Ht · Oxford, Bodleian Library, Hatton donat. 1
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Ht/
[1r]
¶ Here beginneth the Prolog of the tales of Caunterbury
Whan that Aprill with his showres swote
The drought of Marche hath ꝑperced þe rote
And bathed euer in wyn in suche licoure
Of which vertu engendereth is the floure
Whan zepherus eke with his swote brethe
Enspired hath in eueri holt and hethe
The tendre croppes and the yong sonne
Hath in the Ramme his half cours y ronne
And smale foules maken melodye
That slepen all night with open ye
So priken hem nature in here corage
Than longen folk to go on pilgrimage
And palmers to chesen strange strondes
And halowes couth in many londes
And specialli from eueri shires ende
Of Ingelond to Caunterbury thei wende
To seche the blisfull marter that is meke
That hem hath holpen whan þei were seke
It befell þat in þat cesoıı̄un on a day
In South werk atte Tabard as I lay
Redi to wende on my pilgrimage
To Caunterbury with deuoute corage
And night was comyn̄ in that herbary
Well xxix in a company
Of sondri folk be auenture I fall
In felashipp as pilgrymes were thei all
That touard Caunterbury wold ride
The chambres and hall were wide
And well were þei esed atte best
And shorteli whan the son was gon to rest
So had I spoken with hem euerich oon̄
That I was of here felaship a noon̄
And made foreward erli for to rise
To make oure wei ther as I yow devise
But nathalese while I haue tyme and space
Or that I forther in this tale pase
Me thenk it according to resoun̄
To tell you al þe condicioıı̄un
Of eche oon̄ of hem so as it semed me
And which þei were / and of what degre
And in what a rai þei were yn̄
And atte a knight I will begyn̄
knight þere was and þat a worthi man̄
That fro the tyme he first began
To ride oute he loued chiualry
Treuth honoure fredom and cortasy
Ful worthi he was in his lordez werre
And there to had he ridden̄ no man ferre
As well in cristendome as in hethinesse
And euer honoured for his worthinesse
At Alisaundre he was whan it was won̄
Ful oft he hadde the borde begon̄
A boue all nacions in prude
In letawe hadde raised and in ruse
No cristen man so oft in his degre
In Garnard atte sege eke had he be
Of Algazir and riden̄ in belmary
At lyeus was he and at Sataly
Whan þei were wonnen and on þe grete see
At mani a noble aryue hadde he be
At mortall bataile hadde he be xvⁿᵉ
And foughten for oure feith Atte Tramyssene
In listes iij and ay slayn his foo
This same knight hadde be also
Som tyme with þe lorde of palacy
Ayenst anoþer hethen in Turky
And euer more hadde a soueraigne price
And thought that he was worthi for he was wise
And of his porte meke as a maide
He never yit no vilany seid
In all his life to no maner wight
He was a gentil ꝑparfite knight
Fore to tel you of his aray
His horse was goode but he was not gay
Of fustian he wered a Gippoıı̄un
All be smotherd with his haberyoıı̄un
Fore he was late Icme fro his viage
And went for to haue done his pilgrimage
With him þere was his son a yong squier
A louer and a lusti bachiller
With lokkes crull as þei were leid in presse
Of xx yere of age he was I gesse
Of his stature he was of euen length
And wonderli deliuer and grete of strength
And he had be som tyme in chiuathe
In flaundres in Artois and picarde
And born him wel of his litul space
In hope to stonde in his lady grace
Enbrowded was he as it were a mede
Al ful of floures white and rede
Synging he was or floyting al þe day
He was as fressh as þe moneth of maij
Short was his gowne with sleues longe and wide
Wel couth he sit on horse and faire ride
He couth songes make and faire endite
Iuste and eke daunce purtrai and write
So hote he loued that bi nightertale
He slept no more þan a nightingale
Curteyse he was lowe and seruisabe
He kerued before his fader atte table
A yoman hadde and ʆseruᵃauntes no mo
At þat tyme for him list ride ro
And he was clothed in a cote and a hode of grene
