RPO -- Geoffrey Chaucer : The General Prologue from the Hengwrt Manuscript of the Canterbury Tales

1Whan that Aueryll |with| his Shoures soote

2The droghte of March / hath |per|ced to the roote

3And bathed euery veyne in swich lycour

4Of which |ver|tu engendred is the flour

5Whan zephirus eek / |with| his sweete breeth

6In{s}pired hath in euery holt/ and heeth

7The tendre croppes / and the yonge sonne

8Hath in the Ram / his half cours yronne

9And sm[a]le foweles / maken melodye

10That sl[epen] al the nyght/ with open Iye

11So priketh hem nature / in hir corages

12Than[ne longen] folk/ to goon on pilgrymages

13And Palmere[s] for to seeken straunge strondes

14To ferne halwes / kouthe in sondry londes

15And specially / from euery shyres ende

16Of Engelond / to Caunterbury they wende

17The holy bli{s}ful martir / for to seke

18That hem hath holpen whan |þt| they weere seeke

19Bifel |þt| in that se{s}o|un| on a day

20In Southwerk/ at the Tabard / as .I. lay

21Redy to weenden / on my pilgrymage

22To [Ca]unterbury / with ful deuout corage

23At nyght/ was come / in to that ho{s}telrye

24Wel .xxix. in a compaignye

25Of sondry folk / by auenture yfalle

26In felawe{s}hipe / and pilgrymes weere they alle

27That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde

28The chambres and the stables / weeren wyde

29And wel we weeren e{s}ed / at the be{s}te

30And shortly whan the sonne was to re{s}te

31So hadde I spoken with hem euerichoon

32That I was of hir felawe{s}hipe anon

33And maade / erly for to ry{s}e

34To take oure wey / ther as .I. yow deuy{s}e

35¶But nathelees / while .I. haue tyme and space

36Er that I ferther / in this tale pace

37Me thynketh it/ acordant to re{s}o|un|

38To telle yow / al the condicio|un|

39Of eech of hem / so as it seemed me

40And whiche they weere / and of what degree

41And eek/ in what array / |þt| they weere Inne

42And at a knyght/ thanne wol I fir{s}t bigynne

Knyght/

43¶A knyght ther was / and that a worthy man

44That fro the tyme / |þt| he fir{s}t bigan

45To ryden out/ he loued chiualrye

46Trouthe and hon|our| / fredom and curtei{s}ye

47fful worthy was he / in his lordes werre

48And ther to hadde he ryden / no man ferre

49As wel in cri{s}tendom / as hethene{ss}e

50And euere honured / for his worthyne{ss}e

51¶At Ali{s}aundre he was / whan it was wonne

52fful ofte tyme / he hadde the bord bigonne

53Abouen alle nacions / in Pruce

54In lectow / hadde he rey{s}ed / and in Ruce

55No cri{s}ten man so ofte / of his degree

56In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be

57At Algizir / and ryden in Belmarye

58At lyeys was he / and at Satalye

59Whan they weere wonne / and in the grete See

60At many a noble armee / hadde he bee

61¶At mortal batailles / hadde he been fiftene

62And foghten for oure feyth / at Tramy{ss}ene

63In ly{s}tes thryes / and ay slayn his foo

64¶This ilke worthy knyght/ hadde been al{s}o

65Som tyme / with the lord of Palatye

66Agayn another hethen in Turkye

67And e|uer|e moore / he hadde a souereyn prys

68And thogh |þt| he weere worthy / he was wys

69And of his poort/. as meke / as is a mayde

70Ne neuere yet/ no vileynye he sayde

71In al his lyf/ vn to no manere wight

72He was a verray |per|fit/ gentil knyght/

73But for to tellen yow / of his array

74Hi{s}e hors weere goode / but he ne was nat gay

75Of ffu{s}tian / he wered a gypo|un|

76Al bi{s}motered / with his haubergeo|un|

77ffor he was laate / comen from his viage

78And wente / for to doon his pilgrymage

Squyer

79¶With hym / ther was his sone a yong/ Squyer

80A louere / and a lu{s}ty Bachiler

81With lokkes crulle / as they weere leyd in |pre|{ss}e

82Of .xx. yeer / he was of age I ge{ss}e

83Of his stature / he was of euene lengthe

84And wonderly delyuere / and of greet strengthe

85And he hadde been som tyme / in chiu[ac]hye

86In fflaundres / in Artoys / and Picardye

87And born hym wel / as in so litel space

88In hope / to stonden / in his lady grace

89¶Embrouded was he / as it weere a meede

90Al ful of fre{ss}he floures / white and reede

91Syngynge he was / or floytynge al the day

92He was as fre{ss}h / as is the Monthe of May

93Short was his gowne / with sleues / longe |&| wyde

94Wel koude he sitte on hors / and faire ryde

95He koude songes wel make / and endite

96Iu{s}te and eek daunce / and wel portreye and write

97So hoote he loued / that by nyghtertale

98He slepte namoore / than dooth a nyghtyngale

99Curteys he was / lowely / and seruy{s}able

100And carf biforn his fader / at the table

Yeman

101¶A yeman he hadde / and seruantz namo

102At that tyme / for hym li{s}te ryde so

103And he was clad / in coote and hood of greene

104A sheef of Pecok arwes / bright/ and keene

105Vnder his belt/ he bar ful thriftily

106Wel koude he dre{ss}e his takel yemanly

107His arwes drowped noght/ with fetheres lowe

108And in his hand / he bar a myghty bowe

109A not heed hadde he / with a broun vi{s}age

110Of wodecraft / koude he wel al the v{s}age

111Vp on his arm / he bar a gay bracer

112And by his syde / a swerd and a Bokeler

113And on that oother syde / a gay daggere

114Harney{s}ed wel / and sharp / as poynt/ of spere

115A |christ|ofre on his bre{s}t/ of siluer sheene

116An horn he bar / the bawdryk/ was of greene

117A ffor{s}ter was he / soothly as I ge{ss}e

Priore{ss}e.

