Dl · New Haven, Beinecke Library Takamiya Deposit, MS 32
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Dl/
[26r]¶ The prologge
Hee yaf nowt of the texte apulled hen
That seyht that hvntteris be non̄ holy men
Ne that a Mvnk whanne hee is Rechelees
Is lykenid to a fychs that is waterles
This is to seye a Mvnk owt of his kloystre
But thilke texte heeld he nowght worht anoystre
And I seyde his opynioıı̄un was goode
What scholde hee stodye and make hȳm self woode
Vppon a book alwey in kloystre to powre
Ore swinke wᵗith his handis and labovre
As Avstin bit how schall the world be servid
Late Avstin have his swynk to hym Reservid
Therfore he was aprekesour a Ryght
Grehowndis hee hadde as swifte as fowll īnflyght
Of p̉rekyngge ⁊and of hvnttyngge fore thee hare
Was all his luste for no cost wolde hee spare
¶ I sawe his slevis pᵃrafiled atte thee hand
Wᵗith gryis ⁊and that thee fyneste in this land
And forto festene his hood vnder his chyn
Hee hadde of gold wrovght afull corious pyn
A loue knotte īn the grettere ende theer was
His […] hed was balled that schon as any glas
And eke his face as hee hadde been ānnoynt
Hee was a lord full fat and in good poynt
His Eeyen stepe and Rollyngge in his hed
That stemede as the furneys of a leed
His botis sovple his hors in greet state
Now certeynlye hee was a feyir pⁱrilate
Hee nas nowt pale as a for peyned goost
A fat swan louede hee best of any Roost
His palfrey was as brown as is aberie
¶ A frere theer was a wantown ⁊and a merie
A limytur a full solempne man
In all the orderis foure is theer non̄ that can
So moche of daliavnce and feyir langage
Hee hadde maad full manye a Mariage
Of yonge wōmmen atte his owne cost
Vnto his ordre hee was a noble post
Full well be louid and famulier was hee
Wᵗith frankeleynis over all in his cvnttree
And wᵗith worthy wōmmen of the town
For hee hadde power offe confescioun
As hee seyde hym self more thanne a cvrat
Fore of his ordre hee was licenciat
And full swetely herde hee confescioun
And plesavnt was in his abcelicioun
Hee was an esy man to yeven penawnce
There as hee wiste to have a good petavnce
For vnto a poure ordre forto yeve
It is sygne that a man is weell ischreve
For yif hee yaf hee durste make a vawnt
Hee wiste that a man was Repentawnt
For manye a man so hard is of his hertte
Hee may nowt wepe yif hym sore smertte
Therfore in stede of wepingge ⁊and preyeris
Men moste yeve selvir to the pore freris
His typet was ay farcid full of knivis
And pynnis forto yeve to feyre wivis
And certeynlie hee hadde a merie note
Well cowde hee syngge ⁊and pleyin on a Rote
Of yeddynggis hee baar witteʳly the pryis
His necke wyght was as the flowrdelyis
Therto hee was strong as a champiown
Hee knew well thee tavernis in every town
And every osteler and eke tapstere
Bettere thanne a lazer ore a beggere
For vnto swich a worthy man as hee
A cordede nowt as bee his facvltee
To haue wᵗith swiche sike lazeris a queyntavnce
Hit is nowt Oneste it may nowt a vavnce
Forto delyn whit swych simple porayle
But all wᵗith Riche and selleris offe vetayle
And overal theer as profyit scholde arrize
Curteys hee was and lovly of his servise
Theere ne was no man nowhere so vertewus
And hee was thee beste beggere īn all his hows
Fore thowgh a wedewe hadde nowt a scho
So plesawnt was his in principio
Yit wolde hee have a ferthyng ore hee wentte
His purchas was well bettere thānne his Rente
And Rage hee cowde Ryght as it were a whelp
In louedayis there cowde hee moche help
For there hee was nowt lyke a cloysterer
Wᵗith a thred bare kope as a poure skoler
But hee was lyik a Mayster ore pope
Of dowble worstede was his semely cope
