Ch · Oxford, Christ Church MS. 152
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Ch/
[1r]
¶ Incipit tractatus Galfr͗i Chaucer de Gestis
Peregrinoꝝrum v̉ersus Cantuariam
Peregrinoꝝrum v̉ersus Cantuariam
Whan that Auerell wᵗith his shoures soote
The droght of Marche hath ꝑperced to the roote
And bathed eủery veyne in swych licour
Of whiche v̉ertu . engendrid is the flour
Whan zephirus eek . wᵗith his swete breeth
Enspired hath in eủery holt and heth
The tendre croppes . and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram · his half cours y ronne
And smale fowels / maken melodie
That slepen̄ all the nyght with open eye
So priketh hem nature / in her corages
Than longen folke to goon on pilgrymages
And palmers for to seken straunge strondes
To ferne halwes couthe in sondry londes
And specially from eủery shires ende
Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende
The holy blysfull martir forto seke
That hem hath holpen · when that they were seke
Bifell that in that sesoun . on a day
In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay
Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage
To Caunterbury · with wel deuout Corage
At nyght was come in to that hostelrie
Wel · xxix · in a compaignye
Of sondry folk by auenture y falle
In felaueshipe · and pilgrymes were they alle
That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde
The Chambres ⁊and the stables weren wide
And well we weren eesed at the beste
And shortly · whanne the sonne was to reste
So hadde I spoken with hem euꝰerychon̄
That I was of hir felawship̄ anon̄
And made forward erly for to ryse
To take oure wey ther as I yow deuyse
But nartheles while I haue tyme ⁊and space
Er that I ferther in this tale pace
Me th ey c it accordᵃunt to resoun̄
To telle yow alle the condicioun
Of eiche of hem · so as it semed mee
And whiche they were ⁊and of what degree
And eek in what array that they were ynne
And at a knyght than will I first begynne
Knyght
A knyght ther was . ⁊and that a worthy man That fro the tyme that he first began
To ryden oute he loued cheualrie
Treuthe and honour fredom ⁊and curteisie
Full worthi was he in his lordis werre
And ther to hadde he riden noman ferre
This indicates the correct order by a and b
As well in Cristendom as hethenesse At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne
And eủer honoured for his worthynesse
Full ofte tyme he had the bord bygonne
A boue all nacions in pruce
In lettow had he reised and in Ruce
No Cristen man so ofte of his degree
In Gernade at the sege eke had he bee
At Algezir and riden in Belmarie
At lieis was he / and at Satalye
Whan they were wonne · and in the grete see
At many a noble armee had he bee
At mortell batailles hadde he ben̄ Fyftene
And foughten for oure feith / at Tramyssene
In lystes thries / and ay slayn his foo
This ilke worthy knyght had ben also
Som̄ tyme with the lord of palatye
A gayn̄ a nother hethen in Turkye
And eủer more he had a soủereyn pris
And thow that he were worthy he was wys
And of his port as meke as is a mayde
Ne neuere yet no vylenye he sayde
In alle his lyfe vnto no maner wight
He was a verrey ꝑperfit gentel knyght
This indicates the correct order by a and b
His hors was good but he ne was not gay But for to tellen yow of his array
Of Fustyan he wered a Gypoıı̄un
Al bysmotred with his hawbergeoıı̄un
For he was late comen from his viage
And wente for to do his pilgrymage
With hym ther was his sone a yong squyer
A louer and a lusty bacheler
With lokkes crulle . as they were leyd in presse
Of · xx · yeer he was of age I gesse
Of his stature he was of euene lengthe
And wonderly delyuere · and of grete strengthe
And he had ben̄ sontyme in chyuachye
In Flaundrys in Artoys And Pykardye
And born̄ hym wele as in so litell space
In hope to stonden in his ladies grace
Enbrouded was he / as it were a mede
All full of freisshe floures white and reede
Syngyng he was . or Floytyng alle the day
He was as freisshe / as is the monthe of May
Short was his gowne / with sleues longe ⁊and wyde
Wele coude he sitte on hors and faire ride
He coude songes well make / and endite
Iuste and eke daunce / and well purtreye ⁊and write
So hote he louede / that by nyghter tale
He slepte namore / than dooth a nyghtyngale
Curteys he was . lowely . and seruysable
And carf byforn his Fader at the table
yeman
A yeman had he / and seruᵃntz namo At that tyme / for hym lyst ryde so
And he was clad / in cote ⁊and hode of grene
A sheef of Pecok arwes . bright ⁊and kene
Vnder his belte he bare full thriftely
