Ad3 · London, British Library, Additional MS 35286
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Ad3/
[3r]
But sykerly she hadde a faire forheed.
It was almost a spanne brod y trowe
For hardily she was noght vndergrow.
Ful fetis was hir cloke as y was ware
Of smale coral aboute hir arme she bare.
A payre of bedys with gaudees al of grene.
There on henge a broche of golde ful shene
On wych ther was first wryten a crowned .a.
And aftyrward. amor vincit omnia.
A nother nonne wyth hir had she
That was hir chapeleyne and preestes. thre
A monke ther was a faire for the maistrye
An out ryder that loued wel venerye.
A manly man to ben an abbot able.
Ful many a deynte hors he had in stable.
And when he rode men myght his brydell here
Gynglyng in a whistelyng wynd so clere.
And eke as lowde as doth a chapel belle
Ther as the lorde was keper of the Selle.
The rewele of seint Maure othir of seint Beneyt
By cause that hit was olde and somdele streyt.
This ilke monke let olde thinges pace.
And heelde aftyr the newe word the space
He yaf not of the tixte a pulled hen
That seith that hunters be noght holy men
Ne that a monke whan he is recheles
Is likned to a fysh that ys waterles.
This is to sey a monke out of his cloyster
But thilke tixt holt he not worth an oyster
And I. seyde his oppinioıı̄un was good
What sholde he studie and make hym selfe wode
Vppon a. boke alwey in cloystre to poure
Or swynke wyth his hondes or laboure.
As austyn but how shal the worlde be serued
Let austyn have his swynke to hym reserued
Ther fore he was a pꝰercasour aryght
Grehoundes he hadde as swyft as fowle in flyght
Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare
Was al his luste for no coste wolde he spare
I sawe his sleves purfiled atte the hand
Wyth grys and that the finest of a land
And for to festen his hood vndyr his chyn.
He had of gold wroght a curious pyn.
A loue knotte in the gretter ende ther was
His heed was balled that shoone as any glas.
And eke his face as · he had ben ennoynt
He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt
His eyen stepe Rollyng in his heed
That stemed as a · forneys of a leed.
His botes souple his hors in grete state
Now certeynly he was a. faire p̉erlate.
He was not pale as is a forpyned goost
A fatte swanne loued he best of any roost
His palfray was as broun as is a bery
A Frere ther was a wanton and amery
A lymytour͗ and a ful solempne man
In al the ordres four͗ ys noon that can.
So myche of daliance and faire langage
He hath made many a faire mariage.
Of ȝonge wemen at his owne cost
Vntil. his ordre he is a noble post
Ful wel beloued and famulier was. he.
Wyth frankeleynes oủeral in his contre.
And eke wyth worthi women of the tou͒n
For he had power of confessioıı̄un
As seide hym selfe more than a curat
For of his ordere he was licenciat ·
Ful swetly herd he confessioıı̄un
And plesant was his absolucyoıı̄un
He was an esy man to yeue penaunce
Ther as he wiste to han a good pytaunce .
For vn to a poore ordre for to yeue
Is sygne that a man is wel I · shryue
For yf he yaf he durste make auaunt
He wist that a man was repentaunt
For many a man so herd is of · his hert
He may not wepe al theigh he sore smert .
Ther fore in stede of wepyng and of prayers
Men mote ȝeue siluer vn to pore freres .
His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves .
Fro burdeux ward whiles the Merchant sleep
Of nyce conscience took he no keep
If that he faught and had the herre hond
By water he sent hem home to eủery lond
But of his crafte to rykene wel his tydes
His streemes and his daungers him bisides
His herberw and his monee and his lodmenage
Ther nas noon suche fro hull to cartage
Hardy he was and wys to vndertake
Wyth many a tempeste had his berd ben shake
He knewe alle the hauenes as thei were
Fro Scotlond vn to the Cape of Fenestere
And eủery crike in Bretaigne and in spayne
His barge it was y clepid the magdalayne.