A chefe of pokok arowes bright and shene
Vndre his belt he bare ful thriftely
Wel couth he dresse his takel yomanly
His arowes drowped not with fethers lowe
And in his honde he bare a mighti bowe
Anot hede had he with brown̄ visage
Of wode / craft couthe he al þe vsage
Vpon his arme he bare a gay braser
And bi his side a swerde and abokeler
And on þat oþer side a gai dagger
Harnaised well and sharp as þe pointe of a spere
A xp̄christofore on his brest wel shene
A horne he bare þe bawdriche grene
A forster he was sotheli as I gesse
There was al so a nonne a prioresse
That of hir smyling was simple koy
Her grettest othe was but be seint loy
And she was cleped madame Eglentine
Ful well she sange seruice devine
Entoned in hir voice ful semely
And frenshe she spake ful faire and fetesly
Aftre þe scole at stratford atte bowe
For the frensh of parys was to hir vnknowe
At hir mete wel taught was she with all
She lete no morsell from hir lippes fall
Nor wete hir fingers in hir sause depe
Wel coude she cari a morsell of mete
That no droppe fell vpon hir breste
In curtasi was set ful moche hir liste
Hir ouer lippe she so clene wept
In this line, there are three marks on the top of the words "so", "clene", and "wept" indicating reorder
That in her cope no ferthing was y sene
Of grece whan she hadde dronken̄ hir draght
Ful semely aftre hir mete she raught
And sekirly she was of grete disporte
And ful of plesaunce and amiable of porte
And payned hir to counterfete the chere
Of courte to be statly of manere
And to be holden̄ digne of reuerence
But for to speke of hir conscience
She was so cheritable and so pitouse
She wold wepe if she sagh a mouse
Caught in a trappe if it were dede or blede
Of smale houndes hadde she . that she fedde
With rosted flessh or mylke or wasted brede
But sore wept she if any of hem were dede
Or if men smote hem with a yerde smerte
And al was consciens and tendernesse of herte
Ful semeli hir wymple pinched was
Hir nose tretes hir eien̄ grai as glas
Hir moth full smale therto soft and rede
But sekirli she had a faire forhede
It was almoost a span brode I trowe
For hardeli she was not vnder growe
Ful fetis was his cloke as I was war
Of smale curall abought hir arme she bare
A paire of bedes gauded all with grene
And þere on hange a broche full shene
On which there was first writen a corowned A
And aftre Amor vincit om̄nia
An oþer nonne with hir hadde she
That was hir chapleyn̄ and prestez iij
Monke þere was a fair for þe maistre
And oute rider that loued wel venere
A manli man̄ to be an Abbot able
Ful many a deinte horse had be in stable
For whan he rode men might his bridell her
Gingling in a whistling winde so cler
And eke as loude as dothe þe chapell bell
Ther as he was keper of a sell
The rule of seint Maure and of seint Benet
Be cause it was olde and som dele streite
This Monke lete olde þinges passe
And held aftre þe newe world þe space
He gaf not of the texte a pulled henne
That seith that hunters beth no holi men̄
Nor that a Monke whan he is rechelese
Is likened to a fissh whan he is waterlese
This is to sey a monk whan he is oute of his cloistr
But þat text held he not worth and oystr
And I seid his opinion was goode
What shuld he studi and make him self wode
Vpon̄ aboke alwey in cloistr to pour
Or swynke with his hondez and laboure
As Austin did . but how shal þe world be ʆserued
Late him haue his swinke to him reserued
Therefor he was a prikasoure a right
Grehoundez he hadde as swift as foule in flight
Of priking and of hunting of þe hare
Was al his lust for no þing wold he spare
I sagh his sleues purfeled atte hande
And for to festen̄ his hode vnder his chyn̄
He had of gold wrought a curious pyn̄
A loue knot on þe grettest ende was
His hede was balled that shone as glas
And eke his face as he hadde be a noynte
He was a lord full fat and in gode poynte
His eyen stepe and rolling in his hede
That semed as a furneis of lede
His botez soupell his horse in grete state
