The Canterbury tales : Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- prologue GP The General Prologue 1: Whan that aprill with his shoures soote 2: The droghte of march hath perced to the roote, 3: And bathed every veyne in swich licour 4: Of which vertu engendred is the flour; 5: Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth 6: Inspired hath in every holt and heeth 7: Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne 8: Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne, 9: And smale foweles maken melodye, 10: That slepen al the nyght with open ye 11: (so priketh hem nature in hir corages); 12: Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, 13: And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, 14: To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; 15: And specially from every shires ende 16: Of engelond to caunterbury they wende, 17: The hooly blisful martir for to seke, 18: That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. 19: Bifil that in that seson on a day, 20: In southwerk at the tabard as I lay 21: Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage 22: To caunterbury with ful devout corage, 23: At nyght was come into that hostelrye 24: Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye, 25: Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle 26: In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes 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 felaweshipe anon, 33: And made forward erly for to ryse, 34: To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse. 35: But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space, 36: Er that I ferther in this tale pace, 37: Me thynketh 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 knyght than wol I first bigynne. The Knight's Portrait 43: A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man, 44: That fro the tyme that he first bigan 45: To riden out, he loved chivalrie, 46: Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie. 47: Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre, 48: And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre, 49: As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse, 50: And evere honoured for his worthynesse. 51: At alisaundre he was whan it was wonne. 52: Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne 53: Aboven alle nacions 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 seege 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 armee hadde he be. 61: At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, 62: And foughten for oure feith at tramyssene 63: In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo. 64: This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also 65: Somtyme with the lord of palatye 66: Agayn another hethen in turkye. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 18 67: And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys; 68: And though that he were worthy, he was wys, 69: And of his port as meeke as is a mayde. 70: He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde 71: In al his lyf unto no maner wight. 72: He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght. 73: But, for to tellen yow of his array, 74: His hors were goode, but he was nat gay. 75: Of fustian he wered a gypon 76: Al bismotered with his habergeon, 77: For he was late ycome from his viage, 78: And wente for to doon his pilgrymage. The Squire's Portrait 79: With hym ther was his sone, a yong squier, 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 delyvere, and of greet strengthe. 85: And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie 86: In flaundres, in artoys, and pycardie, 87: And born hym weel, as of so litel space, 88: In hope to stonden in his lady grace. 89: Embrouded was he, as it were a meede 90: Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede. 91: Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day; 92: He was as fressh as is the month of may. 93: Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde. 94: Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde. 95: He koude songes make and wel endite, 96: Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write. 97: So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale. 98: He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale. 99: Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable, 100: And carf biforn his fader at the table. The Yeoman's Portrait 101: A yeman hadde he and servantz namo 102: At that tyme, for hym liste ride so, 103: And he was clad in cote and hood of grene. 104: A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene, 105: Under his belt he bar ful thriftily, 106: (wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly: 107: His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe) 108: And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe. 109: A not heed hadde he, with a broun visage. 110: Of wodecraft wel koude he al the usage. 111: Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer, 112: And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler, 113: And on that oother syde a gay daggere 114: Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere; 115: A cristopher on his brest of silver sheene. 116: An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene; 117: A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse. The Prioress' Portrait 118: Ther was also a nonne, a prioresse, 119: That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy; 120: Hire gretteste ooth was but by seinte loy; 121: And she was cleped madame eglentyne. 122: Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne, 123: Entuned in hir nose ful semely, 124: And frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly, 125: After the scole of stratford atte bowe, 126: For frenssh of parys was to hire unknowe. 127: At mete wel ytaught was she with alle: 128: She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, 129: Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe; 130: Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe 131: That no drope ne fille upon hire brest. 132: In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest. 133: Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene 134: That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng 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 desport, 138: And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port, 139: And peyned hire to countrefete cheere 140: Of court, and to been estatlich of manere, 141: And to ben holden digne of reverence. 