt was his absolucioun; 223. He was an esy man to yeve penaunce 224. Ther as he wiste to han a good pitaunce; 225. For unto a povre ordre for to yive 226. Is signe that a man is wel y-shrive. 227. For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt, 228. He wiste that a man was repentaunt. 229. For many a man so hard is of his herte, 230. He may nat wepe al-thogh him sore smerte. 231. Therfore, in stede of weping and preyeres, 232. Men moot yeve silver to the povre freres. 233. His tipet was ay farsed ful of knyves 234. And pinnes, for to yeven faire wyves. 235. And certeinly he hadde a mery note; 236. Wel coude he singe and pleyen on a rote. 237. Of yeddinges he bar utterly the prys. 238. His nekke whyt was as the flour-de-lys; 239. Ther-to he strong was as a champioun. 240. He knew the tavernes wel in every toun, 241. And everich hostiler and tappestere 242. Bet than a lazar or a beggestere; 243. For un-to swich a worthy man as he 244. Acorded nat, as by his facultee, 245. To have with seke lazars aqueyntaunce. 246. It is nat honest, it may nat avaunce 247. For to delen with no swich poraille, 248. But al with riche and sellers of vitaille. 249. And over-al, ther as profit sholde aryse, 250. Curteys he was, and lowly of servyse. 251. Ther nas no man no-wher so vertuous. 252. He was the beste beggere in his hous; 252. [And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt; 252. Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt;] 253. For thogh a widwe hadde noght a sho, 254. So plesaunt was his “In principio,” 255. Yet wolde he have a ferthing, er he wente. 256. His purchas was wel bettre than his rente. 257. And rage he coude, as it were right a whelpe. 258. In love-dayes ther coude he muchel helpe. 259. For there he was nat lyk a cloisterer, 260. With a thredbar cope, as is a povre scoler, 261. But he was lyk a maister or a pope. 262. Of double worsted was his semi-cope, 263. That rounded as a belle out of the presse. 264. Somwhat he lipsed, for his wantownesse, 265. To make his English swete up-on his tonge; 266. And in his harping, whan that he had songe, 267. His eyen twinkled in his heed aright, 268. As doon the sterres in the frosty night. 269. This worthy limitour was cleped Huberd. 270. A Marchant was ther with a forked berd, Marchant . 271. In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat, 272. Up-on his heed a Flaundrish bever hat; 273. His botes clasped faire and fetisly. 274. His resons he spak ful solempnely, 275. Souninge alway thencrees of his winning. 276. He wolde the see were kept for any thing 277. Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle. 278. Wel coude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle. 279. This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette; 280. Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette, 281. So estatly was he of his governaunce, 282. With his bargaynes, and with his chevisaunce. 283. For sothe he was a worthy man with-alle, 284. But sooth to seyn, I noot how men him calle. 285. A Clerk ther was of Oxenford also, Clerk . 286. That un-to logik hadde longe y-go. 287. As lene was his hors as is a rake, 288. And he nas nat right fat, I undertake; 289. But loked holwe, and ther-to soberly. 290. Ful thredbar was his overest courtepy; 291. For he had geten him yet no benefyce, 292. Ne was so worldly for to have offyce. 293. For him was lever have at his beddes heed 294. Twenty bokes, clad in blak or reed, 295. Of Aristotle and his philosophye, 296. Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrye. 297. But al be that he was a philosophre, 298. Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre; 299. But al that he mighte of his freendes hente, 300. On bokes and on lerninge he it spente, 301. And bisily gan for the soules preye 302. Of hem that yaf him wher-with to scoleye. 303. Of studie took he most cure and most hede. 304. Noght o word spak he more than was nede, 305. And that was seyd in forme and reverence, 306. And short and quik, and ful of hy sentence. 307. Souninge in moral vertu was his speche, 308. And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche. 309. A Sergeant of the Lawe, war and wys, Man of Lawe . 310. That often hadde been at the parvys, 311. Ther was also, ful riche of excellence. 312. Discreet he was, and of greet reverence: 313. He semed swich, his wordes weren so wyse. 314. Iustyce he was ful often in assyse, 315. By patente, and by pleyn commissioun; 316. For his science, and for his heigh renoun 317. Of fees and robes hadde he many oon. 318. So greet a purchasour was no-wher noon. 319. Al was fee simple to him in effect, 320. His purchasing mighte nat been infect. 321. No-wher so bisy a man as he ther nas, 322. And yet he semed bisier than he was. 323. In termes hadde he caas and domes alle, 324. That from the tyme of king William were falle. 325. Therto he coude endyte, and make a thing, 326. Ther coude no wight pinche at his wryting; 327. And every statut coude he pleyn by rote. 328. He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote 329. Girt with a ceint of silk, with barres smale; 330. Of his array telle I no lenger tale. 331. A Frankeleyn was in his companye; Frankeleyn . 332. Whyt was his berd, as is the dayesye. 333. Of his complexioun he was sangwyn. 334. Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn. 335. To liven in delyt was ever his wone, 336. For he was Epicurus owne sone, 337. That heeld opinioun, that pleyn delyt 338. Was verraily felicitee parfyt. 339. An housholdere, and that a greet, was he; 340. Seint Iulian he was in his contree. 341. His breed, his ale, was alwey after oon; 342. A bettre envyned man was no-wher noon. 343. With-oute bake mete was never his hous, 344. Of fish and flesh, and that so plentevous, 345. It snewed in his hous of mete and drinke, 346. Of alle deyntees that men coude thinke. 347. After the sondry sesons of the yeer, 348. So chaunged he his mete and his soper. 349. Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in mewe, 350. And many a breem and many a luce in stewe. 351. Wo was his cook, but-if his sauce were 352. Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his gere. 353. His table dormant in his halle alway 354. Stood redy covered al the longe day. 355. At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire; 356. Ful ofte tyme he was knight of the shire. 357. An anlas and a gipser al of silk 358. Heng at his girdel, whyt as morne milk. 359. A shirreve hadde he been, and a countour; 360. Was no-wher such a worthy vavasour. 361. An Haberdassher and a Carpenter, Habaerdassher . 362. A Webbe, a Dyere, and a Tapicer, Carpenter . 363. Were with us eek, clothed in o liveree, Webbe . Dyere . 364. Of a solempne and greet fraternitee. Tapicer . 365. Ful fresh and newe hir gere apyked was; 366. Hir knyves were y-chaped noght with bras, 367. But al with silver, wroght ful clene and weel, 368. Hir girdles and hir pouches every-deel. 369. Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys, 370. To sitten in a yeldhalle on a deys. 371. Everich, for the wisdom that he can, 372. Was shaply for to been an alderman. 373. For catel hadde they y-nogh and rente, 374. And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente; 375. And elles certein were they to blame. 376. It is ful fair to been y-clept “ma dame,” 377. And goon to vigilyës al bifore, 378. And have a mantel royalliche y-bore. 379. A Cook they hadde with hem for the nones, Cook . 380. To boille the chiknes with the mary-bones, 381. And poudre-marchant tart, and galingale. 382. Wel coude he knowe a draughte of London ale. 383. He coude roste, and sethe, and broille, and frye, 384. Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye. 385. But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me, 386. That on his shine a mormal hadde he; 387. For blankmanger, that made he with the beste. 388. A Shipman was ther, woning fer by weste: Shipman . 389. For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe. 390. He rood up-on a rouncy, as he couthe, 391. In a gowne of falding to the knee. 392. A daggere hanging on a laas hadde he 393. Aboute his nekke under his arm adoun. 394. The hote somer had maad his hewe al broun; 395. And, certeinly, he was a good felawe. 396. Ful many a draughte of wyn had he y-drawe 397. From Burdeux-ward, whyl that the chapman sleep. 398. Of nyce conscience took he no keep. 399. If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond, 400. By water he sente hem hoom to every lond. 401. But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes, 402. His stremes and his daungers him bisydes, 403. His herberwe and his mone, his lodemenage, 404. Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage. 405. Hardy he was, and wys to undertake; 406. With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake. 407. He knew wel alle the havenes, as they were, 408. From Gootlond to the cape of Finistere, 409. And every cryke in Britayne and in Spayne; 410. His barge y-cleped was the Maudelayne. 411. With us ther was a Doctour of Phisyk, Doctour . 412. In al this world ne was ther noon him lyk 413. To speke of phisik and of surgerye; 414. For he was grounded in astronomye. 415. He kepte his pacient a ful greet del 416. In houres, by his magik naturel. 417. Wel coude he fortunen the ascendent 418. Of his images for his pacient. 419. He knew the cause of everich maladye, 420. Were it of hoot or cold, or moiste, or drye, 421. And where engendred, and of what humour; 422. He was a verrey parfit practisour. 423. The cause y-knowe, and of his harm the rote, 424. Anon he yaf the seke man his bote. 425. Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries, 426. To sende him drogges and his letuaries, 427. For ech of hem made other for to winne; 428. Hir frendschipe nas nat newe to biginne. 429. Wel knew he the olde Esculapius, 430. And Deiscorides, and eek Rufus, 431. Old Ypocras, Haly, and Galien; 432. Serapion, Razis, and Avicen; 433. Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn; 434. Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn. 435. Of his diete mesurable was he, 436. For it was of no superfluitee, 437. But of greet norissing and digestible. 438. His studie was but litel on the Bible. 439. In sangwin and in pers he clad was al, 440. Lyned with taffata and with sendal; 441. And yet he was but esy of dispence; 442. He kepte that he wan in pestilence. 443. For gold in phisik is a cordial, 444. Therfore he lovede gold in special. 445. A good Wyf was ther of bisyde Bathe, Wyf of Bathe . 446. But she was som-del deef, and that was scathe. 447. Of clooth-making she hadde swiche an haunt, 448. She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt. 449. In al the parisshe wyf ne was ther noon 450. That to the offring bifore hir sholde goon; 451. And if ther dide, certeyn, so wrooth was she, 452. That she was out of alle charitee. 453. Hir coverchiefs ful fyne were of ground; 454. I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound 455. That on a Sonday were upon hir heed. 456. Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed, 457. Ful streite y-teyd, and shoos ful moiste and newe. 458. Bold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe. 459. She was a worthy womman al hir lyve, 460. Housbondes at chirche-dore she hadde fyve, 461. Withouten other companye in youthe; 462. But therof nedeth nat to speke as nouthe. 463. And thryes hadde she been at Ierusalem; 464. She hadde passed many a straunge streem; 465. At Rome she hadde been, and at Boloigne, 466. In Galice at seint Iame, and at Coloigne. 467. She coude muche of wandring by the weye. 468. Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye. 469. Up-on an amblere esily she sat, 470. Y-wimpled wel, and on hir heed an hat 471. As brood as is a bokeler or a targe; 472. A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large, 473. And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe. 474. In felawschip wel coude she laughe and carpe. 475. Of remedyes of love she knew per-chaunce, 476. For she coude of that art the olde daunce. 477. A good man was ther of religioun, Persoun. 478. And was a povre Persoun of a toun; 479. But riche he was of holy thoght and werk. 480. He was also a lerned man, a clerk, 481. That Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche; 482. His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche. 483. Benigne he was, and wonder diligent, 484. And in adversitee ful pacient; 485. And swich he was y-preved ofte sythes. 486. Ful looth were him to cursen for his tythes, 487. But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute, 488. Un-to his povre parisshens aboute 489. Of his offring, and eek of his substaunce. 490. He coude in litel thing han suffisaunce. 491. Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer a-sonder, 492. But he ne lafte nat, for reyn ne thonder, 493. In siknes nor in meschief, to visyte 494. The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lyte, 495. Up-on his feet, and in his hand a staf. 496. This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf, 497. That first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte; 498. Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte; 499. And this figure he added eek ther-to, 500. That if gold ruste, what shal iren do? 501. For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, 502. No wonder is a lewed man to ruste; 503. And shame it is, if a preest take keep, 504. A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep. 505. Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yive, 506. By his clennesse, how that his sheep shold live. 507. He sette nat his benefice to hyre, 508. And leet his sheep encombred in the myre, 509. And ran to London, un-to sëynt Poules, 510. To seken him a chaunterie for soules, 511. Or with a bretherhed to been withholde; 512. But dwelte at hoom, and kepte wel his folde, 513. So that the wolf ne made it nat miscarie; 514. He was a shepherde and no mercenarie. 515. And though he holy were, and vertuous, 516. He was to sinful man nat despitous, 517. Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne, 518. But in his teching discreet and benigne. 519. To drawen folk to heven by fairnesse 520. By good ensample, was his bisinesse: 521. But it were any persone obstinat, 522. What-so he were, of heigh or lowe estat, 523. Him wolde he snibben sharply for the nones. 524. A bettre preest, I trowe that nowher noon is. 525. He wayted after no pompe and reverence, 526. Ne maked him a spyced conscience, 527. But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve, 528. He taughte, and first he folwed it him-selve. 529. With him ther was a Plowman, was his brother, Plowman . 530. That hadde y-lad of dong ful many a fother, 531. A trewe swinker and a good was he, 532. Livinge in pees and parfit charitee. 533. God loved he best with al his hole herte 534. At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte, 535. And thanne his neighebour right as him-selve. 536. He wolde thresshe, and ther-to dyke and delve, 537. For Cristes sake, for every povre wight, 538. Withouten hyre, if it lay in his might. 539. His tythes payed he ful faire and wel, 540. Bothe of his propre swink and his catel. 541. In a tabard he rood upon a mere. 542. Ther was also a Reve and a Millere, 543. A Somnour and a Pardoner also, 544. A Maunciple, and my-self; ther were namo. 545. The Miller was a stout carl, for the nones, Miller . 546. Ful big he was of braun, and eek of bones; 547. That proved wel, for over-al ther he cam, 548. At wrastling he wolde have alwey the ram. 549. He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre, 550. Ther nas no dore that he nolde heve of harre, 551. Or breke it, at a renning, with his heed. 552. His berd as any sowe or fox was reed, 553. And ther-to brood, as though it were a spade. 554. Up-on the cop right of his nose he hade 555. A werte, and ther-on stood a tuft of heres, 556. Reed as the bristles of a sowes eres; 557. His nose-thirles blake were and wyde. 558. A swerd and bokeler bar he by his syde; 559. His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys. 560. He was a Ianglere and a goliardeys, 561. And that was most of sinne and harlotryes. 562. Wel coude he stelen corn, and tollen thryes; 563. And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee. 564. A whyt cote and a blew hood wered he. 565. A baggepype wel coude he blowe and sowne, 566. And ther-with-al he broghte us out of towne. 567. A gentil Maunciple was ther of a temple, Maunciple . 568. Of which achatours mighte take exemple 569. For to be wyse in bying of vitaille. 570. For whether that he payde, or took by taille, 571. Algate he wayted so in his achat, 572. That he was ay biforn and in good stat. 573. Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace, 574. That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace 575. The wisdom of an heep of lerned men? 576. Of maistres hadde he mo than thryes ten, 577. That were of lawe expert and curious; 578. Of which ther were a doseyn in that hous, 579. Worthy to been stiwardes of rente and lond 580. Of any lord that is in Engelond, 581. To make him live by his propre good, 582. In honour dettelees, but he were wood, 583. Or live as scarsly as him list desire; 584. And able for to helpen al a shire 585. In any cas that mighte falle or happe; 586. And yit this maunciple sette hir aller cappe. 587. The Reve was a sclendre colerik man, Reve . 588. His berd was shave as ny as ever he can. 589. His heer was by his eres round y-shorn. 590. His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn. 591. Ful longe were his legges, and ful lene, 592. Y-lyk a staf, ther was no calf y-sene. 593. Wel coude he kepe a gerner and a binne; 594. Ther was noon auditour coude on him winne. 595. Wel wiste he, by the droghte, and by the reyn, 596. The yelding of his seed, and of his greyn. 597. His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye, 598. His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye, 599. Was hoolly in this reves governing, 600. And by his covenaunt yaf the rekening, 601. Sin that his lord was twenty yeer of age; 602. Ther coude no man bringe him in arrerage. 603. Ther nas baillif, ne herde, ne other hyne, 604. That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne; 605. They were adrad of him, as of the deeth. 606. His woning was ful fair up-on an heeth, 607. With grene treës shadwed was his place. 608. He coude bettre than his lord purchace. 609. Ful riche he was astored prively, 610. His lord wel coude he plesen subtilly, 611. To yeve and lene him of his owne good, 612. And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood. 613. In youthe he lerned hadde a good mister; 614. He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. 615. This reve sat up-on a ful good stot, 616. That was al pomely grey, and highte Scot. 617. A long surcote of pers up-on he hade, 618. And by his syde he bar a rusty blade. 619. Of Northfolk was this reve, of which I telle, 620. Bisyde a toun men clepen Baldeswelle. 621. Tukked he was, as is a frere, aboute, 622. And ever he rood the hindreste of our route. 623. A Somnour was ther with us in that place, Somnour . 624. That hadde a fyr-reed cherubinnes face, 625. For sawcefleem he was, with eyen narwe. 626. As hoot he was, and lecherous, as a sparwe; 627. With scalled browes blake, and piled berd; 628. Of his visage children were aferd. 629. Ther nas quik-silver, litarge, ne brimstoon, 630. Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon, 631. Ne oynement that wolde dense and byte, 632. That him mighte helpen of his whelkes whyte, 633. Nor of the knobbes sittinge on his chekes. 634. Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes, 635. And for to drinken strong wyn, reed as blood. 636. Thanne wolde he speke, and crye as he were wood. 637. And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn, 638. Than wolde he speke no word but Latyn. 639. A fewe termes hadde he, two or three, 640. That he had lerned out of som decree; 641. No wonder is, he herde it al the day; 642. And eek ye knowen wel, how that a Iay 643. Can clepen ‘Watte,’ as well as can the pope. 644. But who-so coude in other thing him grope, 645. Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophye; 646. Ay Questio quid iuris wolde he crye. 647. He was a gentil harlot and a kinde; 648. A bettre felawe sholde men noght finde. 649. He wolde suffre, for a quart of wyn, 650. A good felawe to have his concubyn 651. A twelf-month, and excuse him atte fulle: 652. Ful prively a finch eek coude he pulle. 653. And if he fond o-wher a good felawe, 654. He wolde techen him to have non awe, 655. In swich cas, of the erchedeknes curs, 656. But-if a mannes soule were in his purs; 657. For in his purs he sholde y-punisshed be. 658. ‘Purs is the erchedeknes helle,’ seyde he. 659. But wel I woot he lyed right in dede; 660. Of cursing oghte ech gilty man him drede— 661. For curs wol slee, right as assoilling saveth— 662. And also war him of a significavit. 663. In daunger hadde he at his owne gyse 664. The yonge girles of the diocyse, 665. And knew hir counseil, and was al hir reed. 666. A gerland hadde he set up-on his heed, 667. As greet as it were for an ale-stake; 668. A bokeler hadde he maad him of a cake. 669. With him ther rood a gentil Pardoner Pardoner . 670. Of Rouncival, his freend and his compeer, 671. That streight was comen fro the court of Rome. 672. Ful loude he song, ‘Com hider, love, to me.’ 673. This somnour bar to him a stif burdoun, 674. Was never trompe of half so greet a soun. 675. This pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex, 676. But smothe it heng, as dooth a strike of flex; 677. By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde, 678. And ther-with he his shuldres overspradde; 679. But thinne it lay, by colpons oon and oon; 680. But hood, for Iolitee, ne wered he noon, 681. For it was trussed up in his walet. 682. Him thoughte, he rood al of the newe Iet; 683. Dischevele, save his cappe, he rood al bare. 684. Swiche glaringe eyen hadde he as an hare. 685. A vernicle hadde he sowed on his cappe. 686. His walet lay biforn him in his lappe, 687. Bret-ful of pardoun come from Rome al hoot. 688. A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot. 689. No berd hadde he, ne never sholde have, 690. As smothe it was as it were late y-shave; 691. I trowe he were a gelding or a mare. 692. But of his craft, fro Berwik into Ware, 693. Ne was ther swich another pardoner. 694. For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer, 695. Which that, he seyde, was our lady veyl: 696. He seyde, he hadde a gobet of the seyl 697. That sëynt Peter hadde, whan that he wente 698. Up-on the see, til Iesu Crist him hente. 699. He hadde a croys of latoun, ful of stones, 700. And in a glas he hadde pigges bones. 701. But with thise relikes, whan that he fond 702. A povre person dwelling up-on lond, 703. Up-on a day he gat him more moneye 704. Than that the person gat in monthes tweye. 705. And thus, with feyned flaterye and Iapes, 706. He made the person and the peple his apes. 707. But trewely to tellen, atte laste, 708. He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste. 709. Wel coude he rede a lessoun or a storie, 710. But alderbest he song an offertorie; 711. For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe, 712. He moste preche, and wel affyle his tonge, 713. To winne silver, as he ful wel coude; 714. Therefore he song so meriely and loude. 715. Now have I told you shortly, in a clause, 716. Thestat, tharray, the nombre, and eek the cause 717. Why that assembled was this companye 718. In Southwerk, at this gentil hostelrye, 719. That highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle. 720. But now is tyme to yow for to telle 721. How that we baren us that ilke night, 722. Whan we were in that hostelrye alight. 723. And after wol I telle of our viage, 724. And al the remenaunt of our pilgrimage. 725. But first I pray yow, of your curteisye, 726. That ye narette it nat my vileinye, 727. Thogh that I pleynly speke in this matere, 728. To telle yow hir wordes and hir chere; 729. Ne thogh I speke hir wordes properly. 730. For this ye knowen al-so wel as I, 731. Who-so shal telle a tale after a man, 732. He moot reherce, as ny as ever he can, 733. Everich a word, if it be in his charge, 734. Al speke he never so rudeliche and large; 735. Or elles he moot telle his tale untrewe, 736. Or feyne thing, or finde wordes newe. 737. He may nat spare, al-thogh he were his brother; 738. He moot as wel seye o word as another. 739. Crist spak him-self ful brode in holy writ, 740. And wel ye woot, no vileinye is it. 741. Eek Plato seith, who-so that can him rede, 742. The wordes mote be cosin to the dede. 743. Also I prey yow to foryeve it me, 744. Al have I nat set folk in hir degree 745. Here in this tale, as that they sholde stonde; 746. My wit is short, ye may wel understonde. 747. Greet chere made our hoste us everichon, 748. And to the soper sette he us anon; 749. And served us with vitaille at the beste. 750. Strong was the wyn, and wel to drinke us leste. 751. A semely man our hoste was with-alle 752. For to han been a marshal in an halle; 753. A large man he was with eyen stepe, 754. A fairer burgeys is ther noon in Chepe: 755. Bold of his speche, and wys, and wel y-taught, 756. And of manhod him lakkede right naught. 757. Eek therto he was right a mery man, 758. And after soper pleyen he bigan, 759. And spak of mirthe amonges othere thinges, 760. Whan that we hadde maad our rekeninges; 761. And seyde thus: ‘Now, lordinges, trewely, 762. Ye been to me right welcome hertely: 763. For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye, 764. I ne saugh this yeer so mery a companye 765. At ones in this herberwe as is now. 766. Fayn wolde I doon yow mirthe, wiste I how. 767. And of a mirthe I am right now bithoght, 768. To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght. 769. Ye goon to Caunterbury; God yow spede, 770. The blisful martir quyte yow your mede. 771. And wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye, 772. Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye; 773. For trewely, confort ne mirthe is noon 774. To ryde by the weye doumb as a stoon; 775. And therfore wol I maken yow disport, 776. As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort. 777. And if yow lyketh alle, by oon assent, 778. Now for to stonden at my Iugement, 779. And for to werken as I shal yow seye, 780. To-morwe, whan ye ryden by the weye, 781. Now, by my fader soule, that is deed, 782. But ye be merye, I wol yeve yow myn heed. 783. Hold up your hond, withouten more speche.’ 784. Our counseil was nat longe for to seche; 785. Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys, 786. And graunted him withouten more avys, 787. And bad him seye his verdit, as him leste. 788. ‘Lordinges,’ quod he, ‘now herkneth for the beste; 789. But tak it not, I prey yow, in desdeyn; 790. This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, 791. That ech of yow, to shorte with your weye, 792. In this viage, shal telle tales tweye, 793. To Caunterbury-ward, I mene it so, 794. And hom-ward he shal tellen othere two, 795. Of aventures that whylom han bifalle. 796. And which of yow that bereth him best of alle, 797. That is to seyn, that telleth in this cas 798. Tales of best sentence and most solas, 799. Shal have a soper at our aller cost 800. Here in this place, sitting by this post, 801. Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury. 802. And for to make yow the more mery, 803. I wol my-selven gladly with yow ryde, 804. Right at myn owne cost, and be your gyde. 805. And who-so wol my Iugement withseye 806. Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye. 807. And if ye vouche-sauf that it be so, 808. Tel me anon, with-outen wordes mo, 809. And I wol erly shape me therfore.’ 810. This thing was graunted, and our othes swore 811. With ful glad herte, and preyden him also 812. That he wold vouche-sauf for to do so, 813. And that he wolde been our governour, 814. And of our tales Iuge and reportour, 815. And sette a soper at a certeyn prys; 816. And we wold reuled been at his devys, 817. In heigh and lowe; and thus, by oon assent, 818. We been acorded to his Iugement. 819. And ther-up-on the wyn was fet anon; 820. We dronken, and to reste wente echon, 821. With-outen any lenger taryinge. 822. A-morwe, whan that day bigan to springe, 823. Up roos our host, and was our aller cok, 824. And gadrede us togidre, alle in a flok, 825. And forth we riden, a litel more than pas, 826. Un-to the watering of seint Thomas. 827. And there our host bigan his hors areste, 828. And seyde; ‘Lordinges, herkneth, if yow leste. 829. Ye woot your forward, and I it yow recorde. 830. If even-song and morwe-song acorde, 831. Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale. 832. As ever mote I drinke wyn or ale, 833. Who-so be rebel to my Iugement 834. Shal paye for al that by the weye is spent. 835. Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twinne; 836. He which that hath the shortest shal biginne. 837. Sire knight,’ quod he, ‘my maister and my lord, 838. Now draweth cut, for that is myn acord. 839. Cometh neer,’ quod he, ‘my lady prioresse; 840. And ye, sir clerk, lat be your shamfastnesse, 841. Ne studieth noght; ley hond to, every man.’ 842. Anon to drawen every wight bigan, 843. And shortly for to tellen, as it was, 844. Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas, 845. The sothe is this, the cut fil to the knight, 846. Of which ful blythe and glad was every wight; 847. And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun, 848. By forward and by composicioun, 849. As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo? 850. And whan this gode man saugh it was so, 851. As he that wys was and obedient 852. To kepe his forward by his free assent, 853. He seyde: ‘Sin I shal biginne the game, 854. What, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name! 855. Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.’ 856. And with that word we riden forth our weye; 857. And he bigan with right a mery chere 858. His tale anon, and seyde in this manere.