Now certeinly he was a fair prelate
He was not pale as a forpeined gooste
A fat swan loued he best of any roste
His palferay was as brown̄ as is a bery
A Frere ther was a wantoıı̄un and a mery
A lymetour and a ful solempn̄e man̄
In al þe orders iiij . is none þat can
So moche of Dalience and fair langage
He had made many a faire mariage
Of yonge wymmen̄ at his own̄ coste
Vnto his ordre he was a noble poste
Ful wel loued and ful famulier was he
With þe Frankeleyns ouer al in his contre
For he hadde power of confessioıı̄un
And plesaunt was his absolucoıı̄un
And he seid that he was more þan a curet
For of his ordre he was litentiat
He was an esi man to gife penaunce
There as he wist to haue a gode petaunce
For vnto a poer ordre for to geue
Is signe þat a man is wel shryve
For if he gaf he durst make avaunte
That a man were repentaunte
For a man so hard is of his hert
He mai not wepe al þogh he smert
Therefor in stede of wepingꝭes and of praiers
Men most gife siluer vnto þe poer frers
His tipped was ay farsed ful of knyfes
And with pynnes to gife faire wifes
And certein he had a meri note
Wel coude he sing and pley on þe rote
Of thedingꝭes he bare vtterli þe price
His nek was white as floure de lice
Therto he was stronge as a champioıı̄un
He knew wel þe tauerners of þe toun̄
He knew euery Hostiler and eueri tapster
Better than a lazar or a begger
For vnto suche a man as he
Acorded not as be his faculte
To haue with seke lazarus acqueintance
It is not honest it mai not Auaunce
For to dele with such purelers
But al with riche and sullers
And ouer al as profit gan a rise
Curteys he was and lowli of seruice
Ther was no man so vertuous
He was þe best begger in his hous
For þogh a widowe had not a sho
So plesaunte was his Inprincipio
Yit wold he haue a ferthing or he went
His purchase was better þan his rent
And rage he couthe as it were a whelpe
In loue daies coude he moche helpe
For ther he was not like a closterer
With a threde bare cope like a scoler
But he was like a maist̉er or a pope
Of double worstede was his semy cope
That rounded was as a bell oute of presse
Som̄ what he lipsed for his wauntonesse
To make his englissh swete vpon his tonge
And in his harping whan he hadde songe
His eyen twynkeled in his hede a right
As don̄ þe sterres in þe frosti night
This worthi lymyture was called huberd
A Marchaunt þere was with a forked berde
In motle hie on horse he sate
Vpon his hede a Flaundres beuer hate
His botes clapsed feyre and fetisly
His resons he spak ful solempnely
Shewing alwey þe encrece of his wynnyng
He wold þe see were kept for any thing
Bitwene Middelborgh and Orwell
Wel couth he in eschaunge sheldes sell
This worthi man his wit ful wel be set
Ther wist no wight that he was in dette
So estatly was he in gouernaunce
With his bargayns and with his cheuesaunce
For soth he was a worthi man with all
But soth to say I not how men him call
A clerk there was of Oxenford also
That vnto logik had longer I go
As lene was his horse as a rake
And he was fat I vndertake
But luked holowe and therto soberly
Ful threde bare was his ouerest curtby
For he had not goten him yit no benefice
Nor he was not worthi to haue no office
For him was leuer to haue at his beddis hede
xx . bokes clodde in blak and in rede
Of Aristotle and of his philosophie
Than robes riche or fither and Sauterie
But al þat he was a philosophre
Yit had he litul gold in cofre
But al þat he might of his frendes haue hente
On bokes and on lernyng he it spente
And besely gan for þe saules pray
Of hem þat yaf to scole ay
Of study toke he moost cure and hede
No worde spak he more / þan was nede
And shorte and quik of hie sentence
And that was seid in forme of reuerence
Sownyng in morall vertue was his speche
And gladli lerne and gladli teche
A Sergeaunt of lawe ware and wise
That oft had ben at ꝑparuys
That was also ful riche of excellence
Discrete he was and of grete reuerence
Him semed siche . his wordez were so wise
