Bo2 · Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 686
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Bo2/
[1r]
When that april with his showres swote
The drouth of March hath ꝑperced the rote
And bathed eủery veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour
When zepherus eke with his swete breth
Inspired hath in every holt and heth
The tendre Croppes and the yong sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y ronne
And smale fowles maken melodye
That slepeth al nyght with open ye
So pryketh hem nature in her corages
Than longen folk to gon on pilgrimages
And palmers to sechen strange strondes
To ferne halwes couth in sondry londes
And specialy from eủery shires ende
Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende
The holy blisfull martir for to seke
That hem hath holpen when they were seke
Befel that in that sesoūn on a day
In Suthwerke at the taberd as y lay
And redy to wende on my pilgrimage
To Caunterbury with ful deuoute corage
At nyght was comen into that hostrye
Wel nye a twenty in a companye
Of sondry folk by aventure y falle
In felawship̄ and pilgremes were they alle
That toward Caunterbury wold þei ryde
The chambres and stables weren wyde
And wel were esed at the beste
And shortly whan tyme was to reste
So had y spoken with ham eủerychone
That y was of here felawship anone
And made forwarde erly for to ryse
To take oure wey ther as y you deuyse
But natheles while y have tyme and space
Or that y further in this tale pace
Me thinketh it acordeth to resoıı̄un
To tel you al the condicioıı̄un
Of ech of ham so as it semed me
And which they were and of what degre
And eke in what aray þey were yn̄
And at aknyght than woll I furst by gyn̄
A knyght ther was and that a worthi man
¶ A knyght
That fro the tyme þat he first bygan̄
To ryden oute he loued chyualrye
Trouth and honour fredom̄ and curtesye
For worthi was he in his lordes warre
And therto had he ryden no man̄ ferre
As wel in Cristendome as in hethenesse
And eủer honoured for his worthinesse
At alisaundre he was whan it was y wonne
Ful ofte tyme he hadde the burde by gonne
Aboue al nacions in pruce
In lectow had he raised and in Ruce
No cristenman̄ so ofte of his degre
In Garnade eke at the sege had he be
Of algezire and ryden̄ in Belmarye
At lyeis was he and at Satalie
When they were wonne and in þe grete see
At many anobyl harme had he be
At mortal batayles had he be fyftyne
And foughten for oure feyth at tramyssene
In lystes thries and ay slayen̄ his fo
This ilke worthi knyghtes had byn̄ also
Som tyme with þe lorde of palatye
Ayein an other hethen in Turkye
And eủermore he had a sovereyne prys
And þough þat he was worthi he was wys
And of his porte as meke as a mayde
He never yit no vylonye seide
In al his lyfe vnto no man̉er wyȝt
He was averray ꝑparfite gentle knyth
For to tellen you of his array
His hors was gode þough he was not gay
Of fustian he vere a Gypoıı̄un
Al be smotered with his habergeoıı̄un
For he was late ycome fro his viage
And wente forto do his pilgrimage
With hym þ̉er was his sone a yonge squyer
¶ Squyer
A louyer and a lusty bachiler
With lokkes crulle as þey were leyde in presse
Of twenty yere of age he was y gesse
Of his stature he was of even lenghte
And wanderly deliuer and grete of strenghte
And he hade byn som tyme in chiuachie
In flaundres in Arteys ⁊and pykardye
And boren hym wel as of so litel space
In hope to stonden in his lady grace
Embroyded was he as it were a mede
All full of fressch floures white and rede
Syngyng he was or floityng / al þe daye
He was as fressch as is þe month of maye
Short was his gowne with sleves longe ⁊and wyde
Wel couth he sitte on hors and feyre ryde
He couth songes make and wel endyte
Iuste and eke daunce ⁊and wel portraye and wryte
So hote he loued that bye nyght̉er tale
He slept na more þan doth a nyghtyngale
Curteis he was lowly and seruysable
And carfe be fore his fader at þe table
A yheman had he and ʆseruantes namo
¶ A yheman .
At þat tyme for hym luste to ryde so
And he was clad in cote and hode of grene
A sheffe of pocokarewes bryght and kene
Vnder his belt he bare ful þriftyly
Wel couth he dresse his tacle yemanly
His arwes drowped not with fethers lowe
And in his honde he bare a myȝty bowe
A not hede had he with a broune vysage
Of wodecrafte wel couth he al þe vsage
Vpon his arme he bare a gay bracere
And by his side a swerd and a bokelere
And on þat other side a gay dagger͗e
Harneysed wel and sharp̄ as poynt of spere
A Cristofer on his breste in seluer shene
An horne he bare þe bauderik was of grene
A forster was he sothly as y gesse
Ther was also a non̄ne a prioresse
¶ A Nonne .