142: But, for to speken of hire conscience, 143: She was so charitable and so pitous 144: She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous 145: Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. 146: Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde 147: With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed. 148: But soore wepte 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 semyly hir wympul pynched was, 152: Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas, 153: Hir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed; 154: But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed; 155: It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe; 156: For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe. 157: Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war. 158: Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar 159: A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene, 160: And theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene, 161: On which ther was first write a crowned a, 162: And after amor vincit omnia. The Second Nun's Portrait 163: Another nonne with hire hadde she, 164: That was hir chapeleyne, and preestes thre. The Monk's Portrait 165: A monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie, 166: An outridere, that lovede venerie, 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 myghte his brydel heere 170: Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere 171: And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 19 172: Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle, 173: The reule of seint maure or of seint beneit, 174: By cause that it was old and somdel streit 175: This ilke monk leet olde thynges pace, 176: And heeld after the newe world the space. 177: He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen, 178: That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men, 179: Ne that a monk, whan he is recchelees, 180: Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees, -- 181: This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre. 182: But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre; 183: And I seyde his opinion was good. 184: What sholde he studie and make hymselven wood, 185: Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure, 186: Or swynken with his handes, and laboure, 187: As austyn bit? how shal the world be served? 188: Lat austyn have his swynk to hym reserved! 189: Therfore he was a prikasour aright: 190: Grehoundes he hadde as swift as fowel in flight; 191: Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare 192: Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare. 193: I seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond 194: With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond; 195: And, for to festne his hood under his chyn, 196: He hadde of gold ywroght a ful curious pyn; 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 hadde been enoynt. 200: He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt; 201: His eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed, 202: That stemed as a forneys of a leed; 203: His bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat. 204: Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat; 205: He was nat pale as a forpyned goost. 206: A fat swan loved he best of any roost. 207: His palfrey was as broun as is a berye. The Friar's Portrait 208: A frere ther was, a wantowne and a merye, 209: A lymytour, a ful solempne man. 210: In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan 211: So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage. 212: He hadde maad ful many a mariage 213: Of yonge wommen at his owene cost. 214: Unto 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 hadde power of confessioun, 219: As seyde hymself, moore than a curat, 220: For of his ordre he was licenciat. 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 have a good pitaunce. 225: For unto a povre ordre for to yive 226: Is signe that a man is wel yshryve; 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, althogh hym soore smerte. 231: Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres 232: Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres. 233: His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves 234: And pynnes, for to yeven faire wyves. 235: And certeinly he hadde a murye note: 236: Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rote; 237: Of yeddynges he baar outrely the pris. 238: His nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys; 239: Therto 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 unto swich a worthy man as he 244: Acorded nat, as by his facultee, 245: To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce. 246: It is nat honest, it may nat avaunce, 247: For to deelen with no swich poraille, 248: But al with riche and selleres of vitaille. 249: And over al, ther as profit sholde arise, 250: Curteis he was and lowely of servyse. 251: Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous. 252: He was the beste beggere in his hous; 252.1: (and yaf a certeyne ferme for the graunt; 252.2: Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt;) 253: For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho, 254: So plesaunt was his in principio, 255: Yet wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente. 256: His purchas was wel bettre than his rente. 257: And rage he koude, as it were right a whelp. 258: In love-dayes ther koude he muchel help, 259: For ther he was nat lyk a cloysterer 260: With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler, 261: But he was lyk a maister or a pope. 262: Of double worstede was his semycope, 263: That rounded as a belle out of the presse. 264: Somwhat he lipsed, for his wantownesse, 265: To make his englissh sweete upon his tonge; 266: And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe, 267: His eyen twynkled in his heed aryght, 268: As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght. 269: This worthy lymytour was cleped huberd. The Merchant's Portrait 270: A marchant was ther with a forked berd, 271: In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat; 272: Upon his heed a flaundryssh bever hat, 273: His bootes clasped faire and fetisly. 