Gl · Glasgow, University of Glasgow, Hunterian Library MS 197

Canterbury Tales Project.

talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Gl/

[3r]The prolog

His table dormaūnt in his halle alweye

Stode redy coủered all the long daye

At Cessions there was he lord and syre

Full ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire

An anelate and a gysperall of sylk

Hyng at his gyrdell white as morne mylk

A shirreve hadde he been and a countour

Was no wher suche a worthy Vauasour

An haberdassher and a Carpenter

A Webber a dyer and a Tapeser

And they were clothed alle in one lyuerye

Of a soleime and a gret fraternite

Full fressh and newe her ger a pyked was

Her knyves wer chaped nout with bras

But all wᵗith sylủer wrought full clene and weel

Her gyrdelys and her pouches euery deel

Weel semed eche of them a faire burgeys

To sytten̄ in a yelde halle vp on a dees

Eueriche for the wisdome that he can

Was shappely for to been an Alderman̄

For Catell had they y now and rente

And eke her wyves wold it weel assente

And elles certeyn̄ they were to blame

It is full fayr to be cleped Ma dame

And gon to Vigilies all by fore

And haue a mantel ryaliche y bore

A Cook they had with them for the nones

To boyle the checons with the mary bones

And powdre marchaūnt tarte and galynghale

Weel coude he drynk a draught of london ale

He cowde rost and sethe broyle and frye

Maken mortrews and weel baken a pye

But grete wharme was it as thout me

That on his shene a mormale had he

For blank manger that made he with the best

A Shipman̄ was ther wonyng fer be west

For out I wote he was of Dertenmowthe

He rood vp on a Rowncy as he cowthe

In a gowne of faldyng to the knee

A dagar hangyng in a lace had hee

A bout his nekke vndre his arme down

That hot somer had made his hew all brown

And certeynly he was a good felawe

Full many draute of wyne had he drawe

From Burdeux Warde wh while þe chapmen slepe

Of nyce concience tok he no kepe

Yf he had fawt and had the heyer honde

By water he sent hem home to eủery londe

But of his craft to rekne weel his tydes

Hise stremes and hise daungers hym by sydes

His herborgh and his moone and his lodemanage

There ne was non suche from hul to Cartage

Hardy he was and wyce to vndertake

With a many a tempeste had his berd ben shake

He knewe alle the havonys as they were

Fro Scotlond to the Cape de Fynestre

And eủery Cryke in Bretayn̄ and in Spayne

His Barge y cleped was the Mawdelayne

With vs ther was a doctour of phisyke

In all the world ne was non hym lyke

To speke of phisyke and of Surgerye

For he was grounded in astronomye

He kept his pacience a full gret dele

In houres by his magyk naturele

Wel coude he fortune the ascendente

Of his ymage for his paciente

He knewe the cause of eủeryche maladye

Wer it of hete or cold or moyst or drye

And where engendred and of what humour

He was a verray parfecte practysour

The cause he knewe and of his harme the rote

A non he gaf the sekeman̄ his bote

Full redy had he his Apotecaryes

To sende hym drugges and electuaryes

For eche of hem made other for to wynne

Her frenship ne was newe for to bygynne

Weel knewe he the olde Escalapius

And Astōmrides and eke Rufus

Olde ypocras haly and Galyen

Serapyoıı̄un Rasy and Aūnyen̄

Aueroys Damascien and constantyne

Bernard and Gatysden and Gilbtyne

Of his diete mesurable was he

For it was of no suꝑperfluite

But of gret noryshyng and digestible

His studye was but litel on the byble

In sangueyne and in pers clad he was all

Lyned wᵗith Tafeta and with sendall

[3v]The knyght

And yet he was but esy of despense

He kepte that he wan in pestilence

For gold in phisyk is accordiall

Therfor he loved gold in especiall

A gode wyf ther was bysyde Bathe

But she was somdel def and þat was scathe

Of cloth makyng she had suche an haunte

She passed hem of ypres and of gawnte

In all the paryssh wyf ne was ther none

That to offeryng to forne hir shuld gone

And if ther dede shortely wroth was she

That she was out of alle charite

Hir keủerches full fyne were of ground

I durst swere they weyed x pound

Whan on sonday wern on hir hed

Hir hosen were of fyne scarlet

Full streyght I teyed and chōmse full soft and newe