That of her smylyng was ful simple and coye
Here grettest oth was but by seint loy
And sho was cleped madame eglentyne
Ful wel sho songe the ʆseruice deuyne
Enteund in her note full semely
And frenssch she spake ful feire and fetisly
After þe scole of stafford atte Bowe
For frenssch of parys was to hir vnknowe
At mete wel ytaught was she with alle
Sho lette no morsel from hir lippis falle
Ne wette her fyngres in hir sauce depe
Wel couth sho cary a morsel and wel kepe
That no drop̄ ne fylle vpon hir breste
In curtesye was sette ful mochel hir liste
Hir over lippe wiped she so clene
That in hir coppe was no ferthyng a sene
Of grece when she dronken hadde hir draught
Ful semely after hir mete she raught
And sekerly she was of grete disporte
And ful plesant and amyable of porte
And peyned hir tocōnt̉erfete chere
Of Court and to ben estatelich of manere
And to be holden digne of Reuerence
But for to speken of hir conscience
She was so cheritable ⁊and so pitous
She wolde wepe if þat she saw a mous
Caught in a trappe if it were dede or bledde
Of smale houndes had she that she fedde
With rosted flessch or mylke and wastelbrede
But sore wepte she if oon̄ of hem were dede
Or yf men smote it with a yerde smert
And al was conscience and tendre hert
Full semely hir wympul pynched was
Hir nose tretys hir yen̄ grey as glas
Hir mouth ful smale and therto softe ⁊and rede
But sekyrly she hadde a feyre forehede
Hit was almost A sponne brode y trowe
For herdelye she was not vnder growe
Ful fetys was hir cloke as y was war
Of smale Coral abowte hir arme she bar
A peyre of bedy y gauded al with grene
And the on hynge a broch of golde full shene
On which was first wreten with a crowned A
And after Amor vincit omnia
A other nonne with hir hed she
That was hir Chapeleyne ⁊and preste thre
A monk ther was a feire for þe maistre
¶ A Monke
And outerider that loued venerie
Amanly man̄ to byn̄ an abbat able
Ful mony a deynte hors had he in stable
And when he rode men myȝt his brydel here
Gynglyng in a whistelyng wynde as clere
And eke as lowde as doth þe chapell belle
Ther as this lorde was keper of þe selle
The rule of seint Maure or of seynt Benette
Be cause that it was olde and somdel streyt
This ilke monke lete olde thinges pace
And hilde after the newe worlde þe space
He yaf nought of þe texte a pulled hen̄
That seith that honters be not holy men
Ne that A monk whan he is rechelesse
Is likened tyl afyssch that is waterlesse
This is to seyn a monk oute of his cloystre
But thilke texte he hilde nought worth an oystre
And y seyde his opineon̄un was gode
What shulde he studye and make hym̄ selue wode
Vpon a boke in Cloystre al wey to powre
Or swynke with his hondys and laboure
As austyn byt how shal þe worlde be ʆserued
Let austyn have his swynk to hym reʆserued
Ther fore he was a prikasoure a ryght
Greyhoundes he hadde as swyfte as fowle in flyȝt
Of prikyng and of huntyng for þe hare
Was al his lust for no coste wolde he spare
I sigh his sleves y pulfyled at þe honde
With gryce and that þe fynest of alonde
And forto festen his hode vnder the chyn̄
He had of golde wrought a ful curyous pyn̄
A love knotte in þe gretter ende ther was
His hede was balled that shone lyke any glas
And eke his face as it hed ben anoynted
He was a lord ful fat and in gode poynt
His yen stepe and rollyng in his hede
That semed as a forneys of lede
His botys souple his hors in grete estate
Now certeynly he was a feyre prelate
He nas nat pale as forpyned gost
A fat swan loued he best of eny rost
His palfray was as broun as is a bery /
A frere ther was a wantan and a mery
¶ A Frere
A lymyter a ful solempne man̄
In al þe orders fowre is non that can̄
So mochel of daliaunce and feir͗e langage
He hed made ful mony a […]maryage
Of yonge wymmēn at his owne cost
Vnto his ordre he was a noble post
Ful welbeloued and famylier was he
With frankelens oueral in his contre
And with worthi wemen̄ of þe town̄e
For he had power of confessioıı̄une
And seide hym selfe more than a Curat
