Cp · Oxford, Corpus Christi College MS 198

Canterbury Tales Project.

talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Cp/

[2r]

For to telle ȝow of his array

His hors were goode but he was not gay

Of fustioıı̄un he wered a gepoıı̄un

Al bismotered with his haburgoıı̄un

For he was late y come from his viage

And wente for to don his pilgrimage

Wiþ him þer was his sone a ȝong squier

A louyere and a lusty bacheler

Wiþ lockes crulle as þei were leyd in presse

Of · xx · ȝeer of age he was I gesse

Of his statuture he was of euene lengþe

And wonderly deliuere and gret of strengþe

An[…] he hadde be somtyme in Chiuachie

In Flaundres in artoys and Pykardie

And born him wel as of so litel space

In hope to stonden in his lady grace

Embroyded was he as it were a mede

Aƚƚ ful of freissche floures white and reede

Synging he was or floytynge al þe day

He was als freissch as is þe monþ of may

Schort was his gowne wiþ sleeues longe and wyde

Wel couþe he sitte on an hors and faire ride

He couþe songes make and wel endite

Iuste and eek daunce ⁊and wel purteray ⁊and write

So hote he loued þat by nighter tale

He sleep nomore þan doþ a nightyngale

Courteys he was lowly and seruisable

And karf biforn his fader atte table

A ȝeman hadde he and ʆseruantes namo

At þat time for him liste ride so

And he was clad in coote and hood of greene

A scheef of pocok arwes bright ⁊and keene

Vnder his belt he bar ful þriftily

Wel coude he dresse his takel ȝimanly

His arwes drouped nought wiþ fetheres lowe

And in his hond he bar a mighty bowe

[2v]

A not hed hadde he wiþ a broıı̄un visage

Of woode craft wel couþe he al þe vsage

Vpon his arm he bar a gay bracer

And by his syde a swerd and a bocler

And on þat oþer side a gay daggere

Harnaysed wel and scharp as point of spere

A xp̄christophre on his brest of seluer schene

An horn he bar þe bawdrik was of grene

A foster was he soþly as I gesse

Ther was also a Nonne a Prioresse

That of hir smyling was ful symple a coy

Hir grettest oþ was but by seint loy

And sche was cleped ma dame Englentyne

Fol wel sche song þe seruise diuine

Entuned in hir nose ful semely

And frenssch sche spak ful faire and fetisly

After þe scole of stratford atte Bowe

For Frenssh of Parys was to hire vnknowe

At mete wel I taught was sche wiþ all

Sche leet no morsell from hire lippes falle

Ne wete hire fyngres in hir sauce deepe

Wel couþe sche carie a morsel and wel keepe /

That no drope ne fell vpon hir breste

In Curtesye was sette ful moche hire leste

Hir ouer lippe wyped sche so cleene

That in hir cuppe þer was no ferthing seene

Of grete whan sche dronken hadde hir draughte

Ful semely after hir mete sche raughte

And sikerly sche was of gret disporte

And ful plesant and amyable of porte

And peyned hire to counterfete cheere

Of court and to ben estatlich of maneere

And to ben holden digne of reuerence

But for to speken of hir conscience

Sche was so · charitable ⁊and so pytous

Sche wolde weepe if þat sche sawe a mous

[3r]

Kaught in a trappe if it were deed or bledde

Of smale houndes hadde sche þat sche fedde

With rosted fleissh or mylk or wastel brede

But sore wepte sche if oon of hem were dede

Or if men smot it with a ȝerde smerte /

And al was conscience and tendre herte /

Ful semelich hir wympil pynched was

Hir nose was streight hire yghen grey as glas

Hir mouth ful smal and þerto softe and rede

But sikerly sche hadde a fair forhede

It was almost a spanne brood I trowe

For hardely sche was nought vndergrowe

Ful fetys was hir cloke as I was war

Of smal coral aboute hir arm sche bar

A payre of bedes gauded al with greene

And þer on heng a broche of gold ful scheene

On which þer was first writen with a crowned A .

