Ma · Manchester, John Rylands Library English MS 113
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Ma/
[6r]
WHan þat Aprill with his shoures swote
Þe drowth of Marche . hath ꝑperced to þe rote
And bathed eủery vayne with soche vertu licour
Of which vertue engendred is þe flour
¶ And Zepherus eke with his swete breth
Enspired hath in eủery holt and heth
¶ The tenþir Croppis . and þe yonge son
Hath in þe Ram . half his cours y ron
¶ And smale fowles maken melody
That slapen al nyght wᵗith open ey
¶ So prikkith hem nature in her corage
Þat longith folke to go on pilgremage
¶ And Palmers for to seke strange strondes
To serue halowes . cowth in sondry londes
¶ And specially from euery scheres ende
Of Inglonde to Caunturbury they wende
¶ The holy blisful martir for to seke
Þat hem hath holpen when þei were seke
¶ So it befell þat seson on a day
In Southwerk att þe Tabard as I lay
¶ Redy to wende on my pilgremage
To Caunturbury wᵗith deuout Corage
¶ That nyght was comen into oure hostry
Well xxixᵗⁱ in oo companye
¶ Of dyuerse folk by auenture falle
In Felaschip and pilgremes were þei all
¶ And toward Caunturbury wolde þei ride
The Chaumbres and þe stables weren wide
¶ And wele were þei esed att þe best
And schortly when þe son went to rest
¶ So had I spoken to hem eủerychon
That I was of here felawschip anon
¶ And made foreward erly to arise
To take oure wey as I schal you deuyse
¶ But neủerþelas while I haue tyme ⁊and space
Or y into þis tale ferþer pace
¶ Me þinkith it accordyng were to resou
To tel you al the Condicyou
¶ Of eche of hem so as it semyth me
And which þei were ⁊and of what degre
¶ And eke of what array þei were Inne
And att a knyght þan wol y first begynne
¶ A knyght þer was / and þat a worþi man
That fro þe tyme þat he furst be gan
¶ To ryde out he loued Cheualrye
Trouth . honour . fredom . and Curtesye
¶ And þerto had he reden . no man so ferre
Ful worþi was he in his lordis werre
¶ As wel in Cristyndom . as in hethenes
And euer had honour . for his worþines
¶ At Alisaundre he was whan it was won
Ful oftyntymes had he þe borde be go
Aboue al nacions in Spruse
In lettow had ha be / . and in ruse
No Cristyn man so ofte in his degre
In Garnaad eke at þe sege had he be
In Algarise . and redyn in Belmarye
Att lyaies had he be and att Satalye
When þei were won . ⁊and in þe grete see
Att many a noble aryue had he be
Att mortal batels . had he be Fyftene
And fowth for oure feith att Tramyssene
Wᵗithin þe listes . and ay slayn his foo
This ilke worþi knyght had ben also
Sumtyme wᵗith þe lorde Palatie
A yens a noþer hethen in Turkie /
And eủermore he had a soủereyn price
And Thowgh he were worþi and wise
And of his port as meke as a mayde
He neuer yit no velany sayde
In al his life vnto no maner wight
He was a verry ꝑparfite gentil knyght
And for to tel you of his array
His hors was good but hym silf was not gay
Of Fustian he wered a Iepou
All by smotered wᵗith his habirgou
For he was late com fro his viage
And went to do his pilgremage
¶ Wᵗith hym þer was his son . a yong Squier
A louer . and a lusty bachelere
Wᵗith lokkis crul . as þei were leide in pres
Of xxᵗⁱ yeer . of age he was I gesse
Of his stature he was of euen lengthe
And wonþirly delyuer / ⁊and grete of strengthe
And he had be somtyme in Chyuache
In Flaunders . Artois . and in Picarde
And born hym wel . as of his litle space
In hope to stonde in his ladies grace
Embrowed was he . as it were a mede
And ful of fressh floures white and rede
Syngyng he was . or floityng al . þe day
He was as Fressh as is þe monyth of may
Schort was his gown . wᵗith sleves long ⁊and wide
Wel cowde he sitt a hors and faire ryde
He cowde eke songis make and well endite
Iuste . and daunce . portreve . and eke write
And so hote he loued þat by nyghtes tale
He slepte no more þen dede þe nyghtyngale
Curteys he was . lowly . and seruysable
And wel . couthe carfe to his lady at þe table
¶ A yeman had he and seruantes no moo
As att þat tyme . for hym liste to ride soo
He was al . Clad in a Cote and a hood of grene
A schefe of Pecok arowes bright and schene / /
Vnder his belt he bare ful thryftyly
Wel . cowde he dres his tacle and yomanly