For of his ordre he was licenciat
Full swetly harde he confessioıı̄un
And plesant was his absolucoıı̄un
He was an esy man̄ to yeuen penaunce
Ther as he wist to have a gode pitaunce
For vnto apore ordre forto yeve
Is signe that a man̄ is well yshryve
For yf he yafe he durst make avaunt
He wist that a man was repentaunt
For many a man̄ so hard is of his herte
He may nought wepe al þough hym sore smerte
Therfore in stede of wepyng and preyers
Men̄ mote yeve seluer to the pore frerys
His tepet was aye forsed ful of knyues
And pynnes for to yeven̄ feyre wyues
And certeȳnly he had a mery note
Wel couth he synge ⁊and pleyen̄ on̄ a rote
Of yeddynges he bare vtterly þe prys
His nek white was as þe flour͗e delys
Therto he stronge was as A Champyoıı̄un
He knowe the tavernys wel in every toun̄
And everich hosteler and tapestere
Bet than a lazer or a beggestere
For vnto suche a worthi man̄ as he
Acorded noȝt as by his faculte
To have with such lazers acqueyntanse
It is not honeste it may nought auaunce
For to delen with such poraille
But al with rich and celers of vitaille
And ouer al ther as profit may a ryse
Curteys he was and ful of ʆseruise
Ther nas no man̄ nowhere so vertuous
He was þe best begger in his hous
For though a widdowe hadde noȝt a sho
So plesaunt was his Inprincipio
Yet wolde he have a ferthing yer he wente
His purchase was wel better þan̄ his rente
And rage he couth ryght as it were a wellpe
In lovedayes ther couth he moch helpe
For ther he was noȝt like a Cloistrere
With a thridbare cope as is a pore scolere
But he was like a maist̉er or a pope
Of dowble worstede was his semycope
That rounde as a belle out of þe presse
Somwhat he lypsed for his wantannesse
To make his englissch swete vpon̄ his tong
And in his harpyng whan he had y song
His yen̄ twynkled in is hede a right
As don þe sterrys in the frosty nyght
This worthi lymyter was called huberd
A marchaunt was þer with a forked berd
¶ A Marchant
In motle and high on hors he satte
Vpon his hede a flaundryssch bever hatte
His botys clapsed feyre and fetuoslye
His resons he spake full solempnelye
Shewyng alwey thencrece of hys wynnyng
He wolde þe see were kepte for eny thyng
By twyx myddelborgh and Orweƚƚlle
Wel couth he in eschange sheldys selle
This worthi man̄ ful wel his wit by sette
A . iiij .Ther wist no wight that he was in dette
So estately was he of his governaunce
With his bargaynes and with his cheuessaunce
Forsoth he was a worthi man̄ with all
But soth to seyn̄ y not how men hym call
A Clerk ther was of Oxenford alsoo
¶ A Clerke .
That vnto logyk had longe y goo
As lene was is hors as is A rake
And he nas nat right fat y vndertake
But loked holowe and therto soberly
Ful thredbare was his ouereste curtebye
For he hadde geten hem yet no benefyse
Ne was so worldly for to haue office
For hym was lever have at his beddeshede
Twenty bokys clad in blak and rede
Of aristotle and his filozofye
Than robes rich or fethel or gay sawtrye
But al be that he was a philesophre
Yet hadde he but lytel golde in Cofre
But al that he myght of his frendes hente
On bokys and on lernyng he it spente
And besy gan for the sowlys prey
Of hem that yaf hym wherwith to scolay
Of studye toke he most cure and most hede
Naught a worde spake he more þān was nede
And that was seide informe and reverence
⁊And short and quyk and ful of high sentence
Sownyng in moral matyr was hys spech
And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly tech
A sergeant of the lawe war͗e and wys
¶ A Sergeant
That often hed be at pervys
Ther was also ful rich of excellence
Discrete he was and of grete reverence
He semed such his wordes were so wyse
Iustice he was ful often in assise
By patent and by playn̄ cōmmissioıı̄un
For his science and for is high renoun̄
Of fees and robes hadde he many oon̄
So grete a purchaser was nowher noon̄
Al was fee simple to hym in effecte
His purchasyng myȝt noght bene inffecte
No wher so besy aman̄ as he ther nas
And yet he semed besier þan he was
In termys hedde he caas and domus alle
