Ld2 · Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Laud Misc. 739
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Ld2/
[1r]
WHanne that Aueryll wyth hys schoures sote . /
The droghte of marche had ꝑperced vn to rote /
And bathed eủery veyne wyth such lycoure . /
Of whych vertu engendred is the floure .
Whan Zepherus eke with hys soote breth
Espyred haith in eủery holte and heth
The tendre croppys and the yong sōnne .
Hayth in the Rāmme hys half cours y rōnne .
And smale foules maken melodye .
That slepe al nyght wᵗith open eye .
So prykceth hem nature in her corage .
Thanne longen folke to goo on pylgrymage .
And Palmers to seke straunge loundes
To serue halowys couth in sundry londys
And specyally from euery schyrys end
Of Englond to caunterbury they wende
The holy blysfull martyr for to seke .
That hem haith holpen . whan they were syke
Byfell in that sesoun vp on a day
In southwerk atte the Taberde as y lay
Redy to wynde on my pilgmage
To Caunterbury with deuoute corage .
At nyght was cōmmyn in to that hostelerye .
Wele ix and twenty in a companye .
Of sondry folk . by auenture y falle
In the feloschyp . and pylgrymes were they alle
That toward caunterbury wolde y ryde .
The chambres and the stables were wyde
And wel werēn they eesyd atte the best
And schortely whan the sōnne was go to rest
So hadde y spoken with hem eủerychone .
That I was of her feloschyp anone .
And mayd forward erly / for to ryse .
To take oure wey þ̉er . as I ȝow deuyse .
But neủertheles whyle I haue tyme and space
Er that I ferther in thys tale pace .
Me thenketh hyt acordant to resoun
To telle yow all the condicyone .
Of eche of hem soo as hyt semyd me .
And whych thei were and of what degree .
And eke in what araye they weren in
And at a knyght thanne will I fyrst bigyn
A knyght þ̉er was and that a worthy man
That from the tyme that he first bygan
To ryden out . he louyd chyualrye
Trouth / honour / fredom / and Curtesye .
Full worthye was he in hys lordes werre .
And ther to had he ryden no man ferre .
As wele in crystendome as in hethenes
And eủer honoured for hys worthynes .
At Alysaundre he was whan hyt wonne .
Full ofte he had the borde bygonne .
Aboue all nacyons in pruce .
In lecto had he ryden and in Ruce .
No crysten man so oft in hys degree .
In Garnarde at the sege eke had he be .
At algazyr and ryden in belmarye .
At lyes was he and at Sattalie
Whan thei were wonne . and at the grece see
At many a noble Ryver had he be .
At mortale batailes had he ben xv .
And foghten for oure fayth intramieshen
In lystes thryes and alway slayn hys foo
Thys ylk worthy knyght had ben alsoo .
Sıı̄un tyme wyth the lord of palacie .
Aȝeinst a nother hethyn in Turkye .
And eủermore he had a souereyn prys
And thoghte that he was worthy . he was wyse .
And of porte as meke as is a mayde
He neủer ȝit no vylanye ne sayde
In alle hys lyfe vn to no maner wyght .
He was a verre gentyle ꝑperfyt knyght .
For to telle ȝow of hys array .
Hys hors was goode . but he was not gay .
Of fustian he wered a gyppioıı̄un .
Alle by smotred wyth his haburioıı̄un .
For he was late cōmmen from his vyage .
And went for to dōn hys pylgrymage .
Wyth hym ther was hys sōnne a yong squyer
A lover and a lusty bacheler
With lokkes crulled . as thei wer late īn pᵃsse .
Of . xx . ȝeer of age he was as I gesse .
Of hys stature he was of euen length
And wonderly delyủer and of grete strength .
And he had bene sıı̄un tyme in chyualrie
In Flaundres / in Artoys / and in pycardie .
And borne hym wele of so lytel space .
In hope to stonde in his lady grace .
Enbroudred was he as hyt were a meede .
Alle full of freshe floures whyte and reede .
Syngyng he was and floytyng all the day
He was as fresh as is the moneith of may .
Short was hys govne wyth slevys long and wyde .
Wele couthe he sytte on hors ⁊andfayr ryde .
He couthe songes make and wele endyte .
Iuste / daunce / wele portrey / and wryte
Soo hoote he lovyd that be nyght̉er tale .
He slepyd nomore than doith the nyghtygale .
Curteis he was lowely and ʆseruyciable .
And carfe before hys fadere at the table .
A Ȝōmman had he and ʆseruauntez no moo .
At that tyme for hym lyst to ryde soo .
He was clad in a coote and hoode of grene .
A shef / of pecokes arowes bryȝt and shene .
Vnder hys belt he bare full thryftyly
Wele couthe he dresse hys tacle ȝōmmanly .
Hys arowes drowpyd noȝt wᵗith fethers lowe .
And in hys myghty hand he bare a bowe .