That Rowndede as abelle owt of the presse
Svmwhat he lipsede for his wantownesse
To make his Englychs swete vppōn his tungge
And īn his harpyngge whanne that he hadde sungge
His seyen tvinkelede in his hed a Ryght
As done the sterris in the frosty nyght
This worthy limytour was klepid huberd
¶ A Marchawnt theer was wᵗith a forked beerd
In Motle ⁊and heygh on horsse hee satte
Vppon his hed a flavndris bever hatte
His botis weren clapsyd feyre and fetisly
His Resounis hee speke full solempnely
Schewyngge alwey the enkres of his winnyngge
Hee wolde the see were kept for any thynge
Be twixe Middelburghw and oreweƚƚlle
Well cowde he in his eschaungis beye ⁊and selle
This worthy man full well his wit he sette
Ther wiste no wyght that hee was in dette
So esstately was hee of his governawnce
Wᵗith his bargeynis and wᵗith his chevissavnce
For sothe hee was a worthy man wᵗith alle
But sohtlye to seyin I not what mēn hym calle
¶ A Clerk theer was of Oxenforde also
That vnto logik hadde longge igo
As lene was his hors as is a Rake
And hee ne was novt Ryght fat I vndertake
But hee lokede holwe ⁊and therto soberly
Full thredbare was his over courtepy
For hee hadde getyn hym no benefice
No was so worldly to haue noon offyis
For hym was leuere to haue atte his beddis heed
Twenty bokys clad in blac and Reed
Of Aristotele and his phelosofye
Thanne Robis Riche or fithele or gay sawtrie
But all yif that hee were a philosofre
Yit hadde hee but lytell gold in cofere
But all that hee myghtte of his frendis hentte
On bokis and on lernyngge hee it spent
And besily gan for the sowlis pray
For the sowlis that hym to skole foond ay
Of stodie toke hee most cvre and hede
Nowt oo word spac hee more thanne was nede
And that was seyd in forme and Reuerence
In schort termis and heygh of centtence
Sownyngge in morall vertew was his speche
And gladly wolde hee lerne ⁊and gladly wolde he teche
¶ A sergeant of lawe waar and wyis
That often hadde been atte ꝑpervies
That was full Riche of exelence
Diskrete hee was and of greet Reverence
Hee semede swich his wordis werēn so vyze
Iustize hee was full often in assyze
By patent and by playn comissioıı̄un
Fore his science ⁊and fore his heygh Renoıı̄un
Of feis and Robis hadde hee manye on̄
So greet a purchasour was nowher non̄
All was fee symple to hym in effecte
His purchasyngge nowght been in fecte
Nowhere so besy a man as hee there nas
And yit hee semede besiere thanne hee was
In tẻermys hadde hee caas ⁊and domis alle
That fro tyme of kyng willīam were falle
Therto hee cowde endite ⁊and make a thyng
Theer cowthe no wyght pinche at his writyng
And everi stateute cowthe hee playn be Rote
Hee Rood but homly in a medly cote
Gert wᵗith a seynt of selk wᵗith barris smale
Of his array tell I no lengere tale
¶ A frankeleyn was in his cvmpanye
Wyght was his berd as is the daysie
Of his compleccioıı̄un hee was sangwyne
Weell louede hee bee the morwe a sop īn wyne
To leuin in delyte evere was his wone
Fore hee was Epiournes owne sone
That held opiniovn that playn delite
That was verray felicite ꝑparfite
An hows haldere and that a greet was hee
Seynt ivlian hee was in his cvntree
His bred his ale was alwey after oon̄e
A bettere envined man was ther nowher noon̄e
Wᵗith owten bake mete was nevere his hows
Of fychs of flechs and that so plentews
Hit snowede in his hows of mete ⁊and of drynke
Of all deyntteis that mēn cowthe on thynke
After the svndry sesownis of thee yeere
So chawngede he his mete and his sopere
Full manye afat ꝑpartrich hadde hee in Mewe
And manye a breme ⁊and manye a luce īn stewe
Woo was his coke but his sawce were
Poynowt and scharp ⁊and Redy all his gere