His arowes drowped not wᵗith feders low
And in his honde he bare a myghty bow
A nott hede had he wᵗith a broun visage
Of wode crafte wel . cowde he al þe vsage
Vpon his arme . he bare a gay bracer
And by his side a swerd and a bokeler
And on þe oþer . side a gay daggere
Harneysed wel . and scharp as poynt of spere
A Xpofer on his brest of siluer schene
An horn he bare / . þe bawdrik was of grene
A foster he was sothly as I gesse
Ther was also a Nonne a Priores
Þat of here smyling was ful . symple ⁊and coy
Here grettest othe was but by Seynt loy
And sche was cleped . madame Eglentyne
Ful wel sche songe here seruyse deuyne
Entuned in here noose ful . semely
And frenssh sche spake ful fair and fetesly
After þe scole of Stratford of þe bow
For Frenssh of Parise was to her vnknow /
Att þe mete wel tawth was sche wᵗith all
Sche lete no morsel . fro here lippes fall
Ne wett here Fyngers in her sawse depe
Wel cowth sche cary a morsel ⁊and wel kepe
That no drope fell vpon here brest
In curtesie was sett ful moche here lest
Here ouer lippe . wiped sche so clene
Þat in here cup þer was no ferþing sene
Of grece / . and whan sche drunkyn had here drawth
Full semely . after here mete sche rawth
And sikirly sche was of grete disport
And ful plesable and ameable of port
And payned here to countirfete ful clere
Of Court for to be stately of manere
And for to be digne of reuerence
But for to speke of here conscience
Sche was so charitable and so pitous
Sche wolde wepe . if þat sche saw a mows
Cawth in a trappe . if it were deþe ⁊and bled
Of smale houndis had sche þat sche fedde
With rosted flessh . or mylk and wastel brede
But sore wept sche if any of hem were dede
Or if men smote hem . with yerde smert
And al was conscience and tendir hert
Ful semely here wympill pynchid was
Here nose tretise . here eyen gray as glas
Here mouth ful smal . and þ̉erto softe ⁊and rede
But sikirly sche had a fayer forhede
For hardely sche was not vnþer grow
It was almost . a span . brode as y trow /
Ful fetise was here cloke . as y was ware
Of smal coral aboute her arm sche bare
A peire of bedis . gawded al wᵗith grene
And þ̉er on hyng abroche of gold ful schene
On which was furst wretyn A crowned . A .
And after . Amor vincit omnia
A noþer . nonne wᵗith here had sche
Þat was here Chapeleyn and prestis thre
¶ Amonke þer was a seir for þe mastrye
An out rider . þat loued wele venerye
A manly man . to be an abbot able
Ful meny a deynte hors had he in his stable
And when he rode men myght his bridil here /
Gynglyng in a whistlyng wynde as clere
And eke as lowde as doth þe Chapel bell
Þer as his lorde was keper . of the sell
Þe rule of Seynt Maure . or of Seynt Benet
By cause it was olde and sumdele streyt
This ilke Munke . lete olde þingis pace
And helde after þe new wordles space
He gafe not of þat text a pulled hen
Þat seith þat hunters . be noon holy men
Ne þat a monke . whan he is recheles
Is likened to a fisshe þat is waterlees
Þis is to seyn a monke out of his cloistr
But þat text holde he not worth an oistr
And y seide his oppiniou was good
What schold he study ⁊and make hym silf wode /
Vpon a boke in Cloistre al day to power .
Or swynke wᵗith his hondes and labower . /
As Austyn biddith þen how schal þe wordil be s̉erued
Lete Austyn haue his swynke to hym reserued
Therfor he was a pramisour a right
Greyhoundis had he þᵗat weren ful light
On prikyng and huntyng for þe hare
Was al his lust for . no þing wold he spare /
I saw his sleues purfiled at þe honde
Wᵗith grise / . and þat þe fynest in the londe
And for to fastyn his hood vnder his chyn
He had of golde wrowth a ful curious pyn
A love knot in þe gretter ende þer was
His heed was balled þat schone as any glas
And eke his face . as he had be anoynt
He was a lorde ful fatte and in good poynt
His eyen stepe were . and rollyng in his hede
Þat stremed as a fourneis of lede
His botes souple . his hors in grete state
Nowe Certeyn he was a fayer . prelate /
He was not pale . as it were a pyned gost
A fatt Swan loued he best of any rost
His palfrey was as broun as a bery
A frere þer was eke a wanton ⁊and a mery
A lymytour . and a ful . solempne man .