That fro þe tyme of kyng william were falle
Ther to he couth endite ⁊and and make a þyng
Ther couth no wight pynch at is writyng
And every statute couth he pleyn by rote
He rode but homely in amedle cote
Gyrt with a seint of silk with barrys smale
Of his aray tel y no lenger tale
A Frankeleyn was in his companye
¶ A Frankelyn
White was his berde as is þe daysye
Of his complexioıı̄un he was sangwyne
Wel loued he by þe morow a sop in wyne
To leuen in delyte was eủer his wone
For he was Epiours owne sone
That helde opinion that pleyn delyte
Was werray felicite ꝑperfyte
An housholder and that agrete was he
Sint Iulian he was in his contre
His brede his ale was alweyes after oon
A better envyned man̄ was neuer non̄
With outen bakemete was neủer his hous
Of flessch and fyssch and that so plentyuous
Hit snwed in his hous of mete and drynk
Of al dentes that men couth thynk
Aft̉er þe sondry sesoıı̄un of þe yere
So clanged he his mete ⁊and his sopere
Ful mony a fatte ꝑpartrych had he in muwe
And mony abreme ⁊and mony a luys in stuwe
Wo was his coke but yf his sawce were
Poynant and sharp̄ and redy all his gere
His table dormant in his halle alwey
Stode redy covered al þe longe day
At sessions ther was he lorde and sire
Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of þe shire
An anlas and a gipser all of sylke
Hyng at his gyrdel white as morne mylke
A Shireve had he be and comptour
Was nowher such a worthi vauasoure
And haberdasscher and A Carpentere
A webbe a dyer and a tapicere
And þei were clothed al in on̄ lyuere
Of a solempne and and a grete frat̉ernite
Ful fressch and new her͗e gere a pyked was
Here knyues nere chaped noȝt with bras
But al with siluer wrought ful clene and welle
Hir girdellys and her pouches eủerydelle
Wel semed ich of hem a feire burgeis
To sitten in a yeldhall on a deys
Euerich for þe wysdom þat he kan̄
Was shaply for to byn an alderman̄
For catell hadde þei y nough and rent
And eke here wyfes wolde it wel asent
And elles certeyn þei were to blame
It is ful feire to byn ycleped madame
And gon to vigilles alle be forn̄
And have a mantell ryallich y born̄
A cook þei hedde with hem al for þe nonys
¶ A Cook
To byle þe chiknes with þe marybonys
And powdre marchaunt tart and galyngale
Wel coude he knowe a draught of london̄ ale
He couth rost ⁊and seth and boyle and frye
Maken mortroux and wel bake a pye
But grete harme was it as it þought me
That on his shyne a mormall had he
For blankmanger þat made he with þe beste
A Shipman was þer wonnyng fer by weste
¶ A Shypman
For ought y wote he was of dertemouth
He rode vpon a Rouncy as he couth
In a gowne of faldyng to þe kne
A dagger hangyng in a lace had hee
A bowte his nekke vnder his arme downe
The hote somer had made his hewe al browne
And certeynly he was a gode felawe
Ful mony a draught of wyn̄ hadde he drawe
Fro Burdeaux ward while þe chapmen̄ slepe
Of nyce concience toke he no kepe
Yf þat he faught and hadde þe higher honde
By water he sent hem home to eủery londe
But of his crafte to ryken wel his tydes
His stremys and his dangers hym besides
His herberwe and his mone and his lodmanage
Ther was non̄ such from hulle to Cartage
Hardy he was and wys to vndertake
With many a tempest had his berde be shake
He knew al þe havyns as þey were
Fro Skotlond to þe Cape defynystre
And euery cryk in brytayne and in spayne
His barge y cleped was þe mawdeleye
With ous þer was a doctour͗e of Phisik
¶ A Doctour
of Physyk
of Physyk
In alle this worlde ne was þ̉er non̄ hym lyke
To speke of phisik and of surgerye
For he was grounded in astronomye
He kept his paciens a ful grete dell
In hourys by his magik naturell
Wel couth he fortune ascendent
Of his ymage for his pacient
He knewe the cause of euerych maladye
Were it of hote or colde or moistre or drye
And wher engendred and of what humoure
He was a verray ꝑparfit practisoure
The cause y know and of his harme þe rote
A non he yaf þe sike man̄ his bote
Ful redy hadde he his appottekaries
To sende hym drogges and his letuarys