Bolde was hir face and faire and red of hewe

She was a worthy woman all hr hir lyve

Husbondes at the chirche door she had fyve

With outen other compayny in thought

But ther of nedeth nat to speke right nowght

And thryes had she ben at Ihrlm̄Ierusalem

She had passed many a strong streme

At Rome she had ben̄ and at Boloigne

In Galys at seynt Iamys and at Coloigne

She cowde moche on wandryng by the weye

Gat tothed was she sothly for to seye

Vp on an Ambeler sothly she satte

Y wympled wee and on hir hed an hatte

As brode as is a bokeler or a targe

A fote mantel a bout hir hepys large

And on hir feet a payr of spores sharpe

In felaship weel coude she lawgh and carpe

Of remedyes of love she knewe ꝑper chaunce

For she coude of that arte the olde daunce

A gode man was ther of religioıı̄un

And was a ꝑpersoūn of a toun̄

But riche he was of holy thought and werk

He was also a lerned man̄ and ls a a Clerk

Þat Cristes gospell truly wold preche

His parisshons deuoutely wold he teche

Benigne he was and wonder diligente

And in adủersyte he was full paciente

And so was he ꝓproved often sythes

Full loth were hym to curs for his tythes

But rather wolde he yeuen out of doute

Vn to his pore parisshons a boute

Of hise offrynges and of his substaunce

So coude he in litel thyng haue suffisaunce

Wyde was hise parish and housez fer a sundre

But he ne laft nouther for reyne ne for thundre

In sikenesse ne in mys cheef for to Visite

The ferthest in his parish bothe moche and lite

Vpon his feet and in his honde a stānf

Þis noble example to his sheep he yaf

Þat first he wrout and afterward þat he taught

Out of the gospel he thoo wordes caught

And this figure he had eke therto

That if gold ruste what shuld yron do

For if a preest be foule on whom we truste

No wondre is it a lewde man to ruste

And shame it is if a preest take kepe

A shiten sheepherd and a clene shepe

Weel ought a preest example for to yeve

By his clennesse how this his sheep shuld lyve

He set nat his benefice to hyre

And lete his sheep to be acombred in þe myre

And ranne to londoūn to seynt Poules

To seke hym a chauntrye for soules

Or with a bretherode to be witholde

But duelled at hom and kept his folde

So þat þe wolf ne made it to mys carye

He was a sheperd and nat a Mercenarye

And if he were holy and vertuous

He was nat to synfull men despitous

Ne of speche daungerous ne digne

But in his speche discrete and benigne

To drawen folk to heuene by fairenesse

By gode exaumple this was his besynesse

But if it were any ꝑpersone obstynate

What so he were of high or lowe estate

Hym wolde he snybbe sharpely for þe nones

A better preest I trowe þat nowher none is

He wayted after no pompe ne reuerence

Ne maked hym a spyced concience

But crystes lore and his Apostelys twelve

He taught but first he folwyd hem in hym selve

[4r]The knyght

With hym þ̉ere was a plowman̄ þᵗat was his brother

That had y ladde of dong full many a fother

And a true swynker and a gode was he

Lyuyng in pes and perfite charite

God loved he best with all hise herte

At alle tymes though he gamed or smerte

And than his neybor right as hym selve

He wold thressh and therto dyke and delve

For crystes sake for eủery pore wight

With out hyre if it lay in his myght

His tithes payed he full faire and weel

Bothe of his ꝓpropre swynk and of his Catell

In a tabard he rode vp on a Mere

Ther was also a Reve and a Millere

A somenoᵘur and a pardon̉ere also

A manciple and my self þ̉ere wer no mo

The Miller was a stoute Carle for the nones

Full bygg he was of braun and eke of bones

Þat ꝓproued weel for ouer all þ̉ere he cam

At wrostelyng he wold bere a wey the Ram

He was short shuldred a thyk gnarre

Þ̉ere was no dor but he wold heve it of harre

Or breke it at a rennyng with his hede

His berd as any sowe or Fox was reede

And ther to brode as if it were a spade

Vpon þe cop right on his nose he hade

A wret and ther on stode a tuft of herys

Rede as the brustelys of a sowys l Erys

His nose thirles blak were and wyde

A swerd and bokeler bar he by his syde

His mouth as gret as was a gret furneys

He was a Iangeler and a golyardeys

And þat was moost of synne and of harlotryes

Weel coude he stele corn and tolle it thryes

And yet he had a thombe of gold parde