Wele coude he dresse his takel yemanly
His arwes drouped nought with fetheres lowe
And in his hond he bare a myghty bowe
A nott heed had he / with a broun̄ visage
Of wodecraft wel koude he / alle the vsage
Vpon his arme he bare a gay bracer
And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler
And on that oother syde / a gay daggere
Harneysed wel . and sharp͒e as poynt of spere
A p̄christofre on his breest of siluer shene
An horn̄ he bare / the bawdryk was of grene
A Forster was he / soothly as I gesse
Prioresse
Ther was also a Nonne a Prioresse That of her smylyng was full symple ⁊and coy
Hir grettest ooth / was but by seynt loy
And she was cleped Madame Eglyntyne
Full well she songe the seruyse dyuyne
Entuned in her nose / full semely
And Frensshe she spak full faire ⁊and fetisly
After the scole of Stratford atte bowe
For Frensshe of Parys was to hir vnknowe
Atte mete wele taught was she wᵗith alle
She leet no morsell from her lippes falle
Ne wette her fyngeres / in her sauce depe
Wele coude she carie a morsell ⁊and wele kepe
That no drope fel vpon̄ her breest
In curtesie was set full mochel her leest
Her ouer lippe wiped she so clene
That in here cuppe / ther was no ferthyng sene
Of grees whan she dronken had hir draught
Full semely aftir her mete she raught
And sykerly she was of greet disport
And full plesaunt and amyable of port
And peyned hire to countrefete chere
Of court . And estatlyche of manere
And to ben̄ holden digne of reuerence
But for to speken̄ of hire conscience
She was so charitable ⁊and so pitous
She wolde wepe / if that she saugh a mows
Caught in a trappe / if it were ded or bledde
Of smale houndes had she that she fedde
With rosted fleisshe or melke or wastel breed
But soore wepte she / if oon̄ of hem were deed
Or if men smote it with a yerd smerte
And all was conscience and tendre herte
Full symely her wympel pynched was
Hire nose streight / hire eyen grey as glas
Hire mouthe full smal / and therto softe ⁊and reed
But sikerly she hadde a faire forheed
It was almost a spanne brood I trowe
For h eardely she was not vnder growe
Full fetys was hire cloke as I was ware
Of small corall a boute hire arm she bare
A peyre of bedys / gauded al with grene
And ther on henge a broche of gold full shene
On whiche was first writen̄ a crowned A
And aftir · Amor vincit om̄mnia
A nother nonne with hire had she
That was hire chapeleyn̄ . and preestes thre
Monke
A Monke ther was a faire for the maistrie An out ridere that loued venerie
A manly man to been an Abbot Able
Full many a deynte hors hadde he in stable
And when̄ he rood men myght his bridell here
Gyngle in a whystelyng wynd as clere
And eke as loude / as doth the chapell belle
There as this lord was kepere of the Selle
The reule of seynt Maure or of seynt Benett
By cause that it was olde ⁊and somdell streit
This ilke monke leet olde thynges pace
And helde aftir the newe world the space
He yaf not of that text a pulled hen̄
That seith that hunters ben̄ noon̄ holy men̄
Ne that a Monke whan that he is reccheles
Ys lykkened till a Fissh that is waterles
This is to seyn̄ / a Monke out of his Cloystre
and I saide his opynyon was
But thilke tixte held he not worth an oystre
And I saide his opynyoıı̄un was good
What sholde he studie · ⁊and make hym seluen̄ wood
Vpon̄ a book / in Cloistre alwey to poure
Or swynk with his hondes ⁊and laboure
As Austyn̄ bit . how shall the world be serued
Lat Austyn̄ to hym haue his swynk reserued
Therfore he was a prikesour a right
Greyhoundes he had as swyft as fowel in flyght
Of Prykyng and of huntyng for the hare
Was all his lust for no cost wolde he spare
I saugh his slefes purfiled at the hond
With Grys and that the fynest of a lond
And for to festene his hood vnder his chyn̄
He had of golde wrought a full curious pyn̄
A loue knotte in the gretter ende ther was
His heed was balled that shoon̄ as ony glas
And eke his face as he had ben̄ anoynt
He was a lord full fat ⁊and in good poynt
His eyen̄ stepe / and rollyng in his hed
That semed as a furneys of a leed
His botes souple / his hors in greet estat
Now serteinly / he was a feire p̉erlat
He was not pale . as is a forpyned goost
A fat swan loued he best of any roost
His Palfrey was as brouıı̄un as any berye
Afrere
AFrere ther was · a wantoıı̄un ⁊and a merie A lymytour · a full solempne man̄
In all the ordres foure / is non̄ that kan̄
So myche of daliaunce / and faire langage
He had maked full many amariage
Of yong wymen / at his owne cost
Vn to his ordre he was a noble post
Full well byloued ⁊and famulier was he