Here endeth the prolog of this book; and here biginneth the first tale, which is the Knightes Tale.

Here beginneth the Book of the Tales of Canterbury

 When that April with his showers  soot The drought of March hath pierced to the root, And bathed every vein in such liquor , Of which virtue engendered is the flower; When  Zephyrus   eke  with his sweet breath Inspired hath in every  holt  and heath The tender crops, and the young sun Hath in  the Ram  his half course y-run, And small fowls  maken  melody, That  sleepen  all the night with open eye, (So pricketh  ’em  nature in their courages): Then  longen  folk to go on pilgrimages (And  palmers  for to  seeken  strange  strands ) To  ferren  hallows,  couth  in  sundry  lands; And specially, from every shire’s end Of England, to Canterbury they wend, The holy  blissful  martyr for to seek, That  ’em  hath  holpen , when that they were sick.   Befell that, in that season on a day, In Southwark at  the Tabard  as I lay Ready to  wenden  on my pilgrimage To Canterbury with full devout courage, At night was come into that hostelry Well nine and twenty in a company, Of  sundry  folk, by  adventure  y-fall In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all, That toward Canterbury  woulden  ride; The chambers and the stables  weren  wide, And well we  weren  eased at best. And shortly, when the sun was to rest, So had I spoken with ’em everich one, That I was of their fellowship  anon , And made  foreward  early for to rise, To take our way, there as I you devise.   But  natheless , while I have time and space, Ere  that I further in this tale pace, Methinketh it accordant to reason, To tell you all the condition Of each of  ’em , so as it seemed me, And which they  weren , and of what degree; And  eke  in what array that they were in: And at a knight then will I first begin.   A KNIGHT there was, and that a worthy man, That from the time that he first began To  riden  out, he loved chivalry, Truth and honour, freedom and courtesy. Full worthy was he in his lord’s war, And thereto had he ridden (no man far) As well in Christendom as heathenness, And ever honoured for his worthiness.   At Alexandria he was, when it was won; Full oft time he had the board begun Aboven all nations in Prussia. In  Lettow  had he  reised  and in Russia, No Christian man so oft of his degree. In Granada at the siege  eke  had he be  Of  Algezir , and ridden in  Belmarie .  At Ayaş was he, and at  Satalie ,  When they were won, and in the  Great Sea At many a noble arrive had he be. At mortal battles had he been fifteen, And foughten for our faith at  Tramissene In  lists  thrice, and  aye  slain his foe. This ilk worthy knight had been also Sometime with the lord of  Palatie , Against another heathen in Turkey: And evermore he had a sovereign prize. And though that he were worthy, he was wise, And of his  port  as meek as is a maid.  He never yet no villainy ne said In all his life, unto no manner  wight .   He was a very perfect gentil knight.  But for to  tellen  you of his array, His horse were good, but he was not  gay . Of  fustian  he weared a  gipon All  besmottered  with his  habergeon ; For he was late y-come from his voyage, And went for to do his pilgrimage.   With him there was his son, a young  SQUIRE , A lover, and a lusty bachelor, With locks  crull , as they were laid in  press . Of twenty year of age he was, I guess. Of his stature he was of even length, And wonderfully  deliver , and great of strength. And he had been sometime in  chivachy , In Flanders , in Artois , and Picardy , And born him well, as of so little space, In hope to  standen  in his lady grace. Embroidered was he, as it were a  mead All full of fresh flowers, white and red. Singing he was, or fluting, all the day; He was as fresh as is the month of May. Short was his gown, with sleeves long and wide. Well could he sit on horse, and fair ride. He could songs make and well  indite , Joust and  eke  dance, and well  portray  and write, So hot he loved, that by  nightertale He sleep no more than doth a nightingale. Courteous he was, lowly, and serviceable, And carved before his father at the table.   A  YEOMAN  had he, and servants no mo’ At that time, for him  list  ride so; And he was clad in coat and hood of green; A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen Under his belt he bear full thriftily; (Well could he ’dress his tackle yeomanly: His arrows drooped not with feathers low), And in his hand he bear a mighty bow. A knot head had he, with a brown  visage . Of woodcraft well could he all the usage. Upon his arm he bear a  gay   bracer , And by his side a sword and a  buckler , And on that other side a  gay  dagger, Harnessed  well, and sharp as point of spear;  A Christopher on his breast of silver sheen. An horn he bear, the baldric was of green; A forester was he, soothly , as I guess.   There was also a Nun, a  PRIORESS , That of her smiling was full simple and coy; Her greatest oath was but by  saint Loy ;  And she was  cleped  madam Eglentine. Full well she sung the service divine, Entuned  in her nose full seemly; And French she spake full fair and  featously , After the school of Stratford-at-Bow, For French of Paris was to her unknown. At meat well y-taught was she withal; She let no morsel from her lips fall, Ne wet her fingers in her sauce deep. Well could she carry a morsel, and well keep, That no drop ne fell upon her breast. In courtesy was set full much her  lest .  Her over lip wiped she so clean, That in her cup there was no farthing seen Of grease, when she drunken had her draught. Full seemly after her meat she  raught , And  sickerly  she was of great  disport , And full pleasant, and amiable of  port , And pained her to  counterfeit  cheer  Of court, and be stately of manner, And to be holden  digne  of reverence.  But, for to speaken of her conscience, She was so charitable and so piteous, She would weep, if that she  saw  a mouse Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bled. Of small hounds had she, that she fed With roasted flesh, or milk and  wastel-bread .  But sore wept she if one of  ’em  were dead, Or if men smote it with a  yard  smart: And all was conscience and tender heart. Full seemly her  wimple  pinched was; Her nose  tretis ; her  eyen  grey as glass; Her mouth full small, and thereto soft and red; But  sickerly  she had a fair forehead; It was almost a span broad, I  trow ;  For, hardily, she was not undergrow. Full  featous  was her cloak, as I was ware.   Of small coral about her arm she bear A pair of beads,  gauded  all with green;   And thereon hung a brooch of gold full sheen, On which there was first writ a crowned A, And after,  Amor vincit omnia .     Another NUN with her had she, That was her chaplain, and PRIESTS three.   A  MONK  there was, a fair for the mastery, An outrider, that loved  venery ; A manly man, to been an abbot able. Full many a dainty horse had he in stable: And, when he  rode , men might his bridle hear Jinglen in a whistling wind as clear, And  eke  as loud as doth the chapel bell, There as this lord was keeper of the cell. The rule of saint  Maure  or of saint  Beneit , By cause that it was old and somedeal  strait , This ilk monk let old things pass, And held after the new world the space. He gave not of that text a pulled hen, That saith, that hunters be not holy men; Ne that a  monk , when he is cloisterless, Is likened to a fish that is waterless; This is to  sayn , a  monk  out of his  cloister .  But thilk text held he not worth an oyster; And I said his opinion was good. What should he study, and make himselfen  wood , Upon a book in  cloister  alway to pour, Or  swinken  with his hands, and labour,  As  Austin  bid? How shall the world be served?  Let  Austin  have his  swink  to him reserved. Therefore he was a  pricasour  a-right;  Greyhounds he had, as swift as fowl in flight; Of pricking and of hunting for the hare Was all his  lust , for no cost would he spare. I  saw  his sleeves  purfled  at the hand   With  gris , and that the finest of a land;  And, for to fasten his hood under his chin, He had of gold y-wrought a curious pin: A  love-knot  in the greater end there was.   His head was bald, that shone as any glass, And  eke  his face, as he had been anoint. He was a lord full fat and in good point; His  eyen   stepe , and rolling in his head,  That steamed as a furnace of a lead; His boots supple, his horse in great state. Now certainly he was a fair  prelate ;  He was not pale as a  forpined  ghost.   A fat swan loved he best of any roast. His  palfrey  was as brown as is a berry.     