A white cote and a blew hood wered he

A bagpype weel coude he blowe and sowne

And ther with all he brout vs out of towne

A gentyl mancyple was ther of a temple

Of whiche alle Catours myght take exemple

For to be wyse in beying of Vitaile

For wheder he þat he payed or toke by tayle

All gats he wayted so in hise achate

Þat he was ay byforn̄ and in gode estate

Now is it nat þat of god a full fair gᵃrace

That suche a lewde mannys wit shal pace

Þe wisdom of many lerned men

Of maistres had he moo than thries ten

That were of lawe experte and curyous

Of whiche ther was a dozen in that hous

Worthy to be Stywardes of Rente and londe

Of eny lord that is in Englond

To make hym lyve by his ꝓpropre good

In honour detles but if þat he wer wood

Or lyve as skarsely as hym lust desire

And able for to helpen̄ all a shire

In any caas þat myght falle or happe

And yet this Manciple set ther alders cappe

The Reve was a slender coleryk man̄

His berd was shaven̄ as nygh as eủere he can̄

Hise herys was by his erys full rounde y shorn̄

His toppe was dokked like a preest by forn̄

Full long wer his leggys and full lene

All lyke a staf ther was no calf y sene

Weel coude he kepe a garner or a bynne

Ther was none Auditoᵘur coude on hym wynne

Weel wyst he by the drought or by the reyne

The yeldyng of his seed or and of his greyne

His lordys sheep hise nete and his deyrye

His swyne his hors hise hors and hise pultrye

Was holly in this Reves goủernyngg

And by his comenaūnt yaf the rekenyngg

Syn þat his lord was xxᵗⁱ yeer of age

Ther coude no man bryng hym in Arrerage

Ther ne was baylif ner herde nor other hyne

That he ne knewe his sleight and covyne

They wer a dred of hym as of the deth

Hise wonyng was full faire vpon an heth

With grene trees y shadewed was hise place

He coude better thanne his lord purchace

Full riche he was astored pryuely

His lord he coude weel plesen subtely

To geve and lende hym of his owen gode

And have a thank and yet a cote and an hode

Hym thought he had a lerned a gode mystre myster

He was a good wright and a full gode Carpenter

This Reve sat vpon̄ a full good stotte

That was all pomely grey and highte scotte

[4v]The knight

A long surcote of peers vpon he hadde

And by his syde he bare a rusty bladde

Of Norffolk was this Reve of whom I telle

By syden̄ a toun̄ men cleped it Baldeswelle

Tukked he was as is a frere a boute

And eủer he rode the hyndrest of our route

A somynoᵘur was ther with vs in that place

That hadde a fyry cherubynez face

For Sawceleūn he was with eyen narwe

As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe

With scalled browes blak and pylled berde

Of hise visage children weren a ferde

Ther ne was quykke sylủer litarge ne brensten̄

Boras Ceruse ne oyle of tartre non̄

Ne onyment that wolde clense and byte

That hym myght helpe of whelkys white

Nor of the knobbys sittyng in his chekys

Weel loved he garlek onyons and eke lekys

And for to drynk strong wyn rede as blood

Thanne wolde he speke and crye as he wer wood

And whan þat he weel dronken had the wyne

Thanne wold he speke no woord but latyne

A fewe termes had he two or three

That he had lerned out of som decree

No wonder is he herd it all the daye

And eke ye knowe it weel how that a Iaye

Can clepe wat as weel as can the pope

But who so coude in other thyng hym grope

Thanne had he spente all hise philosophye

. Ay questio quid iuris wold he crye

He was a genty harlot and a kynde

A better felawe shuld men nat fynde

He wolde suffre for a quarte of wyne

A gode felow to haue hise concubyne

A twelfmoneth and excuse hym at þe fulle

Full pryuely eke a fynche coude he pulle

And if he fonde ān wher a good felawe

He wold teche hym to haue none awe

In suche cas of the Archedecons curs

But if a mannes soule were in hise purs

For in his purs he shuld punysshed be

Purs is the Archedecons helle qᵈuod he

But weel I wote he lyed right in dede

For cursyng aught eche gylty man todrede

For curs wole sle like as assoylyng saueth

And also ware hym of a Significauit

In daunger had he at his owen̄ gyse

The yong gyrles of the diocyse

And knew her coūnsel and what was all her rede

A garlond had he set on hise hede

Als grete as it were for an ale stake