With frankeleyns oủeral in his cuntre
And eke with worthy women̄ of the toun
For he had pouer of confessioun
As seide hym self · more than a curat
For of his ordre he was licenciat
Full swetely herd he confessioun
And plesaunt was his Absolucoun
He was an esy man to yeue penance
Ther as he wiste to haue a good pitaraunce
For vn to a pore ordre for to yeue
Is signe that a man̄ is well shryue
For if he yaf he durste make auaunt
He wist that a man̄ was repentaaunt
For many a man so herde is of hert
He may not wepe though that he soore smerte
Therfore in stede of wepyng and preieris
Men̄ mote yeue siluer to the pore freris
His tipet was ay farsed full of knyfes
And pynnes for to yeue faire wyfes
And certeynly he had a mury note
Wele coude he syngen̄ and pleyen̄ at a Rote
Of yeddynges he bare outerly the prys
His nekke white was as the floure delys
Therto he stronge was as a champioun
He knew the tauernes well in eủery toun
And eủery hostiler ⁊and tappestere
Bet than a lazar or a beggere
For vn to swiche a worthy man̄ as hee
Accorded nat as by his facultee
To haue with sike lazers Acqueyntaraunce
Yt is not honest it may not avaunce
For to delyn with no such poraille
But all with riche and sellers of vitaille
And oủer all ther as ꝓprofit sholde arise
Corteys he was ⁊and lowely of seruyse
Ther was noman nowher so vertuous
He was the beste begger of his hous
And yaf a certeyn̄ ferme for the garaunt
Noon of his bretheren̄ coom in his haunt
For thogh a widwe had not a shoo
So plesaunt was his In Principio
Yet wolde he haue a ferthyng er he went
His purchas was well bettre than his rent
And rage he coude as it were right a whelp̄
In louedaies koude he mochell help̄
For ther he was not lyke a Cloystrer
With a thredbare cope as is a poore scoler
But he was lyke a maister / or a pope
Of double worsted was his semy cope
And rounded as a belle out of the presse
Somwhat he lypsed for his wantownesse
To make his englysshe swete vpon̄ his tonge
And in his harpyng whan he hadde songe
Hise eyen twynkeled in his heed aright
As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght
This worthy lymytour was cleped huberd
Marchᵃaunt
A Marchaunt was ther / with a forked berd In motlee / and heigh on hors he sat
Vpon his heed a Flaundrissh beuer hat
His bootes clapsed / faire and fetisly
Hise resouns he spak full solempnely
Sownyng alwey thencres of his wynnyng
He wold the see were kept for any thyng
Bitwix Middelburgh and Orewelle
Wele koude in eschaunge / sheldes selle
This worthy man full well his wit bysette
Ther wist no wyght that he was in dette
So estatly was he of his goủernaunce
With his bergeynes / and with his cheuysaunce
Forsoth he was a worthy man with alle
But sooth to seyn̄ I note how men hym calle
Clerk of Oxenford
A Clerk ther was of Oxenford alsoo That vnto logyk hadde longe y goo
As lene was his hors / as is a rake
And he was not right fat I vndertake
But loked holwe and therto sobrely
Full threedbare was his ouerist courtepy
For he had geten hym / yet no benefice
Ne was so wordly for to haue office
For hym was leuere / haue at his beddes heed
Twenty bokes / clad in blak or reed
Of Aristotell / and his philosophie
Than robes riche / or fithle / or gay sawtrie
But all be that he was a philosophre
Yet hadde he / but litel gold in Coffre
But all that he myght of his frendes hente
On bokes and on lernyng he it spente
And bysely gan for the soules preye
Of hem that yaf hym wher with to scoleye
Of stodie toke he moost cure / and moost hede
Nat a word spake he / more than was nede
And that was seide / in fourme and reuerence
And short and quyk and full of high sentence
Sownyng in morall sentence v̉ertu was his speche
And gladly wolde he lerne / and gladly teche
sergeaıı̄unt of lawe
A sergeaunt of the lawe war and wys That often hadde ben at the parvys
That was also full riche of excellence
Discret he was / and grete reuerence
He semed swiche / hise wordes weren so wise
Iustice he was full often in assise
By patent and by pleyn̄ co͒mmyssiouıı̄un
For his science / and for his high renouıı̄un
Of fees and robes hadde he many oon
So greet a purchasour was nowher noon
Al was fee simple to hym in effecte
His paarchasyng myght noght ben infecte
Nowhere so besy a man̄ as he ther nas
And semed besier than he was
In termes hadde he caas ⁊and domes alle
That from the tyme of kyng william were falle
Therto he coude endite / and make a thyng
Ther koude no wight pynche at his wrytyng
And eủery statut koude he playn by rote
He rood but hoomly / in a medlee cote