118¶Ther was al{s}o / a Nonne a Priore{ss}e

119That of hir smylyng/ was ful symple and coy

120Hir grette{s}te ooth / was but by Seint Loy

121And she was clepyd / madame Eglentyne

122fful wel she soong/ the seruyce dyuyne

123Entuned in hir no{s}e / ful semely

124And fren{ss}h she spak / ful faire and feti{s}ly

125After the scole / of Stratford at the Bowe

126ffor fren{ss}h of Parys / was to hire vnknowe

127At mete / wel ytaught/ was she with alle

128She leet/ no mor{s}el / from hir lyppes falle

129Ne wette hir fyngres / in hir sauce deepe

130Wel koude she carye a mor{s}el / and wel keepe

131That no drope / fille vp on hir bri{s}t/

132In curtei{s}ye / was set muchel hir li{s}t/

133Hir ouer lyppe / wyped she so cleene

134That in hir coppe / ther was no ferthyng/ seene

135Of grece / whan she dronken hadde hir draghte

136fful semely / after hir mete she raghte

137And sikerly / she was of greet/ de{s}port/

138And ful ple{s}aunt/ and amyable of port/

139And peyned hire / to countrefete chiere

140Of Court/ and been e{s}tatlich of manere

141And to been holden / digne of re|uer|ence

142But for to speken / of hir con{s}cience

143She was so charitable / and so pitous

144She wolde{^}{{wepe}} / if |þt| she sawe a Mous

145Caught in a trappe / if it weere deed / or bledde

146Of smale houndes / hadde she / |þt| she fedde

147With ro{s}ted fle{ss}h / or mylk/ and wa{s}tel breed

148But soore wepte she / if oon of hem weere deed

149Or if men smoot/ it / with a yerde smerte

150And al was con{s}cience / and tendre herte

151fful semely / hir wympel pynched was

152Hir no{s}e tretez / hir eyen / greye as glas

153Hir mouth ful smal / and ther to / softe and reed

154But sikerly / she hadde a fair forheed

155It was almoo{s}t/ a spanne brood I trowe

156ffor hardily / she was nat vndergrowe

157fful fetys was hir cloke / as I was war

158Of smal Coral / aboute hir arm she bar

159A peyre of bedes / gauded al with greene

160And ther on heeng/ a brooch of gold ful sheene

161On which / was fir{s}t writen / a crowned .A.

162And after / Amor vincit/ omnia.