In þe ordres . iiij . is noon so wel þat can / .
So moche of Daliaunce and fair langage
He had made ful meny afair mariage
Of yong wemen . att his own Cost
Vnto his ordre he was a noble post
Ful wele biloued ⁊and ful famulier was he
Wᵗith Frankelyns oủer all in his Contre /
And wᵗith worþi wymmen of þe toun
For he had power of confessiou
And plesaunt was his absoluciou
He was an esy man . to yeue penᵃnce
Þer as he wiste to haue a good petaunce
For vnto a power ordre for to yeue
Is signe þat a man is wele I schryue
For if he gafe . he durst make auaunt
He wist wel þat a man is repentant
For many a man so herd is of hert
He may not wepe / þowgh he sore smert
Therfor in stede of penᵃnce and pᵃyers
Men most geve siluer to þe power freers
His typet was ay farsed ful of knyfes
And pynnes for to geue fair wyfes
And certenly he had a mery note .
Wel . cowþe he syng and pley on a rote
Of yeddynges he bare vttirly þe price
His nekke was white ; as flour delice /
Therto he was stronge as a Champiou
He knewe þe tauernes wel . in eủery Toun
And euery hosteler and Tapstere
Better þan dede a lasur or a beggere
For vnto soche a worþi man as he
Accordith not as to his faculte
To haue wᵗith seke lasurs acqueyntance
It is not honest ; hit may not auᵃnce /
For to dele with soche poraile
But al wᵗith þe riche and sellers of vitaile
And ouer al þer as ꝓprofite schold arise
Curteis he was and lowly of seruise
Þer was no man no wher so vertuous
He was þe best begger in his hows .
For þowgh a wedow ; had not but a schoo
So plesaunt was his in Principio
Yit wolde he haue a ferþing or he went
His purches was better þan his rent
And rage he cowde ; as it had be a whelp
In loue dayes þer cowde he moche help
For þer he was not like a Cloisterer
Wᵗith a thredbare Cope as is a scolere
But he was like a master or a pope
Of dowble worstede ; was his semely cope
Rounde as eny belle out of þe pres
Somwhat le lisped for his wantones
To make his Englissh swete on his tonge
And in harpyng whan þat he had songe
His eyen twyncled in his heed a right
As doth þe sterres in þe frosty nyght
This worþi lymytour . was called huberd
A Marchaunt þer was wᵗith a forked berde
In motle and high on hors he sate
And on his heed a flaundrissh bever hatt
His botes clasped faire and fetously
His resons he spake ful solemply
Sownyng alwey þe encres of his wynnyng
He wolde þe see were kept for any thyng
Betwene Middelburgh and orwell
Wel . cowde he in eschaungis rentis sell
This worþi man ful wel his witt sett
Þer wist no wight þat he was in dett
So stedfastly dede he . wᵗith his goủernance
Wᵗith his bargenys and wᵗith his Cheuesaunce
For sothe he was a worþi man wᵗith all
But soth to sey y wot not what men hym call
¶ A Clerk þer was of Oxenford also
That vnto logyk had longe y goo
And lene was his hors . as it were a rake
And he was not right fatt y vnþer take
But loked holowe . and þerto sobirly
Ful . thredbare was his oủerest courtepy
For he had as yit gete hym no benefice
He was not wordly to haue an office
For hym was leuer to haue at his beddis hede
xxᵗⁱ bokis cladde in blak and rede
Of Aristotil . and of his Philosophie
Then riche robes . Fidel . oautrie
But al be it thowgh he were a Philosophre
Yit had he but litle gold in his Cofre
But al þat he from his frendis hent
On bokes and on lernyng he it spent
And besily gan for þe sowles pray
Of hem þat gafe hym where wᵗith to scolay
Of stody toke he most cure and hede
Not a worde spake he more þan was nede
And þat was seide in forme and in reủerence
And schort and quyk and ful of high sentence
Sownyng in moral vertue was his speche
Gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche /
A Seriant of lawe þer was ware ⁊and wise
Þat ful ofte had ben at þe Parvise
Þat was ful riche of excellence
Discrete he was and of grete reủerence
He semed soche / . his worþis were so wise
Iustise had he ben ful ofte in assise /
Bothe by patent . and pleyn Commyssiou
For his science and his high renoun
Of Fees and Robis had he many oon
So grete a purchesar . was nowher noon
Al was Fe symple to hym in effecte
His purchasyng myght not be in suspecte
Noo wher as esy a man þer nas
And yet he semed besier þan he was
In termys had he cas and domes al
Þat fro þe tyme of kyng Willᵃm were fal
Þerto he cowde endite and make a thyng
Þer cowde no man pynche at his wrytyng
And euery statute cowde he pleyn by rote
He rode ful homely in a medle Cote
Girte wᵗith a girdil of silk wᵗith barres smale
Of his array tel y no lenger tale
¶ A Frankelyn was in the Company
White was his berde as is þe daisie
Of his complexion ; he was sangwyn
Wel loued he by þe morow a sop of wyn
To leue in deynte was euer his wone
For he was Epiourius own sone
þat helde oppinion þat pleyn delite
Was verrey felicite ꝑparfite
An howsoldere and þat a grete was he
The grettest oon of all his Contre
His brede his ale was alwey after oon
A better vyned man was no wher noon
Without bake mete was neuer his hous
Of Fissh and flessh . and þat so plenteuous
It st snewed in his hous of mete and drynke
Of all deyntees þat any man cowþe thynke
After þe sondry sesons of the yere
So chaunged he his mete and his sopere
Ful many a fat ꝑpartreche had he in mew
And many a breme and many a luce in stew
Woo was his Cook but if his sawse were
Poynant and scharp and redy al his gere /
His table dormaunt in his hall alwey .