Girt with a seint of silke / wtith barres smale
Of his array telle I no lenger tale
A Frankeleyn̄ was in his companye
Whit was his berd / as is the daiesye
Of his complexion / he was sangwyn
Wele loued he by the morwe / a soppe in wyn
To lyuen in delyt was eủer his wone
For he was Epicurus owne sone
That helde opynyon / that pleyn̄ delyt
Was verrey felicitee ꝑperfit
An housholdere / ⁊and that a greet was he
Seynt Iulyan he was in his Cuntre
His breed / ⁊and Ale / was alweys aftir oon
A bettre envyned man / was neủer noon
With outen bake mete was neủer his hous
Of fisshe and fleissh and that so plentevous
It snewed in his hous of mete ⁊and of drynke
Of alle deyntees that men couthe bythynke
Aftyr the sondry sesons of the yeer
So chaunged he his mete / and his soper
Full many a fat partriche / hadde he in mewe
And many a breem / and many a luce in stue
Woo was his Cook but if his sauce were
Poynaunt and sharp͒e / and redy all his gere
His table dormaunt in his halle alway
Stood redy coủered all the longe day
At Sessions ther was he lord and sire
Full ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire
An Anlas and a Gipser all of selke
Heng at his gurdell white as morn melke
A shirreue had he ben / and countour
Was nowher suche a worthy vauasour
Habirdaissher Carpenter Webbe Dyer Tapicer
An habirdaisshere / and a carpentere A webbe / a dyer / a tapicer
And they were clothed all in o lyuere
Of a solempne / and a grete fraternyte
Full freisshe and newe / hire geere a piked was
Hire knyfes were chaped / noght with bras
But all with siluer / wroght / full clene ⁊and wele
Hire girdles and hire pouches eueridele
Wele semed eche of hem / a faire burgeys
To sitten in a yeldhalle on a deys
Eủerych for the wisdom that he kan
Was shaply for to ben an Alderman
For catell had thay I nough and rente
And eeke hire wifes / wold it wele assente
Or elles serteyn / they were to blame
It is full faire to be clepid madame
And goon to vigiles al byfore
And haue a mantell realliche y bore
The Cook
A Cook thay hadde with hem for the nones To boille the Chiknes And the Maribones
And poudre Marchaunt tart ⁊and galyngale
Wele / koude he knowe / a draught of londoıı̄un ale
He koude rooste and sethe / and broille and frie
Maken Mortreux · and wel bake a pie
But greet harm was it · as it thoughte me
That on his shȳnne / a mormall hadde · he
For blak manger / that made he with the beste
Shipman̄
A Shipman̄ was there wonyng fer by weste For ought I woot he was of Dertemouthee
He rood vpon a rouncy as he couthee
In a gowne of Faldyng to the knee
A dagger on a lace hongyng had hee
A boute his nekke / vnder his arme a doun
The hote somer / hadde made his hewe all broun
And certeynly he was a good felawe
Full many a draught of wyn hadde he drawe
Fro Burdeux warde / whill that the chapman sleep
Of nyce conscience toke he no keep
If that he faught and hadde the hier hond
By watre he sente hem hoom / to eủery lond
But of his crafte to rekene wele his tydes
Hys stremys and his daungers / hym bysydes
His herberwe / and his moone / his lodemenage
Ther was noon̄ suche / fro hulle to cartage
Hardy he was and wys to vndirtake
With many a tempest hadde his berde ben shake
He knewe alle the hauenes as they were
Froo Scōotlond to the Cape of Fynystere
And eủery Crike in Britaigne and in Spayne
His barge I cleped was the Mawdelayne
Doctour of Phisik
With vs ther was a doctour of Phisike In all this world ne was ther noon hym lyke
To speken of Phisyk and of Surgerie
For he was grounded / in Astronomye
He kepte his pacient a full greet deel
In houres by his magik naturell
Wele koude he fortunen / the Ascendent
Of hise ymages for his pacient
He knewe the cause of eủery maladye
Were it of hoot or coold or moyst or drye
And where it engendrid and of what humour
He was a verray practisour
The cause y knowe / and of his harme the roote
Anoon he yaf the syke man his bote
Full redy had he hise Apothecaries
To senden hym his dregges and letuaries
For eche of hem made other for to wyn̄ne
Hire frendship was nought newe for to begynne
Well knewe he / the olde Esculapius
And discorides / and eke Rusus
Olde ypocras / haly and Galien
Serapion Razis and Auycen
Averrois Damascien and Constantyn /
Bernard and Gatesden / and Gilbertyn
Of his diete mesurable was hee
For it was of noo suꝑperfluytee
But of grete norissynge / and digestible
His studie was but litle on the bible
In sangwyn̄ and in Pers he clad was al
Lyned with taffata and with sendal
And yet he was but easy of dispense
He kepte that he wan in pestilence
For gold in Phisik is a cordiall