163¶Another Nonne / with hire hadde she

Nonne Chapeleyne

164That was hire Chapeleyne / and pree{s}tes thre

and thre pre{s}tes

Monk/

165¶A Monk ther was / a fair for the may{s}trye

166An outrydere / that/ louede venerye

167A manly man / to been an Abbot able

168fful many a deyntee hors / hadde he in stable

169And whanne he rood / men myghte his brydel heere

170Gyngle in a whi{s}tlynge wynd / as cleere

171And eek/ as loude / as dooth the Chapel belle

172There as this lord / is kepere of the Selle

173The rule of Seint Maure / or of Seint Beneyt/

174By cau{s}e |þt| it was oold / and som deel streyt/

175This ilke Monk/ leet oolde thynges pace

176And heeld / after the newe world the space

177He yaf noght of that text/ a pulled hen

178That seith / |þt| hunterys been none holy men

179Ne |þt| a Monk/. whan he is recchelees

180Is likned / til a fi{ss}h / |þt| is waterlees

181This is to seyn / a Monk/ out of his Cloy{s}tre

182But thilke text/ heeld he nat worth an Oy{s}tre

183And I seyde / his opynyon was good

184What sholde he studie / and make hym seluen wood

185Vp on a book/ in Cloy{s}tre alwey to poure

186Or swynke with his handes / and laboure

187As Au{s}tyn bit/. how shal the world be serued

188Lat Au{s}tyn haue his swynk/. to hym re{s}erued

189Ther fore / he was a pryka{s}our aryght/

190Grehoundes he hadde / as swift/ as fowel in flyght/

191Of prikyng/ and of huntyng/ for the haare

192Was al his lu{s}t/. for no co{s}t wolde he spaare

193I saugh his sleues / |pur|filed at the hond

194With grys / and that the fyne{s}te of a lond

195And for to fe{s}tne his hood / vnder his chyn

196He hadde / of gold / wroght a ful curious pyn

197A loue knotte / in the gretter ende ther was

198His heed was balled / that shoon as any glas

199And eek his face / as he hadde been enoynt/

200He was a lord ful fat/ and in good poynt/

201Hi{s}e eyen steepe / and rollynge in his heed

202That stemed / as a fourneys of a leed

203Hi{s}e bootes souple / his hors / in greet e{s}taat/

204Now certeynly / he was a fair |pre|lat/

205He was nat paale / as is a forpyned goo{s}t/

206A fat swan / loued he / be{s}t of any roo{s}t/

207His palfrey / was as broun as any berye

¶ffrere

208¶A frere ther was / a wantowne and a merye

209A lymytour / a ful solempne man

210In alle the ordres foure / is noon |þt| kan

211So muche of daliaunce / and fair langage

212He hadde maked / ful many a mariage

213Of yonge wommen / at his owene co{s}t/

214Vn to his ordre / he was a noble po{s}t/

215fful wel biloued / and famylier was hee

216With ffrankeleyns / ouer al in his contree

217And eek/ with worthy wommen / of the town

218ffor he hadde / power of confe{ss}ioun

219As seyde hym self / moore than a curaat/

220ffor of his ordre / he was licenciaat/

221fful swetely / herde he confe{ss}io|un|

222And ple{s}ant/. was his ab{s}olucio|un|

223He was an e{s}y man / to yeue penaunce

224Ther as he wi{s}te / to haue a good pitaunce

225ffor vn to a poure ordre / for to yeue

226Is signe / that a man / is wel y{s}hryue

227ffor if he yaf/ he dor{s}te make auaunt/

228He wi{s}te / |þt| a man was repentaunt/

229ffor many a man / so hard is of his herte

230He may nat weepe / thogh |þt| he soore smerte

231Ther fore / in {s}tede of wepynge / and preyeres

232Men moote yeue siluer / to the poure freres

233¶His typet/ was ay far{s}ed ful of knyues

234And pynnes / for to yeuen faire wyues

235And certeynly / he hadde a murye noote

236Wel koude he synge / and pleyen on a roote

237Of yeddynges / he bar outrely the prys

238His nekke whit was / as the flour delys

239Ther to he stroong/ was / as a Champioun

240He knew the tauernes wel in euery town

241And euery ho{s}tiler / and Tappe{s}tere

242Bet / than a lazer / or a begge{s}tere

243ffor vn to swich a worthy man / as he

244Acorded nat / as by his facultee

245To haue / with syke lazers aqueyntaunce

246It is nat hone{s}te / it may noght auaunce

247ffor to deelen / with no swich poraille

248But al with riche / and sellerys of vitaille

249And ouer al / ther as |pro|fit sholde ary{s}e

250Curteys he was / and lowely of seruy{s}e

251Ther was no man / nowheer / {s}o |ver|tuous

252He was the be{s}te beggere / of his hous

253And yaf a |cer|teyn ferme / for the graunt/

254Noon of his bretheren / cam ther in his haunt/

255ffor thogh a wydwe / hadde noght/ a sho

256So ple{s}ant/ was his In principio

257Yet wolde he haue a ferthyng/ er he wente

258His purchaas / was wel bettre than his rente

259And rage he koude / as it weere right a whelp

260In louedayes / koude he muchel help

261ffor there / he was nat lyk/ a Cloy{s}trer

262With a threedbare cope / as is a poure scoler

263But he was lyk a mai{s}ter / or a Pope

264Of double wor{s}tede / was his semycope

265And rounded as a belle / out of the pre{ss}e

266Somwhat he lyp{s}ed / for his wantowne{ss}e

267To make his engly{ss}h / sweete vp on his tonge

268And in his harpyng/ whan |þt| he hadde songe

269hi{s}e eyen twynkled / in his heed aryght/

270As doon the {s}terres / in the fro{s}ty nyght/

271This worthy lymytour / was cleped huberd

March|an|t

272¶A Marchant was ther / with a forked berd

273In Motlee / and hye on hors he sat/

274Vp on his heed / a fflaundry{ss}h Be|uer|e hat/

275his bootes cla{s}ped / faire and feti{s}ly

276Hi{s}e re{s}ons / he spak ful solempnely

277Sownyng/ alwey / thencrees of his wynnyng/

278He woolde / the see weere kept/ for any thyng/

279Bitwixen Myddelburgh / and Orewelle

280Wel koude he / in e{s}chaunge / sheeldes selle

281This worthy man / ful wel his wit bi{s}ette

282Ther wi{s}te no wight/. that he was in dette

283So e{s}taatly was he / of his go|uer|naunce

284With his bargaynes / and |with| his cheuy{s}aunce

285ffor soothe / he was a worthy man with alle

286But sooth to seyn / I noot how men hym calle

¶Clerc/ of Oxenford

287¶A Clerc/ ther was / of Oxenford al{s}o