For ech of hem made other for to wynne
Her frendship̄ nas nat new to bygynne
Wel knewe he þe holde Esculapius
And discorides and eke Rufus
Olde ypocras haly and galien̄
Sarapioıı̄un Razis and auyzen̄
Auerois damascien̄ and Constantyne
Bernard and Gatesden and Gylbertyne
Of his diete mesurable was he
For it was of no suꝑperfluyte
But of grete norissyng and digestible
His study was but lytyl on þe bibylle
In sangwyne and pers he clad was alle
Lyned with taffata and with sendaƚƚlle
And yet he was but esy of dispense
He kept þat he wan̄ in pestelence
For gold in phisik acordyal
Ther fore he loued golde īn especial
A gode wife ther was of beside bathe
¶ A Wyfe of Bathe
But she was somdel def and þat was scathe
Of cloth makyng she hadde such anhaunte
Sho passed hem of yprys and of Gaunte
In al þe parissch wyf þen was ther noon̄
That to the offryng by fore hir͗e shulde gon̄
And yf ther dede certeyne wroth was she
That she was oute of all clarite
Hire couerchifs ful fyne were of grounde
I durst swere they weyden ten pounde
That on a sonday were vpon̄ here hede
Hir hosȳn were of fyne skarlet Rede
Ful streyte y tyed and shoes ful moiste ⁊and newe
Bolde was hir face and feir͗e and rede of hewe
She was a worthi womman al here lyue
Housbondes at churchdore had she fyue
Withouten other company in youth
But þerof nedeth noȝt to speke as nouth
And thries hadde sho byn̄ at Ierusaleme
She had passed many a strange streme
At Rome she had byn and at boloyne
In Galice at seint Iame and at Coloyne
She couth much of wandryng by the way
Bad tothed was she sothly for to sey
Vpon an ambuler esily she satte
Y wympled wel and on hir hede an hatte
As brode as as bokker or a targe
A hote mantell a bowte hir hippys large
And on hir fete a peir͗e of sporys sharpe
In felawship̄ wel couth she laugthe ⁊and carpe
Of remedies of loue she knewe ꝑperchaunce
For she knew of that art þe olde daunce
A gode man̄ was ther of religioıı̄un
¶ A man of Religioıı̄un
And was a pore parson of a town̄
But Riche he was of holy þought and werke
He was also alerned man a Clerk
That cristis gospel trewlych wold preche
His parisschons deuoutely wolde he teche
Benigne he was and wonder deligent
And in aduercite full pacient
And swich he was preued ofte sithes
Ful loth were hym to cursyn for hys tithes
But rather wold he yeven̄ owte of dowte
Vnto his pouer͗e parisshons a boute
Of his offryng and of his sustenaunce
He couth in litel þyng haue suffisaıı̄unce
Wide was his parisch an houses fer a sondre
But he ne lafte for rayne ne for thundre
In sikenesse nor in myschif to visite
The firrest in his parysh moch and lite
Vpon his fete and in his honde a staf
This noble ensample to his sheep̄ he yaf
That first he wroȝt and afterward þat he tauȝt
Out of þe gospel he the wordes cauȝt
And this figure he hadded eke ther to
That if gold rust what shal yren do
For if a prest befoule on whom we truste
No wonder is a lewde man̄ to ruste
And shame it is if a prist take kepe
A shiten shiphurd and a clene shepe
Wel ought a prist emsample for to yeve
By his clennes how that is shepe shuld lyve
He sette noȝt his benefice to hyre
And lete his shepe be accōmbered in the myre
And ran to london vnto seint powlys
To seken hym a chaunterye for soulys
Or with a bretherhede to be with holde
But dwelled at home and kept wel his folde
So that þe wolf made it noȝt myscarye
He was a sheperd and noȝt a mercenarye
And þough he holy were and vertuous
He was noȝt to symful men dispituous
Ne of his spech dangerous ne digne
But in his teching discrete and benygne
To drawen folk to heven by fayrnesse
By gode ensample this was his bisinesse
But it were eny ꝑpersone obstinate
What so he were of high or lowe estate
He wolde hym snyppen̄ for þe nonys
A bett̉er p̉reste y trou þat nowher noon es
He waited after no pompe and reverence
Ne maked hym aspiced concience
But cristes lore and his apostelys twelue
He tauȝt but first he folowed in hem selue
With hym ther was a plowman̄ þᵗat was his broþer
¶ A Plowman .