Therfore he loued gold in speciall
The good Wife bysyde Bathe
A good wife was ther of bysyde bathe But she was somdel deef and that was scathe
Of clooth makyng she hadde suche an haunt
She passed hem of Ipres and of Gaunt
In all the parisshe wife ne was ther noon
That to the offryng byfore here sholde goon
And if ther didde certeiıı̄un so wroth was she
That she was oute of alle charite
Hire keuerches full fyn were of ground
I durste swere they weyeden ten pound
That on a sonday weren on her hed
Hire hosen were of fyne scarlet reed
Full streite y teyd and shoes full moist ⁊and newe
Bolde was her face / and faire and reed of hewe
She was a worthy woman all here lyue
Housbandes at chirche dore / she hadde fyue
With outen other compaignye in youthe
But ther of nedeth nat to speke as nouthe
And thries had / she ben̄ at Ierusalem
She hadde passed many a stronge streem
At Rome she hadde ben̄ / and at Boloyne
In Galys at seynt Iame / and at Coloyne
She koude moche of wandryng by the weye
Gattothed was she / sootly for to seye
Vpon an amblere / esily she sat
Wympled wel / and on here hede an hat
As brood as is a bokeler · or a targe
A foot mantel a boute here hipes large
And on here feet apeire of spores sharpe
In felaushipe / wele couthe she laugh ⁊and karpe
Of remedies of loue she knewe ꝑperchaunce
For she couthe of that arte the olde daunce
A ꝑperson̄ of a town̄
A good man was there of religioun And was a pore ꝑperson of a toun
But riche he was of holy thought ⁊and werke
He was also a lerned man a Clerke
That Cristes gospell treuly wolde preche
Hise parisshens deuoutly wolde he teche
Benigne he was and wonder diligent
And in adủersite full pacient
And swiche he was preued ofte sithes
Full looth were hym to cursen for his tithes
But rather wolde he yeuen oute of doute
Vn to his poore parisshens aboute
Of his offrynge / and eke of his substaunce
He couthe in litel thyng haue suffissaunce
Wide was his parisshe / and houses fer asonder
But he ne lefte nat for reyne ne thonder
In sikenesse nor in meschef to visite
The ferrest in his parisshe / moche ⁊and lite
Vpon̄ his feet . and in his hoond a staf
This noble ensample to his sheep͒e he yaf
That first he wroughte / ⁊and aftirward that he taught
Oute of the gospel he tho wordes caught
And thys figure he added eke therto
That if golde ruste what what sholde yren do
For if a preost be foule in whom we truste
No wonder is a lewed man to ruste
And shame it is if a preest take kepe
An shiten shipherd / and a clene shepe
Wele ought a preest ensample for to yeve
To hys spee parchons how they shold lyve
He sette nought his benefice to hire
And leet his sheep̄ encombred in the myre
And ranne to loundoıı̄un / vnto seint poules
To seken hym a Chauntrie for soules
Or with a bretherhede to ben witholde
But dwelte at hoom ⁊and kepte wele his foolde
So that the wolfe made it not myscarie
He was a sheephurd and nat a mercenarie
And though he holy were and vertuouse
He was not to synfull men dispetouse
Ne of of his speche daungerous ne digne
But in his techyng discreet and benygne
To drawen folke to heuen / by faiernesse
By good ensample / this was his besynesse
But it were any ꝑpersone obstynat
What so he were of high or lowe estat
Hym wolde he snybben / sharply for the nonys
A better preest I trowe ther nowher noon is
He wayted / aftir noo pompe ne reuerence
Ne maked hym a spiced conscience
But cristes lore / and hise apostles twelue
He taughte / bu
Marginalia
t first he folwed it hym selue A Ploweman
With hym ther was a plowman . was his brother That had y ladde of donge full many a fother
A trewe swynkere / and a good was he
Lyuyng in pees and ꝑperfit charite
God loued he best with all his hole herte
Atte alle tymes though hym gamed or smerte
And than his neighebore / right as hym selue
He wolde thresshe / and therto dyke and delue
For cristis sake for eủery pore wight
With outen hire if it lay in his myght
His tithes paide he full faire ⁊and/ well
Bothe of his ꝓpropre swynke / and his catell
In his tabard he rood vpon̄ a Mere
Ther was also a Reeue and a Millere
A sompnour and a pardoner also
A Manciple and my selfe ther were namo
Maniiciple
The Millere was a stoute karl for the nones Miller
Full bigg he was of braun ⁊and eke of bones
That preued wele / for oủer all ther he cam
At wrastlyng he wolde haue alway the Ram
He was short sholdred brood a thikke knarre
Ther was no dore that he ne wolde heue of harre
Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed
His berde as any sowe / or fox was reed