A notted heede had he wyth broune vysage .
Of wodecraft wele couthe the vsage .
Vpon hys arme he bare a gay bracere .
And by hys syde / a swerde / and a bokelere .
And vn that oþir syde a gay dagger .
Harnesyd wele . āmd sharp as poynt of spere .
A cristofore on hys brest of syluyr schene .
An horne he bare the bawdryk was of grene .
A forster was he sothely as I gesse .
THer was also a nonne pryoresse .
That of her smylyng was symple ⁊and coy
Hyre grettest othe was by seint loy
And she was clepyd ma dame Eglentyne .
Full wele she song theʆseruyce dyuyne .
Entvned in her voys full semely
And frensch she spake full fayr and fetysly .
After the scole . of Stratford of the bowe .
For frensh of Parys was to her vnknowe .
At the mete wele itaught was she wᵗith all
She lete no morsell from her lyppes fall
Ne wette hir fyngres in her sauce depe
Wele couthe she carie a morsell . ⁊and wele kepe .
That no drope fill vp on her brest .
In curtesie was sette ful myche her lest
Hyr oủer lyppes wyped she so clene
That in her cuppe ther was no ferthyng sene .
Of grece whan she hadde drunke hyr draught
Full semely aftyr hyr meete she raught .
And sykerly sche was of grete disporte .
And full plesaunte . and amyable of porte .
And payned hyr to countyrfete chere
Of courte . to be stately of manere .
And to holdēn dygne of Reủerence .
But for to speke of hyr conscience .
She was so charytable and so pytous .
She wolde wepe . ȝif she saugh a mous
Caught in a trappe . ȝef hyt were dede or blede .
Of smale houndes had she that she fedde .
Wyth roste flessh mylk or wastell brede .
But soore she wept ȝif oone of hēm were dede .
Or ȝif men smote hyt with a ȝerde smert .
And all was conscience and tendre hert .
Full semely hyr wymple pynched was .
Hyr nose streight hir eyen grey as glas .
Hyr mouthe smale and ther to soft and rede .
But sekirly she had a faire forhede .
Hyt was almost a spanne brode Itrowe .
For hardely she was not vndirgrowe .
Full fetys was hyr cloke as I was ware .
Of smale coralle aboute hir necke she bare
A pair of bedes with gaudes all of grene .
Ther on hyng a broche of golde full shene .
On whyche was wryten a crouned A .
And after Amor vincit omnia .
A nother nonne with hyr had she
That was her chapelane . and p̉restes thre .
A Monke ther was a fair man for þe maistry
An out ryder that loued wele venery .
A manly man to be an abbot able .
Ful mony a deynty hors had he in stable .
And whan he rode . men myght hys bridel here .
Gynglyng and whistelyng wynde as clere .
And as lowde as doith þᵉ chapell belle .
Ther as the lord was keꝑper of the selle .
The Rule of seynt Maury or of seint Benet
By caus hit was olde and sūmdele streyt
This ilke monke let olde thynges passe .
And helde aftyr þe new worldys space
He yaffe noȝt of þᵗat text a pullyd hene .
That sayth that hunters ben noȝt holy men .
Ne that a monke . whan he is recheles
Ys likkenyd to a fyssh that is waterles .
Thys is to sey . a monk out of hys cloistr .
That ilke holde he noȝt worth an oistr .
And I seyd hys opynyon was goode .
What sholde he studie and make hym wode
Vpon a boke in Cloistr for to poore .
Or swynk with hys hondes or laboure .
As Austyn biddes how shall the worlde be seruyd .
Let Austyn haue hys swynk to hym reseruyd .
Therfore he was a prycasour a ryght
Grehoundes he had . as swyft as foule of flyȝt .
Of prykyng and huntyng for the hare
Was all his lust . for no cost wold he spare .
I saugh hys slevys purfilyd at the hand
Wyth gryse . the fyneste in a land .
And for to fastene hys hoode vndyr hys chyn
He had of gold wroȝt a curious pyn
A loue knot in the grett̉er ther was
His heed was balld and shone as any glas .
And eke his face as he had ben anoynt .
He was a lord full fat and īm good poynt .
Hys eyen stepe rollyng in hys heede
That stemed as doith a fournes of lede .
Hys bootes souple . hys hors in gret state .
Certenly he was a fair prelate .
He was noȝt pale lyke a forpyned goost .
A fat swanne loued he best of any roost .
Hys palfrey was as broune as is a bery .
[…] frere th̉er was a wantou and a mery
A lymytour and a full solempne man
In all þe ordres foure is non that can
So mych of daliaunce and fair langage
He had made many a fair mariage .
Of yong wymen at hys owen proper cost
To hys ordre he was a noble post .