Iustice he was full oft in Assise
Be patent and be playne cōmmissioıı̄un
For his sciens and his hie renoun̄
Of fees and robes had many one
So grete a purchasoure was no wher none
All was fe simple to him in effecte
His purchasing might be to him in suspecte
No where so besi a man as he þer nas
And yit him semed besier þan he was
In termes had he cases and domes all
That sith þe tyme of king william wer fall
Thereto he couth endite and make a thing
Ther couth no wight pinche at his writing
And eueri statute he couth plaine be rote
He rode homeli in a medle cote
I girded with a seint of silk with barres smale
Of his Aray tel I no lenger tale
A Frankeleyn was in oure company
Whight was his berde as a daisy
Of his complexioıı̄un he was sanguyn̄
Wel loued he bi þe morow a soppe in wyn̄
For he was Eupiours owne son̄
To lyue in delite was euer his won̄
That held opinioıı̄un that plaine delite
Was vereli Felicite and ꝑparfite
An hous holder and þat a grete was he
Seint Iulian he was called in his contre
His brede his Ale was alwey aftre oone
A better wifed man was þere none
With oute baken mete was neuer his
Both fissh and flessh and þat so plentous
It snewed in his house of mete and drink
Of al deintees that men couth thenke
Aftre þe sondri sesons of þe yere
So changed he his mete and his souper
Ful many fat ꝑpartriche had he in mewe
And many a breme and many a luce in stewe
Wo were his coke but hit sauce were
Poynant and sharp and redi all his gere
His table dormaunte in his halle all wey
Stode redi reuerd all þe longe day
At cessions was he lorde and syre
Ful oft tymes he was knight of þe shire
An Anlas and a gipsiar al of silk
Hang at his girdell as whight as morn̄ mylke
A shirrefe hath he be and a countoure
Was no where suche a worthi vauasoure
AN haberdassher and a Carpenter
A Wedde a Dyer and a Tapicer
And þei were clothed al in one lyueraye
Of a solempne and a grete fraternite
Full fressh and newe her gere piked was
Her knifes not chaped was with brasse
But all with siluer wrought clene and wele
Her girdeles and her pouches eueri dele
Wel semed eche of hem a faire burges
To sit in þe yelde hall on a dese
Eueriche one for þe wisdom that he can̄
Was worthi to be an Alderman̄
For Catell had þei I nogh and rente
And eke hir wifes wold well assente
And ellez certein thei were to blame
It is ful faire to be cleped madame
And goon to vigiles all be forne
And haue a mantel rialli I borne
A coke þei hadde for þe nones
To boile þe chekenes with þe mari bones
And poudre marchaunte tarte and galingale
Wel couth he knowe a draught of Ale
He couth roste and seth boile and fry
Make morterewes and wel bake a pie
But grete harme was it as þought me
That on his shyn a mormal had be
For blank manger made he with þe best
A shipman was þer wonnyng be west
For ought I wote he was of dertemouthe
He rode vpon̄ a rouncy as he couthe
In a gown̄ of falding to þe kne
A dagger hanging / in a lace hadde he
Abought his nek vndre his arme downe
The hote somer made his hewe alle browne
And certeinli he was a gode felawe
Full many a draught of wyne had he drawe
From Burdeux warde whiles þe chapman slepe
Of nyce consciens toke he no kepe
Of þat he fanged and had þe hier hande
Bi water he sent hem home to eueri lande
But of his craft / to reken̄ wel his tides
His stremes and his daunger him bisides
There was none suche fro hull vnto curtage
His herbarowe and his mone his lodemen age
Hardely he was warr and wise to vndertake
With many a tempest was his berde y shake
He knewe al þe hauenes as þei were
Fro gutlond vnto Capifenestre
And eueri cragge in breteyn̄ and in spaine
His barge was cleped þe madalayne
With vs þere was a doctoure of phisik
In al þe world was þere none him like
To speke of phisik and of surgeri
He was grounded in astronomy
He kept his paciens a grete dele
In oure bi magik naturele
Wel couth he fortoune þe Ascendent
Of his Image for his pacient