274: His resons he spak ful solempnely, 275: Sownynge alwey th' encrees of his wynnyng. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 20 276: He wolde the see were kept for any thyng 277: Bitwixe middelburgh and orewelle. 278: Wel koude 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 chevyssaunce. 283: For sothe he was a worthy man with alle, 284: But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle. The Clerk's Portrait 285: A clerk ther was of oxenford also, 286: That unto logyk hadde longe ygo. 287: As leene was his hors as is a rake, 288: And he nas nat right fat, I undertake, 289: But looked holwe, and therto sobrely. 290: Ful thredbare was his overeste courtepy; 291: For he hadde geten hym yet no benefice, 292: Ne was so worldly for to have office. 293: For hym was levere have at his beddes heed 294: Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed, 295: Of aristotle and his philosophie, 296: Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie. 297: But al be that he was a philosophre, 298: Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre; 299: But al that he myghte of his freendes hente, 300: On bookes and on lernynge he it spente, 301: And bisily gan for the soules preye 302: Of hem that yaf hym wherwith to scoleye. 303: Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede, 304: Noght o word spak he moore than was neede, 305: And that was seyd in forme and reverence, 306: And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence; 307: Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche, 308: And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche. The The MAn of Law's Portrait 309: A sergeant of the lawe, war and wys, 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 wise. 314: Justice he was ful often in assise, 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 nowher noon: 319: Al was fee symple to hym in effect; 320: His purchasyng myghte nat been infect. 321: Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas, 322: And yet he semed bisier than he was. 323: In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle 324: That from the tyme of kyng william were falle. 325: Therto he koude endite, and make a thyng, 326: Ther koude no wight pynche at his writyng; 327: And every statut koude 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. The Franklin's Portrait 331: A frankeleyn was in his compaignye. 332: Whit 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 lyven in delit was evere his wone, 336: For he was epicurus owene sone, 337: That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit 338: Was verray felicitee parfit. 339: An housholdere, and that a greet, was he; 340: Seint julian he was in his contree. 341: His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon; 342: A bettre envyned man was nowher noon. 343: Withoute bake mete was nevere his hous 344: Of fissh and flessh, and that so plentevous, 345: It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke, 346: Of alle deyntees that men koude thynke. 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 muwe, 350: And many a breem and many a luce in stuwe. 351: Wo was his cook but if his sauce were 352: Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geere. 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 knyght of the shire. 357: An anlaas and a gipser al of silk 358: Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk. 359: A shirreve hadde he been, and a contour. 360: Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour. The Guildsmen's Portrait 361: An haberdasshere and a carpenter, 362: A webbe, a dyere, and a tapycer, -- 363: And they were clothed alle in o lyveree 364: Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee. 365: Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was; 366: Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras 367: But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel 368: Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel. 369: Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys 370: To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys. 371: Everich, for the wisdom that he kan, 372: Was shaply for to been an alderman. 373: For catel hadde they ynogh and rente, 374: And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente; 375: And elles certeyn were they to blame. 376: It is ful fair to been ycleped madame, 377: And goon to vigilies al bifore, 378: And have a mantel roialliche ybore. The Cook's Portrait 379: A cook they hadde with hem for the nones 380: To boille the chiknes with the marybones, 381: And poudre-marchant tart and galyngale. 382: Wel koude he knowe a draughte of londoun ale. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 21 383: He koude rooste, 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 shyne a mormal hadde he. 387: For blankmanger, that made he with the beste. The Shipman's Portrait 388: A shipman was ther, wonynge fer by weste; 389: For aught I woot, he was of dertemouthe. 390: He rood upon a rounce, as he kouthe, 391: In a gowne of faldyng to the knee. 392: A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he 393: Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun. 394: The hoote somer hadde maad his hewe al broun; 395: And certeinly he was a good felawe. 396: Ful many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe 397: Fro burdeux-ward, whil that the chapmen 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 hym bisides, 403: His herberwe, and his moone, 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 alle the havenes, as they were, 408: Fro gootlond to the cape of fynystere, 409: And every cryke in britaigne and in spayne. 410: His barge ycleped was the maudelayne. The Physician's Portrait 411: With us ther was a doctour of phisik; 412: In al this world ne was the noon hym lik, 413: To speke of phisik and of surgerye 414: For he was grounded in astronomye. 415: He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel 416: In houres by his magyk natureel. 417: Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent 418: Of his ymages for his pacient. 419: He knew the cause of everich maladye, 420: Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye, 421: And where they engendred, and of what humour. 