A  FRIAR  there was, a wanton and a merry, A  limiter , a full solemn man. In all the orders four is none that can So much of dalliance and fair language. He had made full many a marriage Of young women, at his own cost. Unto his order he was a noble post. Full well beloved and familiar was he With  franklins  over-all in his country, And  eke  with worthy women of the town:  For he had power of confession, As said himself, more than a  curate , For of his order he was a  licentiate . Full sweetly heard he confession, And pleasant was his absolution; He was an easy man to give penance There as he  wist  to have a good pittance;   For unto a  povre  order for to give   Is sign that a man is well y- shrive . For if he gave, he  durst  make a- vaunt , He  wist  that a man was repentant. For many a man so hard is of his heart, He may not weep although him sore smart. Therefore, instead of weeping and prayers, Men  mote  give silver to the  povre  friars. His tippet was  aye   farced  full of knives And pins, for to given fair wives. And certainly he had a merry note; Well could he sing and playen on a  rote . Of  yeddings  he bear utterly the prize.  His neck white was as the fleur-de-lys; Thereto he strong was as a champion. He knew the taverns well in every town, And everich hosteler and tapster Bet than a  lazar  or a  begster ; For unto such a worthy man as he Accorded not, as by his faculty, To have with sick  lazars ’ acquaintance. It is not honest, it may not advance For to dealen with no such  porail ,   But all with rich and sellers of victual. And over all, there as profit should arise, Courteous he was, and lowly of service. There  nas  no man nowhere so virtuous.  He was the best beggar in his house; [And gave a certain  firm  for the grant;  None of his brethren came there in his haunt;] For though a widow had not a shoe, So pleasant was his ‘ In principio ’, Yet would he have a farthing,  ere  he went. His purchase was well better than his rent. And rage he could, as it were right a whelp. In love-days there could he much help. For there he was not like a cloisterer, With a threadbare  cope , as is a  povre  scholar,   But he was like a master or a pope. Of double  worsted  was his  semi - cope ,   That rounded as a bell out of the  press . Somewhat he lisped, for his wantonness, To make his English sweet upon his tongue; And in his harping, when that he had song, His  eyen  twinkled in his head a-right, As do the stars in the frosty night. This worthy  limiter  was  cleped  Huberd.   A MERCHANT was there with a forked beard, In motley, and high on horse he sat, Upon his head a  Flandrish  beaver hat;  His boots clasped fair and  featously .  His reasons he spake full solemnly, Sounding alway th’increase of his winning. He would the sea were kept for any thing Betwixt Middelburg and Orwell. Well could he in exchange shields sell. This worthy man full well his wit beset; There  wist  no  wight  that he was in debt,  So stately was he of his governance, With his bargains, and with his  chevisance . For sooth he was a worthy man withal, But sooth to  sayn , I not how men him call.   A  CLERK  there was of Oxford also, That unto logic had long y-go. As lean was his horse as is a rake, And he  nas  not right fat, I undertake, But looked  hollow , and thereto soberly.   Full threadbare was his overest  courtepy ;  For he had gotten him yet no benefice, Nor was so worldly as to have office. For him would  liefer  have at his bed’s head Twenty books, clad in black or red, Of Aristotle and his philosophy, Than robes rich, or fiddle, or  gay  psaltery.  But all be that he was a philosopher, Yet had he but little gold in coffer; But all that he might of his friends  hent ,  On books and on learning he it spent, And busily ’gan for the souls pray Of  ’em  that gave him wherewith to  scholay . Of study took he most cure and most heed. Not one word spake he more than was need, And that was said in form and reverence, And short and quick, and full of high sentence. Sounding in moral virtue was his speech, And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.   A  SERGEANT OF THE LAW , ware and wise,  That often had been at the  parvis , There was also, full rich of excellence. Discreet he was, and of great reverence: He seemed such, his words  weren  so wise.   Justice he was full often in  assize , By patent, and by plain commission; For his science, and for his high renown Of fees and robes had he many one. So great a purchaser was nowhere none. All was fee simple to him in effect, His purchasing might not been  infect .   Nowhere so busy a man as he there  nas , And yet he seemed busier than he was. In terms had he case and dooms all, That from the time of king William were fall. Thereto he could  indite , and make a thing, There could no  wight  pinch at his writing; And every statute could he plain  by rote . He  rode  but  homely  in a medley coat   Girt with a  seynt  of silk, with bars small;  Of his array tell I no longer tale.   A  FRANKLIN  was in his company;  White was his beard, as is the daisy. Of his complexion he was sanguine. Well loved he by the  morrow  a sop in wine.   To liven in delight was ever his wont, For he was Epicurus own son, That held opinion, that plain delight Was verily felicity perfect. An householder, and that a great, was he; Saint Julian he was in his country. His bread, his ale, was alway after one; A better  envined  man was nowhere none.  Without bake meat was never his house, Of fish and flesh, and that so plenteous, It snowed in his house of meat and drink; Of all  dainties  that men could think. After the  sundry  seasons of the year,   So changed he his meat and his supper. Full many a fat partridge had he in  mew , And many a bream and many a  luce  in  stew .  Woe was his cook, but if his sauce were Poignant and sharp, and ready all his gear. His table dormant in his hall alway Stood ready covered all the long day. At sessions there was he lord and sire; Full oft time he was  knight of the shire . An  anlace  and a  gipser  all of silk  Hung at his girdle, white as morn milk. A sheriff had he been, and a  countor ; Was nowhere such a worthy  vavasour .   An  HABERDASHER  and a CARPENTER, A  WEB , a DYER, and a  TAPICER ,   Were with us  eke , clothed in one livery,  Of a solemn and great fraternity. Full fresh and new their gear a-picked was; Their knives were y-capped not with brass, But all with silver, wrought full clean and well, Their girdles and their pouches every deal. Well seemed each of  ’em  a fair burgess, To sitten in a guildhall on a dais.   Everich , for the wisdom that he can,  Was shapely for to be an alderman. For  chattel  had they enough and rent, And  eke  their wives would it well assent; And else certain were they to blame. It is full fair to be y- clept  ‘ma dame,’ And go to vigils all before, And have a mantle royally y-bore.   A COOK they had with  ’em  for the nones, To boil the chickens with the marrow bones, And  powder-merchant  tart, and galingale.  Well could he know a draught of London ale. He could roast, and seethe, and broil, and fry, Maketh  mortress , and well bake a pie.  But great harm was it, as it thought me, That on his shin a  mormal  had he;  For blancmange, that made he with the best.   A SHIPMAN was there,  woning  far by west:  For aught I  wot , he was of Dartmouth.  He  rode  upon a rouncy, as he  couth , In a gown of  falding  to the knee.  A dagger hanging on a  lace  had he About his neck under his arm a-down. The hot summer had made his hue all brown; And, certainly, he was a good  fellow .  Full many a draught of wine had he y-drew From Bordeaux-ward, while that the chapman sleep. Of nice conscience took he no keep. If that he fought, and had the higher hand, By water he sent  ’em  home to every land. But of his craft to reckon well his tides, His streams and his dangers him besides, His  harbour  and his moon, his  lode-manage , There nas none such from Hull to Carthage. Hardy he was, and wise to undertake; With many a tempest had his beard been shake. He knew well all the havens, as they were, From Gotland to the cape of Finisterre, And every creek in Britain and in Spain; His barge y- clept  was the Maudelaine.   With us there was a DOCTOR OF PHYSIC; In all this world ne was there none him like To speak of physic and of surgery; For he was grounded in astronomy. He kept his patient a full great deal In hours, by his magic natural. Well could he fortunen the ascendant Of his images for his patient. He knew the cause of everich malady, Were it of hot or cold, or moist, or dry, And where engendered, and of what humour; He was a  very  perfect practiser.  The cause y-know, and of his harm the  root , Anon  he gave the sick man his  boot .  Full ready had he his apothecaries, To send him drugs and his  ’lectuaries , For each of  ’em  made other for to win; Their friendship  nas  not new to begin.  