He knew þe cause of eueri malady
Were it of hete of colde of moist or drie
And were engendered of what homoure
He was a veri ꝑparfit practisoure
The cause he knewe and of his harme þe rote
Anone he gaf þe sike man̄ his bote
Ful redy had he his appoticarys
To send him drages and his lettuaries
For eche of hem made oþer for to wyn̄
Her frendeship was not new to be gyn̄
Wel knew he þe olde Escupalyus
And discordes and eke rusus
Olde Ipocras holi and galiene
Serapioıı̄un rasi and auysene
Auaroys Damascien and constantine
Bernard gattisdene and gilbertyn̄
Of his diete mesurable was he
For it was no suꝑperfluete
But of grete norshing and digestible
His studi was but litul on þe bible
Of sanguyn̄ and of pers his cloþing all
Lyned with taffada and sendall
And yit he was but esi of Dispence
He kept that he wan in pestilence
For gold and phisik is accordialle
Therefor he loued gold in especialle
A goode wife wife there was of bathe
But she was defe and þat was skathe
Of cloth making had she suche an haunte
She passed hem of Ipres and of Gaunte
In all þe ꝑparissh wife was þere none
That to þe offering be fore hir wold gone
And if þere didde certein wroth was she
That she was oute of al charite
Hir kerchefes ful fyn̄ were of grounde
I durst swere thei weied . x . lb
That on a Sondai was on hir hede
Her hose wer of fine scarlet rede
Ful straite teide and shoes ful newe
Bold was hir face and rudy and fair of hewe
She was a worthi woman all hir life
Housbondez atte chirche dore hadde she fyue
Withoute othir company in youth
But þer of nedeth not to speke as nouth
iij times had she be at ierm
She had passed many a strange streme
Catte tothed she was sothli to sey
She couth moche of wandring be þe wey
Vpon̄ an Ambeler esi she sate
Wympled well and on her hede an hatte
As brode as a bokeler or a targe
A fote mantell aboute hir hippes large
And on hir fete a paire of spures sharpe
In felaship well couth she lagh and carpe
Of remedis of loue she couth ꝑparchaunce
For she couthe of þat arte the daunce
A goode man was ther of religioıı̄un
And was a pouer ꝑpersoıı̄un of a town̄
But riche he was of holi werk
He was alerned man a clerk
That Cristes gospell truli wold teche
His parishshenes deuouteli wold teche
Benigne he was and wondre diligent
And in aduersite ful pacient
And suche he was proued oft sithes
Ful loth were him to curs for his tithes
But raddar wold he gif oute of doute
To his propre ꝑparishens aboughte
Of his offering and of his substaunce
He couth in litul þing haue sustenaunce
Wide was his parissh and houses fer a sondr
But he left not for reyn̄ ne for thondr
In sikenesse or in myscheue to visite
The ferthest of his parish moche and lite
Vpon his fete and in his honde a staffe
This noble ensaumpe to his shepe he gafe
That first he wrought and afterward he taught
Oute of þe gospell thes wordes he caught
And þis figure he added eke þere to
That if gold rust what shuld Iren do
For if a prest be foule on whom we trust
No wondre is þough a leude man to rust
And shame it is if a prest take hede
A sheten sheperd and a clene herde shepe
Wele aught a prest ensaumpe for to gyue
Be his clawes how that his shepe shuld leue
He set not his benefis to hire
And lete his shepe be combred in þe mire
And ren to london to seint Paules
To seche him a chauntour for soules
Or with a brotherhede to halde
But dwelled at home and kept wel his folde
So þat þe wolf had it not to myscari
He was a shepard and not a mercenari
And though he holi were and vertuose
He was not to sinfull men dispitouse
Nor of his speche dangerus and digne
But in his speche discrete and benigne
To draw folke to heuen by fairenesse
Be goode ensaumpe this was his besinesse
But it were ony ꝑperson abstinate
Who so he were of hie and lowe estate
Him wold he snyb sharpeli for þe nones
A better prest I trow no where is
He waited aftre no pompe nor reuerens
Nor he made him not a spiced countenaunce
But cristes lorde and his appostoles . xij .