Stode redy Coủered all . þe longe day
Att þe Sessions þer was he lord and sire
Ful oftyn tyme he was knyght of þe schyre
And an hanlaas and a Gipsere al of silke
Hyng att his girdil as white as morow mylke
A Scherif had he be and a Comcter
Was no wher . soche a worþi Vauasour
¶ An haberdassher and a Carpenter .
A weuer . a dyer . and a Tapicer .
And þei were cloþed al . in oon lyuereye
Of a solempnyte and a grete Fraternyte
Ful fressh and newe . here gere piked was
Here knyfes were not Claped wᵗith bras //
But al wᵗith siluer . wrowth ful clene and well
Here girdeles and here powches euery dele
Wel semed eche of hem a fair burgeis
To sitt in þe yelde hal vpon þe hyȝe dois
Eueriche of hem / for þe wysdom þat he can
Was schapen to be an alderman
For catel . had þei I nowgh and rent
And eke here wifes wold it wele assent
And elles Certeyn þei weren to blame
Hit is ful fair to be clepid madame
And goo to Vigiles al . a fore
And haue a mantel rially bore
A Cook þei had wᵗith hem for þe nones
To boile þe Chekenys wᵗith þe marybones
And powder marchaunt tart and galyngale
Wel cowde he know a drawth of lōmndon ale /
He cowde . roste . sethe . boile . and frye .
Make mortrewes ; and wel bake a pye
But gret harme was it as thowth me
That on his schene a mormal had he
And blanmanger . made he with þe best
A Schipman þer was þat woned fer bi west
For owth þat y wote he was of dertmouth
He rode vpon a rouncy . as wel as he cowth
In a goun of faldyng vnto the kne
A dagger . hangyng wᵗith a lace had he
About his nek vnder his arm a doun
Þe hote somer had made his hew al broun
And Certenly he was a good felawe
Ful meny a drawth of wyn had he drawe
Fro Burdeux ward while þe chapmen dede slepe
Of nyce conscience toke he noo kepe
Yif þat he fowth and had þe hyer hond
By water he sent it hom . from eủery lond
But he cowde reken wel ; of his crafte þe tydes
The stremes and þe strondes hym besides
His herborowe ; his mone ; and his lodes manage
Ther was noon suche from Hul to Cartage
Hardy he was and wise to vndertake
Wᵗith many a tempest had his berd be schake
He knew al þe hauenes as þei were
Fro Gutlond to þe cape of Fenestrere
And euery Crike . fro Britaigne in to Spayne
His barge was cleped the Mawdelene
Wᵗith vs þer was a doctour of Phesik .
In al þis wordil was noon hym like
To speke of Phisik and Surgerye
For he was grounded in Astronomye
He kepte his pacient a ful grete dell
In houres by his magik naturell
Wel cowþe he fortewne þe ascendent
Of his Images . for by his pacient
He knew þe cause of euery maladie
Wheder it were colde . hoot ; moiste . or . drye /
And wher of it ingendred ⁊and of what humour
He was a verrey parfite practisour .
Þe cause he knewe and of his harm þe rote
Anon he gafe to þe seke man his bote
Ful redy had he al his appoticaries
To sende hym dregges . and his lectuaries
For eche of hem made oþer for to wyn
Her Frenschip was not newe to begyn
Wel knew he the olde Esculapius
And Diastordies and eke Rufus .