Full wele beloued and familier was he
Wyth frankeleyns oủer all in hys contre
And eke with worthy wymen in þe toune
For he had power of confessioun
As he said hȳm self mor þen a curate
For of his order he was licēmciate
Full sweetly did he heer confession
And plesaunt was his absolucion
He was an esy man to ȝeve penaunce
Ther as he wyst to haue a good pytaunce .
For vn to poure ordre for to ȝiffe .
Ys a signe that a man is wele yschryffe .
For ȝif he ȝaf . he durst make hys avaunt .
He wyst that a man was repentaunt .
For many a man so herd is of hert
He may noȝt wepe thogh he soore smert .
Therfore in stede of wepyng and pᵃyers
Men most ȝif siluer to the pour Freres .
His typet was ay farced full of knyves .
And pynnes . to ȝif fayr wives
And certanly he had a mery note
Wele couthe he syng and play vpon a rote
Of ȝeddyng he bare vtterly the prys
Hys nekke was whyte as the flour delys .
Ther to strong as ony champyoun
He knew the tauerners wele in euery toun
And eủery hosteler and tapster
Welbet̉er than a begge or a lazar .
For vn to such a man as he .
Acordetth noȝt as by hys faculte .
To haue wᵗith such lazers aqueyntaunce .
Hit is noȝt honest hyt may noȝt auᵃunce
For to dele wyth suche pouerayle .
But all wyth ryche and sellers of vytayle .
And oủer all other as ꝓprofyt shuld aryse .
Curteys he was and lowely of seruyse .
There was no man nowhere so vertuous
He was the best begger in hys hous .
And ȝaf a certen ferme for the grᵃunnte
none of hys bretheryn cam þ̉ere in hys haunte .
For thogh a vydowe had but a sho
So plesaunt was hys in principio /
There wold he haue a ferthyng or he went
Hys purchas was bett̉er than hys Rent .
And rage he couthe as hyt wer a whelp
In louedaies he couthe full mykell help .
For he was not lyke a cloistrere
Wyth threedbare coope as is a pour scolere .
But he was lyke a maist̉er or a pope .
Of double worsted was hys semy cope .
That rounded was as a belle out of þe psse .
Sıı̄unwhat he lypsed for hys wantounesse .
To make hys englyssh swete vp on hys tonge .
And in hys herpyng whan he had song
Hys eyen twynkeled in hys heede a ryȝt .
As done sterres in the frosty nyȝt .
Thys worthy lymytour clepyd was huberd .
a merchant was there wᵗith a forked berd
In mottley on hie on hors he sat .
Vp on hys heed a flaundres beủer hat .
His botes clapsed fair and fetosly .
Hys resoıı̄un he spak full solempnely .
Shewyng al way thencrece . of hys wynnyng .
He wold the see were kept for any thyng
Bytwyx MydAndelburgh and orwell
Wele couthe he in eschaunge scheldys sell .
Thys worthy man full wele hys wytte bysette .
Ther wyst no man that he was in dette .
So stately was he of goủernaunce .
Wyth hys bargeyns and his cheuyshaunce .
For soth he was a worthy man wyth all .
But soith to sey I not how men hym call
a Clerk ther was of Oxenford also
That vn to logyke long had y go
And lene was he . not ryȝt fat I vnd̉ertake .
But loked holowe . and þ̉er to soburly
Full threede bar was hys ouerest courtby
For he getyn hym ȝit no benefice .
Uor he was noȝt worthy to haue an office .
For hym wer levir haue . at his beddys heede
XX . bokes cladde in blak and reede .
Of Arystotle and his philosophie
Than robes rych . or fidelle or savtrie
But all be hyt he was a phylosophr
Ȝit had he but lytell gold in coofr .
But all that he myȝt of hys frendes hent
On bokes and on lernyng he hit spent .
And besyly can he for the soules prey
Of hem that ȝaf hym wherwyth to scoley .
Of studie toke he most cure an hede .
Noȝt a word spake he moore than was neede .
And that was seyd in forme and reủerence .
And short and quyk and full of hyegh sentence .
Sounyng in morall vertu was hys spech .
Gladly wold he lerne . and gladly teche .
a Seriaunt of þe law war and wys .
That oft had bene at parvys .
Ther was also full ryche of excellence .
Discrete he was and of grete Reủerence .
He semyd such . hys wordes wer so wyse .
Iustice he was full oft in assise .
By patent and by plane . cōmmission .
For hys science and hys renoun .
Of fees and robes he had mony oone
So grete a purchasour was nowher noone .
All was fee symple to hym in effecte .
Hys purchasyng myȝt not be infecte .
Nowhere so besy a man ther nas
And ȝit he semed bysier than he was .
In termes had he cas and domes all
That from the tyme of kyng william was fall .
Therto he couth endite and mak a thyng .
Ther couth no wyȝt pynch at hys endityng
And eủery statute couth he pleyn by roote .
He roode but homely in a medley coote .
Gyrt wyth a seynt of sylk wyth barres smale .
Of hys araye telle I no lenger tale .