He taught but first he foloued it him selue
With him þere was a ploghman his owne brother
That had lad of dong mani a fother
A trewe swinker and a good was he
Leueyng in pees and in charite
God loued he best with al his hert
At al tyme þough him gamed or smert
And þan his neghbourgh as him self
He wold tressh and thereto dig and delf
For cristes sake to eueri pouer wight
With oute hir if it lai in his might
His tithes paied he ful faire and wele
Both of his propre swink and of his catell
In A tabard he rode vpon a mere
There was also a reve and a myller
A sompnour and a ꝑpardoner aso
A mansipe and my self þere was no mo
The myller was a strought cherle for þe nones
Full bigge he was of braune and of bones
That proues well for ouer all þere wher he came
At wresteling he wold haue þe rame
He was short shuldered and a thik knarr
Ther was no dore þat he nold haue an harre
Wel wist he be þe droght and be þe reyne
The yeldyngꝭes of his sede and of his greyne
His lordꝭes nete his shepe his daiery
His somer his horse his store and his pultrie
Was holi in þis reues goủernyng
And bi his couenaunt yaf rekenyng
Sithen his lorde was xx winter of age
Ther couth no man̄ bring him in rerage
Ther nas bailif herd nor oþer hyne
That he ne knewe his sleght and his couyne
Thei were a drad for him as for þe dethe
His wonnyng was ful fair vpon an heth
With grene trees shadowed was his place
He couth better þan his lorde purchace
Ful riche he was a stored priveli
His lorde he couth plese skilfulli
To lene and gif him of his own gode
And haue þanke and yit a cote and a hode
In youth he had lerned a good myster
He was a gode wright a carpenter
This reue sat vpon a wel good stotte
That was pomely grey and hight scotte
A longe surcote of ypres vppon he hadde
And bi his side he bare a lusti blade
Of northfolk was þis reve of which I tell
Beside a town̄ þat hight baldeswell
Tukked he was as a frere a bought
And euermore he rode hynmost of our route
A sompnour was with vs in that place
That had a faire rede cherubyns face
For sawcefleme he was with yen narowe
And hote he was and lecherous as a sparowe
With scalled browes blak and pilled berde
Of his visage childeren wer a ferde
There nas quik siluer lytarge nor brymstone
Boras ceruse ne oile of tarter none
Nor oynement þat wold clense and bite
That him might help of his whelkes wight
Nor of þe clobbes sitting in his chekes
Wel loued he garleke oynons and lekes
And for to drink strang win as blode
Than wold he slepe and crie as he wer wode
And whan he had wel dronken þe wyne
Than nold he speke no worde but latyne
A fewe termes had he ij . or iij .