Wyth vs ther was a doctour of phisik
In alle the world ne was ther noon him lyke
To speken of his phisik and of surgerye
For he was grounded in astronomye ·
He kept his pacience a ful gret del
In houres by his magik naturel.
Wel coude he fortune the ascendent
Of his ymage for his paciente
He knew the cause of eủery maladye
Were it of hoot or cold moist or drye.
And where it engendryth and of what humour
He was a verrey parfytee practisour
The cause he knew and of his harme the roote
Anon he yaf the seke man his boote
Ful redy had he his apotecaries
To sende him drages and his letuaries
For eche of hem made other for to wynne
Here frenship was noght newe to begynne
Wel knewe he the olde Esculapius
And diascorides and eke Ruphus
Olde ypocras haly and Galyen
Serapioıı̄un Rasy and auysen.
Aueroys damastyen and constantyn
Bernard Gatisdeyıı̄un and gilbertyn.
Of his diete mesurable was he
For hit was of no suꝑperfluite.
But of gret norisshing and digestible
His stody nas but litel on the bible.
In Sangwyn and in pers y clad was he al
Lyned wyth taffata and wyth sendal.
But yit he nas but esy of despence
He kepte that the wan in pestilence.
For gold in phisik is a cordial
Ther fore he loued gold in especyal.
A good wyfe ther was of bisydes bathe
But she was somdel deef and that was scathe
Of cloth makyng had she suche such an haunt
She passed hem of Ipres and of gaunt.
In alle the paryssh wyfe was ther noon
That to the offryng by fore her sholde goon.
And if ther ded certeyn so wroth was she
That she was owte of al charite.
Hir kerchiefs ful fine were of grounde
I durste swere thei weyden ten pounde
That on a Sonday were vpon hir hede
Hir hosen were of fyne Scarlet rede.
Ful stroyt y tyed and shoos ful moyst and newe
Bold was hir face and faire and reed of hewe
She was a worthi womman al hir lyve
Housebondes atte the chirche doore she hath had five.
Wyth outen other compaignye in youthe
But ther of nedyth noght to speke as nouthe.
And thries had she bene at Ierlm̄Ierusalem
She had passed many a stronge streme
At Rome she had ben and at Boleyne
In Galis at seint Iakes and at Coleyne
She coude moche of wandryng by the weye
Gat tothed was she sothely for to seye.
Vpon an ambulere esely she sat
I wympled wel and on hir heed an hat
As brood as is a bokeler or a targe
A fot mantel a boute hir hipes large.
And on hir feet apeyre of spores sharpe
In felawship wel couthe she laugh and carpe
Of remedyes of loue she knew par chaunce
For she knewe of that art the olde daunce.
A good man ther was of Religyoun
And was a pore ꝑperson of a toun
But ryche he was of holy thought and werke
He was also a lerned man a clerk.
That cristes gospell trewly wolde p̉reche
His parysshenes deuoutely wolde he teche.
Benyngne he was and wonder dyligent
And in adủersitee ful pacient
And suche he was proved often sythes
Ful loth were hym to cours for his tythes.
But rather wolde he yeue out of doute
Vn to his pore parysshenes aboute
Of his offryng and of his substance
He coude in lytel thing haue suffisance.
Wyde was his parysshe and houses fer a sondre
But he ne laft not for no reygne ne thondre
In sekenes ne in meschief to visite
The ferthest in his parysh moche and lyte
Vpon his feet and in his hand a staffe
This noble ensample to his sheep he yaffe
That firste he wroght and afterward he taght
Oute of the gospell tho wordes he kaught.
And this figure eke he added ther to
That yif gold rust what shold yren do.
For if a p̉erste be foul in whom we trust
No wonder ys alewdeman to rust
And shame it is yif a p̉erste take kepe
A shiten sheperd and a clene shepe
Wel aught a p̉erste ensample for to yeue
By his clennes how that his shepe shuld leue
He set noght his benyfice to hire
And leueth the sheep a combred in the myre.