A Frankelene ther was in hys cıı̄unpany .
White was hys berd as is the daieseye .
Of hys complexciou he was sanguyne .
Wele loued in the morn a soppe in wyne .
To lyue in delyte was eủer hys wone
For he was Epicurius owne sone .
That held opiniou that verrey delyte .
Was verily felicite parfyte .
An housholder and that a grete was he .
Seint Iulian he was in hys contre .
Hys breede his ale was alway aft̉er one .
A bett̉er enuyned man was no wher none .
Wyth out bake mete was neủer hys hous .
Of fysh and flessh and that so plentivous .
Hyt snewed in hys hous of mete and drynk
Of all deintes that men couth on thynk .
After the sondry sesouns of the ȝer
So chaungeith he hys mete and hys soper .
Full many a fat ꝑpartryche had he in mewe .
And many a breme and many a luce īn stewe .
Woo was hys cooke . but ȝif hys sauce were .
Poynant and sharp and redy all hys gere .
Hys table dormaunt in hys hall alwey
Stode redy couered all the long day .
At the sessions there was he lord and syr .
Full oft had he bene knyght of the schyr .
An anlas on a gypcer all of sylk .
Hyng vn hys gyrdell whyte as morowe mylke .
A shyreue had he bene and a countour .
Was nowhere suche a worthynother vauasour .
An haburdassher . and a carpent̉er .
A Webbe . a Dier . and Tapycer .
Thei were clothed all in oo lyuer̉e .
Of a solempne and a grete fraternite .
Full fressh and newe her ger pyked was
Her knyves chaped wer noȝt of glas .
But wroȝt wyth sylủer al full clene and wele .
Her gyrdels and her pouches eủerydele
Wele semed ech of hem a fair burgeis
To sitte in þe ȝeld halle on a deis .
Eủeryche for the wysdom that he kan
Was shapely to be an alder man .
For catell had þei ynogh and Rent .
And eke her wyves wolde hit wele assent .
And elles certen thei weren to blame .
Hyt is full fair to be clepyd ma dame .
And go to vigiles all to forne
And haue a mantel ryale born .
a Cook thei had wᵗith hem for the nones
To boyle the chykens wᵗith the merybones .
And poudre / marchant tart / and galymgale
Wele couthe he know a draught of londou ale .
He couth rost ⁊and bole . seth and frie .
Make mortreux and wele bake a pye .
But grete harme was hit as hit thoght me .
That on his chynne a mormal had he .
For blankmanger maide he wᵗith the best .
a schypman was ther wonnyng th̉er by west .
For ought I woote he was of dertemouth .
He roode on a Rouncy as he couthe .
In a gowne of faldyng to the kne .
A dagger hangyng on a lace had he .
Aboute hys nekke vnd hys arme a done .
The hoote somer had made . his hew al brone .
And certanly he was a goode felaw
Full many a draugh of wyne had he draw .
From bordeux ward whilest the mchantez slepe .
Of nyce conscience toke he no kepe .
Ȝif that he fawght and had the herre hond
By water he sendt them home by eủery lond .
But of hys craft to rykene wele hys tyde
Hys stremys and hys daungers hym besydes
Hys herburgh and hys money and hys lodmanage .
Ther nas no man suche from Hull vn to Cartage .
Herdy he was and wyse to vndertake .
Wyth many a tempest had hys berd be shake .
He knew all the hauenes as thai ware
From scotland vn to the lond of fenestar
And eủery cryke in brytaigne and in spaigne .
Hys barge was clepyd þe maudeleyne .
wyth vs ther was a maister of fysyk
In all the world was non hym lyke .
To speke of fysyk and of Surgerye .
For he was grounded in astronomye .
He kept hys pacient a full grete dele
In houres by hys magyk naturele .
Wele couthe he fortune the ascendent .
Of hys ymage for hys pacient .
He knew the caus of eủery maladie .
Were hit hoote . colde . moist . or drye .
Where hit engendreth and of what humour .
He was a verrey parfyt practysour .
The cause he knew and of hys harme þᵉ rote .
Anon he ȝaf the seke man hys bote .
Full redy had he his apotecaries .
To send hym dragges . and his letuaries
For eche of hem maide oth̉er to wynne .
Here frendeschyp was noȝt new to bygynne .
Wele knew he the old Esculapius .
Dioscorides and eke Ruphus
Olde ypocᵃs . haly . and galien
Serapion . Razy . and Auicen
Aủeroys . damascien . and constantyn .
Bernard . Gatisden . and gilbertyn .
Of his diete mesurable was he
For hit was of no suꝑperfluyte .
But of grete noryshyng ⁊and digestible .
His studie was but lytell on the bible .
In sanguyne and in pers clad was he all
Lyned with taffata and wyth sendall .
And ȝit he nas but esy of dispence .
He kept that he wan in pestylence .