Olde Ipocras and Galyen .
Serapion . Rasis and Auicen
Amerrois . damascien and Constantyn
Bernard . Gatisden and Gylbertyn
Of his diete mesurable was he
For he was of noo superfluyte
But of grete norisshyng and digestible
His stody was but litle in þe bible /
In sangwyn and in pers clad wᵗith all
Lyned wᵗith taffata . and Sendall
And yit he was but esy of dispence
For he kept þat he wan in þe pestilence
For golde in Phisik is acordial .
Þerfor he loued gold in especial .
A good wife þer was of beside bathe
But sche was somdele deef ⁊and þᵗat was scathe
Of Cloth makyng sche had soche an haunt
Þat sche passed hem of Ypres ⁊and of Gaunt
In al þe parissh wife was þer noon .
That to offryng abofe her schold goon .
And if þer dede c̉erteyn so wroth was sche
That sche was out of al Charite
Here kerchifs were of fyn ground
I durst swere þei weyed a pound
Þat on þe sonday were vpon here hede
Here hosen were of Fyne scarlete rede
Ful . streit tyed / and schoon moist and newe
Boold was here face . faire ⁊and reed of hewe
Sche was a worþi woman all here life
Husbondes att þe Chirch dore had sche Fife
Wᵗithout oþer Company in here youthe
But þer of nedith not as now to speke
And thryes had sche been at Ierusalem
Sche had passed many a strange streem
Att Rome had sche be . and att babiloyne
In Galice . at Seynt Iames and att Coleyne
Sche cowde in eche of wandryng by þe wey
Gaptothed was sche þe soth to sey .
Vpon an ambeler esily sche sate
Wel I wympeled and on here heed an hatt
As brode as it were a bokeler or a targe
A foot mantel about her hippes large
And on here feet a paire of spores scharp
In Felawschip cowþe sche lawhe and carp
The remedies of loue . sche cowþe ꝑpar chance
For of al þat art sche knew þe olde daunce
A good man þer was of Religioun
Þat was a ꝑpersou of a power Toun
But riche he was of holy thowth and werk .
He was also a lerned man / and a good clerk .
That Cristes Gospel trewly wolde teche
His parisshones deuoutly wold he preche
Benygne he was and wonþer diligent
And in aduersite ful abidyng ⁊and pacient
For which he was preised oftyn sithes
Ful loth were hym to curs for his tythes
But raþer wolde hem yeue out of dowte
Vnto his power Parysshones abowte
Of his offryng and eke of his substance
He cowþe in litle thyng haue suffisance
Wide was his parissh and howses fer a sonder
But he lette not for reyn ne for thunder
In sekenes and in myschefe to visite
Þe forþest in his parissh moche and lite
Vpon his feet ; and in his hand a staf
Þis noble ensample to his schepe he yaf
Þat furst he wrowth and aftirward tawth
But of þe gospel he þoo worþes rawth
And þis figure he added eke þertoo
Þat if gold rusted what schold Iron doo
For if a prest be foule / on whom we trust
No wonder is thowgh a lewde man rust
And schame it is if a preste take kepe
A Schetyn schepherd and a clene schepe
Wel awth a Prest / ensample for to yeue
By his clennes how his schepe schold leue
He sett not his benefice to here
And lete his schepe acombred in þe mere
Ne renne to londou to Seynt powles
To seche hym a Chauntry þer for sowles
Or . be wᵗith a broþirhood with holde .
But dwel at home and kepe wel his folde
So þat þe wolf make it nowth myscary .
He was a Schepherd and not a mersonary
And þowgh he holy were and vertuous
He was not wᵗith synfull men dispitous
Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne
But in his speche discrete ⁊and benyge
To drawe folk to heuen bi fairnes
By good ensample þis was his besynes
But and he knew any ꝑpersou obstynate
Wheder he were of high or low estate
Hym wold he snybbe scharply for þe nones
A better Prest I trow nowher noon is
He waitith after no pompe ne reuerence
Ne made hym a spiced conscience
But Cristes lore and his apostelis xii .
He tawth ; but first he dede it hym selfe .