422: He was a verray, parfit praktisour: 423: The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote, 424: Anon he yaf the sike man his boote. 425: Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries 426: To sende hym drogges and his letuaries, 427: For ech of hem made oother for to wynne -- 428: Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne. 429: Wel knew he the olde esculapius, 430: And deyscorides, and eek rufus, 431: Olde ypocras, haly, and galyen, 432: Serapion, razis, and avycen, 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 norissyng and digestible. 438: His studie was but litel on the bible. 439: In sangwyn 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: Therefore he lovede gold in special. The Wife of Bath's Portrait 445: A good wif was ther of biside bathe, 446: But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe. 447: Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt, 448: She passed hem of ypres and of gaunt. 449: In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon 450: That to the offrynge bifore hire 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 weren of ground; 454: I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound 455: That on a sonday weren upon hir heed. 456: Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed, 457: Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe. 458: Boold 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 oother compaignye in youthe, -- 462: But therof nedeth nat to speke as nowthe. 463: And thries hadde she been at jerusalem; 464: She hadde passed many a straunge strem; 465: At rome she hadde been, and at boloigne, 466: In galice at seint-jame, and at coloigne. 467: She koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye. 468: Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye. 469: Upon an amblere esily she sat, 470: Ywympled 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 felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe. 475: Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce, 476: For she koude of that art the olde daunce. The Parson's Portrait 477: A good man was ther of religioun, 478: And was a povre persoun of a toun, 479: But riche he was of hooly 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: Benygne he was, and wonder diligent, 484: And in adversitee ful pacient, --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 22 485: And swich he was ypreved ofte sithes. 486: Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes, 487: But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute, 488: Unto his povre parisshens aboute 489: Of his offryng and eek of his substaunce. 490: He koude in litel thyng have suffisaunce. 491: Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder, 492: But he ne lefte nat, for reyn ne thonder, 493: In siknesse nor in meschief to visite 494: The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite, 495: Upon 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 therto, 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 prest 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 sholde lyve. 507: He sette nat his benefice to hyre 508: And leet his sheep encombred in the myre 509: And ran to londoun unto seinte poules 510: To seken hym 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 myscarie; 514: He was a shepherde and noght a mercenarie. 515: And though he hooly were and vertuous, 516: He was to synful men nat despitous, 517: Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne, 518: But in his techyng discreet and benygne. 519: To drawen folk to hevene by fairnesse, 520: By good ensample, this was his bisynesse. 521: But it were any persone obstinat, 522: What so he were, of heigh or lough estat, 523: Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys. 524: A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys. 525: He waited after no pompe and reverence, 526: Ne maked him a spiced conscience, 527: But cristes loore and his apostles twelve 528: He taughte, but first he folwed it hymselve. The Plowman's Portrait 529: With hym ther was a plowman, was his brother, 530: That hadde ylad of dong ful many a fother; 531: A trewe swynkere and a good was he, 532: Lyvynge in pees and parfit charitee. 533: God loved he best with al his hoole herte 534: At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte, 535: And thanne his neighebor right as hymselve. 536: He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve, 537: For cristes sake, for every povre wight, 538: Withouten hire, if it lay in his myght. 539: His tithes payde he ful faire and wel, 540: Bothe of his propre swynk 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 myself -- ther were namo. The Miller's Portrait 545: The millere was a stout carl for the nones; 546: Ful byg he was of brawn, and eek of bones. 547: That proved wel, for over al ther he cam, 548: At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram. 549: He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre; 550: Ther was no dore that he nolde heve of harre, 551: Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed. 552: His berd as any sowe or fox was reed, 553: And therto brood, as though it were a spade. 554: Upon the cop right of his nose he hade 555: A werte, and theron stood a toft of herys, 556: Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys; 557: His nosethirles 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 janglere and a goliardeys, 561: And that was moost of synne and harlotries. 562: Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thries; 563: And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee. 564: A whit cote and a blew hood wered he. 565: A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne, 566: And therwithal he broghte us out of towne. The Manciple's Portrait 567: A gentil maunciple was ther of a temple, 568: Of which achatours myghte take exemple 569: For to be wise in byynge of vitaille; 570: For wheither that he payde or took by taille, 571: Algate he wayted so in his achaat 572: That he was ay biforn and in good staat. 