And renne to loundoıı̄un vn to seint poules.
To sechen hym a chauntrye for soules.
Othir wyth a brotherhede to be wyth. holde
But dwelt at home and kepte wel his folde.
So that the wolf ne made it noght myscarye
He was a shepard and noght a mercenarye
And thei he holy were and vertuous
He was nought to synful men dispitous.
Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne
But in his teching discrete and benigne
To drawe folke to heven wyth fairenes
By good ensample this was his bysynes.
But yif it were any persone obstinate
What so he were of hygh or lowe astate
Hym wolde he snybben sharpely for the nones
A bettur preest I trowe nogh where noon is
He wayted after no pompe ne reủerence
Ne maked hym a spiced conscience.
But cristes loore and his apoostles xije.
He taught but ferst he folowed it hym selue.
Wyth him ther was a ploughman his brothere
That had I ladde of donge ful many a fothere
A trewe swynker and a good was he
Lyuyng in pees and in ꝑperfyte charite
God loued he best wyth all his herte
At al tymes thogh hym gamed or smerte
And thanne his neighboure ryght as hym selue
He wolde thresshe and ther to dyke and delue.
For cristes sake wyth eủery pore wyght
Wyth owten hire yif it lay in his myght
His tithes payde he ful faire and wel .
Bothe of his propour swynke and of his catel.
In atabard he rood vpon a mere
Ther was also a Reue and a Millere
A sompnour and a pardonere also
A maunciple and I. my self ther were no moo.
The milner was a stowte carle for the nones
Ful bigge he was of braun and eke of bones.
That proued wel for oủeral ther he cam
At wrastelyng he wolde ay have tharam.
He was short sholdred brood and thikke knarre
Ther nas no doore that he nolde heue on harre
Or breke it at rennyng wyth his heed
His berd as any sowe or fox was red
And ther to brode as though it were a spade
Vpon the coppe ryght of his nose he hade.
A werte and there stood a tufte of heres.
Reed as the bristell of a Sow yeres.
His nostrelles blake were and wyde
A swerd and a bokelere bare he by his syde
His mowthe as gret was as a gret fourneys
He was a Iangeler and a Galiardeys
And that was moste of synne and harlotryes
Wel couthe he stele corn and tolle it thries
And yit he had a thombe of gold pardee
A white coote and a bluwe hood wered hee.
A baggepipe wel coude he blowe and sowne
And therwythal he brought vs owte of towne.
A gentyl maunciple was there of a temple.
Of whych achatours myght take exemple
For to be wyse in bying of vitaille
For whether that he payde or toke byentaille.
Algate he waited so in his acate
That he was be forn and in good estate
Now is not that of god a ful faire grace
That syche a lewed mannes wit shal pace
The wisdom of an heep of lerned men
Of mastres had he moo than thries ten
That were of lawe expert and curious
Of whych there were a. doseyn in that hous .
Worthi to ben stewardes of rent and lond
Of eny lord that is in Engelond
To make him lyve by his ꝓpropour good
In honour Detles but yif he were wood
Othir lyve as scarsly as him list desyre
And able to helpen al a shire.
In any caas that myght falle or happe
And yit this maunciple set her alder cappe.
The Reue was a sclendre colryk man
His berd was shaue as nygh as eủere he can
His heer was by his yeres ful round y shore
His toppe was tokked lyke as a p̉erst by fore
Ful lange were his leggis and ful lene
I. like a staf ther nas no calfe y sene.
Wel coude he kepe a gerner and a bynne
Ther was non auditour couth of hym wynne
Wel wiste he by the drought and by the Reyne
The yeldyng of his seed and of his greyne
His lordes sheep his neet and his deyrye.
His swyn his hors his stoore and his pultrye
Was holly in his Reues goủernyngꝭes
And by his couenant yaf the Rekenyng.