And therto brood as though it were a spaade
Vpon the coppe right of his nose he hade
A wert. and ther on stood a tofte of heris
Reed as the brustles of a sowe eeris
Hise nosethirles blake were ⁊and wide
A swerde and a bokeler bare he be his side
His Mouthe as grete was as a greet furneys
He was a Ianglere / and a Goliardeis
And that was moste of synne / and harlotries
Wele couthe he stelen corn / and tollen thries
And yet he hadde a thombe of golde ꝑperdee
A white cote and a blewe hood wered he
A bagge pipe wele coude he blowe and sowne
And therwith al / he brought vs oute of towne
Maıı̄unciple
A gentell Maunciple was ther of a temple Of whiche all chatours myght take exemple
For to ben̄ wise in byin̄g of vitaille
For whether that he paide or toke by taille
Algat he waited so in his achate
That he was ay byforn̄ and in good state
Now is not that of god a full faire grace
That swiche a lewed mannys witte shall pace
The wisdom of an heep / of lerned men
Of Maistres hadde he moo / than twies ten
That were of lawe exꝑpert and curious
Of whiche ther were a duzeyn̄ in that hous
Worthy to ben stiwardes of rent and lond
Of any lord that is in Engelond
To make hym lyue by his ꝓpropre good
In honour dettelees but he were wood
Or lyve as scarsly / as hym lyst desire
And able for to helpen all a shire
In any caas that myghte falle or happe
And yet this Maunciple / sette her aller cappe
A Reue
The Reue was a sklender Coleryk man His berde was shaue / as neigh as eủer he kan
His heer was by hise erys full rounde y shorn
His topp was dokked lyke a preest byforn
Full longe were his legges / and full lene
I lyke a staf ther was no calfe y sene
Wele couthe he kepe / a gerner and a bynne
Ther was noon Auditour / koude on hym wynne
Wele wiste he by the droughte / And by the Reyn
The yeldyng of his seed and of his greyn
His lordeshep / his neet his deyerie
His swyn̄ his hors his stoor / and his pultrie
Was holly in this Reues gouernyng
And by his couenant yaf the rekenyng
Syn that his lord was twenty yere of age
There coude noman brynge hym in arerage
Ther nas baillif ne herde / nor other hyne
That he ne knewe his sleighte / ⁊and his couyne
They were a dradde of hym / as of the deth
His wonyng was full faire / vpon an heth
With grene trees shadwed was his place
He koude bettre than his lord purchace
Full Riche he was a stored priuely
His lorde wele koude he pleasen subtilly
To yeue and lene hym of his owne good
And haue a thank and yet a coot and a hood
In youthe he lerned hadde / a good myster
He was a well good wright a Carpenter
This Reue satte vpon a wele good stot
A longe Surcote of peers vpon he hadde
And by his side he bare a rusty blade
Of Northfolke was this Reeue / of whiche I telle
Byside a toun̄ men clepe Baldeswelle ·
Tukked he was / as is a frere a boute
And eủer he rood the hyndrest of oure route
A Sompnour
A Sompnour was there with vs in that place That hadde a fire reed Cherubyns face
For Saucefleme / he was with eyen narwe
And hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe
With scaled browes blake / and piled berd
Of his visage children weren a ferd
Ther nas quik siluer / litarge ne brymston̄
Borace ceruce ne oile of tartre noon
Ne oygnement that wolde clense and bite
That hym myght helpen of hise welkes white
Ne of the knobbes sittyng on his chekys
Wele loued he garlek onyons ⁊and eke lekes
And for to drynken strong wyn reed as blood
Than wolde he and crie as he were wood
Than wolde he speke no word but in latyne
That he had lerned out of som̄ decree by tyme
No wonder is / he hard it all the day
And eeke ye knowen wele how that a Iay
Kan clepen watte / as wele as kan the p[o]pe
But who so koude in other thyng hym grope
Than had he spent all his Philosophie
Ay questio quid iuris wold he crie
He was a gentell harlot and a kynde
A bettre felawe / sholde men nought fynde
He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn
A good felawe to haue his concubyn
A twelfe monthe / and excusen hym atte fulle
Full priuely a fynche eke coude he pulle
And if he foond o where a good felawe
He wolde techen hym to haue noon̄ awe
In suche caas as the Ercedeknes curs
But if mannes soule / were in his purs
For in his purs he sholde punysshed be
Purs is the Ercedeknes helle seide he
But wele I woot he lied right in dede
Of cursyng ought iche gilti man drede
For curs wole slee / right as a soillyng sauyth
And also ware hym of a Significauit
In daunger hadde he atte his owne gyse
The yonge gerles of the diocise
And knewe her counseill and was all hire reed