That he had lerned oute of som̄ decre
No wondre is he herd it al þe day
And eke ye know wel þat a Iay
Can clepe wat aswel as þe pope
But who couth him in oþer þingꝭes grope
Than hadde he spent al his philosophi
A questio que iuris wold he crie
He was a gentel harlot and a kinde
A better felow shuld no man finde
He wold suffre for a quarte of wyn̄
A goode felawe to haue his concubine
A twel mounth and excuse him atte full
Ful priveli a fyn eke couth he pull
And if he fande any goode felawe
He wold teche him to haue none awe
In suche case of þe Archedekenes cours
But if mannys soule were in his purs
For in his porse shuld he punyshed be
The purse is þe Archedekenes hell qd he
But wel I wote he leide in dede
Of cursing ought eche man haue drede
For cursing sleeth right as a soiling saueth
And also be ware him of a significauit
In danger had he at his owne gise
The yong girles of þe diocise
And knew her counseill and was her rede
A garland had he vpon his hede
As grete as it were for an ale stake
A bokeler had he made him of a kake
With him þere rode a gentil ꝑpardoner
Of rowncivale his frende and his cōmper
That streite was come fro þe courte of rome
Ful loude he sange come hither loue Thome
This sompnour bare with him a stif burdon̄
Was neuer troumpe of half so grete a sown̄
This ꝑpardoner had her as yelowe as flex
Smothe it was and hang as flax
Be vnces hang his lokkes þat he hadde
And þere with he . his shulders ouer spradde
But thin it lay be culpons oon and one
But hode for iolite wered he none
For it was trussed vp in his valet
Him þought he rode al of þe nowe iet
Discheuele safe his cappe . he rode al bare
Suche glaring eien̄ hadde he as an hare
A vernace hadde he sewed on his cappe
His valet befor him in his lappe
Bratful of pardoıı̄un that came from Rome al hote
A voice he had assmale as hath a gote
No berde hadde nor neuer shal haue
Assmoth it was as it were newe shaue
I trow he were a gilding or a mare
But of his craft from berwik vnto ware
Ne was þer suche a ꝑpardoner
For in his male he had a pilewe ber
Which he seid was ouer leide wele
He seid eke he had a gobet of þe sele
That seint petre had whan that he went
Vppon̄ þe see til IħuIhesu Crist him hent
He hadde a crosse of latoıı̄un ful of stones
And in a glasse he had pigges bones
But with thies relikes whan that he fonde
A poer ꝑperson dwelling vpon londe
Vpon a dai he gete him more mony
Than þe ꝑpersoıı̄un gete in monthes twey
And thus with feined flatri and fapes
He made þe ꝑpersoıı̄un and þe peple his apes
But truli to tell atte last
He was in chirche a nobe ecclesiast
Well couth he rede a lesoıı̄un or a storie
But aldest he song an offratorie
For wel he wist whan that was song
He most preche and wel a file his tong
To wyn siluer as he well couthe
Therefore he sang þe meuell and þᵉ loude
Now haue I told you sotheli in a clause
The state the aray þe nūmbre and þe cause
Whi that assembled was this company
In Southwerk at this gentell hostlery
That hight þe Tabard fast bi þe bell
But now is tyme yow for to tell
How that we bere vs þe same night
Whan we were in that ostri a right
And aftr wil I tel of oure viage
And al þe remenaunte of oure pilgrimage
But first I prai yow for youre curtasie
That ye directe not it my vilany
Though I pleinli speke in þis mater
To tel you her wordez and her chere
And thowe I speke her wordez propurly
For this ye knowe aswel as I
Who shal tel a tale aftre a man̄
He most reherse as ny as euer he can
Crist spak him self ful brode in holi writ
And wel he wote no vilany is it
Eke plato seith who can him rede
The worde most be cosin to þe dede
Also I prai you for yif it me
All þogh I haue not set folke in her degre
Her in thies tales as þei shuld stonde
Mi wit is short . ye mai wel vnderstonde
Grete chere made oure oste to vs euerichone
And to þe souꝑper he set vs and that a none
He serued vs with vitaill atte beste
Strong was þe wine and wel to drink vs list
A semeleche man oure oste was with all
For to haue ben̄ an vssher of a hall
A large man was he with yen stepe
A fairer burgeis was none in chepe
Bold of his speche and wis and wel I tauȝt
And of manhode lakked him right nouȝt
Eke þereto he was a meri man̄
And aftre souꝑper to plei he began̄
And spak of mirthe amonge oþer thinges
Whan þat we had made oure rekenynges