Wᵗith hym þer was a plowghman his broþer
That had ladde of dunge many a foþer
A trew swynker and a good was hee
Lyuyng in pees and ꝑparfite charite
God loued he best wᵗith al his hool hert
At al tymes þowgh he gamed or smert
And loue his nyghbour right as hym self
He wold thresshe and eke dike and delf
For Cristes sake ; for eủery power wight
Wᵗithout hire if it lay in his myght
His tithes paide he ful fair and well
Boþe of his ꝓpropre swynk and of his catell
In a tabard he rode vpon a mare
Þer was also a Reve and a Millare
A Sompnour and a ꝑpardoner also
A Maunciple ⁊and my silf þer wer no moo
The Miller was a stout Carle for þe nonys
Ful bigge he was of body and of bonys
Þat preued wel for wher euer he cam
Att þe wrastlyng he wold haue þe Ram
He was schort scholdred brood ⁊and a thyk knarre
Ther was noo dore but he wold lifte of harre
Or breke it with a renne wᵗith his hede
His beerd as any sowe or fox was rede
And þerto brood as it were a spade
Vp on þe Coppe of his nose he hadde
A werte and þer vpon stode a tufte of heres
Rede as þe bristels of a sowe is eeres
His nose thrilles blake were and wide
A swerd and a bokeler he bare be his side
His mouth was as grete as a furneys
He was a Iangeler and a goliardeys
And þat was most syn and harlotries
Wele cowde he stele corn and tolle thryes
And yit he had a thom . of golde parde
A white Cote and a blew hood wered he
A bagge pipe cowde he wel blow ⁊and soun
And þer with al he browth vs out of toun
A gentil maunciple þer was of a Temple
Of which all Catours myght take ensample
For to be wise in byeng of vitaile
For wheþer he paide or toke be tayle
Ay wayted he so in his acaate
Þat he was ay befor and in good estate
Now is not þat of god a ful fayer grace
Þat soche a lewde manys witt schall pace
Þe wisdom of an hepe of lerned men
Þat masters haue had mo þan þries ten
Þat of law weren expert and Curious
Of which þer were . xii . in an hous
Worþi to be stewardis of rent and londe
Of any lorde þat is in Inglond
To make hym leve by his ꝓpropre good
In honour doutles . but if he were wood
Or lyve as scarsly as hym lust desire
And able to helpe al a schire
In many caas þat myght fal . or hap
And yit þis maunciple set þer alþer cap
The reve was a sklender colrikman
His berde was schaue as nygh as eủer he can
His here was bi his eres ful rounde schorn
His top was dokked like a prest byforn
Ful long were his legges and ful lene
Like a staf þer was no calf y sene
Wel cowde he kepe a garner and a byn
Þer was noon auditour cowde on hym wyn
Wel wiste he bi þe drowth ⁊and bi þe reyne
Þe yeldyng of his corn and of his greyne
His lordis scheep . his neete his dayrie
His swyn . his hors . his stoor ⁊and his pultrie
Was hoolly in þis Reves gouernanoꝰus goủernyng
And by his Couenant he yafe þe rekenyng
Sith þat his lorde was xxᵗⁱ yeer of age
Þer cowde no man bryng hym in arrerage
Þer was no bailif herde ; ne oþir hyne
But he knew here sleyth ⁊and here couyne
Þei were a drad of hym as of þe deth
His wonnyng was faire vpon an heth
Wᵗith grene trees schadowed was his place
He Cowþe bettyr þan his lorde purchace
Ful riche he was stored preuyly
His lord he cowde plese ful subtelly
To yeue and lene hym . of his own good
And haue a þank and yit a goun and an hood
Þis Reue sate vpon a wel good stot
Al pomel gray and he hight Scot
Lerned he had in youth . a good mystere
He was a good wright and a Carpentere
A long surcote of pers a boue he hade
And by his side he bare a lusty blade
Of Northfolk was þis Reve of which y tell
Be sydes a Toun men clepe Baldeswell
Tukked he was as is a frere about
And euer he rode hynderest of þe rowt
A Sompnour was þer wᵗith vs in þat place
Þat had a fire reed Cherubyns face
Ful Sausfleme he was . wᵗith eyen narow
As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparow
Wᵗith scalled browes blake and piled berd
Of his visage Children were sore aferde
Þer was neyther litarge ; quyk syluer ne brymston
Borace Ceruse ne oyle of tartre noon
Ne oynement þat wel cowde clense and bite /
That hym myght helpe of his welkys white
Ne of þe knobbes sittyng in his chekys
Wel loued he garlyk Oynyons and lekys
And for to drynke strong wyn . as reed as blod
Þan wold he speke and crye as he were wood
And whan þat he wel . dronke had þe wyn
Than wolde he speke no worde but latyn
A few termes had he two or thre
That he had lerned out of som degre
No wonþir is he herd it al þe day
And eke ye knowe wel how þat a Iay
Can clepe watte . as wel as can þe pope
But who so cowde in oþer þinges hym grope
Than had he spended al . his Philosophie
Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crye /
He was a gentil harlot and a kynde
A better . felow schold men no wher fynde
He wolde suffre for a quarte of wyne
A good felowe to haue his Concubyne
Twelf monyth and excuse hym at þe full
Ful preuyly eke a fynche cowde he pull
And if he fonde owher a good felawe
He wolde teche hym to haue noon awe
In soche caas of þe archedekyns curs
But if a manys sowle hynge in his purs
For wᵗith his purs he scholde pyned be
Purs is þe archedekyns hell qd he
But wel I wote he leyeth right in dede
Of cursyng owth eủery gilty man to drede
For curs woll sle / right as assoilyng savith
And also ware hym of a Significauit
In daunger hadde he . at his own gyse
Al þe yonge gerles of the Diocise .