His table dormant in his halle alwey
Stode Redy couered all thee longge day
Atte sescions theer was hee lord and sire
Well ofte tymis hee was knyght of the schire
An anelas and a gepcer all of selk
Hyng atte his gerdil wyght as morne Melk
A schereve hadde hee been and a covmptour
Was nowhere swiche a worthy vauaser
¶ An haberdasschere and a carpenter
A Webbe a dyere and a tapicer
And they were klothed all in oo lyuere
Of a solempne and a greet fraternete
Full frechs and newe here gere a piked was
Here knivis ne were nowt chapid wᵗith bras
But all wᵗith seluir wrowght full klene ⁊and weell
Here gerdelis and here powchis everideell
Well somede eche of hem a feyir burgeys
To sitte in a yelde halle on the deyis
Everich for the wyisdom that hee can
Were schaply forto be an alderman
For catell hadde they inowgh and Rentte
And also here wyvis wolde it weell ascentte
And ellis Certeyn they were to blame
Fore it is full feyir to be klepid Madame
And gon to vigelyis all be fore
And to have a mentell Riallye ibore
¶ A kooc they hadde wᵗith hem for the nonis
To boyle the chikkynnis wᵗith the Maribonis
And powdre Marchawnt tart and gallynggale
Well cowde hee knowe a drawghtte of good ale
Hee cowde Rooste sethe broyle and frye
Make Mortrewys and weell baken a pye
But greet harm it was as thowghtte mee
That on his schene a Mormale hadde hee
For blank mavnger made hee wᵗith the beste
¶ A schipman was theere wonyngge feer be weste
Fore owght I woot hee was of dertemowthe
Hee Rood on a Rowncy as hee kowthe
In a gowne of faldyngge vnto thee knee
A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde hee
Abowte his necke vnder his arm a down
Thee hote svnne hadde maade his hewe all brown
And certeinlye hee was a good felawe
Full manye a drawghtte of wyin hadde he drawe
From Burdeuxwardis while thee Chapmen slepe
Of nyce concience took hee no kepe
¶ And yif hee fawght and hadde the heyere honde
Bee water hee sentte hem hom to every londe
But of his craft to Rekene well his tydis
His stremis and his dawnger hym bisydis
His herberwe and his moone and his ledmannage
Theer was noon swich fram hull to Cartage
Hardy hee was ⁊and wyis to vndertake
Wᵗith manye a temppest hadde his beerd be schake
Hee knewe all the havenis as they were
Froo Goot lond to the Cape defynystere
And every krike in Breteyne and in spaygne
His barge kleped hit was thee Mawdeleyne
¶ Wᵗith vs ther was a doctour of phisik
In all this world ne was theer non̄ hym ilyik
Forto speke of phesik and of svrgerie
For hee was grownded in astronomye
Hee kepte his pacient a full greet deell
In howres by his magik naturell
Well cowde hee fortune the ascendent
Of his Imagis for his pacient
Hee knew the cawze of every Maledye
Were it of hoot or koold moyist or dreye
¶ And wheer he Engendrede and of what hvmour
Hee was a verray ꝑperfyit practisowr
Thee Cawze I knowe ⁊and of his harm the Roote
Annon hee gaf the syke man his boote
Full Redy hadde hee his apotecaryis
To sende hym and his letewaries
Fore eche of hem made other forto wynne
Here frendschipe ne was not newe forto begynne
Weell knew hee thee Oolde Escalapius
And descorides and Eeke Rusus
Oolde ypocras Haly and Galien
Serapion Razis and Auyren
Auerois damascien and costantyne
Bernard and Gatisdene and Gilbertine
Offe his diete mesurable was hee
Fore hit was of no suꝑperfluitee
But of greet nurschingge ⁊and digestable
His studie was but litell on the bible
In sangweyn and in peers hee was klad all
Lined wᵗith taffata and wᵗith sendall
Two signatures in the lower right in late hands: D iii and a iii. Possible that the former counts from the beginning of the MS, the latter from the beginning of the Tales.