Sithens his lord was xxti yere of age
Ther couthe no man hym bringe in arerage.
Ther nas baillif hirde ne other hyne
That he ne knew his sleyght and his couyne
Thei were adrad of hym as of the deth
His wonyng was ful faire vpon an heeth
Wyth grene trees shadewed was his place
He coude bettur than his lorde purchase
Ful ryche he was and stored priuely
His lord couthe he plesen sotilly
To lene and yif him of his owne good.
And have an thanke and yit a coote and a hood
In youthe he had lirned a good mistere
He was a wel good wryght a Carpentere
This Reue sat vpon a wel good stot
That was a pomely grey and hight Scot
A longe Surcote of perce vppon he hadde
And by his syde he bar a rusty bladde.
Of northefolk was this Reue the which I telle
By sydes a toun men calleth Baldeswell
Tokked was he as is a frere a boute
And eủer he rood the hyndrest of oure route.
A Sompnour was ther wyth vs in that place
That had a fuyre reed cherubyns face
For saucefleme he was wyth eyen narowe
Al hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe.
Wyth scalled browes blaak and pylled berd
Of his visage children were a ferd
Ther nas quyk siluer litarge ne brymstoıı̄un
Boras ceruse ne oille of tatre noon
Ne oynement that wolde clanze and bite .
That him myght helpe of his whelkes white
Ne of the knobbes sittyng on his chekys.
Wel.Wel loued he garlek oynons and lekes
And for to drynke straunge wyn reed as blood
Thanne wolde he speke and crye as he were wood
And whan that he had wel dronken the wyn
Thanne wolde he speke no worde but latyn
A fewe t̉ermes had he two or thre
That he had lerned out of som decre
No wondir is he it herd al the day
And eke he knew wel how that a Iay
Kan clepe wat as wel as can a pope
But who so couthe him in other thynges grope
¶ Thanne had he spent al his philosophye
Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crie.
He was a gentyl harlot and a kynde
A better felaw sholde a man noght fynde.
He wolde suffre for a quart of wyne
A good felaw to haue his concubyıı̄une
Atwelf monthe and excuse hym at the full
Ful pⁱriuely a fynche eke couthe he pull
And iffe he founde owhere a good felawe
He wolde techen hym to haue noon awe
In swich caas of the erchedekenes curs
But iffe mannes soule were in his purs
For by his purs he sholde y ponysshed be
Purs is the Erchedekenes helle quod he
But wel y wote he lied ryght in dede
Of cursyng aught ech gulty man to drede
For curs wol sle ryght as a soylyng sauyth
And al so ware him of a significauit.
In daungere he had at his owne gise
The yonge gerles of the diocise
And knew her counsel and was of hir reed
A garlond had he sette vpon his heed
As grete as it were for an alestake
A bokeler had he maad him of a kake
Wyth him ther rood a gentyl pardoner
Of Rounciuale his freend and his comper
That streyght was comen from the court of Rome
Ful lowde he song come hider loue come to me
¶ This sompnour bare to him a stif bor doun
Was neuer trompe of half so gret a soun.
This pardoner had heer as yolowe as wax
But smothe yt henge as doth a strike of flax
By ownces heng his lokkes that he hadde
And ther wyth he his sholdres oủerspradde.
But thynne it lay by culpons on and oon
But hood for Iolyte wered he noon
For hit was trussed vp in his walet
Him thought he rood al of the new get
Discheuele saue his cappe he rood al bare
Swich glaryng eyen had he as an hare
A vernycle had he sewed on his cappe
His walet by forn him in his lappe.
Bretful of pardoıı̄un comen fro Rome al. hoot
A voice he hadde as smal as hath a goot
No berd had he ne neủer sholde have
As smothe it was as it were late y shaue.
I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare
But of his qafte from berwyk vn to ware.