And knew here Councel ⁊and was al here reed
A gerlonde he had sett vpon his heed
As grete as it were for an ale stake
A bokeler had he made hym of a cake /
With hym þer rode a gentil pardoner
Of Rouncevale his felaw ⁊and his compere
Þat streyth was come fro þe Court of Rome
Ful lowde he songe / come heder loue come to me
This Sumpnour bare to hym a styf burdou
Was neuer trump of half so grete a soun
Þis ꝑpardoner had heer as yelow as any wex
But smothe henge it as doth a strike of flex
By ounces hynge his lokkes þat he had
And þerwᵗith his scholders it ouersprad
But thyn . it lay by culpons oon by oon
And an hode for . iolite wered he noon
For it was trussed vp in his walet
Hym þowth he rode al of þe new Iet
And safe his hatte he rode all bare
With glaryng eyen as hath an hare /
A vernacle had he sewed on his cap
His walet lay beforn hym in his lapp
Fret ful of pardon come frōm Rome all hoot
Avois he had as smal as hath a goot
No berde he had ne neuer schold haue
As smoth it was . as it were new schaue
I trow he were a geldyng or a mare
But of his Crafte / fro Berwyk vnto ware
Ne was þer soche a noþer pardoner
For in his male he bare a fair pelow beer
Which as he seide þan / was oure lady veil
He seide he had eke a gobet of the seil
Þat Seynt Petre had when þat he went
Vpon þe See / þer Ihu Criste hym hent
He had a Cros of laton ful of stones
And in a glas he had many pigges bones
But wᵗith þise reliquis whan þat he fonde
A power Persou dwellyng vp londe
Vpon a day he gate hym more money
Than dede þe ꝑpersou in monethes twey
And þus wᵗith his feyned flaterye and iapes
He made þe ꝑpersou and þe peple his apes
But trewly to tel of hym att þe laste
He was in þe Chirche a noble Ecciaste
Wel cowde he rede a lesson or a story
But alder best he song an offretory
For wel he wist whan þat song was songe
He moste preche and wele file his tonge
To wyn syluer as he ful wel cowthe
Þerfor he song so mery and so lowthe /
¶ Now haue I tolde you sothly in a clause
Þe state þe array . the nombre and þe cause
Why þat assembled was al þis company
In Sowthwerk att þat gentil ostry
Þat hight þe Tabard fast by þe bell
But now it is tyme to you For to tell
How þat we bare vs þat ilke nyght
When we ware in þat ostry alight
And after wol y tel you of oure viage
And al þe remanent of oure pilgremage
But furst y pray you of youre curtesye
Þat ye arette it not to my velany
Þowgh þat y pleynle speke in þis matere
To tel you here worþis and here chere
Ne þowgh I speke not here worþis proprely
For þis ye knowe as wel as y
Who so schal tel a tale after a man
He moste reherse it as nygh as he can
Eủery worde if it be in his Charge
Speke he neuer so rudely ne so large
Or els he mote tel his tale vntrew
Or feyne thyngis or fynde wordis new
He may not spare al þowgh it were his broder .
He most as wel sey oo worde as a noþir .
Criste spake hym self ful brode in holy writt
And wele ye wote no velany . is it
Eke plato seith who so can hym rede
Þe wordis most be Cousyn to þe dede
Also y pray you to for yeue it me
Þowgh y haue not set folk in here degre .
Here in þis tale as þei scholde stonde .
My witt is good schort ye may wel vnderstonde
Greet chere made oure oste to drynke vs eủerychon .