Well knew he the old Asclepius, And Dioscorides, and  eke  Rufus,  Old Hippocrates, Haly, and Galen, Serapion, Razi, and  Avicen ;  Averroes,  Damascene , and Constantine;  Bernard, and Gaddesden, and Gilbertin. Of his diet measurable was he, For it was of no superfluity, But of great nourishing and digestible. His study was but little on the Bible. In sanguine and in  perse  he clad was all,  Lined with taffeta and with sendal;   And yet he was but easy of  dispense ; He kept that he won in pestilence. For gold in physic is a cordial, Therefore he loved gold in special.   A good  WIFE  was there of beside BATH, But she was somedeal deaf, and that was  scathe .  Of cloth-making she had such an haunt, She passed  ’em  of Ypres and of Gaunt. In all the parish  wife  ne was there none That to the offering before her should  gon ;  And if there did, certain, so wroth was she, That she was out of all charity. Her  coverchiefs  full fine were of  ground ; I  durst  swear they weigheden ten pound That on a Sunday were upon her head. Her hosen  weren  of fine scarlet red, Full  strait  y-tied, and shoes full moist and new.  Bold was her face, and fair, and red of hue. She was a worthy woman all her life, Husbands at church door she had five, Withouten other company in youth; But thereof needeth not to speak as nowthe .   And thrice had she been at Jerusalem; She had passed many a strange stream; At Rome she had been, and at Boulogne, In Galicia at Saint-Jame, and at Cologne.   She could much of wandering by the way. Gat-toothed was she, soothly for to  say . Upon an ambler easily she sat, Y-wimpled well, and on her head an hat As broad as is a  buckler  or a  targe ;   A  foot-mantle  about her hips large, And on her feet a pair of spurs sharp. In fellowship well could she laugh and  carp .   Of remedies of love she knew perchance, For she could of that art the old dance.   A good man was there of religion, And was a  povre   PARSON  of a town,  But rich he was of holy thought and work. He was also a learned man, a  clerk , That Christ’s gospel truly would preach; His parishioners devoutly would he teach. Benign he was, and wonder diligent, And in adversity full patient; And such he was y-proved oft  sithes .  Full loath were him to cursen for his  tithes , But rather would he given, out of doubt, Unto his  povre  parishioners about Of his offering, and  eke  of his substance.  He could in little thing have sufficience. Wide was his parish, and houses far asunder, But he ne left not, for rain ne thunder, In sickness nor in  mischief , to visit  The farthest in his parish, much and  lite , Upon his feet, and in his hand a staff. This noble example to his sheep he gave, That first he wrought, and afterwards he taught; Out of the gospel he  tho ’ words caught;  And this figure he added  eke  thereto, That if gold rust, what shall iron do? For if a priest be foul, on whom we trust, No wonder is a lewd man to rust; And shame it is, if a priest take keep, A shitten shepherd and a clean sheep. Well ought a priest example for to give, By his cleanness, how that his sheep should live. He set not his benefice to hire, And let his sheep encumbered in the mire, And ran to London, unto Saint Paul’s, To  seeken  him a chantry for souls, Or with a brotherhood to be withheld; But dwelt at home, and kept well his fold, So that the wolf ne made it not miscarry; He was a shepherd and no mercenary. And though he holy were, and virtuous, He was to sinful men not  despitous , Ne of his speech dangerous ne  digne , But in his teaching discreet and benign. To drawen folk to heaven by fairness By good example, was his business: But it were any person obstinate, What so he were, of high or low estate , Him would he  snibben  sharply for the nones. A better priest, I  trow  that nowhere none is.  He waited after no pomp and reverence, Ne maked him a spiced conscience, But Christ’s lore, and his apostles twelve, He taught, and first he followed it himself.   With him there was a PLOUGHMAN, was his brother, That had y-led of dung full many a  fother , A true  swinker  and a good was he,  Living in peace and perfect charity. God loved he best with all his whole heart At all times, though him gamed or smart, And then his neighbour right as himself. He would thresh, and thereto dike and delve, For Christ’s sake, for every  povre   wight ,  Withouten hire, if it  lay  in his might. His  tithes  paid he full fair and well, Both of his proper  swink  and his  chattel .  In a  tabard  he  rode  upon a mare.    There was also a  Reeve  and a Miller, A  Summoner  and a  Pardoner  also, A  Manciple , and myself, there were no mo’.   The MILLER was a stout carl, for the nones, Full big he was of brawn, and  eke  of bones; That proved well, for over all there he came, At wrestling he would have alway the ram . He was short shouldered, broad, a thick  knar ; There  nas  no door that he  nould  heave of  harre .  Or break it, at a-running, with his head. His beard as any sow or fox was red, And thereto broad, as though it were a spade. Upon the cop right of his nose he had A wart, and thereon stood a tuft of hairs, Red as the bristles of a sow’s ears; His nostrils black were and wide. A sword and  buckler  bear he by his side; His mouth as great was as a great furnace. He was a  jangler  and a  goliardeys ,  And that was most of sin and harlotries. Well could he stealen corn, and tollen thrice; And yet he had a thumb of gold, pardee. A white coat and a blue hood weared he. A bagpipe well could he blow and soun’, And therewithal he brought us out of town.   A gentil MANCIPLE was there of a temple,  Of which  acaters  might take example  For to be wise in buying of victual. For whether he paid, or took by  tail , Algate  he waited so in his  acate ,  He was  aye  beforn and in good state. Now is not that of God a full fair grace, That such a lewd man’s wit shall pace The wisdom of an heap of learned men? Of masters had he mo’ than thrice ten, That were of law expert and curious; Of which there were a dozen in that house, Worthy to be stewards of rent and land Of any lord that is in England, To make him live by his proper good, In honour debtless, but he were  wood , Or live as scarcely as him  list  desire; And able for to helpen all a shire In any case that might fall or hap; And yet this  manciple  set their  aller cap .    The  REEVE  was a slender choleric man, His beard was shave as nigh as ever he can. His hair was by his ears  round  y-shorn. His top was docked like a priest beforn. Full long were his legs, and full lean, Y-like a staff, there was no calf y-seen. Well could he keep a garner and a bin; There was no auditor could on him win. Well  wist  he, by the drought, and by the rain, The yielding of his seed, and of his grain. His lord’s sheep, his  neat , his dairy,  His swine, his horse, his store, and his poultry, Was holy in this  reeve ’s governing, And by his covenant gave the reckoning, Since that his lord was twenty year of age; There could no man bring him in arrearage. There  nas  bailiff, ne herd, ne other hind, That he ne knew his  sleight  and his  covin ;  They were a- dread  of him, as of the death. His  woning  was full fair upon an heath,  With green trees shadowed was his place. He could better than his lord purchase. Full rich he was a-stored privily, His lord well could he pleasen subtly, To give and lend him of his own good, And have a thank, and yet a coat and hood. In youth he learned had a good mister; He was a well good wright, a carpenter. This  reeve  sat upon a full good  stot , That was all  pommely  grey, and  hight  Scot.  A long  surcoat  of  perse  upon he had,   And by his side he bear a rusty blade. Of Norfolk was this  reeve , of which I tell, Beside a town men  clepen  Bawdeswell.  Tucked he was as is a  friar , about, And ever he  rode  the hinderest of our rout.   A  SUMMONER  was there with us in that place, That had a fire-red  cherubin ’s face, For  saucefleme  he was, with  eyen   narrow .  As hot he was, and lecherous, as a sparrow; With  scalled  brows black, and peeled beard; Of his  visage  children were a-feared. There  nas  quicksilver, litharge, ne brimstone, Borax, ceruse, ne oil of tartar none, Ne ointment that would cleanse and bite, That him might helpen of his whelks white, Nor of the knobs sitting on his cheeks. Well loved he garlic, onions, and  eke  leeks, And for to drinken strong wine, red as blood. Then would he speak, and cry as he were  wood .  And when that he well drunken had the wine, Then would he speak no word but Latin. A few terms had he, two or three, That he had learned out of some decree; No wonder is, he heard it all the day; And  eke  you knowen well, how that a jay Can  clepen  “Watte,” as well as can the pope.  