And after . Amor vincit omnia ·

Anoþer Nonne with hir hadde sche /

That was hir Chapelleyne and prestes þre

A Monk þer was a fair for þe maistrie

And out Ridere þat loued venerie

A manly man to ben an abbot able

Ful many a deinte hors hadde he in stable

And whan he rood men might his brydel heere

Gynglyng in a whistlyng wynd as cleere

And eek as lowde as doþ þe chapel belle

Ther as þis lord was keper of þe selle

The Reule of sent Maure or of seint Beneⁱit

By cause þat it was old and somdel streit

This ilke monk leet olde þinges pace

And held after þe newe world þe space

He ȝaf nought of þe text a pulled hen

That seith þat hunters be nought holy men

Ne þat a monk whan he is recheles

Is likned til a fyssh þat is waterles

[3v]

This is to seie a monk out of his cloystre

But þilke text / held he not worth an oystre /

And I seide his opinioıı̄un was good

What schulde he studie and make himseluen wood

Vpon a book alwey in cloyste to poure

Or swynke with his hondes and laboure

As austyn bit how schal þe world be serued

Lat austyn haue his swynk to him reserued

Ther fore he was a pⁱrikasour aright

Grehoundes he hadde swift as foule in flight

Of prikynge and of huntyng for þe hare

Was alle his luste for no cost wolde he spare

I seigh his sleues I purfiled at þe hond

Wiþ grys and þat þe fynest of a lond

And for to festne his hood vnder þe chynne

He hadde of gold wrought a ful curious pynne /

A loue knotte in þe gretter ende þer was

His hed was balled þat schon as eny glas

And eek his face as he hadde ben anoynt

He was a lord ful fatt and in good poynt

His eyghen stepe and rollyng in his hede

That stemed as a forneys of a lede

His bootes souple his hors in gret estate

Now certeinly he was a fair prelate

He nas nat pale as a forpyned goost

A fat swan loued he best of any rost

His palfray was as broıı̄un as is a berie

A Frere þer was a wanton̄ and a merye

A lymitour a ful solempne man

In all þe ordres foure is non þat can

So mochil of daliance ⁊and fair langage

He hadde made ful many a mariage

Of ȝonge wōmmen at his owne cost

Vnto his ordre he was a noble post

Ful wel biloued and famulier was he

Wiþ Frankeleyns ouer al in his contre

[4r]

And wiþ worþi wōmmen of þe toun

For he hadde power of confessioun

As seyde himself more þan a curat

For of his ordre he was licenciat

Ful swetly herde he confessioıı̄un

And plesant was his absolucioıı̄un

He was an esy man to ȝiue penaıı̄unce

Ther as he wiste to haue a good pitaunce

For vnto a pouer ordre for to ȝiue

Is signe þat a man is wel I schriue

For if he ȝaf he dorste make auant

He wiste þat a man was repentant

For many a man so hard is of his herte

He may nought wepe al þough him sore smerte

Ther fore in stede of weepyng and preyeres

Men mote ȝeue siluer to þe pouere freeres

His typet was ay farsed ful of knyfes

And pynnes for to ȝiue faire wyues

And certeynly he hadde a mery note /

Wel couþe he synge ⁊and playen on a rote

Of ȝeddynges he bar witterly þe pris

His nekke whit was as þe flour delys

Ther to he was strong as a Champioıı̄un

He knew þe tauernes wel in euery toun

And euerich hostiller ⁊and tapster͗e

Bet þan a lazar or a Begger͗e

For vnto such a worþi man as he

Acorded nought as by his faculte

To haue with such sek lazer aqueintance

It is nought honest it may nought auaunce

For to delen with such poraile

But all with Riche and seller͗e of vitaile

And ouer al þer as profyt scholde arise

Curtays he was and lowly of seruise

Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous

He was þe beste begger in his hous

[4v]