288That vn to logyk/. hadde longe ygo

289As leene was his hors / as is a rake

290And he was noght right fat/ I vndertake

291But looked holwe / and ther to sobrely

292fful threedbaare / was his o|uer|e{s}te Courtepy

293ffor he hadde / geten hym yet/ no benefice

294Ne was {s}o worldly / for to haue office

295ffor hym was leuere / haue at his beddes heed

296Twenty bookes / clad / in blak / or reed

297Of Ari{s}totle / and his Philo{s}ophye

298Than robes riche / or ffithele / or gay Sautrye

299But al be / that he was a Philo{s}ophre

300Yet hadde he / but litel gold in Cofre

301But al that he myghte / of his frendes hente

302On bookes / and on lernynge / he it spente

303And bi{s}ily / gan for the soules preye

304Of hem / that yaf hym / wher with to scoleye

305Of studye / took he moo{s}t cure and moo{s}t heede

306Noght oo word spak/ he / moore than was neede

307And that was spoke / in forme / and reuerence

308And short/ and quyk/ and ful of heigh sentence

309Sownynge in moral |ver|tu / was his speche

310And gladly wolde he lerne / and gladly teche

¶Sergeaunt of Lawe

311¶A Sergeaunt of lawe / waar / and wys

312That often / hadde been at the Parvys

313Ther was al{s}o /ful ryche of excellence

314Di{s}creet he was / and of greet re|uer|ence

315He {s}eemed swich / hi{s}e wordes weeren {s}o wy{s}e

316Iu{s}tice he was / ful often in A{ss}i{s}e

317By patente / and by pleyn c|om|mi{ss}io|un|

318ffor his science / and for his heigh reno|un|

319Of fees and robes / hadde he many oon

320So greet a purcha{s}our / was nowher noon

321Al was fee symple / to hym / in effect/

322His purcha{s}yng/ myghte nat been infect/

323Nowher {s}o bi{s}y a man as he / ther nas

324And yet he {s}eemed / bi{s}yer than he was

325In |ter|mes / hadde he caas / and doomes alle

326That from tyme of kyng william / weere falle

327Ther to / he koude endite / and make a thyng/

328Ther koude no wight/ pynchen at his writyng/

329And euery statut/. koude he pleyn by roote

330He rood but hoomly / in a medlee coote

331Girt with a ceynt of sylk/. with barres smale

332Of his array / telle I no lenger tale

¶ff|ran|keleyn

333A ffrankeleyn / was in his compaignye

334Whit was his berd / as is the daye{s}ye

335Of his complexcion / he was sangwyn

336Wel loued he by the morwe / a sop in wyn

337To lyuen in delyt/ was euere his wone

338ffor he was / Epicurus owene sone

339That heeld opynyo|un| / |þt| pleyn delit

340Was verray / felicitee parfit/

341An hou{s}holdere / and that a greet was hee

342Seint Iulyan he was / in his contree

343His breed / his ale / was alweys after oon

344A bettre envyned man / was neuere noon

345With outen bake mete / was neuere his hous

346Of fre{ss}h fi{ss}h / and fle{ss}h / and that so plentevous

347It snewed in his hous / of mete and drynke

348Of alle deyntees / |þt| men koude bithynke

349After / the sondry se{s}ons / of the yeer

350So chaunged he / his mete / and his soper

351fful many a fat partrych / hadde he in Muwe

352And many a breem / and many a luce in Stuwe

353Wo was his Cook/ / but if his sauce weere

354Poynaunt/ and sharp / and redy al his geere

355Hys table dormaunt/ in his halle alway

356Stood redy couered / al the longe day

357At Se{ss}ions / ther was he / lord and Sire

358fful ofte tyme / he was knyght of the Shire

359An Anlaas / and a Gip{s}er / al of Sylk/

360Heeng/ at his girdel / whit as morne mylk/

361A shirreue hadde he been / and Countour

362Was nowheer / swich a worthy vaua{s}our

Haberda{ss}he|re|

363¶An haberda{ss}here / and a Carpenter

Carpenter

364A Webbe / a Dyere / and a Tapycer

Webbe

365And they weere clothed alle / in oo ly|uer|ee

Dyere

366Of a solempne / and a greet fra|ter|nytee

Tapycer

367fful fre{ss}h and newe / hir geere apyked was

368Hir knyues weere chaped / noght with bras

369But al with siluer / wroght ful cleene and wel

370Hir girdles / and hir pouches / euerydel

371Wel {s}eemed eech of hem / a fair Burgeys

372To sitten in a yeldehalle / on a deys

373Euerych / for the wi{s}dom / |þt| he kan

374Was shaply / for to been an Alderman

375ffor catel / hadde they ynogh / and rente

376And eek hir wyues / wolde it wel a{ss}ente

377And ellis certeyn / they weere to blame

378It is ful fair / to been yclepyd madame

379And goon to vigilies / al bifore

380And haue a Mantel / realliche ybore

Cook/

381¶A Cook they hadde with hem / for the nones

382To boille the chiknes / with the Marybones

383And poudre marchaunt/. tart/ and / Galyngale

384Wel koude he knowe / a draghte of london ale

385He koude roo{s}te / and seethe / and broille / |&| frye

386Maken Mortreux / and wel bake a pye

387But greet harm was it / as it thoughte me

388That on his Shyne / a Mormal hadde he

389ffor Blankmanger / that maade he with the be{s}te

Shipman

390¶A Shipman was ther / wonyng fer by we{s}te

391ffor aught I woot/ he was of Dertemouthe

392He rood vp on a Rouncy / as he kouthe

393In a gowne of faldyng/ to the knee

394A daggere hangynge on a laas / hadde he

395Aboute his nekke / vnder his arm adown

396The hoote Somer / hadde maad his hewe al brown

397And certeynly / he was a good felawe

398fful many a draghte of wyn / hadde he drawe

399ffro Burdeuxward/ whil |þt| the Chapman sleep

400Of nyce con{s}cience / took he no keep

401If |þt| he faught/ and hadde the hyer hond

402By watre he sente hem hoom / to euery lond

403But of his craft/ to rekene wel his tydes

404His stremys / and his daungers hym bi{s}ydes

405His {^}{{herberwe}} and his moone / his lodmenage

406Ther was noon swich / from hull to Cartage

407Hardy he was / and wys to vndertake

408With many a tempe{s}t/ hadde his beerd been shake

409He knew alle the hauenes / as they weere

410ffro Gootlond / to the cape of ffyny{s}teere

411And euery cryke / in Britaigne / and in Spaigne

412His barge / yclepyd was the Mawdelayne

Doct|our| of

413¶With vs / ther was / a Doctour of Phi{s}yk/

Phi{s}yk/.