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 thries ten, 577: That weren of lawe expert and curious, 578: Of which ther were a duszeyne in that hous 579: Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond 580: Of any lord that is in engelond, 581: To make hym lyve by his propre good 582: In honour dettelees (but if he were wood), 583: Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desire; 584: And able for to helpen al a shire 585: In any caas that myghte falle or happe; 586: And yet this manciple sette hir aller cappe. The Reeve's Portrait 587: The reve was a sclendre colerik man. 588: His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan; 589: His heer was by his erys ful round yshorn; --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 23 590: His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn 591: Ful longe were his legges and ful lene, 592: Ylyk a staf, ther was no calf ysene. 593: Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne; 594: Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne. 595: Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn 596: The yeldynge 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 governynge, 600: And by his covenant yaf the rekenynge, 601: Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age. 602: Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage. 603: Ther nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne, 604: That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne; 605: They were adrad of hym as of the deeth. 606: His wonyng was ful faire upon an heeth; 607: With grene trees yshadwed was his place. 608: He koude bettre than his lord purchace. 609: Ful riche he was astored pryvely: 610: His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly, 611: To yeve and lene hym of his owene good, 612: And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood. 613: In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster; 614: He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. 615: This reve sat upon a ful good stot, 616: That was al pomely grey and highte scot. 617: A long surcote of pers upon he hade, 618: And by his syde he baar a rusty blade. 619: Of northfolk was this reve of which I telle, 620: Biside a toun men clepen baldeswelle. 621: Tukked he was as is a frere aboute, 622: And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route. The Summoner's Portrait 623: A somonour was ther with us in that place, 624: That hadde a fyr-reed cherubynnes face, 625: For saucefleem 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 quyk-silver, lytarge, ne brymstoon, 630: Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon; 631: Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte, 632: That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white, 633: Nor of the knobbes sittynge on his chekes. 634: Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes, 635: And for to drynken strong wyn, reed as blood; 636: Thanne wolde he speke and crie as he were wood. 637: And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn, 638: Thanne wolde he speke no word but latyn. 639: A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre, 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 jay 643: Kan clepen watte as wel as kan the pope. 644: But whoso koude in oother thyng hym grope, 645: Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophie; 646: Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crie. 647: He was a gentil harlot and a kynde; 648: A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde. 649: He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn 650: A good felawe to have his concubyn 651: A twelf month, and excuse hym atte fulle; 652: Ful prively a fynch eek koude he pulle. 653: And if he foond owher a good felawe, 654: He wolde techen him to have noon awe 655: In swich caas of the ercedekenes curs, 656: But if a mannes soule were in his purs; 657: For in his purs he sholde ypunysshed be. 658: Purs is the ercedekenes helle, seyde he. 659: But wel I woot he lyed right in dede; 660: Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him drede, 661: For curs wol slee right as assoillyng savith, 662: And also war hym of a significavit. 663: In daunger hadde he at his owene gise 664: The yonge girles of the diocise, 665: And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed. 666: A gerland hadde he set upon his heed 667: As greet as it were for an ale-stake. 668: A bokeleer hadde he maad hym of a cake. The Pardoner's Portrait 669: With hym ther rood a gentil pardoner 670: Of rouncivale, his freend and his compeer, 671: That streight was comen fro the court of rome. 672: Ful loude he soong com hider, love, to me! 673: This somonour bar to hym a stif burdoun; 674: Was nevere trompe of half so greet a soun. 675: This pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex, 676: But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex; 677: By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde, 678: And therwith he his shuldres overspradde; 679: But thynne it lay, by colpons oon and oon. 680: But hood, for jolitee, wered he noon, 681: For it was trussed up in his walet. 682: Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet; 683: Dischevelee, save his cappe, he rood al bare. 684: Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare. 685: A vernycle hadde he sowed upon his cappe. 686: His walet lay biforn hym in his lappe, 687: Bretful of pardoun, comen from rome al hoot. 688: A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot. 689: No berd hadde he, ne nevere sholde have; 690: As smothe it was as it were late shave. 691: I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare. 692: But of his craft, fro berwyk 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 oure lady veyl: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 24 696: He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl 697: That seint peter hadde, whan that he wente 698: Upon the see, til jhesu crist hym 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 dwellynge upon lond, 703: Upon a day he gat hym moore moneye 704: Than that the person gat in monthes tweye; 705: And thus, with feyned flaterye and japes, 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 koude 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 affile his tonge 713: To wynne silver, as he ful wel koude; 714: Therefore he song the murierly and loude. 