For gold in fysyk is a cordial .
Ther for he loued gold in specyal .
a good wyf th̉er was of besydes bathe .
Sche was sūm dele deffe . ⁊and þᵗat was scathe .
Of clothe makyng had she such haunt
She passed hem of ypres and of Gaunt
In all the parysh wyf was þ̉er none .
That to the offeryng before hyr shuld gone .
And ȝif þer dyd certen so wrothe was she .
That she was out of all charite .
Hyr keuerches full fyne were of grounde .
I durste swer thei weyed x pounde .
That on a sounday were on her heede .
Hyre hosen of fyne scarlet Rede .
Full streit y tied . and shone full moist and newe .
Bold was her face and fayr and reede of hewe .
She was a worthy wōmman all hyr lyue .
Housbondes at churche dore had she fyue .
Wythoute other cumpany in ȝouthe .
But þ̉erof nedeth noȝt to speke as nouthe .
And thries had she bene at Ierm .
She had passed mony a strong streme .
At Rome she had be and at Boloigne .
In Galeis at saint Iagnes and at Coloigne .
She couthe muche of wandryng by þe wey
Gattetothed was she sothely to sey
Vp on an ambeler esyly she satte
Ywympled wele and on heed an hatte .
As brode as is a bokeler or a targe .
A foote mantell aboutes her large .
Vp on hyr feete a pair of spores sharp .
In felaschyppe wele couthe laugh and carpe .
Of remedie of loue sche couthe ꝑparchaunce .
For she knew of that arte þe olde daunce .
A good man ther was of Religione .
and was a pour ꝑpersoun of a toun
But ryche he was of holy thoght ⁊and werk .
He was also a lernyd man . ⁊and a clerk .
That crystes gospell truly wolde preche .
Hys parysshins deuoutly wolde he teche .
Benygne he was and wonder diligent
And in aduersite full pacient .
And suche he was proued oft sythes
For lothe were hym to curse for hys tithes .
But raith̉er wolde he ȝif hit out of doute .
Vn to hys poủer parishins aboute .
Of hys offryng and of hys substance .
He couthe in lytell thyng haue suffisaunce
Wyde was hys parisshe . and houses fer a sondre .
But he ne left neyther for reyn ne thondre .
In sekenes nor in myschef to visite .
The ferrest in hys paryssh muche ⁊and lyte .
Vp on hys feet and on hys hond a staffe .
This noble ensample vn to hys shepe he ȝaffe .
That fyrst he wroȝt and afterward he taught .
Out of the gospell the wordes he caught .
This figure eke he added þ̉er to .
That ȝif gold ruste what shall yren do ;
For ȝif a pste be foule . in whome we trust .
No wonder is a lewde man to rust
And schame hit is . ȝif a pst take kepe .
A schyten sheꝑperd and a clene shepe .
Wele ought a sheꝑperd ensample for to ȝiffe .
By hys clennesse how hys shepe shulde lyffe .
He sette noȝt his benefice to hyre .
And leueth his shepe acombred in þᵉ myre .
And ran to londou vn to seint poules
To sechen hym a chart̉er for soules .
Or with a bretherhede to be with holde .
But dwellyd at home ⁊and kept wele his folde .
Soo that the wolf ne maide it noȝt myscarie
He was a sheꝑperd and noȝt a mcennarie .
And thogh he holy were and vertuous
He was noȝt to synfull men dispitous .
Ne of speche dangerous ne digne .
But in his techyng discrete ⁊and benigne .
To drawen folk to heuen by fairnesse
By good ensample thys was his bisynesse .
But hit were any ꝑperson obstinate .
What so he were of hiegh or lowe astate .
Hym wold he snobbe sherply for the nones .
A bettyr prest I trowe that nowhere non es .
He wayted aft̉er no pompe and reủerence .
Ne maked hym a spiced conscience .
But cristes lore and his apostles twelue
He taught . but first he folowed hy selue .
Wyth hym th̉er was a plowman was his brother
That hadde yladde of dong full many a fother .
And a trew swynker and a good man was he
Leuynge in pees and ꝑperfite charite .
God loued he best wyth all his hert .
At all tymes thogh he gamed or smert .
And than his neigheboure . ryȝt as hym self .
He wolde thresse and þ̉er to dyke and delf
For cristes sake for eủery poure wyght
Wit outen her . if hit lay in his myght .
His tithes payed he full fair and wele .
Bothe of his ꝓpropre swynk and catele .
In a taberd he roode vpon a meere .
There was also a reef and a myllere .
A sompnoᵘur and a ꝑpardoner also .
A manciple and my self þ̉ere wer no mo .
The myllere was a stoute carle for þe nones
Ful byg he was of brawne ⁊and eke of bones .
That proued wele . for oủer all ther he came .
At wrastelyng he wold haue the Rame .
He was schuldred short . a thykke knarre .
There was no dore that he nold hevyn of barre .