414In al this world / ne was ther noon hym lyk/

415To speken of Phi{s}yk/ and of Surgerye

416ffor he was grounded / in A{s}tronomye

417He kepte his pacient/ a ful greet deel

418In houres / by his magyk natureel

419Wel koude he fortunen / the a{s}cendent/

420Of hi{s}e ymages / for his pacient/

421He knew the cau{s}e / of euery maladye

422Weere it/ of hoot/ or coold / or moy{s}te / or drye

423And where it engendred / and of what humour

424He was a verray / |per|fit practi{s}our

425The cau{s}e yknowe / and of his harm the roote

426Anoon he yaf / the sike man his boote

427¶fful redy hadde he / hi{s}e Apothecaryes

428To senden hym / his drogges / and his letuaryes

429ffor eech of hem / maade oother for to wynne

430Hir frend{s}hipe / was noght newe to bigynne

431Wel knew he / the oolde E{s}culapyus

432And Di{s}corides / and eek/ Ru{s}us

433Olde ypocras / Haly / and Galyen

434Serapion / Razis / and Avycen

435Auerroys / Dama{s}cien / and Con{s}tantyn

436Bernard / and Gate{s}den / and Gilbertyn

437Of his diete / me[a]{s}urable was hee

438ffor it was / of no su|per|fluytee

439But of greet nori{ss}ynge / and dige{s}tible

440His studye / was but litel on the Bible

441In sangwyn and in Pers / he clad was al

442Lyned with Taffata / and with Sendal

443And yet he was / but e{s}y of di{s}pence

444He kepte / |þt| he wan in pe{s}tilence

445ffor gold in Phi{s}yk/. is a Cordial

446Therfore / he loued gold in special

The goode Wyf

447¶A good wyf was ther / of bi{s}yde Bathe

of bi{s}yde Bathe

448But she was somdel deef/ and that was scathe

449Of clooth makynge / she hadde swich an haunt/

450She pa{ss}ed hem / of Ipres / and of Gaunt/

451In al the pary{ss}he / wyf ne was ther noon

452That to the offrynge / bifore hire sholde goon

453And if ther dide / certeyn / {s}o wrooth was shee

454That she was / out of alle charitee

455Hir Co|uer|chiefes / ful fyne weere of grownd

456I dor{s}te swere / they weyeden. ten pownd

457That on a Sonday / weeren vp on hir heed

458Hir ho{s}en weeren / of fyn scarlet reed

459fful streyte yteyd / and shoes / ful moy{s}te |&| newe

460Boold was hir face / and fair and reed of hewe

461She was a worthy woman / al hir lyue

462Hou{s}bondes at chirche dore / she hadde fyue

463With outen oother compaignye / in yowthe

464But ther of / nedeth noght/ to speke as nowthe

465And thries / hadde she been at Ieru{s}alem

466She hadde pa{ss}ed / many a straunge strem

467At Rome she hadde been / and at Boloyne

468In Galyce at Seint Iame / and at Coloyne

469She koude muchel / of wandrynge by the weye

470Gattothed was she / soothly for to seye

471Vp on an Amblere / e{s}ily she sat/

472Ywympled wel / and on hir heed an hat/

473As brood as is / a Bokeler / or a Targe

474A foot mantel / aboute hir hypes large

475And on hir feet/ a peyre of spores sharpe

476In felawe{s}hipe / wel koude she laughe.[ ] and carpe

477Of remedies of loue / she knew |per| chaunce

478ffor she koude of that art/ the olde daunce

[Per{s}o]|un| of a town

479¶A good man / was ther / of Religioun

480And was a poure |per|{s}on / of a toun

481But riche he was / of holy thoght and werk/

482He was al{s}o / a lerned man a Clerk/

483That Cri{s}tes go{s}pel / trewely wolde |pre|che

484His pari{ss}hens / deuoutly wolde he teche

485Benygne he was / and wonder diligent

486And in aduer{s}itee / ful pacient/

487And swich he was proeued / ofte sythes

488fful looth weere hym / to cur{s}en for his tythes

489But rather wolde he yeuen / out of doute

490Vn to his poure pari{ss}hens aboute

491Of his offrynge / and eek/ of his sub{s}taunce

492He koude / in litel thyng/ haue suffi{s}aunce

493Wyd was his pari{ss}he / and hou{s}es fer a {s}onder

494But he ne lafte noght/ for reyn ne thonder

495In sikne{ss}e / nor in me{s}chief/ to vi{s}ite

496The ferre{s}te in his pari{ss}he / muche and lyte

497Vp on his feet/ and in his hond a staf/

498This noble en{s}ample / to his sheep he yaf/

499That fir{s}t he wroghte / and afterward he taughte

500Out of the go{s}pel / he tho wordes caughte

501And this figure / he added eek ther to

502That if gold ru{s}te / what sholde Iren do

503ffor if a pree{s}t be foul / in whom we tru{s}te

504No wonder is / a lewed man to ru{s}te

505And shame it is / if a pree{s}t take keep

506A shiten Shepherde / and a clene sheep

507Wel oghte a pree{s}t/ en{s}ample for to yiue

508By his clenne{ss}e / how |þt| his sheep sholde lyue

509He sette noght/. his benefice to hyre

510And leet his sheep / encombred in the Myre

511And ran to Londo|un| / vn to Seint Poules

512To seeken hym / a Chauntrye for soules

513Or with a breetherede / to been withhoolde

514But dwelte at hoom / and kepte wel his foolde

515So |þt| the wolf/ ne maade it noght/ my{s}carye

516He was a sheepherde / and noght a Mercenarye

517And thogh he hooly weere / and vertuous

518He was noght/ to synful men de{s}pitous

519Ne of his speche / daungerous / ne digne

520But in his techyng/ di{s}creet/ and benygne

521To drawen folk/ to heuene / |with| fairne{ss}e

522By good en{s}ample / this was his bi{s}yne{ss}e

523But it weere / any |per|{s}one ob{s}tynaat/

524What so he weere / of heigh / or lowe e{s}taat/

525Hym wolde he snybben / sharply for the nonys