And yit hee was but esy of desspence
Hee kepte that hee hadde wonne in pestelēnce
For gold in phisik is a cordiall
Theer fore hee louede gold in speciall
¶ A good wyif theer was of be syde bathe
But sche was svmdell deef ⁊and that was skathe
Of klooht makynge sche hadde swiche an hawnt
Sche paste hem of ypris and Also gawnt
In all thee ꝑpersche wyif was theere noon
That to thee offryngge to forn here scholde goon
And yif theer dede Certeyin wroht was schee
That schee was owt of all charitee
Here kerchevis full fyne were of grownde
I durste well swere they weyeden ten pownde
That on a soneday weren on here heed
Here hozyn weren of fyn skarlett Reed
Full streyt teyid ⁊and schois full moyste ⁊and newe
Bold was here face feyir and Reed offe hewe
Sche was was a worthy wōmman īn to all here lyve
Howsbondis atte chirche doure sche hadde five
Wᵗith owten other cvmpanye in here yowthe
But ther offe nedyht nowght to speke nowthe
And thries hadde schee been in Ieruzalem
And sche hadde passed manye a sterne strem
Atte Rome sche hadde been ⁊and atte boloygne
In Galeyis atte seyint iame ⁊and atte coloygne
Sche cowthe moche in wandryngge bee the wey
Gattothed schee was thee sothe forto sey
Vppon an awmblere Eesilye schee satt
I wymplid weell And on here heed an hatt
As brood as is abokeler ore a targe
A foote mantell a bowte here hepis large
And vppon here feet a peyre sporis scharpe
In good felawschepe well cowthe sche lawghe ⁊and carpe
Of remedyis of loue schee knew ꝑperchawnce
For sche cowthe of that Arte the kolde dawnce
¶ A good man was there but nowght of Religioıı̄un
But a powre ꝑpersoun of a lytell town
Riche hee was of holy thowght and werk
Hee was also A lerned man ⁊and a good clerk
That Cⁱristis gospell trewly wolde hee preche
And his ꝑperschins devowtly wolde hee teche
Benigne hee was and wonder diligent
And in all aduercite wonder pacient
And swich hee was previd ofte sithis
Full loht were hym to cvrce for his tithis
But Rathere wolde hee yevēn wᵗith owten dowte
Vnto his poure pareschenis all abowte
Of his offrynge and of his substawnce
Hee covthe in lytell thyng have suffisavnce
Wyid was his ꝑpersche and hosis feer a svnder
But hee ne lefte nowther for Reyin no thvnder
In siknesse nor in Meschef to visite
Thee fertheste in his ꝑpersche bothe moche ⁊and lyte
Vppon his feet and in his hond a staf
This noble ensample to his scheep hee yaf
Ferst hee wrowghtte ⁊and after that hee tawghtte
Owᵗ of thee gospell hee the wordis Rawghtte
And this figure hee addede eeke theerto
That yif gold Ruste what schal yren doo
For yif a preᵉst bee fowl on whom we trvste
No wonder is offe alewyd man yif hee Ruste
And thee it is yif apreest take kepe
A schetyn schiphertte and aklene schepe
Weell owghtte apreest ensavmple forto yeve
By his klennesse how that his scheep scholde leue
Hee sette nowght his benefyis to here
And leet his scheep ᵃ cvmbre in the Myre
¶ And Ran to londoıı̄un vnto seyint powlis
To seke hym a chavntrie to syngge for sowlis
Ore wᵗith a bretherede forto been wᵗith wᵗithholde
But dwelte attom and kepte well his foolde
So that thee wolf made hit nowt miscarie
Hee was a schepꝑperde but nowght a mercenarie
And thowgh hee holy were ān vertews
Hee was nowght to synfull men disspitows
No of his speche dawngerus no dygne
But in his techyngge diskrete and benygne
To drawen folk to heuene by feyirnesse
By goode ensamplis this was his besinesse
But hit were any ꝑpersone that were obstenat
What so that hee were of heygh a state
Hem wolde hee snibbe scharplye for the nonis
A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon is
Hee waytede after no pompe no Revenerce
Nowt to make hym a spicid concience
But cristis lore ⁊and his apostelis twelve
He tawghtte but hee folwede it hym selue