Ne was ther swych a nother pardoner
For in his male he hadde a pylow bere
Which that he seide was oure lady vaile
He seyde he had a gobet of the saile
That seint petre had whan that he went
Vppon the see til. IħuIhesu criste him hent
He had a croys of laton ful of stones
And in a glas he had pygges bones
But wyth thise relikes whan that he foond
A poủere ꝑperson dwellyng vppon lond
Vppon a day he gate him more moneye
Than that the ꝑpersoun gat in monthes twaye.
And thus wyth feyned flatery and Iapes
He maad the ꝑpersoun and the people his apes
But trewly to tellen at the last
He was in chirche a noble ecclesiast
Wel coude he reed a lesson or a story·
But altherbest he sang an offratory·
For wel he wist whan that song was songe
He moste p̉reche and wel afile his tonge
To wynne siluer as he ful wel coude
The fore he songe so meryly and loude.
Now have y tolde yow soothely in a clause
Testate tharray the nombre and eke the cause
Whi that assembled was this compaignye
Īn South werke at this gentyl hostelrye.
That hight the tabard fast by sydes the belle
But now is tyme to yow for to telle
How that we beren vs that ilke nyght
Whan wee were in that hostelry a lyght
And aftyr wol y telle of our͗e viage
And al the remenant of our͗e pilgⁱrimage
But first y pᵃray yow of youre curtesye
That ye ne Recte it noght my vilenye
Theigh that y pleynly speke in this matere
To telle yow of her wordes and her chere
Ne theigh y speke hir wordes ꝓproperly
For this ye knowen also wel as .y.
Who so telleth a tale after aman
He moste reherce as nygh as eủer he can.
Eủery worde yif it be in his charge
Al speke he neủer so rudely ne so large.
Or elles moste he tellen his tale vntrewe
Or feyne thynges or fynde wordes newe.
He may not spare al theigh he were his brother
He moste as wel say on word as an nother
Criste spak him selfe ful brode in holy wryt
And wel ye witte no vilenye is hit.
Yit plato seyth who so kan him rede
The word moste be cosyn to the dede
Also y pᵃray yow to foryeue it me
Al haue y noght sette folke in her degre.
Here in this tale as that thei sholden stonde
My wit is short ye may wel vnderstonde
¶ Gret chere maad oure hoste eủerychone
And to the soper sette he vs a noon
He s̉erued vs wyth vitaille of the best
Strong was the wyne and wel to drynke vs lest
A semely man oure host. was wythalle
For to ben a marchal in an halle
A large man he was wyth eyen steepe
A fairer burgeys is ther noon in cheepe.
Boold of his speche and wys and wel y taught
And of manhood him lakked ryght naught
Eke ther to he was ryght a mury man
And aftyr soper pleyen he bygan
An spake of murthe amonges other thinges
Whan that we had made oure rekenynges.
And seyde thus now lordes trewly
Ye ben to me ryght wel come hertily
For by my trowthe yif that y shal not lye
I saw not this yere so murye a compaignye
A tones in this herberwe as is now
Fayn wolde I doon yow murthe wist y how
And of a murthe y am ryght now by thought
To doon yow ese and it shal coste ȝow noght.
¶ Ye goon to Caunturbury ward god yow spede
The blisful martyr quyte yow youre mede.
And wel I wot as ye goon by the weye
Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye.
For trewly confort ne myrthe is noon
To ryde by the way dombe as stoon.
And therfore wol y maken yow despoort
As y seyde erst and doon yow som comfort
And if yow liketh alle by on assent
For to stonden at my Iuggement
And for to werken as y shal yow seye
To morwe whan ye ryden by the weye.
Now by my fader soule that is ded
But ye be mury y wol ȝeue yow myn hed
¶ Holde vp youre hondes wyth outen more speche
Oure counseil was not longe for to seche.
Vs thought it was not worth to make it wys.