That hadde iladde of donge ful mony a fother
A trew swynker and a gode was he
Levyng in pees and ꝑperfite cherite
God loued he best with al his hert
At al tymes þought he gamed and smerte
And than his neghboure right as hym selue
He wolde throsshe and therto dyke and delue
For cristes sake every pore wyȝt
With oute hire yf it lay in his myȝt
His tithes payed he ful feir͗e and well
Both of his ꝓpropre swynk and his catell
In ataberd he rode vpon a Mare
Ther was also a reve and a Millere
A somnour and a pardoner alsoo
A mansiple and my selfe þ̉er were no moo
The myller was a stowte carle for þe nonys
¶ A Myllere
Ful bigge he was of brawne and of bonys
That ꝓproued wel oueral where he cam
At wrastelyng he wolde have awey the ram
He was short shuldert a thikke knarre
Ther was no dor͗e that he wolde heve of barre
Or breke it at the rennyng with his hede
His berde as eny sowe or fox was rede
And therto brode as þough hit were a spade
Vpon̄ the coppe right of his nose he hadde
A wert and þ̉eron stode a tufte of herys
Rede as the bristyls of a sowys erys
His nose thrillys blak were and wyde
A swerd and a bokeler bare he by his syde
His mouth as grete was as a furneys
He was a Iangeler and a Golyardeys
And that was most of synne in harlotryes
Wel couth he stele corne and tolle thryes
And yet he hed a thombe of golde ꝑparde
A white cote and a blewe hode wered he
A bagpype wel couth he blow and sowne
And ther with al vs broȝt oute of toune
A gentle Manciple was ther of a temple
¶ A Manciple .
Of which achatours myȝt take ensample
For to ben̄ wyse in bryngyng of vitaile
For whether that he toke or payed by taile
Algate he wayted so in his achate
That he was ay beforn̄ and in gode estate
Now is nauȝt þat of godde a ful feir͗e grace
That such alewde man ys witte shal passe
The wysedom of anhepe of lerned men
Of maistres had he mo þan̄ þryes ten
That were of lawe exꝑperte and curious
Of which ther was a dozeyn in that hous
Worthi to byn stewardes of rent and lond
Of eny lorde þat is in Ingelond
To make hym leve by his ꝓproꝑpere gode
In honoure dettles but yef he were wode
Or lyve as skarsly as hym list desire
Al able to helpen al a shire
In eny cas that myȝt falle or happe
And yet þis manciple sette hir alder cappe
The reve was a slender coleryk man̄
¶ The Reue .
His berd was shave as ny as eủer he kan
His here was by his yerys ful rownde y shorne
His toppe was dokked lyke a prest be forne
Ful longe were his legges and ful lene
Like a staf þ̉er was no calf y sene
Wel couth he kepe a Garnar and a byn̄
Ther was non auditour couth of hym wyn̄
Wel wist he by the drowth and by þe reyne
The yeldyng of his sede and of his greyn̄
His lordes shepe his nete his dayerye
His swyne his hors his store and his pultrye
Was holy in þis reves gouernyng
And by his couenawnt yaf the rykenynge
Syn that his lorde was twenty yere of age
Ther couth no man̄ bryng hym in arerage
Ther nas baillif ne herd nor oþ̉er hyne
That he ne knewe his sleytht in his covyne
They were a drad of hym as of þe deth
Hys wonyng was ful faire vpon̄ an heth
With grene trees shadwed was his place
He couth better than his lorde purchace
Ful rych he was a stored pryvely
His lord he couth wel plesen subtily
To yeve and lene of his owne gode
And have a thank and yet a cote and hode
In yowth he hadde lerned a gode misterye
He was a wel gode wryght of carpentrye
This reve sat vpon̄ aful gode stot
That was al pomly grey an high scot
A longe surcote of pers vpon he hadde
And by his syde he bare a rusty bladde
Of northfolk was þis reve of which y telle
Byside a towne men clepith Baldeswelle
Tukked he was as is a frere abowte
And ever he rode the hyndrest of oure rowte
A Somonour was þer with vs in that place
¶ A Sompnour
That hadde a feire cherubyns face
For sawseflevme he was with yen̄ narowe
Als hote he was and lecherows as a sparowe
With scaled browes blac and pyled berd
Of his visage children were a ferde
Ther nas quyk sylver litarge nor brymstone
Boras cesure ne oyle of tartre noon̄
Ne oyment that wolde clense and byte
That hym myȝt helpen of his welkys white
Nor of the knobbys syttyng on his chekys
Wel loued he garlyc oynons and eke lekys
And for to drynke stronge wyn̄ rede as blode
Than wolde he iangle as he were wode
A fewe termys hedde he two or thre
That he hadde lerned oute of somme decre
No worder is he harde it al the day
And eke ye knoweAnd eke ye knowen wel how that a Iay
Kan speke watte as wel as kan the pope
But who so couthe in other thinges hym grope
Than hadde he spende al his philosophye
Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crye
He was a gentile harlot and a kynde
A better felaw shulde men nouȝt fynde
He wolde suffre for a quarte of wyn
A gode felawe to have his concubyn̄
A twelue monthe and excuse hym atte fulle
Ful preuely a fynch eke couth he pulle
And yf he founde owher a gode felawe
He wolde techen hym to have non awe
In suche cas of the archedeknes curs
But if mannys soule were in his pours
For in his purs he shulde y punysshed be
Pours is the Archedeknes helle seid he
But wel y wote he lyed right in dede