A bokeler had he made hym of a cake

With hym ther rode a gentil pardon̉ere

Of Rouncyuale hise frende and hise compẻre

That streyt was come fro the court of Rome

Ful lowde he song come hedre my love to me

This somynoᵘur bare to hym a styf burdon̄

Was neủer trompe of half so gret a son

This pardon̉ere had heer as yelwe as wex

But smothe it hyng as dooth a stryke of flax

By ounces hewge hise lokkꝭes that he hadde

And ther with hise shuldres he oủere spradde

But thynne it lay by culpons one and one

But hood for Iolyte wered he none

For it was trussed vp in his walet

Hym thought he rode all on the newe Iet

On coủered saf his cap he rode all bare

Suche glaryng eyne had he as an hare

A vernycle had he sewed vp on his cappe

Hise walet by forn hym was in his lappe

Fret full of pardon come fro Rome all hote

A voys he had as smal as a gote

No berde ne had he ne neủer shuld haue

As smothe it was as it were late shave

I trowe he wer a geldyng or a mare

But of hise craft from Berwyk in to ware

Ne was ther suche an other pardon̉ere

For in his male he had a pylwe bere

Whiche that he said was our ladye vayl

He seid he had a gobbet of the seyl

That seynt peter had whan that he wente

Vpon the see tyl IħuIhesu cryst hym sente

He had a croyse of latoūn full off stones

And in a glas he had pygges bones

And with these relikes whan þat he fonde

A pore person duellyng vp on londe

Vp on a day he gat hym more moneye

Than the ꝑperson gat in monethes tweye

[5r]The knyght

And þus with feynyng flat̉eryng and Iapys

He made the ꝑpersoıı̄un and peple Apys

But truly to tellen at the laste

He was in Chirche a noble Ecclesiaste

Weel coude he rede a lessoıı̄un or a storye

But altherbest he song a Offertorye

For weel he wost whan that song was Sungge

He must preche and weel fyle hise tungge

To wynne syluer as he weel coude

Therfore he song full merely and loude

Now haue I tolde sothely in a clause

The estate the array þe noumbre and eke þe cause

Why that assembled was this companye

In Southwerk in this gentill hostelerye

That hight the Tabard fast by the belle

But now is tyme to yow to telle

How that we beren̄ vs that nyght

Whan we were in that hostelrye a lyght

And after wole I tellen̄ of oure Viage

And all the remenaunt of oure pilgrymage

But first I preye yow of your curtesye

That ye rette it nat my Vilanye

Though þat I pleynely speke in this matier

To tellen̄ yow ther wordis and ther chier

Ne though I speke ther wordis proprely

For this ye knowen Als weel as I

Who so shall tellen a tale after a man̄

He mot reherse as nygh as euer he can̄

Eủeryche woord if it be in his charge

All speke he neủer so rudely and large

Or elles he mote telle his tale ontrue

Or feyne thyngges or fynde woordꝭes newe

He may nat spare all if he were his brother

He mote asweel sey one woord as an other

Criste spake hym self full brode in holy writ

And weel ye wote no vylanye is it

Eke plato seith who so can hym rede

The woordys mote be cosyn to the dede

Also I praye you foryeve it me

Alle have I nat set folk in ther degree

Here in this tale as that shuld stonde

My witte is short ye may weel vnderstonde

Grete cheer our oste vs eủerycheon̄

And to soper sette he vs a non̄

He ʆserued vs with vitaile at the best

Strong was the wyne and wel drynk vs lest

A semely man oure oste was with all

For to be Marchale in an hall

A large man̄ he was with eyen̄ stepe

A Fayrer burgeys is non in Chepe

Bolde of hise speche and wyse and wele y taught

And of manhode hym lakked right naught

Ekke ther to he was right mery man̄

And after soper pleyen̄ he bygan̄

And spake of merthe a mong other thyngges

And whan that we had made our rekenyngges

And seid thus now lordyngges truly

Ye ben̄ to me welcome right hertely

For by my trouth if þat I shal nat lye

I seye nat this yeer so mery a companye

At ones in this herborwe as is now

Fayn wold I do you m̉erthe wost I how

And of a merthe I am right now by thought

To doon̄ you ease and it shall cost nought

Ye gon̄ to Canturbury god yow spede

The blysfull Martir acquite you your mede

And wele I wote as ye go by the weye

And shapen̄ you to talen̄ and to pleye

For truly confort ne m̉erthe is ther none

To ryde by the weye dombe as a stone