And graunted him wyth oute more auys
And bad him seye his v̉erdit os him lest
¶ Lordynges qᵈuod he now herkeneth for the best
But taketh it nat y pᵃray yow in desdeyne
This is the poynt to speke short and pleyn
That eche of yow to shorte wyth our͗e weye
In this viage shal telle tales tweye
To caunturbury ward y mene it so
And homward he shal tellen other two.
Of auentures that whilom haue by falle
And which of yow that bereth him best of alle.
That is to seyen that telleth in this cas.
Tales of best sentence and moost solas
Shall have a Soper͗e at oure aller cost
Here in this place sittyng by this post
Whan that we come a gayn fro Caunturbury
And for to make yow the more mury.
I wol my self goodly wᵗith ȝow ryde
Ryght at myn awne coste and be youre gide.
And who so wol my Iuggement wyth seye
Shal pay al that we spende by the weye
And if ye vouche safe that yt be so
Telle me anoon wyth owten wordes moo
And I wol erly shape me ther fore
¶ This thyng was graunted and oure othes swore
Wyth ful glad herte and preyden him also
That he wolde vouchesafe for to do so
And that he wolde be oure goủernour͗e
And of oure tale Iuge and reportour͗e
And sette a souper at a certeyn pris
And we wol ruled ben at his deuys
¶ In heigh and lough and thus by on assent
We ben acorded to his Iuggement.
And ther vpon the wyne was fet anon
We dronken and to rest went echon
Wyth outen eny lenger taryinge
A morwe whan that day bygan to springe
Vp roos oure hoost and oure aller cok
And gedred vs to gyder in a flok
And forth we ryden a lytel more than pas
Vnto the wateryng of seint Thomas
And ther oure hoost by gan his hors areste
And seide lordynges herkeneth if ȝow leste
¶ Ye woot youre forward and it yow recorde
If evensong and morowsonge accorde
Lat se now who shal telle the first tale
As eủer mote y drynke wyne or ale
Who so be rebel to my Iuggement
Shal pay for al that by the wey is spent
Now draweth cut or that we ferther twynne
He which that hath the shortest shal by gynne
Sir knyght quod he my mastyr and my lord
Now drawyth cut for that is myn accord
Cometh ner quod he my lady Prioresse
And ye syr Clerke lat be youre shamefastnesse
Ne studyeth noght ley hond to eủery man
Anon to drawen eủery wyght by gan
And shortly for to tellen as hit was
Were it by auenture or sort or cas
The sothe is this the cut fel to the knyght
Of which ful blithe was eủery wyght.
And telle he moste his tale as was reson
By forward and by composicioıı̄un.
As ye han herd what nedeth wordes mo
And whanne this good man saw that it was so
As he that wys was and obedyent
To kepe his forward by his free assent
He seyde syn I· shal begynne the game
What welcome be the cut in goddes name.
Now lat vs ryde and herkeneth what I seye
And wyth that worde we ryden forthe oure weye
And he by ganne ryght wyth a mury cheere
His tale anon and seyde as ye may heere.
¶ Iamqꝫue domos patⁱrias scithice post
asꝑpera gentis ·/ prelia laurigero +et c̉etera
asꝑpera gentis ·/ prelia laurigero +et c̉etera
¶ Here begynneth the prologe of the knyghtes tale.
Whilom as olde stories tellen vs
Ther was a duke that hight Theseus
Of Athenes he was lord and goủernour͗e
And in his tyme swych a conquerour͗e
That gretter was ther noon vndir the Sonne
Ful many a ryche contre had he wonne.
What wyth his wisdom and his chiualrye
He conquered al the regne of femenye
That whilom was cleped cithia
And wedded the quene ypolita
And brought hir hoom wyth him in his contre
Wyth mochel glorye and gret solempnyte.
And eke hir yonge suster Emelye
And thus wyth victorie and wyth melodye
Lat I this noble duke to Athenes ryde
And al his hoost in armes him byside.