Of cursyng owght eche gulty man drede
For curs wol sle right as assoillyng saveth
And also ware hym a significauit
In daunger hadde he atte his owne gyse
The yonge girles of the diocise
And knew her counsel and was al here rede
A garland hedde he sett vpon his hede
As grete as it were for an ale stake
A bokeler hadde he made hym of a kake
With hym ther rode a genthe ꝑperdoner
¶ Perdoner
Of Rouncyvale his frende and his compar
That streight was comyn̄ fro the court of Rome
Ful lowde he songe come heder loue to me bone
This somner bar to hym a styf burdoıı̄un
Was never trompe of halfe so grete a soun̄
This pardoner hed here as yelewe as wax
But smothe also it hyng as doth a stryke of flax
By houncis hyng his lokkes that he hadde
And þer with he his shuldrys over sprarde
But thynne it lay by culpons oon and oon̄
But hode for Iolyte wered he noon̄
For it was trussed vp in his walette
. b . j .Hym thought he rode al of the newe Iette
Discheuele save his cappe he rode al bare
Such glaryng yen hedde he as an hare
A vernicle hadde he sowed on his cappe
His walette by fore hym in his lappe
Brett ful of pardon come from Rome alle hote
A voice he hath as smale as it were a gote
No berde hedde he no never shulde have
As smothe it was as it were late yshave
I trowe he were a gildyng or a mare
But of his crafte fro berwyke in to ware
Ne was ther such a nother ꝑperdonere
For in his male he hedde a pilowe bere
Which that he seide was oure lady veile
He seide he hadde a gobet of the seile
That seint petre hadde whan that he wente
Vpon̄ the see tille iħuihesu criste hym hente
He hedde a croys of latyn ful of stones
And in aglas he hedde pyggys bonys
But with these Relikes whan that he fownde
A pore parson dwellyng vpon londe
Vpon a day he gate hym more moneye
Than that the ꝑperson gate in monthes tweye
And thus with feyned flatery and Iapys
He made the ꝑperson and the pore peple his apys
But trewly to tellen atte laste
He was in church a nobil eclesiaste
Wel cowth he rede a lessoıı̄un or a story
But alderbest he songe an offretory
For wel he wist whan that songe was songe
He most preche and wel a fille his tonge
To wynne siluer as he wel couthe
Ther fore he songe þe meryerly a loutħhe
Now have y tolde you sothly in a clause
The estate þe array þe nombre ⁊and eke þe cause
Whi that assemeled was þe companye
In suthwerke at þis gentle hostrye
That hight the taberd fast by the belle
But now is tyme to you forto telle
How that we beren vs þat ilke nyght
Whan we were in that hostry a light
And after wolle y telle of oure viage
And all the remanante of oure pilgrimage
But first y prey you of youre curtesye
That ye ne recte it naught my vilanye
Though that I pleynly speke in this matere
To telle you her wordes and her chere
Ne thogh y speke hir wordys ꝓproprely
For this ye knowen also wel as y
Who so shal telle a tale after a man̄
He mote reherce as nygh as ever he kan̄
Everich a worde if it be in his charge
Al speke he never so rudely ne so large
Or elles he mote telle his tale vntrewe
Or feyne thinges or fynden wordes newe
He may noȝt spare al thogh he were his brother
He mot als wel sey o word as a nother
Crist spake hym selfe ful brode in holy writte
And wel ye wot no vylanye is it
Eke plato seith who so can hym rede
The wordes mote be cosyn to the dede
Also y prey you foryeve it me
Alle have I notte sette folk in here degre
Here in þis tale as þat þei shulde stonde
My witte is short ye may wel vnderstonde
Grete chere made houre ooste vs everychone
And to the soper sette he vs a noon̄e
He served vs with vitailles at þe beste
Stronge was þe wyn̄ and wel dronk vs leste
A semely man oure oost was with alle
For to byn a Marchal of an halle
A large man he was with yen stepe
A feirer burgeys is noon in chepe
Bolde of his spech as wyse ⁊and wel ytaught
As of manhode hym lakked ryght naught
Eke þerto he was right a mery man̄
And after soper pleyn he bygan̄
And spake of myrth a mong oþer þinges
When þat we hed made oure rekenynges
And seid þus now lordynges trewly
. b . ij .Ye byn to me right welcom hertely
For by my trouth if shal not lye
Y sigh noȝt þis yere so mery a companye
At onys in this herberewe as is now
Fayn wold y don you myrth wist y how
And of a myrth y am right nowith thoughte
To don you ese and it shal cost noughte
Ye gon to Caunterbery god you spede
The blisful marter quyte you yoʳur mede
And wel y wote as ye goon by þe wey
Ye shapen you to talen ⁊and to pley
For trewly comfort and myrth is noon̄
To ryden by þe wey dom as the ston̄
And þerfore wol y maken you disporte
As y seide arst and don you som comforte
And if you liked all by won assente
For to stonden at my Iuggemente
And for to wyrkyn as y shal you sey
To morow whan ye ride by þe wey
As by my fader soule þat is dede
But ye be mery y wol yeve you myn̄ hede
Holde vp youre honde withoute more speche
Oure counsel was not longe for to seche
Vs þought it was not worth to make it wyse
And graunted hym withoute more avyse
And bade hym sei his veordre as hym leste
Lordyns qdquod he nou herkneth for þe beste
¶ The wordes of the
hoost .