715: Now have I toold you soothly, in a clause, 716: Th' estaat, th' array, the nombre, and eek the cause 717: Why that assembled was this compaignye 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 nyght, 722: Whan we were in that hostelrie alyght; 723: And after wol I telle of our viage 724: And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage. 725: But first I pray yow, of youre curteisye, 726: That ye n' arette it nat my vileynye, 727: Thogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere, 728: To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere, 729: Ne thogh I speke hir wordes proprely. 730: For this ye knowen al so wel as I, 731: Whoso shal telle a tale after a man, 732: He moot reherce as ny as evere he kan 733: Everich a word, if it be in his charge, 734: Al speke he never so rudeliche and large, 735: Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe, 736: Or feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe. 737: He may nat spare, althogh he were his brother; 738: He moot as wel seye o word as another. 739: Crist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ, 740: And wel ye woot no vileynye is it. 741: Eek plato seith, whoso that kan hym rede, 742: The wordes moote be cosyn to the dede. 743: Also I prey yow to foryeve it me, 744: Al have I nat set folk in hir degree 745: Heere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde. 746: My wit is short, ye may wel understonde. 747: Greet chiere made oure hoost us everichon, 748: And to the soper sette he us anon. 749: He served us with vitaille at the beste; 750: Strong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste. 751: A semely man oure hooste was withalle 752: For to han been a marchal in an halle. 753: A large man he was with eyen stepe -- 754: A fairer burgeys is ther noon in chepe -- 755: Boold of his speche, and wys, and wel ytaught, 756: And of manhod hym lakkede right naught. 757: Eek therto he was right a myrie man, 758: And after soper pleyen he bigan, 759: And spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges, 760: Whan that we hadde maad oure rekenynges, 761: And seyde thus: now, lordynges, trewely, 762: Ye been to me right welcome, hertely; 763: For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye, 764: I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye 765: Atones in this herberwe as is now. 766: Fayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how. 767: And of a myrthe I am right now bythoght, 768: To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght. 769: Ye goon to caunterbury -- God yow speede, 770: The blisful martir quite yow youre meede! 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 myrthe is noon 774: To ride 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 liketh alle by oon assent 778: For to stonden at my juggement, 779: And for to werken as I shal yow seye, 780: To-morwe, whan ye riden by the weye, 781: Now, by my fader soule that is deed, 782: But ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed! 783: Hoold up youre hondes, withouten moore speche. 784: Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche. 785: Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys, 786: And graunted hym withouten moore avys, 787: And bad him seye his voirdit as hym leste. 788: Lordynges, quod he, now herkneth for the beste; 789: But taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn. 790: This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, 791: That ech of yow, to shorte with oure weye, 792: In this viage shal telle tales tweye 793: To caunterbury-ward, I mene it so, 794: And homward he shal tellen othere two, 795: Of aventures that whilom han bifalle. 796: And which of yow that bereth hym best of alle, 797: That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas 798: Tales of best sentence and moost solaas, 799: Shal have a soper at oure aller cost 800: Heere in this place, sittynge by this post, --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 25 801: Whan that we come agayn fro caunterbury. 802: And for to make yow the moore mury, 803: I wol myselven goodly with yow ryde, 804: Right at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde, 805: And whoso wole my juggement 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, withouten wordes mo, 809: And I wol erly shape me therfore. 810: This thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore 811: With ful glad herte, and preyden hym also 812: That he wolde vouche sauf for to do so, 813: And that he wolde been oure governour, 814: And oure tales juge and reportour, 815: And sette a soper at a certeyn pris, 816: And we wol reuled been at his devys 817: In heigh and lough; and thus by oon assent 818: We been acorded to his juggement. 819: And therupon the wyn was fet anon; 820: We dronken, and to reste wente echon, 821: Withouten any lenger taryynge. 822: Amorwe, whan that day bigan to sprynge, 823: Up roos oure hoost, and was oure aller cok, 824: And gradrede us togidre alle in a flok, 825: And forth we riden a litel moore than paas 826: Unto the wateryng of seint thomas; 827: And there oure hoost bigan his hors areste 828: And seyde, lordynges, herkneth, if yow leste. 829: Ye woot youre foreward, and I it yow recorde. 830: If even-song and morwe-song accorde, 831: Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale. 832: As evere mote I drynke wyn or ale, 833: Whoso be rebel to my juggement 834: Shal paye for al that by the wey is spent. 835: Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne; 836: He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne. 837: Sire knyght, quod he, my mayster and my lord, 838: Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord. 839: Cometh neer, quod he, my lady prioresse. 840: And ye, sire clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse, 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 knyght, 846: Of which ful blithe and glad was every wyght, 847: And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun, 848: By foreward and by composicioun, 849: As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo? 850: And whan this goode man saugh that it was so, 851: As he that wys was and obedient 852: To kepe his foreward by his free assent, 853: He seyde, syn I shal bigynne 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 ryden forth oure weye, 857: And he bigan with right a myrie cheere 858: His tale anon, and seyde as ye may heere.