For þough a widewe hadde nought a scho

So plesant was his In principio

Ȝet wolde he haue a ferþing or he wente

His purchas was wel bettre þan his rente

And rage he couþe right as it were a whelpe

In louedayes þer couþe he moche helpe

For þer he was not lich a cloysterer

With a thred bare cope as a pore scoler

But he was lik a maister or a pope

Of double worstede was his semy cope

That rounded as a belle on the presse

Somwhat he lipsed for his wantounesse

To make his englissh sweete vpon his tonge

And in his harpyng whan þat he hadde songe

His yghen twyncled in his heed aright

As don þe sterres in þe frosty night

This worþi lymitour was cleped huberd

A marchant was þer with a forked berd

In mottle and heigh on horse he satte

Vp on his heued a Flaundrissh beuer hatte

His bootes clapsed faire and fetysly

His resons he spak ful solempnely

Schewyng alwey þe encres of his wynnynge

He wolde þe see were kept for eny þinge

By twixe Middelburgh and Orewell

Wel couþe he in eschaunge scheldes selle

This worþy man ful wel his witte bisette

Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette

So statly was he of his gouernance

With his bargaynes and his cheuissance

For soþe he was a worþi man with all

But soþly to sein I not how men him call

A Clerk þer was of Oxenford also

That vnto logyk hadde long I go

As lene was his hors as is a rake

And he nas not right fat I vndertake

[5r]

But loked holwe and þerto soburly

Ful þredbare was his ouereste courtepy

For he had geten him no benifice

Ne was so worldly for to haue office

For him was leuer to haue at his bed hede

Twenty bookes clad in blak and rede

Of Aristotle and his philosophie

Than robes riche or fithel or gay Sautrie /

But al by þat he was a philosophre

Ȝit had he but alitel gold in cofre

But al þat he might of his frendes hente /

On bokes and on lernyng he it spente

And besily gan for þe soules preye

Of hem þat ȝaf him wher with to scoleye

Of studie took he most cure and most heede

Nought o word spak he more þan was neede

And þat was seyd in forme and reủerence

And schort and quyk and ful of heigh sentence

Sownyng in moral vertu was his speche

And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche

A Sergeant of þe lawe war and wys

That often hadde ben at þe Parvys

That was also ful riche of excellence

Discret he was and of gret reủerence

He semed swich his wordes were so wise

Iustice he was ful often in assise

By patent and by plein cōmmissioıı̄un

For his science and for his heigh renoıı̄un

Of fees and robes had he many oon

So gret a purchaceour was nowher non

Al was fee simple to him in effecte

His purchasynge might not ben infecte

No wher so besy a man as he þer nas

And ȝit he semed bisiere þan he was

In termes hadde he caas and doomes all

That from þe tyme of king Willᵃam were falle

[5v]

Ther to he couþe endite ⁊and make a þink

Ther couþe no wight pynche at his writynk

And euery statut couþe he plein by Rote

He rood but homly in a medly coote

Gert with a seint of silk · wiþ barres smale /

Of his array telle I no lenger tale

A Frankeleyn was in his compaignie

Whit was his berd as is the dayessye

Of his complexioıı̄un he was sanguyne

Wel loued he by þe morwe a sop in wyne

To lyuen in delit euer was his wone /

For he was Opiournes owne sone

That held opinioıı̄un þat plein delite

Was verrey felicite parfite

An houshalder and þat a gret was he

Seint Iulian he was in his contre

His breed his ale was alweys after oon

A better envyned man was neuer noon

Wiþoute bake mete was neuer his hous

Of fissh and fleissh and þat so plenteuous

It snewed in his hous of mete and drink

Of alle deyntes þat men coude þink

After þe sondry sesons of þe ȝere

So changed he his mete and his sopeere

Ful many a fat ꝑpartrich hadde he in Mewe

And many a brem and many a luce in stuwe

Wo was his cooke but his sauce were

Poynant and scharp and redy all his gere

His table dormant in his halle alway

Stod redy couered all the longe day

At Sessions þer was he lord and sire

Ful ofte tyme he was knight of þe schire

An anelas and a gisper al of silke

Heng at his girdel whit as morne mylke

A scherref had he ben and a comptour

Was nowher such a worþi vanasour

[6r]