A garland hadde he set vpon his heed
As grete as it were for ale stake
A bokeler hadde he made hym of a Cake
A Pardoner
With hym ther rood a gentell pardoner Of Rouncyual his frende and his comper
That streight was comen from the court of Rome
Full loude he songe come hedir loue to me
This sompnour bare to hym a styf burdoun
Was neuer trompe · of halfe so greet a soun
This pardoner had heer as yelowe as wexe
And smothe it henge as doth a strike of flexe
By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde
And ther with he his sholdres oủer spradde
But thynne it lay by colpons oon̄ and oon
But hood for Iolite wered he noon
For it was trussed vp in his walet
Hym thought he rood all of the newe gett
Discheuelee saue his cappe he rood all bare
Swiche glaryng eyen hadde he as an hare
A vernycle had hee sowed vpon his cappe
His walet byforn hym in his lappe
Bret full of pardoun / comen from Roome all hoot
A voys he hadde as smalle as hath a goot
No berde hadde he / ne neủer sholde haue
As smothe it was as it were late y shaue
I trowe he were a geldyng or a Mare
But of his crafte fro Berwik in to ware
Ne was there suche a nother ꝑpardonere
For in his male / he hadde a pilwe bere
Whiche that he saide / was oure lady veile
He seide he hadde a gobet of a seile
That seint petir hadde / whan that he wente
Vpon the see til IħuIhesu crist hym hente
He hadde a crosse of latoun full of stones
And in a glasse he hadde pigges bones
But with these relykes whan that he fond
A pore parson dwellyng vpon lond
Vpon a day he gate hym more moneye
Than that the ꝑparsoun gate in Monthes tweye
And thus with feyned flaterie and Iapes
He made the ꝑparsoun and the peple his Apes
But treuly to tellen atte laste
He was in chirche a noble Ecclesiaste
Wele koude he reede a lessoun̄ ⁊and a storie
But alther beste he song an offertorie
For well he wist whan that songe was songe
He moste preche / and wele affile his tonge
To wynne siluer / as he full wele koude
Therfore he songe the murierly ⁊and loude
Now haue I told yow sootly in a clause
Thestaat tharray / the nombre and eke the cause
Why that assembled was this compaignye
In Southwerk / in that gentil hostelrie
That hight the Tabard fast by the belle
But now is tyme to yow for to telle
How that we baren / vs that ilke nyght
Whan that we were in that hostelrie a light
And aftyr wole I telle of oure viage
And all the remenant of oure pilgrimage
But now first I pray yow of youre curtesie
That ye narette it not my vilenye
Though that I pleynly speke in this matere
To telle yow here wordes ⁊and here chere
Ne though I speke her wordes ꝓproprely
For this ye knowen / also wele as I
Who so shall telle a tale aftir a man
He moot reherce as eủer he kan
Eueriche a word if it be in his charge
All speke he neủer so rudelyche and large
Or ellys moot telle his tale vntrewe
Or feyne thyng or fynde wordys newe
He may not spare all though he were his brother
He moot as wele seye o word as a nother
Crist spake hym selfe full brood in holy writ
And wele ye woot no vileynye is it
Eke plato seith who so kan hym rede
The wordes mote be Cosyn to the dede
Also I pray yow to foryeue it mee
All haue I not set folke in here degree
Here in this tale as that they sholde stonde
My witte is short ye may wele vndirstonde
Greet chere made oure hoost vs euerichon
And to the sopere / sette he vs a noon
He serued vs with vitaille at the beste
Stronge was the wyn ⁊and wele to drynke vs leste
A semely man oure hoost was with alle
For to been a Marchal in an halle
A large man he was with eyen stepe
A fairer burgeis is ther noon in chepe
Bolde of his speche / ⁊and wis ⁊and wele y taught
And of manhood hym lakked right naught
Eke therto he was a mury man
And aftir souper / pleynen he bygan
And spake of myrthe / amonges other thynges
Whan that we hadde made oure rekenynges
And seide thus now lordes treuly
Ye ben to me right welcome hertely
For by my trouthe yf that I shall not lye
I saugh not this yeere so meri a companye
At oones in this herburgh as is now
Fayne wolde I doon yow myrthe wyste I how
And of a myrthe I am right now bythought
To doon yow ease / ⁊and it it shall cost yow nought
Ye goon̄ to Caunterbury ward god yow spede
The blysfull martir quyte yow youre mede
And wele I woot . as ye goon by the wey
Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye
For treuly comfort ne myrthe is noon
To ride by the wey dombe as a stoon
And therfore wole I maken yow desport
As I saide erst ⁊and do yow som comfort
And if yow liketh all by oon assent
For to sto͒den at my Iugement