526A bettre pree{s}t/ I trowe ther nowher noon ys

527He wayted / after no pomp / and reuerence

528Ne maked hym / a spyced con{s}cience

529But Cri{s}tes loore / and hi{s}e Apo{s}tles twelue

530He taughte / but fir{s}t/ he folwed it hym selue

Plowman

531¶With hym ther was a Plowman / was his broother

532That hadde ylad of donge / ful many a ffoother

533A trewe swynkere / and a good was he

534Lyuynge in pees / and |per|fit charitee

535God loued he be{s}t/ with al his hoole herte

536At alle tymes / thogh hym gamed / or smerte

537And thanne his Neighebore / right as hym selue

538He wolde thre{ss}he / and ther to / dyke and delue

539ffor Cri{s}tes sake / for euery poure wight/

540With outen hyre / if it laye in his myght/

541His tythes payde he / ful faire and wel

542Bothe of his |prop|re swynk/ and his catel

543In a Tabard he rood / vp on a Mere

544Ther was al{s}o / a Reue / and a Millere

545A Somonour / and a Pardoner al{s}o

546A Maunciple / and my self/ ther weere namo

Millere

547¶The Millere / was a stout carl / for the nones

548fful byg/ he was / of brawen / and eek of bones

549That proeued wel / for ouer al ther he cam

550At wra{s}tlynge / he wolde haue alwey the Ram

551He was short shuldred / brood / a thikke knarre

552Ther was no dore / that he noolde heue of harre

553Or breke it at a rennynge / with his heed

554His beerd / as any sowe / or fox / was reed

555And ther to brood / as thogh it weere a spaade

556Vp on the cop right of his no{s}e he haade

557A werte / and ther on stood / a tuft/ of heerys

558Reede / as the bri{s}tles / of a Sowes eerys

559Hi{s}e no{s}ethirles / blake weere and wyde

560A swerd and a bokeler / baar he by his syde

561His mouth as greet was / as a greet fourneys

562He was a Ianglere / a Golyardeys

563And that was moo{s}t/ of synne and harlotryes

564Wel koude he stelen corn / and tollen thryes

565And yet he hadde / a thombe of gold |per|dee

566A whit coote / and a blew hood wered hee

567A Baggepipe / wel koude he / blowe and sowne

568And ther with al / he broghte vs out of towne

[M]aunciple

569¶A gentil Maunciple / was ther / of a Temple

570Of which / Achatours myghte take exemple

571ffor to been wy{s}e / in byynge of vitaille

572ffor wheither |þt| he payde / or took by taille

573Algate / he wayted so / in his achaat/

574That he was ay biforn / and in good staat/

575¶Now is nat that of god / a ful greet grace

576That swich a lewed mannes wit/ shal pace

577The wy{s}dom / of a heep of lerned men

578Of Mai{s}tres hadde he mo / than thryes ten

579That weeren / of lawe / expert/ and curious

580Of whiche / ther weere a dozeyne / in that hous

581Worthy / to been Stywardes / of rente / and lond

582Of any lord / that is in Engelond

583To make hym lyue / by his |prop|re good

584In honour dettelees / but if he weere wood

585Or lyue as scar{s}ly / as hym ly{s}t de{s}ire

586And able / for to helpen / al a Shire

587In any caas / that myghte falle / or happe

588And yet this Maunciple / sette hir aller cappe

Reue

589¶The Reue / was a sclendre coleryk/ man

590His beerd was shaue / as neigh as euer he kan

591His heer was by his eerys / ful rownd y{s}horn

592His top was dokked / lyk/ a pree{s}t byforn

593fful longe weere hi{s}e legges / and ful leene

594Ylik a staf / . ther / was no calf y{s}eene

595Wel koude he keepe / a Gerner and a Bynne

596Ther was noon Auditour / koude on hym wynne

597Wel wi{s}te he / by the droghte and by the reyn

598The yeldynge / of his seed / and of his greyn

599His lordes sheep / his neet / his dayerye

600His swyn / his hors / his Stoor / and his pultrye

601Was hoolly / in this Reues go|uer|nynge

602And by his couenant/. yaf the rekenynge

603Syn that his loord / was twenty yeer of age

604Ther koude no man / brynge hym in arrerage

605Ther nas Baillyf/. hierde / nor oother hyne

606That he ne knew / his sleyghte / and his couyne

607They weere adrad of hym / as of the deeth

608His wonyng/ was ful faire vp on an heeth

609With greene trees / shadwed was his place

610He koude bettre / than his lord purchace

611fful riche / he was a{s}toored pryuely

612His lord / wel koude he ple{s}en subtilly

613To yeue / and leene hym / of his owene good

614And haue a thank/. and yet a coote and hood

615In youthe / he lerned hadde / a good Mi{s}ter

616He was a wel good wrighte / a Carpenter

617This Reue sat/ vp on a wel good Stot/

618That was a Pomely gray / and highte Scot/

619A long Surcote of Pers / vp on he haade

620And by his syde / he baar a ru{s}ty blaade

621Of Northfolk was this Reue / of which I telle

622Bi{s}yde a town / men clepyn Balde{s}welle

623Tukked he was / as is a ffrere aboute

624And euere he rood / the hyndre{s}te of oure route

Somonour

625¶A Somonour/ was ther was with vs / in that place

626That hadde / a fyr reed Cherubynnes face

627ffor Sawceflewm he was / with eyen{`,}narwe

628And hoot he was / and lecherous as a Sparwe

629With scaled browes blake / and pyled berd

630Of his vi{s}age / children weere aferd

631Ther nas quyk/ siluer / lytarge / ne Brym{s}toon

632Borace / Ceruce / ne Oille of Tartre noon

633Ne oynement/. that wolde clen{s}e and byte

634That hym myghte helpen / of his whelkes whyte