An haburdaissher and a Carpenter

A Webbe a Dyer and a Tapecer

And þei were cloþed alle in oo liuere

Of a solempne and a gret Frat̉ernite

Ful freissch and newe here gere apiked was

Here knyfes nere chaped nought wiþ bras

But all wiþ siluer wrought ful clene and wel

Here gerdles and here pouches eueridel

Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys

To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys

Euerich for þe wisdom þat he can

Was schaply for to ben an Alderman

For Catell hadde þei ynough and rente

And eek here wyues wolde it wel assente

And elles certein þei were to blame

It is ful fair to be cleped ma dame

And gon to vigilies al bifore

And haue a mantel rialliche / bore

A Cook þei hadde wiþ hem for þe nones

To boyle þe chikenes with þe maryebones

And poudre marchānnt tart and gallyngale

Wel kowde he know a draught of londoıı̄un ale

He couþe rost and seþe and broile and frie

Maken mortreux and wel bake a pye

But gret harm was it as it þoughte me

That on his schyne a mormal hadde he

For blank manger þat made he wiþ þe beste

A schipman was þer wonyng fer by weste

For ought I wot he was of Dertemouthe

He rood vpon a rouncy as he couþe

In a gowne of faldyng to þe knee

A dagger hangyng in a lace hadde he

Aboute his nekke vnder his arm a doun

The hoote somer had mad his hiew al broıı̄un

And certeinly he was a good felawe

Ful many a draught of wyn he hadde drawe

[6v]

From Burdeaux warde whil þe chapmen sleepe

Of nyce conscience took he no keepe

If þat he faught and had þe heigher honde

By water he sent hem hom to euery londe

But of his craft to riken wel his tydes

His stremes and his daunger him besydes

His herberwe and his moone and his ledmannage

Ther nae non such from hulle to kartage

Hardy he was and wys to vndurtake

With many a tempest had his berd be schake

He knew alle þe hauenes as they were

Fro Gotlond to þe Cape de fynystere

And euery Cryke in Bretaigne and in Spaigne

His barge y cleped was þe Mawdeleyne

With vs þer was a doctour of Phisike

In al þis world ne was þer non him like

To speke of Phisik and of Surgerie

For he was grounded in astronomie

He kept his pacient a ful gret del

In houres by his magiqꝫ naturel

Wel couþe he fortune the ascendent

Of his ymages for his pacient

He knewe þe cause of euery maladie /

Were it of hoot of cold or moist or drie /

And wher engendred and of what humour

He was a verray ꝑparfit practisour

The cause I knowe and of his harm þe rote /

Anon he ȝaf þe sike man his bote

Ful redy had he his appotecaries

To sende hem drugges and his letuaries

For ech of hem made oþer for to wynne

Here frendschip nas nat newe for to gynne /

Wel knew he þe olde Escalapius

And discorides and eke Rusus

Olde ypocras haly and Galien

Serapion Razie and auyzen

[7r]

Auerois damascien and Constantine

Bernard and Gatisdene and Gilbertine

Of his diete mesurable was he

For it was of no suꝑperfluite

But of gret norisshing and digestible

His studie was but litel on the Bible

In sangweyn and in pers he clad was al

Lyned wiþ Taffata and with Sendal

And yet he was but esy of dispense

He kepte þat he wan in Pestilence

For gold in phisiqꝫ is accordial

Therfore he loued gold in special

A good wif þer was of by syde bathe

But sche was somdel def and þat was skaþe

Of cloþ makyng sche hadde such an haunte

Sche passed hem of ypres and of Gaunte

In al þe parissche wif ne was þer noon

Þat to þe offryng toforn hire schulde gon

And if þer dede certein wroþ was sche

That sche was oute of alle charite /

Hire couerchiefs ful fyne were of grounde

I dorste swere þei weyeden ten pounde

That on a soneday weren vpon hir hede

Hire hosen weren of fyn scarlet reede

Ful streyt yteyed and schoos ful moyste and newe

Bolde was hir face and fair and reed of hewe

Sche was a worþi wōmman al hir lyue

Housbondes atte chirche dore sche hadde fyue

Wiþouten oþer companye in ȝouþe

But þer of needeþ nought to speke as nouþe

And þries hadde sche ben at Ierlm̄Ierusalem

Sche hadde passed many a strange strem

At Rome sche hadde ben and at Boloigne

In Galice at saint Iame and at Coloigne

Sche couþe moche on wandring by þe weye

Gat toþed was sche soþly for to seye

[7v]