Or breke it at a rennynge wyth hiz hed .
Hys berd as any sowe or fox was red .
And þ̉erto broode as thogh hit wer a spade
Vppon the coppe on hys nose he hade
A wert . and þ̉er on stode a tuft of herys .
Reede as the brystles of a sowes eyrys .
Hys nose thrylles blake were and wyde
A swerd and a bokeler bare he by hys syde .
Hys mouthe as grete was as a gʳte fourneys
He was a iangler and a galierdeis
And that moost of syn and of harlottries .
Wele couthe he stele corn ⁊and tolle thries .
And ȝit he had a thombe of gold perde .
A white coote and a blewe weryd he .
A bagge pype wele couthe he blow and sown .
And þ̉er wyth all he broght vs oute of towne .
A gentyll manciple was ther of the temple .
Of whiche all catours myght take ensample .
For to bene wyse in byeng of vytale
For whethyr that he payd or toke by tayle .
Algate he wayted so in hys acate
That he was ay beforn ⁊and in goode state .
Now is not that of god a full fayre grace
That suche a lewyd mānnes wytte shall pace
The wysdom of an hepe of lernyd men ;
Of maistres had he mo than thries ten
That were of law expert ⁊and curious .
Of whyche ther was a dosan in that hous
Worthy to ben stywardes of Rent ⁊and lande
Of any lorde that is in englande .
To make hym lyf by hys ꝓpropre goode
In honour detteles but yf that he wer woode .
Or lyf als streitley as hym lyst desire
And able for to helpyn all a shyre .
In any case that mygte falle or happe .
And ȝit this manciple sette her aller cappe .
The Refe was a slendre coleryk man .
Hys berd was shafe as nygh as eủer he can .
Hys here was by hys erys full rounde y shorne .
Hys toppe was dokked lyk a prest byforne .
Full long were his legges and full lene .
Ylyke a staffe ther was no calf y sene .
Wele couthe he kepe a garner or a bynne .
There was no auditour couthe on hym wynne .
Wele wist he by the droghte and by the reyne .
The ȝeldyng of hys seed and of hys greyne .
Hys lordes shepe . hys nete hys deyry .
Hys swyn . hys horse . hys stoure . ⁊and his pultry
Was hooly in thys Refes gouernyng .
And by his covenaunt yaf hym rekenyng
Syn that hys lord was . xx . ȝeere of Age .
There couth no man bryng hym in arrerage
Ther was ballyf . ne hyrde . nor other hyne .
That he ne knew hys sleight and hys covyne .
Thei were adred of hym as of the deith .
Hys wonnyng was full fayre vp on an heith .
Wyth grene trees shadowed was hys place .
He couth better than hys lord purchace .
Full ryche he was a stored pⁱriuely
Hys lord he couth wele plesen subtely .
To ȝif hym and lene hym of hys owne goode .
And haue a thank and ȝit a coote and an hode .
In ȝouth he had lernyd a goode mystery
He was awele good wryght of carpentry
Thys Refe sat vp on a wele good stot
That was pomell gray and hight scotte
A long surcot of peers vppon he hadde
And by hys syde he bare a rusty blade .
Of Northfolk was thys Refe of whyche y telle
Bysyden a towne . men clepyn hyt Bladeswell .
Tukked he was as is a frere aboute
And euery he rode the hyndrest of our route .
A sompnour was ther wᵗith vs in place
That had a fayr cherubynnes face .
For savsfleme he eyen narowe
As hoote he was and lycherous as a sparowe
Wyth scalled browes . blake and pyled berde
Of hys vysege children wer aferde .
Ther nas quyk syluer . lytargie . or bromston
Boras orsure ne oyle of tartre noone .
Ne oynement that wold clense or byte
That hym myght help of hys whelkes whyte .
Nor of hys knobbes syttynge in hys chekes .
Wele louyd he garlek onȝons and eke lekes .
And for to drynk strong wyn reede as blode
Than wolde he crie and speke as he wer woode .
And whan that he wele dronken had the wyne .
Than wolde he speke no word but latyne .
A fewe termes had he two or thre .
That he had lernyd oute of su decre .
No wondre is . he herd hit all day .
And eke ȝe knowen hit wele / how that a Iay
Kan clepe watte . as wele as can the pope .
But who so couth in oth̉er thyngꝭes hym groope
Than had he spend all his philosophie
Ay questio quid Iuris . wold he crye .
He was a gentyll harlot and a kynd .
A bett̉er felaw shuld no man fynde .
He wold suffre for a quarte of wyne
A good felaw to haue hys concubyne
A twelf moneith . and excuse hym at fulle
Full pryvely eke a fynche couthe he pulle .
And yf he founde owhere a good felawe .
He wolde teche hym to haue noon awe .
In suche cas of the archedekyns curse .
But yf mānnes soule were in hys purse .