¶ Wᵗith hym theer was a plowman was his brother
Hadde lad dvng on feelld manye a fother
And a good swnkkere and a trewe was hee
Levingge in pees and in ꝑperfite charitee
God louede hee best wᵗith all his hertte
Att all tymis thowght hee gamede or smerte
And thanne his neyghebour Ryght as hym selue
Hee wolde thressche ⁊and therto dike ⁊and delve
For Cⁱritis sake for every pore wyght
Wᵗith owten any hyire yif it laye in his myght
His tithis payde hee feyire and weell
Bothe offe his ꝓpropre swynk and of his catell
In a Russet tabard hee Rood vppon a mere
¶ Theere was also a Reeve and a Mellere
A svmpnour and a ꝑperdoner ther was alsoo
A Mavnciple and I my self there were no moo
Thee Mellere was a stowt carle fore the nonis
Full byg hee was of brawn ⁊and eke of bonis
That ꝓprovede well for over all there hee cam
Atte the wrastelyngge hee wolde haue the Ram
Hee was thicke schuldred ⁊and a schort knarre
Theer was no dore that he ne wolde heue of harre
Or breke it atte a Rennyngge wᵗith his heede
His beerd as any sowe or fox was Reede
And therto brood as it were a spade
Vppon thee kop Right of his noze hee hade
A wertte ⁊and theer onne stood a tofte of heris
Reede as thee brestelis of a sowis Eeris
His nose thrillis were blac ⁊and wyde
A swerd wᵗith a bokeler bare hee be his side
His Mowht was as greet as a greet furneyis
Hee was a gangelere and a goliardeys
And that was most of senne ⁊and of harlottrie
Well cowthe stele corn and tolle thryis
And yit hee hadde a thumbe of gold ꝑperde
A wyght cote and a blew hood werede hee
A bagge pipe well cowthe hee blowe ⁊and sowne
And there wᵗith all hee browghtte vs · owt of towne
¶ A gentell Mavnciple was there of a temple
Of wyche a catoure myghtte taken a sample
Forto beēn wyis in beyinge of vetayle
For wheyther that hee pay or take bee tayle
Also hee awaytede so his a cate
That hee was ay before and in good state
Now is nowght that of god well feyir gᵃrace
That swich alewid mannis wit schall pace
Thee wisdom of an heep of lerned men
Of Maystris hadde he mo thannee thries ten
That were of lawe exꝑperte and corieus
Of wyche theer was a dozeyn in that hows
Worthy to been stewardis of Rentte ⁊and londe
Offe any lordis that is in Engelonde
To make hym leue by his propre good
In honovr detteles but yif hee were wood
Ore leue als skarsly as hym lyst desire
And able to helpen alle a schire
In any caas that myghtte happe
And yit thee Mavnceple sette here alter cappe
¶ Thee Reve was a skendere colerik man
His beerd was schaue as neygh as hee can
His heere was by his erin full Rownd schorn
His toppe was docked lyik apreest by forn
Full longge were his leggis and lene
Ylike a staf theer was no calf isene
Well cowthe hee kepe a gerner or abynne
Theer was non awditour that cowde of hym winne
Weell woste hee by the drowghtte ⁊and by the Reyne
Thee yeldingge of his seed ⁊and of his greyine
His lordis scheep his neet his dayrie
His swyin his hors his stoor ⁊and his pultrie
Was all hollye in this Revis governyngge
And bee his covenawnt yaf the Rekenyngge
Syn that his lord was xx winter of age
Theer cowthe no man bryngge hym in a Rerage
Theere ne was bayli no heerde no Other hyne
That hee ne knew his sleyghtte ⁊and his covine
They weren a drad of hym as of thee deeht
His wonyngge was full feyre vppon an heeht
Wᵗith grene treis schadewid was his place
Hee cowde bettere thanne his lord purchace
Full Riche hee was a stored previly
His lord hee cowde well plezen subtilly
To yeve and lene hym offe his owne goode
And haue a thank ⁊and yit a cote and hoode
In yowthe hee hadde lerned a good mystere
Hee was a well good wrighte a Carpentere
This Reve satte vppon a Full good stot
That was all pomely grey and heyhtte skot
Two signatures in late hands: Div and aiiij.