Vpon an ambler esely sche satte

I wympled wel and on hir heed an hatte

As brood as is a bokeler or a targe

A fote mantell abouten hir hipes large

And on hire feet a paire of spores scharpe

In felaschipe wel couþe sche laughe and carpe

Of remedies of loue sche knew ꝑpar chaunce

For sche couþe of þat art þe colde daunce

A good man was þer of religioıı̄un

And was a poure ꝑpersoıı̄un of a toun

But riche he was of holy þought and werk

He was also a lerned man and a clerk

That cristes gospell trewly wolde preche

His ꝑparisshiens deuoutly wolde he teche

Benigne he was and wonder diligent

And in aduersite ful pacient

and swich he was preued ofte siþes

Ful loþ were him to cursen for his tyþes

But raþer wolde he yeuen out of doute

Vnto his poure parisshens aboute

Of his offryng and of his substance

He couþe in litel þing haue suffisance

Wyd was his parisshe and houses fer a sondre

But he ne lefte nought for rayn ne þondre

In seknesse nor in meschief to visite

The ferreste in his parisshe moche and lite

Vpon his feet and in his hond a staf

This noble ensample to his scheep he yaf

That ferst he wrought and aftirward he taughte

Out of þe gospel he þo wordes caughte

And þis fugure he addede eek þer to

That if gold ruste what schal Iren do

For if a prest be foul on whom we truste

No wonder is a lewed man to Ruste

And schame it is if a prest take kepe

A schiten schepꝑperde and a clene schepe

[8r]

Wel ought a prest ensample for to ȝyue

By his clennes how þat his scheep schulde lyue

He sette nought his benefice to hire

And leet his scheep acombred in þe myre

And ran to londoıı̄un vnto Seinte Poules

To seeke him a Chaunterie for soules

Or with a breþerede for to be with holde

But duelte at hom and kepte wel his folde

So þat þe wolf ne made it not miscarie

He was a schepꝑperde and not a mercenarie

And þough he holy were and vertuous

He was nought to synful men dispitous

Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne

But in his teching discret and benigne

To drawe folk to heuen by fairnesse

By good ensample þis was his bisynesse

But it were ony ꝑpersone obstinat

What so he were of heigh or low estat

Him wolde he snebbe scharply for þe nones

A bettre prest I trowe þat nowher non es

He waited after no pompe ⁊and reuerence

Ne maked him a spiced conscience

But cristes lore and his apostles twelue

He taught but ferst he folwed in himselue

With him þer was a plowmān was his broþer

That hadde I ladde of dong ful many a foþer

A trewe swynker and a good was he

Lyuyng in pees and ꝑparfit charite

God loued he best wiþ alle his herte

At alle tymes þough him gamed or smerte

And þan his Neighebore right as him selue

He wolde þressche and þerto dike ⁊and delue

For cristes sake for euery pouere wight

Wiþouten hire if it lay in his might

His tiþes payed he ful fair and well

Boþe of his ꝓpropre swynk and his catell

[8v]

In a Tabbard he rood vpon a mere

Ther was also a Reeue and a Mellere /

A Sompnour and a Pardoner also

A Maunciple ⁊and my self þer nare no mo /

The meller was a stout carl for þe nones

Ful big he was of brawn and eek of bones

That proued wel for ouer al þar he cam

Atte wrastlyng he wold haue a wey þe ram

He was schort schuldred a þikke knarre

The was no dore þat he nolde heue of harre

Or breke it at a rennyng with his heede

His berd as eny sowe or eny fox was reede

And þerto brod as þough it were a spade

Vpon þe cop right of his nose he hade

A wert and þer on stood a tuft of heeres

Reed as the berstles of a sowes Eres

Hise nose þrilles blake weren and wide

A swerd and bokeler bar he by his syde

His mouþ as gret was as a gret fourneys

He was a Iangler and a goliardeys

And þat was most of synne and harlotries

Wel couþe he stele corn and tolle þries

And ȝit he hadde a þombe of gold parde

A whit cote and a blew hood wered he

A Baggepipe wel couþe he blowe and soun

And þer with al he brought vs out of toun

A gentil maunciple was þer of a temple

Of which achatours mighte take exsemple

For to ben wyse in byeng of vitaile

For wheþer þat he paied or took by taile

Algate he wayted so in his achate

That he was ay biforn and in good estate

Now is not þat of god a ful fair grace

That such a lewed mannes witt schal pace

The wisdom of an heep of lernede men

Of maistres hadde mo þan þries ten

[9r]