And seid thus lordingꝭes truly
Ye ben̄ welcome to me hertely
For be my trouth if þat I shuld not lye
I ne saw þis yere so meri a companye
At ones in this herborogh as is nowe
Fayne I wol do you mirth wist y how
And of myrth I am right wel be þoght
To do you ese and it shal cost yow noght
Ye goon to Caunterbury god you spede
The blesful marter quyte youre mede
And wel I wote as ye gon bi þe wey
Ye shapen you to talken and pley
For truli confort ne mirth is none
To ride bi þe wei as dome as stone
And þerefor wol I make you som disporte
As I seid erst and do you som conforte
And if it like you al be oon assent
For to stonde at my iugement
And for to werche right as I shal sey
To morow whan ye riden bi þe wey
Now be my faders soule þat is dede
But if ye be meri I gif you my hede
Hold vp youre hondes with oute more speche
Oure counsell was not longe to seche
He thought not to make it wise
And graunted him with oute mor avise
And bade him sei his verdite as him liste
Lordinꝭes qduod he now herkeneth þe beste
But taketh it not I prai you in disdayne
This is þe pointe to speke shorte and plaine
That eueriche of you to shorte his wey
In þis viage shal tel tales twey
To Caunterbury wardis I mene it so
And homwardꝭes he shal tel oþer two
Of Auentours þat whilom hath be fall
And which of you bereth best of all
That is to say telleth in þis cas
Tales of best sentence and solace
Shal haue a souꝑper at our aller coste
Here in þis place sitting at this poste
Whan that we come a gayn̄ from Caunt̉erbury
And for to make you þe more mery
I will my self gladlich with you ride
At myn̄ own̄ cost and be youre gide
And who so wol my iugement deny
Shal pay al þat we spend bi þe wey
And if ye vouchesaue þat it be so
Tel me anon̄ withoute wordez mo
And I wil erly shape me þer for
Thies þyngꝭes wer graunted ⁊and oþes swor
With ful glad hert and praied him also
That he wold vouchesaue so todo
And þat he wold be oure gouernour
And of oure tales Iuge and reportour
And set a suꝑper at a certein price
And we wold ruled be at his device
In hie and lowe and thus be one assente
We ben̄ accorded to his Iugemente
And ther vpon the wyn was fet a none
We drank and to rest went ichone
Withoute ony lenger tarying
And on þe morow whan dai gan spring
Vp roose oure oost þat was oure kok
And gadered vs to gidre in a flok
And forth we riden litul more þan a paas
Vnto watering of seint Thomas
And þere oure oost began his horse arrest
And seid sirres herkeneth if you list
I wote youre forward and I shal you recorde
There are small "2"s written above each of "euensong and mornsong". MR take these as indicating transposition.
If euensong and mornsong accorde Late se now ho shal tel first his tale
As euer mote I drink wyn or ale
Who so be rebell to my Iugement
Shal pai for al that bi þe wei is spent
Now draw cut or we forþer twyn̄
He which hath þe shortest shal begyn̄
Sir knight qduod he my maist̉er and lorde
Now draweth kut for it is myn Accorde
Come ner͗e qduod he my ladi prioresse
And ye ʆsir Clerk late be youre shamefastnesse
Ne studith not ley hond on eueri man̄
And anone to draw iche wight began̄
And shortli to tel as it was
Were it be auenture sort or caas
The sothe is · þe cut fel to þe kniȝt
Of which ful glad was eueri wight
And tel most his tale as was resoıı̄un
Be forward and composicoıı̄un
And ye haue herd what nedeth wordez mo
And whan þis good sagh that it was so
As he þat wise was and obedient
Toke his forward be his owne assent
He seid sethens I shal begin þe game
Welcom be þe cut in goddꝭes name
Now late vs ride and herkeneth what I say
And with that worde we riden forth oure wey
Here beginneth the knightes tale
Whilom as old stories tellen vs
There was a duke þat hight Thesius
Of Athenes he was lorde and gouernoure
And in his tyme suche a conqueroure
That gretter was none vnder þe son
Ful many a riche contre had he won
What with his wisdome and chivalri
He conquered al þe regne of femyny
That whilom was called Cithia
And wedded þe quene Ipolita
And brought hir home into his contre
With moche merth and solempnite
And eke hir͗e yong suster Emely
And þus with victori and melody
Lete I this noble Duke ride
And his host in armes be his side
And certes if it ner to long to her͗e
I wold haue told you fullich þe mater͗e