A long surkote of peers vppon hee haade
And bee his syde hee baar a rusty blade
Of norhtfolke was this Reve of whiche I tell
By syde a town that men klepyn it Baldeswell
Tuckyd hee was as is afrere a bowte
And evere hee Rood the hyndereste of owre Rowte
¶ A svmnowr was there wᵗith vs in that place
That hadde a verry cherubinnys face
For savcefleme hee was ⁊and wᵗith Eeyen narwe
Als hoot hee was and leccherows as asparwe
Wᵗith scalled browis blac and pelid beerd
Of his vesage chyldren were affereed
Theer ne was quik selvir lytarge nor brymston
Boras orsure ne oyle of tartere noon
No nōn oynement that wolde klenze ⁊and byte
That hym myghtte helpe of his whelkis wyghtte
Nore of the knobbis sittyngge in his chekis
Weell louede hee garleek oynonis and eek lekis
And forto drynke strong wyin Reed as any blood
Thanne wolde speke and krye as hee were wood
And whanne that hee well drvncke hadde thee wyin
Thanne wolde hee speke no word but latyin
A fewe termys hee hadde two owther three
That hee hadde ilerned owt offe svm dekree
Noo wonder hit ne was hee herde hit all thee day
¶ And Eeke yee knowen weell how that a iay
Can klepe watte as well as can the pope
But who so cowde in other thyng hym grope
Thanne hadde hee spent all his phelosophie
Ay questio quid iuris / wolde hee Crye
Hee was a genttell harlot and a kyinde
A better felawe scholde no man nowher fyinde
Hee wolde svffre a man for a quart of wyin
And were a good felawe to have his Concubyin
A Twelue Monethis and excevze hym atte the full
Well p̉reuily also a fynch cowthe hee pull
And yif hee fond owher a good felawe
Hee wolde techin hym to have noon awe
In swich caas of thee Erche dekenis Cwrs
But yif Mannis sowle were in his pwrs
For in his purs pynschid scholde hee bee
Thee purs is thee Erchedekenis helle seyde hee
But weell I woot hee lyede Ryght in dede
Of cvrs syngge owghtte every giltty man to drede
For cvrssyngge will slee Ryght as a soylingge savᵗit
And also ware hym of a sygnificavih
In dawngere hadde hee atte his owne gyze
Tho yongge gerlis of thee diosize
And hee knewe of here cvnsseyill ⁊and what was here Reed
A garland hadde hee sette vppon his heed
As greet as it were for an ale stake
A bokeler hadde hee was maad hym of a kake
¶ And wᵗith hym theer Rood a gentill pardonere
Of Rowncivale his freend and his cvmpere
That streyght was come tho froo the covrt of Rome
Full lowde songe hee come heder loue to me
This svmnowr baare to hym a styf burdown
Was theer nevere no trvmpe of half so greet a sown
This ꝑperdoner hadde heer as yelowe as any wey
But smothe it heng as doht a strike of flex
By owncis henge his lockis that hee hadde
And theer wᵗith hee his schuldrs over spradde
But thenne it lay bee cvlponis oon and oon
But hood for iolyte werde hee noon
Fore hit was trvssed vp in his walett
Hym thowghtte hee Rood of thee newe get
Discheuale save his cappe hee Rood all bare
Swiche glaringge Eeyen hadde hee as an hare
A vernikle hadde hee sewid vppon his cappe
His walette bee forne hym byingge in his lappe
Bret full of pardone comen fram Rome all hoot
A voys hee hadde as small as a goot
Noo beerd ne hadde hee no nevere scholde have
As smothe it was as it were late schave
I trowe hee were a geldyng ore a mare
But offe his craft fram berewyk vnto ware
Ne was thir theere swiche a ꝑperdoner
For in his male hee hadde a pelwe beer
The wyche hee seyde was owre lady veyle
And hee seyde that hee hadde a gobet of the seyle
That seynt petir hadde whanne that he wentte
Vppon thee see till IħuIhesu crist hym hentte
Hee hadde a cros of latoıı̄un full of stonis
And in a glas hee hadde piggis bonis
But wᵗith thize Relikis whanne that hee foond
A pore ꝑperson̄ dwellyngge vppon lond
Vppon a day hee gatte hym more Money
Thanne the ꝑperson̄ gatte in Monethis tweye
d va vA modern note: "1 leaf out l. 705–876"