That were of lawe expert and curious

Of which þer was a dosein in that hous

Worþi to ben Stywardes of Rente and londe

Of any lord þat is in Ingelonde

To make him lyue by his ꝓpropre good

In honour detteles but if þat he were wood

Or lyue as skarsly as him list desire

And able for to helpen al a schire

In any cas þat mighte falle or happe

And ȝit þis manciple sette here alþer cappe

The Reeue was a sclend̉er colerik man

His berd was schaue as nygh as euer he can

His her was by his eeres ful round y schorn

His toppe was dokked lik a prest biforn

Ful longe were his legges and ful lene

I lik a staf þer was no calf y sene

Wel couþe he kepe a garner or a bynne

Ther was non auditour couþe on him wynne

Wel wist he by þe drought and by þe reyne

The yeldyng of his seed and of his greyne

His lordes scheep his neet his dayerie

His swyn his hors his stoor and his pulletrie

Was holly in þis Reeues gouernynge

And by his couenant ȝaf þe rikenynge

Syn þat his lord was twenty ȝeer of age

Ther couþe no man brynge him in arrerage

Ther nas baillif ne herde nor oþer hyne

That he ne knew his sleight and his covyne

They were adrad of him as of þe deþ

His wonyng was ful fair vpon an heþ

Wiþ greene trees schadewed was his place

He couþe bettre þan his lord purchace

Ful Riche he was astored priuely

His lord he couþe plese wel subtily

To yiue and lene him of his oughne good

And haue a þank and yet a cote and hood

[9v]

In ȝouþe he hadde lerned a good mester

He was a wel good wrighte a Carpenter

This reeue satte vpon a ful good stot

That was al pomely grey and highte scot

A long Surcote of pers vpon he hadde

And by his syde he bar a rusty bladde

Of Northfolk was þis Reue of which I telle

Bysyden a toun men clepen it Baldeswelle

Tukked he was as is a frere aboute

And euer he rood þe hyndrest of oure route

A Somynour was þer with vs in þat place

That hadde a fyri cherubynnes face

For Sauseflem he was with eyghen narwe

Als hoot he was and leccherous as a sparwe

Wiþ scalled browes blak and piled berde

Of his visage children weren afferde

Ther nas quyk siluer litarge or bremston

Boras orsure ne oyle of Tarte noon

Ne oynement þat wolde clense and byte

To him might helpe of his whelkes white

Nor of þe knobbes sittyng in his cheekes

Wel loued he garlik oynons and eek leekes

And for to drinke strong wyn reed as blood

Than wolde he speke and crye as he were wood

And whan þat he wel dronken hadde þe wyn

Than wold he speke no word but latyne

A fewe termes hadde he tuo or þre

That he had lerned out of som decre

No wonder is he herd it al þe day

And eek ȝe knowen it wel how þat a Iay

Can clepe watte as wel as can þe pope

But who so couþe in oþer þing him grope

Than hadde he spent al his philosophie

Ay questio quid Iuris wolde he crye

He was a gentil harlot and a kynde

A bettre felaw schulde men not fynde

[10r]