And for to werken as I yow saye
To Morwe whan ye riden by the waye
Now by my fader soule that is deed
But ye be mury I wole yeve yow myn heed
Holde vp youre hondes with outen Moore speche
Oure counseille was not longe for to seche
Vs thought it was nat worth to make it wyse
And graunted hym with wotyn moore auyse
And bade hym seye this voirdit as hym lyeste
Lordynges qduod he / now herkneth for the beste
But taketh it nat I pray yow in desdeyn
This is the poynt to speke short and pleyn
That eche of yow / to short with oure weye
In this viage shall telle tales tweye
To Caunterbury ward I mene it soo
And homward he shall tellen other twoo
Of Auentures that whilom haue byfalle
And whiche of yow that bereth best of alle
That is to seyn / that tellith in this caas
Tales of beste sentence / and most solaas
Shall haue a soper / at oure allere cost
Here in this place / sittyng by this post
Whan that we come agayn to Caunterbury
And for to make yow the more mury
I wol my self goodly with yow ride
Ryght at myn owne cost / and be youre gyde
And who so wole my Iugement with seye
Shall paye all that we spende by the weye
And if that ye vouche sauf that it be soo
Telle me a noon with outen wordes moo
And I wole erly shape me therfore
This thyng was graunted and oure othes swore
With full gladde herte / and preyden hym also
That he wolde fouche sauf forto do so
And that he wolde be oure goủernour
And of oure tales Iugge and reportour
And sette a soper atte a certeyn pris
And we wole reuled ben at his deuys
In high and lough and thus by oon assent
We ben̄ accorded to his Iugement
And ther vpon the wyn was fet a noon
We dronken and to reste echon
With outen any lenger tarying
A Morwe whan that day bygan to spryng
Vp roos oure oost ⁊and was oure aller cokke
And gadrid vs to gedir in a flokke
And forth we riden a litel moore than pas
Vn to the wateryng of seint Thomas
And there oure hoost bygan his hors areste
And seide lordynges herkeneth if yow leste
Ye woot youre forward ⁊and it yow recorde
If euesong and morwe song accorde
Lat see now whoo shall telle the first tale
As eủer mote I drynke wyn or ale
Who so be rebel to my Iuggement
Shall pay for all that […] by the wey ys spent
This may be a second hand: the descender of y is oriented in a slightly different way from left to right and the b is distinguished from the others, especially because the stem is very straight.
Now draweth cutte er that we ferther twynne
He whiche that hath the shortest shall begynne
Sire knyght quod he my maister and my lord
Now draweth cutte for that is myn accord
Cometh neer quod he my lady prioresse
And ye sire Clerke late be youre shamefastnesse
Ne studieth nat lay hond to eủery man
Anoon to drawen eủery wight bygan
And shortly for to tellen as it was
Were it by auenture or sort or cas
The soth is this the cutte fell to the knyght
Of whiche full blithe was eủery wight
And telle he moste his tale as was resoun
By forward and by composicoun
As ye han herde what nedeth wordes moo
And whan this good man saugh that it was soo
As he that wyse was and obedient
To kepe his forward by his free assent
He seide syn I shall bygynne the game
What welcome be the cutte in goddis name
Now late vs ride and herkeneth what I seye
And whth that word we riden forth oure weye
And he bygan with right amery chere
His tale a noon and seide as ye may here
Iamqꝫue domos patria Scithite post asꝑpera gentis laurigero ⁊et ccetera
Here bigynneth the knygtis tale
Wilom as olde stories tellen vs
Ther was a Duke that hight Theseus
Of Athenes / he was lorde ⁊and gouernour
And in his tyme swyche a conquerour
That gretter was ther noon vnder the sonne
Full many a Riche cuntree / hadde he wonne
What with his wisdom / and his chiualrie
He conquered all the reigne of femenye
That whilom was I cleped Scithia
And wedded the queene ypolita
And brought hire hom with hym in his contree
With mychel glorie ad solempnytee
And eeke hire suster Emelie
And thus with victorie ⁊and with melodie
Late I this noble duke to Athenes ride
And alle his hoost in armes hym byside
And certes if it nere to long to here
I wolde haue tolde fully the manere
How wonnen was the reigne of femenye
By theseus · and by his chiualrie
And the grete bataille for the nones
Bitwixen Athenes / ⁊and Amazones
And how asseged was Ipolita
The faire hardy queene of Scithia
And of the feste that was at hire weddynge
And of the tempest of her home comynge
But all that thynge I mote as now forbere
I haue god woot a large felde to ere
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