And therfor wole I maken you disporte

As I seid arst and done you som conforte

And if yow liketh alle by one assente

Forto stonden̄ at my Iugemente

And for to werken̄ as I shall yow seye

To morwen̄ when we ryden̄ by the weye

Now by my Fadres soule that is dede

But ye be mery I wole yeve you myne hede

Holde vp your hondes with out more speche

Oure counsell was nat long for to seche

Vs thought it was nat worth to make it no uyse

And graunted it hym with out more aduyse

And badde hym seye hise veredicte as hym lyste

Lordyngges qᵈuod he now herkeneth for the beste

But take it nat I praye you in disdeigne

This is þe poynte to speke short and pleyne

That eche of yow to shorte other the weye

In this viage shall tellen tales tweye

[5v]The pᵒrolog

To Caunt̉erbury warde y mene it so

And homward he shaƚƚ tellen other two

Of auentures that whilom hath by fallen̄

And whiche of yow þat bereth hym best of alle

That is to seyne that telleth in this caas

Talys of best sentence and moost solas

Shaƚƚ haue a soper at our͗e alther͗e coste

Here in this place sittyng by this poste

Whan we comen̄ a yen̄ fro Caunterbury

And for to make yow the more mery

I wole my self godely with yow ryde

Ryght at myne owen cost and be your͗ gyde

And who so wole my Iugement with seye

Shaƚƚ paye aƚƚ that we spende by the weye

And if ye vouchesaf it be so

Telle me a none without wordes moo

Ande I wole erly shape me therfore

This thyng was gᵃarunted and our othes y swore

With full glad herte and prayed hym also

That he wolde vouchesaaf for to do so

And that he wolde ben oure gou͗enoure

And of our͗ talys Iuge and reportoure

And set a soper at a certeyn̄ pryse

And we wole rewled ben̄ at his deuyse

In high and lowe and thus by one assent

We been̄ accorded to that Iugement

And there vpon̄ the wyne was fet a none

We dronken̄ and to reste wente eủerycheone

With outen̄ any lenger taryiengge

A morwe whan the day gan to spryngge

Vp roos our͗ hooste and was our͗ althers cok

And gadered vs to gedre in a Flok

And forth we ryden a litel more than a paas

Vn to the watteryng of seynt Thomas

And there our͗ hoost gan hise hors arreste

And seid lordes he keueth if yow lyste

Ye wote your͗ forward and I it you recorde .

Yf euen song and morwen̄ song accorde

Lete se nowe who shaƚƚ telle the first tale

As euer mote I drynk wyne or ale

Who so be rebell to my Iugement

Shal paye for all that by the weye is spent

Now draweth er that we ferther wynne

Whiche þat hath the shortest shall begynne

Sir qᵈuod knyght qᵈuod he my Mayster and my lorde

Now draweth cut for that is myne accorde

Come ner͗ qᵈuod he my lady Prioresse

And ye ser Clerk lete be your shamefastnesse

Ne studye nat ley vnto hande eủery manne

A none to drawe eủery wyght byganne

And shortely for to tellen as it was

Were it by auentur͗ or sorte or caas

The sooth is this þe cut fel to the knyght

Of whiche full glad and blithe was eủery wyght

And tellen̄ he must his tale as it was reson

By forward and eke by composicoun̄

As ye haue herde what nedeth woordes moo

And whan this gode man saw þat it was so

As he that wyse was and obediente

To kepen hise forward by his fre assente

He seid sithen I shall bygynne the game

What welcome be the cut of goddꝭes name

Now lete vs ryde and herkeneth what I seye

And with that woorde we ryden forth our͗ weye

And bygan with right a mery chere

His tale a none as ye may here

Iam qꝫue domos prīatrias scita pꝰost asꝑpera gēntis
Prelia laurigero

Here endith the prolog of this booke

Here bigynneth the knyghtis taale

Whilom was as olde storyes tellen vs

There was a Duke that hight Theseus

Of Athenes he was lord and goủernour͗e

And in hise tyme suche a Conquerour͗e

That gretter was none vnder the sonne

Full many a riche contre hadde he wonne

What with hise wisdom and his Chiualrye

He conquered all the reigne of Phemynye

That whilom was y cleped Sithia

And wedded the quene ypolita

And brought hir home with hym into his contre

With moche glorye and greet solennyte

And eek you hir yong suster Emelye

And thus with victorie and melodye

Lete I this noble Duke to Athenes ryde

And all his ooste in armes hym by syde

And certis if it ne were to long to here

I wold haue told fully the manere