He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn

A good felawe to haue his concubyn

A twelf moneth and excuse him atte fulle

Ful priuely eek a fynch couþe he pulle

And if he fond owher a good felawe

He wolde techen him to han non awe

In such caas of þe Erchedeknes curs

But if mannes soule were in his purs

For in his purs he scholde punyssched be

Purs is þe Erchedeknes helle seide he

But wel I wot he lyhede right in dede

Of cursyng ought eche gilty man him drede

For curs wil sle right as assoyling sauith

And also war him of a Significauith

In daunger hadde he at his owne gyse

The yonge gerles of þe diocise

And knew here counseil and what was al here rede

A garland hadde he sette vpon his heede

As gret as it were for an ale stake

A bokeler hadde he made him of a cake

With him þer rood a gentill pardoner

Of Rouncyuall his frend and his comper

That streight was comen fro þe court of Rome

Ful lowe he song come hider loue tome

This Somnour bar to him a stif burdoıı̄un

Was neuer trompe of half so gret a soun

This ꝑpardoner hadde her as yelow as wax

But smothe it heng as doth a strik of flax·

By ounces heng his lokkes þat he hadde

And þer with he his schuldres ouer spradde

But þinne it lay by culpoıı̄uns on and oon

But hood for Iolite werede he noon

For it was trussed vp in his walet

Him þoughte he rood al of the newe get

Discheuele saf his cappe he rood al bare

Swich glaryng yghen hadde he as an hare

[10v]

A vernicle hadde he sewid on his cappe

His walet biforn him in his lappe

Bret ful of ꝑpardoıı̄un comen fro Rome al hoot

A voys he hadde as smal as a goot

No berd ne hadde he ne neuer schulde haue

As smothe it was as it ware late schaue

I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare

But of his craft fro Berwik in to ware

Ne was þer such anoþer ꝑpardoner

For in his male he hadde a pilewber

Which þat he sayde was oure lady veyle

He seide he hadde a gobet of þe seyle

That seint petir hadde whan þat he wente

Vpon þe see til iħuihesu crist him hente

He hadde a Croys of latoıı̄un ful of stones

And in a glas he hadde pigges boones

But with þese reliqes whan þat he fonde

A poure ꝑpersoıı̄un dwellyng vpon londe

Vpon a day he gat him more moneye

Than þat þe ꝑpersoıı̄un gat in monþes tweye

And þus with feyned flatering and Iapes

He made þe ꝑpersoıı̄un and þe poeple his apes

But trewely to tellen atte þe laste

He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste

Wel couþe he rede a lessonn or a story

But alþer best he song an offertory

For wel he wiste whan þat song was songe

He moste preche and welaffile his tonge

To wynne seluer as he wel cowde

Ther fore he song so meriely and lowde

Now haue I told ȝow soþly in a clause

The estat · the array þe nombre and eeke þe cause

Whi þat assembled was þis companie

In Suthwerk at þis gentil hostelrie

That highte þe Tabbard faste by þe belle

But now is tyme to yow for to telle

[11r]

How þat we beeren vs þat ilke night

Whan we were in þat Osterie alight

And after wol I telle of oure viage

And all þe remenant of our pilgrimage

But ferst I pray ȝow of your curtesie

The ȝe ne rette it nought my vilenye

Though þat I pleinly speke in þis matere

To telle ȝow here wordes and here cheere

Ne þough I speke here wordes ꝓpropurly

For þis ȝe knowen as wel as I

Who so schal telle a tale after a man

He mot reherse as neyh as euer he can

Eủerich a word if it be in his charge

Al speke he neuer so rudely and large

Or elles he moot telle his tale vntrewe

Or feyne þinges or fynde wordes newe

He may nought spare al þough he were his broþer

He moot als wel seie o word as anoþer

Crist spak himself ful brode in holy writte

And wel ȝe wot no vilenye is itte

Ek Plato seith who so can him rede

The wordes mot be cosyn to þe dede

Also I preyȝe ȝow forȝiue it me

Al haue I not set folk in here degre

Heer in þis tale as þat þei scholden stonde

My witt is schort ȝe may wel vnderstonde

Gret cheere maad our ost vs eủerychon

And to þe souꝑper sette he vs anon

He serued vs with vitailles atte beste

Strong was þe wyn and wel drynken vs leste

A semly man our hoste he was with alle

For to ben a marchall in an hall

A large man he was with eyȝen stepe

A fairer burgeys is þer non in Chepe

Bold of his speche and wys and wel y taught

And of manhode him lakkede right naught

[11v]