For in hys purse punyshed he shuld be
Purse is the archedekyns helle seyd he .
But wele I wote . he lyhede ryȝt in dede
Of cursyng oughte ych gilty man hym drede .
For curse will sle ryȝt as assoylyng sauyth
And also ware hym of a significauit .
In daunger had he at his owne gyse
Two yong gerles of the diocise
And knew her councele and what was all rede .
A garland had he sette vp on his hede
As grete as hit were for an hale stake .
A bokeler had he made hym of a cake .
Wyth hym there rode a gentyll ꝑpardoner
Of Rouncyuale hys frend and hys compere .
That streight was cōmmyn fro the courte of Rome .
Full lowde he song . come hyder love to me .
Thys sompnoᵘur bare to hym a styffe burdou .
Was neủer trıı̄unpe of half so grete a sown
This ꝑpardoner had here as ȝelow as wax
But smoth hit hyng as doith a stryk of flax .
By vnces hang hys lokkes that he hadde .
And ther wyth hys shuldres oủer spradde .
But thynne hit lay by culpons oone ⁊and oon
But hode for iolyte weryd he none .
For hit was trussed vp in his walet
Hym thoght he roode all of new get
Discheueled saf hys cappe he roode all bare .
Wyth glaryng eyen had he as an hare .
A veronycle had he sewyd vppon his cappe .
Hys walet beforne hym in his lappe .
Bret full of ꝑpardou cōmmen from Rome all hote .
A voys he had als smale as any gote .
No berd had he . ne neủer shuld haue .
As smothe hit was as hit were late shaue .
I trow he wer a geldyng or a mare .
But of his craft from Berwyk in to ware .
Ne was ther such anoth̉er ꝑpardonere .
For in his male he had a pylowere .
Whych that he seid was our ladys veile .
He seyde he had a gobbet of the seyle .
That seint pet̉er had when þᵗat he weynt
Vppon þᵉ see . tyll Ihu cryst hym hent .
He had a croys of latou full of stones
And in a glas he had pigges bones
But wyth these relykes whan that he fonde
A poure ꝑpersou duellyng vppon londe
Vppon a day he gate more money
Than that the ꝑpersoıı̄un gate in monethes tweye .
And thus wyth feyned flateryng ⁊and iapes
He maide the ꝑpersou and the peple his apes .
But truly to tellen at the last
He was in church a noble ecclesiast .
Wele couth he reede a lessou or a story
But alderbest he song an offertory .
For wele he wyst . whan that song was song .
He moost pche and welle affyle hys tong .
To wynne sylủer as he wele cowde .
Therfore he song so meryly and lowde .
¶ Now haue ytolde sothely in a clause .
The estat . the array . the nombre . ⁊and eke the cause .
Why that assembled was thys cumpany
In southwerk at this gentyll hostery .
That hyght the taberd fast by the belle .
But now is tyme yow for to telle
How that baryn vs that ylke nyght
Whan that were in that Ostelery alyght .
And after wylle y telle of oure viage .
And all the remanaunt of oure pylgⁱmage .
But ferst y pᵃy ȝow of your curtesie .
That ȝe ne rette hit noȝt my vilanye .
Thogh that I planely speke in þis mater
To telle ȝow her wordes and her chere .
Ne thogh y speke her wordes ꝓpropurly
For this ȝe knowen as wele as I .
Who so shall tellen a tale aft̉er a man
He moot reherse as neygh as eủer he can
Eủeryche a worde yf hit be in hys charge .
Al speke he neủer so rudely and large .
Or elles he mote telle his tale vn tre
Or feyne thynges or fynde wordes newe .
He may noȝt spare all thogh he wer his brother .
He moote as wele sey oo worde as an other .
Cryst spake hym self full broode in holy wrytte .
And wele ȝe wote no vylanye is hitte .
Eke plato seith . who so can hym reede .
The wordes moote be cosyn to the dede .
Also y pᵃy ȝow for ȝif hit me .
All though y sette not folk in her degre
Here in this tale as that thei shuld stonde .
My wytte is shorte . ȝe may wele vndstonde .
¶ Grete chere made oure ost vs ev̉erychon .
And to the soper sette he hus anoone .
He serued vs wyth vytales at the best
Strong was the wyne . and wele drynken vs leste .
A semely man oure oost was wᵗith all
For to bene a mshall in an halle
A large man he was wyth eyen stepe .
A fayr burgeis is noon in chepe .
Bolde of his speche ⁊and wyse ⁊and wele ytaught .
And of manhode hym lakked ryȝt noȝt .
Eke þ̉erto he was right a mery man .
And after soper pleyen he bygan .
And spake of myrth among oth̉er thynges .
Whan that we had made oure rekenynges .
And seid thus . now lordes trewly
Ȝe ben to me welcome right hertily .
For by my trouth . yf that I shall not lye .
I see not this ȝeere so mery a cumpanye .