635Nor of the knobbes / sittynge on his chekes

636Wel loued he garlek/ oynons and eek lekes

637And for to drynke strong wyn / reed as blood

638Thanne wolde he speke / and crye as he were wood

639A fewe |ter|mes hadde he / two / or thre

640That he hadde lerned / out of som decree

641No wonder is / he herde it al the day

642And eek ye knowe wel / how |þt| a Iay

643Kan clepen watte / as wel as kan the Pope

644But who {s}o koude / in oother thyng hym grope

645Thanne hadde he spent/ al his philo{s}ophie

646Ay / Que{s}tio quid iuris / wolde he crye

647¶He was a gentil harlot/ and a kynde

648A bettre felawe / sholde men noght fynde

649He wolde suffre / for a quart/ of wyn

650A good felawe / to haue his concubyn

651A twelf monthe / and excu{s}en hym at the fulle

652fful pryuely / a fynch eek koude he pulle

653And if he foond owher / a good felawe

654He wolde techen hym / to haue noon awe

655In swich caas / of the Ercedeknes curs

656But if a mannes soule / were in his purs

657ffor in his purs / he sholde ypuny{ss}hed be

658Purs is the Ercedeknes helle / seyde he

659¶But wel I woot / he lyed right in dede

660Of cur{s}yng/ oghte ech gilty man drede

661ffor curs wol sle / right as a{ss}oillyng/ sauyth

662And al{s}o / war hym of a Significauit/

663¶In daunger hadde he / at his owene gy{s}e

664The yonge gerles / of the dioci{s}e

665And knew hir con{s}eil / and was al hir reed

666A gerland / hadde he set/ vp on his heed

667As greet/. as it were / for an Ale stake

668A bokeler / hadde he maad hym of a cake

Pardoner

669¶With hym ther rood / a gentil Pardoner

670Of Rouncyual / his freend / and his comper

671That streight was comen / fro the Court of Rome

672fful loude he {s}oong/ com hyder loue to me

673This Somon|our| baar to hym / a styf burdoun

674Was ne|uer|e trompe / of half {s}o greet a soun

675¶This |per|doner / hadde heer / as yelow as wex

676But smothe it heeng/ as dooth a stryke of flex

677By ounces / henge his lokkes |þt| he hadde

678And ther with / he his shuldres ouer{s}pradde

679But thynne it lay / by colpons oon and oon

680But hood for Iolitee / wered he noon

681ffor it was tru{ss}ed vp / in his walet/

682Hym thoughte / he rood al of the newe Iet/

683Di{s}cheuellee saue his cappe / he rood al bare

684Swiche glarynge eyen / hadde he as an hare

685A vernycle / hadde he sowed / vp on his cappe

686His walet/ biforn hym / in his lappe

687Bretful of pardo|un| / comen from Rome al hoot/

688A voys he hadde / as smal / as hath a Goot/

689No berd hadde he / ne neuere sholde haue

690As smothe it was / as it were late y{s}haue

691I trowe he were a geldyng/ or a Mare

692But of his craft/. fro Berwyk in to Ware

693Ne was ther / swich another Pardoner

694ffor in his Male / he hadde a pilwe beer

695Which |þt| he seyde / was oure lady veyl

696He seyde he hadde / a gobet of the seyl

697That Seint Peter hadde / whan |þt| he wente

698Vp on the See / til |Iesu| Cri{s}t hym hente

699He hadde a cros of lato|un| / ful of stones

700And in a glas / he hadde pigges bones

701But with thi{s}e relykes / whan |þt| he foond

702A poure |per|{s}on / dwellyng vp on lond

703Vp on a day / he gat hym moore moneye

704Than |þt| the |per|{s}o|un| gat/ in Monthes tweye

705And thus / with feyned flaterye and Iapes

706He made the |per|{s}on / and the peple his apes

707But trewely / to tellen at the la{s}te

708He was in chirche / a noble Eccle{s}ia{s}te

709Wel koude he / rede a le{ss}on / and a Storie

710But alderbe{s}t/ he {s}oong an Offertorie

711ffor wel he wi{s}te / whan |þt| soong was songe

712He mo{s}te |pre|che / and wel affyle his tonge

713To wynne siluer / as he ful wel koude

714Ther fore he soong/ the muryerly and loude

715¶Now haue I toold yow / soothly in a clau{s}e

716The{s}taat / tharray / the nombre / and eek the cau{s}e

717Why |þt| a{ss}embled was this compaignye

718In Southwerk/. at this gentil ho{s}telrye

719That highte the tabard / fa{s}te by the belle

720But now is tyme / to yow for to telle

721How |þt| we baren vs / that ilke nyght/

722Whan we weere / in that ho{s}telrye alyght/

723And after wol I telle / of oure viage

724And al the remenant/ of oure pilgrymage

725¶But fir{s}t I pray yow / of youre curtei{s}ye

726That ye narette it / noght my vileynye

727Though |þt| I pleynly speke / in this matere

728To telle yow / hir wordes / and hir cheere

729Ne thogh I speke / hir wordes |prop|rely

730ffor this ye knowen / al{s}o wel as I

731Who so shal telle a tale / after a man

732He moot reherce / as neigh as e|uer|e he kan

733Euerich a word / if it be in his charge

734Al speke he / neuer {s}o rudeliche and large

735Or ellis / he moot telle his tale vntrewe

736Or feyne thyng/ or fynde wordes newe

737He may noght spare / al thogh he weere his brother

738He moot as wel / seye o word / as another

739Cri{s}t spak hym self/ ful brode in holy writ /

740And wel ye woot/ no vileynye is it

741Ek Plato seith / who so kan hym rede

742The wordes / mote be co{s}yn / to the dede

743¶Al{s}o I pray yow / to foryeue it me

744Al haue I nat set folk / in hir degree

745Here in this tale / as |þt| they sholde stonde

746My wit is short/ ye may wel vnder{s}tonde