Ek þer to he was right a merie man

And after soper pleyen he bigan

And spak of merþe amonges oþer þinges

Whan þat he hadde maad our rikenynges

And seide þus Now lordynges trewely

Ȝe ben to me welcome right hertely

For by my trouthe if þat I schal not lye

I seyh not þis yer so mery a companye

At oones in þis herberw as is now

Fayn wold I don ȝou merthe wist I how

And of a merþe I am right now biþought

To don you eese and it schal coste nought

Ye gon to Canturbury god yow speede

The blisful martir quyte ȝou ȝour meede

And wel I woot as ȝe gon by þe weye

Ye schapen ȝou to talen and to pleye

For trewely confort ne merþe is non

To riden by þe wey domb as a ston

And þer for wol I make you disport

As I seide erst and do you som confort

And if ȝou likeþ all by on assent

For to stonden at my Iuggement

And for to werken as I schal ȝou seie

To morwe whan ȝe riden by þe weie

Now by my fader soule þat is deed

But ȝe be merye I wil ȝeue yow mȳn heed

Hold vp ȝour hond wiþoute more speche

Our counseil was not longe for to seche

Vs þought it was not worþ to make it wys

And gᵃraunted him wiþoute more abys

And bad him seye his verdit as him leste

Lordyngꝭes quod he / now herkneþ for þe beste

But take it nought I prey ȝow in disdeigne

This is þe poynt to speke schort and pleigne

That ech of ȝou to schorte with ȝour weye

In þis viage schal telle tales tweie

[12r]

To Canturbury ward I mene it so

And homward he schal tellen oþer tuo

Of auentures þat whilom haue bifall

And which of yow þat beriþ him best of all

That is to sein that telleþ in þis cas

Tales of best sentence and most solas

Schal haue a souꝑper at our alþer cost

Her in þis place sittynge by þis post

Whan þat we comen aȝein fro Canturbury

And for to make ȝou þe more mury

I wil my seluen goodly with ȝou ryde

Right at myn owne cost and be ȝour gyde

And who so wol my Iuggement wiþ seye

Schal paye al þat we spende by þe weye

And if ȝe vouche saf þat it be so

Tel me anon wiþouten wordes moo

And I wol erly schape me þer fore

This þing was graunted and our oþes swore

With ful glad herte and preyȝen him also

That he wolde vouche saf for to do so

And þat he wolde ben our gouernour

And of oure tales Iugge and reportour

And sette a souꝑper at a certein pris

And we wiln rewled ben at his deuys

In heighe and lowe and þus by oon assent

We ben accorded to þe Iuggement

And þer vpon þe wyn was fet anon

We dronken and to reste went echon

Wiþouten eny lenger taryyng

A morwe whan þe day bigan to spryng

Vp ros oure oost and was our alþer cok

And gadered vs to gider in a flok

And forþ we riden a litel more þan paas

Vnto þe wateryng of seint Thomᵃs

And þer our oost gan his hors areste

And seide lordes herkneþ if you leste

[12v]

Ȝe wot ȝour forward and I it ȝou recorde

If euynsong and morwesong acorde

Lat see now who schal telle þe firste tale

As euer mote I drynke wyn of ale

Who so be rebel to my Iuggement

Schal paie for all þat by þe weie is spent

Now draweþ Cut or þat we ferþer twynne

He which þat haþ þe schortest schal bigynne

¶ Sir knight qdquod he my maister and my lord

Now draweþ Cut for þat is myn acord

Comeþ nerre quod he my lady prioresse

And ȝe sir clerk let be ȝour schamfastnesse

Ne studieþ nought lay hond to eủery man

Anon to drawe euery wight bygan

And schortly for to tellen as it was

Were it by auenture or sort ort cas

The soþ is þis þe Cut fel to þe knight

Of which ful bliþe and glad was euery wight

And telle he moste his tale as it was resoun

By forward and by composicioıı̄un

As ȝe han herd what nedeþ wordes mo

And whan þis good man saugh þat it was so

As he þat wys was and obedient

To keepe his forward by his free assent

He seide siþþe I schal begynne þe game

What welcome be þe Cutte a goddes name

Now lat vs ride and herkneþ what I seye

And with þat word we riden forþ oure weye

And he bigan with right a merye cheere

His tale anon and seyde as ȝe may heere

Iam qꝫue domos patrias scitice post asꝑpera gentis
Prelia laurig̉ero ⁊etc̉etera.

Whilom was as olde stories tellen vs

Ther was a Duk þat highte Theseus

Of Athenes he was lord and gouernour

And in his tyme such a Conquerour