But whoso could in other thing him grope, Then had he spent all his philosophy; Aye  “ Questio quid iuris ” would he cry.  He was a gentil harlot and a kind;  A better  fellow  should men not find.  He would suffer, for a quart of wine, A good  fellow  to have his concubine A twelve month, and excuse him at full: Full privily a finch  eke  could he pull. And if he found a’where a good  fellow , He would teachen him to have no awe, In such case, of the archdeacon’s curse, But if a man’s soul were in his purse; For in his purse he should y-punished be. “Purse is the archdeacon’s hell,” said he. But well I  wot  he lied right in deed;  Of cursing ought each guilty man him  dread — For curse will slay, right as  absoiling  saveth –  And also ware him of a  significavit .  In danger had he at his own  guise    The young girls of the diocese, And knew their counsel, and was all their rede. A garland had he set upon his head, As great as it were for an ale-stake; A  buckler  had he made him of a  cake .    With him there rode a gentil PARDONER   Of Rouncival, his friend and his compeer,  That straight was comen from the court of Rome. Full loud he sung “Come hither, love, to me.” This  Summoner  bear to him a stiff  bourdon , Was never trump of half so great a sound. This  Pardoner  had hair as yellow as wax, But smooth it hung, as doth a strike of flax; By  ounces  hung his locks that he had,  And therewith he his shoulders overspread; But thin it  lay , by  culpons  one and one;   But hood, for  jollity , ne weared he none,  For it was trussed up in his wallet. Him thought, he  rode  all of the new  jet ;  Dishevelledly, save his cap, he  rode  all bare. Such glaring  eyen  had he as an hare. A  vernicle  had he sewed on his cap.   His wallet  lay  before him in his lap, Brimful of pardon come from Rome all hot. A voice he had as small as hath a goat. No beard had he, ne never should have, As smooth it was as it were late y-shave; I  trow  he were a gelding or a mare. But of his craft, from Berwick into Ware Ne was there such another  pardoner . For in his  mail  he had a  pillow-bear , Which that he said was our lady’s veil: He said, he had a  gobet  of the sail That saint Peter had, when that he went Upon the sea, till Jesus Christ him  hent .  He had a cross of latten, full of stones, And in a glass he had pigs’ bones. But with these relics, when that he found A  povre   parson  dwelling upon land, Upon a day he gat him more money Than that the  parson  gat in months  tway .  And thus, with feigned flattery and japes, He made the  parson  and the people his apes. But truly to  tellen , at last, He was in church a noble  ecclesiast . Well could he read a lesson or a story, But all the best he sung an offertory; For well he  wist , when that song was sung,  He must preach, and well affile his tongue,  To win silver, as he full well could; Therefore he sung so merrily and loud.   Now have I told you shortly, in a clause, Th’ estate , th’array, the number, and  eke  the cause  Why that assembled was this company At Southwark, at this gentil hostelry,  That  hight   the Tabard ,  fast by  the Bell.  But now is time to you for to tell How that we bearen us that ilk night, When we were in that hostelry alight. And after will I tell you of our voyage, And all the remnant of our pilgrimage. But first I pray you, of your courtesy, That you ne rate it not my villainy, Though that I plainly speak in this matter, To tell you their words and their cheer; Ne though I speak their words properly. For this ye knowen all so well as I, Whoso shall tell a tale after a man, He  mote   rehearse , as nigh as ever he can,  Everich a word, if it be in his charge,  All spake he never so rudely and large; Or else he  mote  tell his tale untrue, Or feign thing, or find words new. He may not spare, although he were his brother; He  mote  as well  say  one word as another. Christ spake himself full broad in holy writ, And well ye  wot , no villainy is it. Eke  Plato saith, whoso that can him read, The words  mote  be cousin to the deed. Also I pray you to forgive it me, All have I not set folk in their degree Here in this tale, as that they should stand; My wit is short, you may well understand.    Great cheer made our host us everich one,  And to the supper set he us  anon ; And served us with victual at the best. Strong was the wine, and well to drink us  lest . A seemly man our host was with all For to have been a marshal in an hall; A large man he was with  eyen   stepe , A fairer burgess was there none in  Cheap :   Bold of his speech, and wise, and well y-taught, And of manhood him lacked right naught. Eke  thereto he was right a merry man,  And after supper playen he began, And spake of mirth among other things, When that he had made our reckonings; And said thus: “Now, lordings, truly, You be to me right welcome heartily: For by my truth, if that I shall not lie, I ne  saw  this year so merry a company At once in this  harbour  as is now.  Fain would I do you mirth,  wist  I how. And of a mirth I am right now bethought, To do you ease, and it shall cost naught.   Ye go to Canterbury; God you speed, The  blissful  martyr quite you your  meed . And well I  wot , as you go by the way, Ye shapen you to talen and to play; For truly, comfort ne mirth is none To ride by the way dumb as a stone; And therefore will I  maken  you  disport , As I said erst, and do you some comfort. And if you liketh all, by one assent, Now for to  standen  at my judgement, And for to worken as I shall you  say , Tomorrow, when ye  riden  by the way, Now, by my father’s soul, that is dead, But ye be merry, I will give you mine heed. Hold up your hand, withouten more speech.”   Our counsel was not long for to search; Us thought it was not worth to make it wise, And granted him withouten more advise, And bade him  say  his verdict, as him  lest .   “Lordings,” quoth he, “now harkneth for the best; But take it not, I pray you, in disdain; This is the point, to speaken short and plain, That each of you, to short with your way, In this voyage, shall tell tales  tway , To Canterbury-ward, I mean it so, And homeward he shall  tellen  other two, Of adventures that  whilom  have befall. And which of you that beareth him best of all, That is to  sayn , that telleth in this case Tales of best sentence and most  solace , Shall have a supper at our  aller cost Here in this place, sitting by this post, When that we come again from Canterbury. And for to make you the more merry, I will myselfen gladly with you ride, Right at mine own cost, and be your guide. And whoso will my judgement withsay Shall pay all that we spenden by the way. And if you vouchsafe that it be so, Tell me  anon , withouten words mo’, And I will early shape me therefore.”   This thing was granted, and our oaths swore With full glad heart, and prayeden him also That he would vouchsafe for to do so, And that he would be our governor, And of our tales judge and reporter, And set a supper at a certain price; And we would ruled be at his devise, In high and low; and thus, by one assent, We been accorded to his judgement. And thereupon the wine was fetched  anon ; We drunken, and to rest went each one, Withouten any longer tarrying.   A- morrow , when that day began to spring,  Up rose our host, and was our aller cock, And gathered us together, all in a flock, And forth we  riden , a little more than pace, Unto the watering of saint Thomas;   And there our host began his horse arrest, And said, “Lordings, harkneth, if you  lest . Ye  wot  your  foreward , and I it you record.  If even song and  morrow  song accord, Let see now who shall tell the first tale. As ever  mote  I drink wine or ale, Whoso be rebel to my judgement, Shall pay for all that by the way is spent. Now draweth cut,  ere  that we farther  twin ;  He which hath the shortest shall begin. Sire knight” quoth he, “my master and my lord, Now draweth cut, for that is mine accord. Cometh near,” quoth he, “my lady  prioress ; And ye, sir  clerk , let be your  shamefastness , Ne studieth not,  lay  hand to, every man.”    Anon  to drawen every  wight  began, And shortly for to  tellen , as it was, Were it  adventure , or sort, or case,  The sooth is this, the cut fell to the knight, Of which full blithe and glad was every  wight ;  And tell he must his tale, as was reason, By  foreward  and by composition,  As ye have heard; what needeth words mo’? And when this good man  saw  that it was so, As he that wise was and obedient To keep his  foreward  by his free assent, He said, “Since I shall begin the game, What, welcome be the cut, in God’s name! Now let us ride, and harkneth what I  say .”   And with that word we  riden  forth our way; And he began with right a merry cheer His tale  anon , and said in this manner.