hoost .
But take it noȝt I prey you in disdeyn̄
Þis is þe poynt to speke short and playn̄
That ich of you to short with oure weye
In this viage shal tellen tales tweye
To caunterburyward / y mene it so
And homwardes he shal tellen̄ oþ̉er two
Of aventurys þᵗat whilome have by falle
And which of you that bereth best of alle
That is to seyn̄ þᵗat telleth in þis cas
Tales of best sentence and most solas
Shal have a soper at oure alder cost
Here in þis place sittyng by this post
Whan that we comyn a gayn̄ fro caunterbury
And for to make you the more mery
I wol my silfe godly with you ryde
Right at myn owne coste and be youre gide
And who so wol my Iuggement withsay
Shal pay al þat we spende bi the way
And if ye vouchesave that it be so
Telle me a non withoute wordes Mo
And y wol erly shapen me ther fore
This þyng was graunted and oure oþes swore
With ful gode hert and p̉reeyen hym also
That he wolde vouchsave for to so do
And that he wolde be oure governoure
And of oure tales Iugge and reportoure
And set a soper at a certeyn̄ prys
And we wol ruled byn̄ at his devys
In high and low and þus by on assent
We byn accordet to the Iuggement
And ther vpon̄ þe wyn̄ was fette anon̄
We dronken and to rest went echon̄
Withouten eny lenger taryeng
A morow whan þat day gan to spryng
Vp ros oure oost and was oure aldre cok
And gederid vs to geder in a flok
And forth we ryden̄ a litel more þan pas
Vnto the watryng of seint thomas
And ther oure oost by gan is hors a rest
And seid lordynges herkeneth if you lest
Ye wote youre foreward and ek yoʳur recorde
If evensonge and morowe song accorde
Lat se now who shal telle þe first tale
As evere mote I drink wyn̄ 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
And which that hath þe shortest slal by gynne
Sir knyght qdquod he my maist̉er and my lorde
Now draweth cut for that is myn acorde
Cometh nere qdquod he my lady prioresse
And ye sir clerk let be youre shamefastnesse
. b . iij .Ne studieth naȝt ley honde to every man
A non to drawe euery wight began
And shortly to tellen as it was
Were it by aventure or sort or cas
The soth is this þe cut fel to þe knyȝt
Of which ful blithe and glad was eủery wyȝt
And telle he most his tale as it was resoıı̄un
By forewar an by composicioıı̄un
As ye have herde what nedeþ wordes mo
And whan þis gode man̄ saugh þat it was so
As he that wyse was and obedient
To kepe his foreward by his fre assent
He seid senne y shal begynne the game
What welcome by the cut a goddes name
Now lete vs ryde and herkeneþ what y seye
[…]d with þat worde we reden forth oure way
[…]n with right a mery chere
[…]noon and seide as þe may here
Hic incipit fabula Militis
Whilom was as olde stories tellen vs
Ther was a duk þat hight Teseus
Of athenes he was lord and governour
And in his tyme suche a Conquerour
That gretter was ther non vndir þe sonne
Ful mony a rich contre hadde he wonne
What with his wysdom and his chiualrye
He conquered al the reygne of femynye
That whilome was ycleped cithia
And wedded the quene ypolita
And broȝte here home with hym into his contre
With mochel glorie ⁊and grete solempnite
And eke her yonge suster Emelye
And thus with victorie and with melodye
Late I this noble duke to athenes ride
And al his oost in armys hym be side
And certys if it nere to longe to here
I wold haue tolden fully the manere
Hownen was the reygne of femenye
By theseus and by his chiualrye