At oones in this herber as is now .
Fayne wold y done ȝow merth . wyst I how .
And of a myrthe I am ryght now by thoght .
To done ȝow eese . and hit shall cost ȝow noght
Ȝe goone to Canterbury god ȝow spede
Þe blysfull martir quyte ȝow youre mede
And wele I wote as ȝe gone by the waye
Ȝe shappen ȝow to talen ⁊and to pleye
For truly comforth ne myrth is noone
To ryden by the way dombe as a stone
And þerfore will I maken disport
As I seid erst and done ȝow some comfort
And yf hit lyke ȝow by oone assent
For to stonden at my Iuggement
And for to werken as I shall ȝow say
To morwe whan ye ryden by the way
Now by my fader soule that is dede
But ȝe be mery I will ȝiffe ȝow my hede
Holde vp ȝoure handes wyth oute more speche
Oure councele was not long to seche
Vs thoght hit was not worth to make ws wyse
And gᵃraunted hym wyth oure oute more avyse
And herd hym sey hys veordyte as hym lest
Lordynges quod he now herkeneth for the best
But taken hit noght y pᵃraye ȝow in disdeigne
This is the poynt to speke it shorte and pleigne
That eche of ȝow to shorte wyth youre weye
In this viage shall telle tales tweye
To canterbury warde I mene hit so
And homwardes he shall tellen oth̉er two
Of auentours . that whilom haue byfalle
And whiche of ȝow . that berys hym best of alle
That is to seyn . that telleth in þis cas
Tales of most sentence ⁊and most solas
Shall haue a soper at oure aldercost
Here in this place sittyng by this post
Whan that cōmmyn aȝen fro Canturbur
And for make ȝow the moore mery .
I wyll my self goodely wᵗith ȝow ryde .
Ryght at my owne cost and be your gyde .
And who so wyll my iuggement wythsey .
Shall pay all that we spend by the wey
And yf ȝe vochesaue that hit be soo .
Tell me a noon wyth outen wordes moo .
And y will erly shape me therfore .
This thyng was graunted ⁊and oure othes swore .
With full gladde hert ⁊and prayen hym also .
That he wold vochesaue for to do soo .
And that he wold be oure gouernour .
And of our tales iugge and reportour .
And sette a soper at a certen prys
And we willen reulyd be at hys devys .
In hiegh ⁊and lowe and thus by his assent
We ben acorded to the iuggement .
And ther vppon the wyn was fet anoon .
We dronchen and went to rest ychoon .
Wyth outen any long taryinge .
Amorow whan the day gan to sprynge
Vp rose oure oste and was oure alder cok .
And gaderde vs to gedyr in a flok .
And forth we ryden a lytell more than a pas
Vn to the wateryng of seynt Thomas .
And ther oost gan hys horse arest
And seid lordes herkenyth yf ȝow lyst .
Ȝe wote youre forwarde . and I ȝoᵘ hit recorde .
If euynsong ⁊and morowesong acorde .
Late se now who shall tell the fyrst tale .
As eủer mote I drynk wyn or ale .
Who so be rebell to my iuggement
Shall pay for all that by the wey is spent .
¶ Now draw þe cut . or that we ferther twynne
Whyche that hatth þe shortest . shaƚƚ ferst begynne ·
Syr knyght quod he my maist̉er and my lorde
Now drawyth cut . for that is myn acorde ·
Comyth nere . qduod he . my lady prioresse ·
And ȝe ʆsir Clerk . lat be youre shamefastnesse ·
Ne studyeth noȝt . lay hond to euery man̄ ·
Anon̄ to drawyth euery wyght began̄ ·
As shortely to tellen̄ as hit was
Were hit be auenture . or sort . or cas ·
The sotth is . the cut fylle to the knyght
Of whyche fuƚƚ blythe and glad was eủery wight .
And tellen̄ he muste as hit was reason
By forward and by composicion̄
As ȝe han̄ herd . whitt nedyth wordes mo
And than this good man̄ saugh that it was so ·
As he that wyse was and obedient
To kepen̄ his forward by his free assent .
He seyd sithen y shaƚƚ begynne the game .
What welcome be the cut a goddes name ·
Now late vs ryde and herkenyth what I sey ·
And wyth that worde we ryden forth our͗ wey .
And he byganne with ryȝt a mery chere ·
His tale anon̄ . and seid as ȝe may here ·
Iamqꝫue domos patrias ⁊etc̉etera Post asꝑperagentis p̉relia laurig̉ero ⁊etc̉etera
Whylome […] as olde stories tellen̄ vs
There was a Duk that highte Theseus
Of athenes he was lord and gouernour .
And in hys tyme such a conquerour .
That gretter was neủer noon̄ vndyr the sonne .
Fuƚƚ mony a ryche contre had he wonne .
What with his wysdome and his chiualrie ·
He conquerde aƚƚ the reigne of femenye