Here endeth the prologue of this book; and here beginneth the first tale, which is the Knight’s Tale.

The Knight’s Tale >>

The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer

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The Canterbury Tales Essays

"love" in the courtly tradition anonymous, the canterbury tales.

In the "Franklin's Tale," Geoffrey Chaucer satirically paints a picture of a marriage steeped in the tradition of courtly love. As Dorigen and Arveragus' relationship reveals, a couple's preoccupation with fulfilling the ritualistic practices...

On Cuckoldry: Women, Silence, and Subjectivity in the Merchant's Tale and the Manciple's Tale Eddie Borey

The Wife of Bath's extraordinary prologue gives the reader a dose of what is sometimes missing in early male-written literature: glimpses of female subjectivity. Women in medieval literature are often silent and passive, to the extent that...

Vision, Truth, and Genre in the Merchant's Tale Eddie Borey

In the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which gives them greater powers of perception but also causes their expulsion from Paradise. The story creates a link between clear vision and the ability to...

In Private: the Promise in The Franklin's Tale Eddie Borey

In the Franklin's Tale, Dorigen's hasty (and unserious) promise precipitates a crisis when Aurelius completes a task that Dorigen felt certain was impossible. Aurelius faces a similar problem when, consumed by his inordinate passion, he...

Feminism or Anti-Feminism: Images of Women in Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath" Annie White

Chaucer's "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale" is a medieval legend that paints a portrait of strong women finding love and themselves in the direst of situations. It is presented to the modern day reader as an early tale of feminism showcasing...

The Characters Define the Setting for the Tales Shira Muething

The characters introduced in the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales each represent a stereotype of a kind of person that Chaucer would have been familiar with in 14th Century England. Each character is unique, yet embodies many physical and...

Playing With Plastic: An Exploration of Biblical Deconstruction in the Wife of Bath Lesley Pallathumadom

The Bible is an infinitely plastic text. The Wife of Bath illustrates this plasticity by, in effect, reworking Scripture and molding it to fit her specific argument. In an exploration of both the Prologue to the Wife of Baths Tale and the Tale...

The Pardoner's Sin in The Canterbury Tales Theoderek Wayne

Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Pardoner's Tale," a relatively straightforward satirical and anti-capitalist view of the church, contrasts motifs of sin with the salvational properties of religion to draw out the complex self-loathing of the emasculated...

Chaucer's Prioress: Image Versus Idea Roger Glandorf

Chaucer's excessively overt satire of the Prioress in the General Prologue is undeniable. With so much emphasis drawn to her misplaced ideals, the words scream of something terribly amiss. A cursory examination reveals a woman severely out of...

Knight's Tale: Idealism of the Aristocrats Roger Glandorf

Despite its glorified accounts of the chivalrous lives of gentlemen, the Knights Tale proves to be more than a tragically romantic saga with a happy ending. For beneath this guise lies an exploration into the trifling world of the days...

The Pardoner as Con Artist Thomas Stevenson

The Pardoner of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is representative of the darker side of the corrupt church of the Middle Ages. A pardoner was a church official who had the authority to forgive those who had sinned by selling pardons and indulgences to...

The Presentation of Masculinity in 'The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale' David Taylor

The Wife of Bath, with the energy of her vernacular and the voraciousness of her sexual appetite, is one of the most vividly developed characters of 'The Canterbury Tales'. At 856 lines her prologue, or 'preambulacioun' as the Summoner calls it,...

A Taming By a Shrew?: Levels of Satire in Chaucer's Wife of Bath Alex Hoffer

The Wife of Bath, a pilgrim in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, holds strong views on many topics, such as sex, marriage, men, and the Bible. She speaks her mind clearly and at length, but she is also a manipulative, subtle, and untrustworthy...

Equality and Power: Marriage in The Franklin's Tale and The Wife of Bath's Tale Natasha Rosow

In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the Franklin's Tale and the Wife of Bath's Tale represent marriage in different ways. The most striking contrast is the role of power in relationships in the two stories, and for the two tellers. The Franklin...

The Illusion of Sovereignty in the Wife of Bath's Tale Phil Maloney

Long before enlightened women of the 1960's enthusiastically shed their bras, in an age when anti-feminist and misogynistic attitudes prevailed, lived Geoffrey Chaucer. Whether Chaucer was indeed a feminist living long before his time, or whether...

The Role of Islam in The Man of Law's Tale Bryan Young

The Man of Law's Tale is in many ways marks a new beginning in the middle of the Canterbury Tales, a break from the bawdy and secular tales that precede it. While Chaucer could have made it a more straightforward recentering of the tales on a...

The Commodification of Custance: A Feminist Reading of Chaucer's Man of Law's Tale Anonymous

In Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, each tale's genre is an integral component of its respective meaning. The task of interpreting the meaning of a tale from its genre, however, is complicated by Chaucer's frequent deviation from a genre's...

Chaucer's Subtle Critique of the Scholar in The Canterbury Tales A. Neuman

Early in Chaucer's General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, the narrator makes clear how his fellow pilgrims are to be introduced: "Me thinketh it accordant to reosoun / To telle you al the condicioun / Of eech of hem, so as it seemed me, / And...

Chaucer's Pardoner: A Critique of Capitalism A. Neuman

In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales there is one pilgrim whose overriding character trait seems to be hypocrisy itself: the Pardoner, basking in sin and, at the same time, preaching violently to the masses against precisely his immoral behavior. Indeed,...

Nice Guys Finish Last - Examining the Obedience of Husbands in The Canterbury Tales Virginia Byrne

âTo love, honor and obeyâ? is a common part of the modern marriage vow. It is taken for granted that both partners will strive toward an equal union, in which neither is completely dominant or completely submissive to the other. While this may...

Consistency Between Chaucer's Prologue and Character-Narrated Tales: The Wife of Bath Andrea Maikovich

The Wife of Bathâs tale is appropriate to her character, and perfectly complements the description of the Wife in the General Prologue of Geoffrey Chaucerâs late 1300s literary masterpiece The Canterbury Tales. The Wife of Bath creates a heroine...

Sinful Citizens: Protestant Imagery in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Kristin B. Godfrey

In 1381, John Wycliffe led a group of people disenchanted with the Catholic Church called the Lollards in an early Protestant movement. In this movement, he attacked the sale of indulgences, pilgrimages, the excessive class hierarchy in the...

Body and Soul: The Celestial Metaphor of Chaucer's Physicians Tale Anonymous

While critics and common readers alike have panned Chaucer's Physician's Tale as one of the more disconnected and weakly written of all the Canterbury Tales, recent thought, and certainly more abstract views, have worked ignorant of each other to...

Chaucer's Knight - Dichotomy and Contradiction Anonymous

In the General Prologue of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the first character portrait presented is that of the Knight. Though the knights of Chaucer's time were commonly perceived as upstanding, moral, Christian leaders in society,...