747¶Greet cheere / made oure hoo{s}t vs euerichon

748And to the souper / sette he vs anon

749He serued vs / with vitaille / at the be{s}te

750Strong was the wyn / and wel to drynke vs le{s}te

751A semely man / oure hoo{s}t was with alle

752ffor to been / a Marchal in an halle

753A large man he was / with eyen stepe

754A fairer burgeys / was ther noon in Chepe

755Boold of his speche / and wys / and wel ytaught/

756And of manhode / hym lakked right naught/

757Eke ther to / he was right a murye man

758And after souper / pleyen he bigan

759And spak of murthe / amonges othere thynges

760Whan |þt| we hadde maad oure rekenynges

761And seyde thus / now lordes trewely

762Ye been to me / right wel come hertely

763ffor by my trouthe / if |þt| I shal nat lye

764I seigh noght this yeer / so murye a compaignye

765Atones in this herberwe / as is now

766ffayn wolde I doon yow myrthe / wi{s}te I how

767And of a myrthe / I am right now bithoght/

768To doon yow e{s}e / and it shal co{s}te noght/

769¶Ye goon to Caun|ter|bury / god yow spede

770The bli{s}ful Martir / quyte yow youre mede

771And wel I woot / as ye goon by the weye

772Ye shapen yow / to talen and to pleye

773ffor trewely / confort / ne murthe is noon

774To ryde by the weye / domb as stoon

775And ther fore / wol I maken yow de{s}port/

776As I seyde er{s}t/ and doon yow {s}om confort/

777And if yow liketh alle / by oon a{ss}ent/

778ffor to stonden / at my Iuggement/

779And for to werken / as I shal yow seye

780Tomorwe / whan ye ryden by the weye

781Now by my fader soule / |þt| is deed

782But ye be murye / I wol yeue yow myn heed

783Hoold vp youre hondes / with outen moore speche

784¶Oure con{s}eil / was nat longe for to seche

785Vs thoughte / it was nat worth / to make it wys

786And graunted hym / with outen moore avys

787And bade hym seye / his voirdit/ as hym le{s}te

788¶Lordynges quod he / now herkneth for the be{s}te

789But taketh it noght/ I pray yow in de{s}deyn

790This is the poynt/ to speken short and pleyn

791That ech of yow / to shorte with oure weye

792In this viage / shal tellen tales tweye

793To Caunterburyward / I mene it so

794And homward / he shal tellen othere two

795Of auentures / |þt| whilom haue bifalle

796And which of yow / |þt| bereth hym be{s}t of alle

797That is to seyn / that telleth in this cas

798Tales of be{s}t sentence / and moo{s}t solas

799Shal haue a Souper / at oure aller co{s}t /

800Here in this place / sittynge by this po{s}t/

801Whan that we come agayn / fro Caun|ter|bury

802And for to make yow / the moore mury

803I wol my self/ goodly wit yow ryde

804Right at myn owene co{s}t/ and be you|re| gyde

805And who so wole / my Iuggement with {s}eye

806Shal paye / al that we spende by the weye

807And if ye vouche sauf / |þt| it be so

808Tel me anoon / with outen wordes mo

809And I wol erly / shape me ther fore

810¶This thyng was graunted / and oure othes swore

811With ful glad herte / and preyden hym al{s}o

812That he wolde vouche sauf / for to do so

813And that he wolde been / oure go|uer|nour

814And of oure tales / Iuge and reportour

815And sette a Souper / at a certeyn prys

816And we wol ruled been / at his deuys

817In heigh and logh / and thus by oon a{ss}ent/

818We been acorded / to his Iuggement/

819And ther vp on / the wyn was fet anoon

820We dronken / and to re{s}te wente echo|n_|

821With outen / any lenger taryynge

822¶A morwe / whan |þt| day bigan to sprynge

823Vp roos oure hoo{s}t/ and was oure aller cok/

824And gadred vs / togydres in a flok/

825And forth we ryden /a litel moore than pas

826Vn to the wateryng/ of Seint Thomas

827And there oure hoo{s}t / bigan his hors are{s}te

828And seyde / lordes / herkneth if yow le{s}te

829¶Ye woot youre forward / and it yow recorde

830If euen{s}ong / and morwe{s}ong/ acorde

831Lat se now / who shal telle the fir{s}te tale

832As euere mote I drynke wyn / or Ale

833Who {s}o be rebel / to my Iuggement/

834Shal paye / for al / that by the wey is spent

835Now draweth cut/ er |þt| we ferrer twynne

836He which |þt| hath the shorte{s}te / shal bigynne

837¶Sire knyght quod he / my may{s}ter and my lord

838Now draweth cut/ for that is myn acord

839Cometh neer quod he / my lady Priore{ss}e

840And ye sire Clerc/. lat be youre shamefa{s}tne{ss}e

841Ne studieth noght/ ley hond to / euery man

842¶Anoon to drawen / euery wight bigan

843And shortly / for to tellen / as it was

844Were it by auenture / or sort/ or cas

845The sothe is this / the Cut fil to the knyght/

846Of which ful blithe and glad was euery wight/

847And telle he mo{s}te his tale / as was re{s}oun

848By forward / and by compo{s}icio|un|

849As ye han herd / what nedeth wordes mo

850And whan this goode man / saugh |þt| it was {s}o

851As he / |þt| wys was / and obedient/

852To kepe his forward / by his free a{ss}ent/

853He seyde / syn I shal bigynne the game

854What wel come be the Cut/ in goddes name

855Now lat vs ryde / and herkneth what I seye

856And with that word / we ryden forth oure weye

857And he bigan / with right a murye cheere

858His tale anoon / and seyde as ye may heere

Geoffrey Chaucer (ca. 1343-1400)

The General Prologue from the Hengwrt Manuscript of the Canterbury Tales