And to sowper sett we vs anon
He serued vs wᵗith vitals at þe beste
Strong was þe wyn / ⁊and wel to drynke vs leste
A semely man oure hoost was wᵗith all
For to be a marchal in an hall
A large man he was wᵗith eyen stepe
A fairer burgeis was þer noon in chepe
Bolde of his speche / wise ⁊and wel I tawth
And of manhode lakkyd hym right nawth
Eke he was þerto right a mery man
And after souper play he began
And spake of myrth among oþer thyng .
Whan þat we made had oure rekenyng .
He saide loo lordynges trewly
Ye be to me right welcome hertily
For be my trouth if y schal not lye
I sawe not þis yeer . so mery a company
Att ones in þis herborowgh as is now
Fayn wold y doo you myrth and y wiste how
And of a myrth y am right nowe be thowth
To doon you ease and it schal cost you nowth
Ye goo to Caunturbury god you spede
Þat blisful martir quite you youre mede
And wele y wote as ye goon by þe wey
Ye schapen you to talkyn and to pley
For trewly comfort / ne myrth is it noon .
To ride by þe wey as doumble as a stoon
And þerfor wolde y make you disport
As y seide erst and do you som comfort
And if you like al . by oon assent
To stonde þis tyme at my iuggement
And for to worke as y schal you sey
To morow when ye ride by þe wey
Nowe be my faders soule þat is deed
But ye be mery I wol yeue you my heed
Holde vp youre hondis wᵗithout more speche
Oure Councel was not long for to seche
Vs þowth it was not worth to make it uyce
And graunted hym wᵗithout more avise
And bade hym sey al his verdite as hym leste
Lordynges qd he now herkenyth for þe beste
But take it nowth y pray you att disdayn
Þis is þe poynt to speke it schort and pleyn
Þat eche of you to schort wᵗith youre wey
In þis viage schal telle tales twey
To Caunturbury warde y mene it soo
And homward he schal tel oþer twoo
Of auentures þat somtyme haue be fall
And which of you berith hym best of all
Þat is to say þat tellith in þis caas
Tales of moste sentence and solas
Schal haue a sowper at youre alder cost
Here in þis place sittyng by þe post
When þat ye comyn a yen from Caunturbury
And for to make you þe more mery
I wol my silf goodly wᵗith you ride
Right att myn own cost and be your gyde
And who so wol my iuggement wᵗithsey
Schal pay for al þat we spend by þe way
And if ye voche safe þat it be soo
Tel me anon wᵗithout wordis moo /
And I wol erly schape me þerfore
Þis was gᵃunted and oure othes swore
Wᵗithful glad hert and pᵃyde hym also
Þat he wolde voche safe so to doo
And þat he wolde be oure gouernour
And of oure tales Iugge and reportour .
And sett a sowper att a Certen price
And we wol ruled be at youre deuyce
In hye and lowe / and þus bi oon assent
We be accorded to youre Iuggement
And þer vpon þe wyne was fett anon
We dronkyn and went to reste eủerychoon
Wᵗithout any lenger tareyng
A morow when þat þe day gan spryng
Vp roos oure oost and was oure alder cok
And gadred vs to gedre on a flok
And forth we redyn a softe pace
Vnto þe watryng of Seynt Thomᵃs
And þer oure oost gan his bridel to areste
And seide lordes herkenyth if ye leste
Y know oure forward / if ye it recorde
Yf euensong and morow song accorde
Lete se now . how schal tel þe furst tale
As so mote y euer drynke wyne / or ale
Who so be rebel to my Iuggement
Schal pay for al þᵗat is by þe way spent
Now drawith Cutt or we fordir wyn
For he þat hath þe schortest schal be gyn
Ser knyght qd he my master and my lord
Now drawith Cut for þis is myn accord
Comyth nere qd he my lady Priores
And ye sere Clerk lete be your schamefastnes
Ne studieth not ; ley honde to eủery man
And to drawe eủery wight be gan
And schortly to tel as it was .
Were it by auenture sort or caas
Þe soth is / / þe Cut fel on þe knyght
Of which ful glad was eủery wight
And tell he most his tale as it was resou
By forward and by Composicyou
As þat ye haue herde what nedith wordis moo
And when þis good man saw it was soo
As he þat wise was and obedient
To kepe þe forward bi his fre assent
And seide Furst y schal . begyn þe game
Welcome be þe Cutt in goddes name
Now lete vs ride and herkenyth what y sey
And wᵗith þat worde we redyn forth on oure wey
And he began wᵗith right a mery chere
His tale anon / and seide on þis manere //
¶ Iam que domos Patrias · scithice post asꝑpera gentes
Prelia · laurigero ⁊etc̉etera
Prelia · laurigero ⁊etc̉etera
Whilom as olde stories tellen vs
Ther was a Duke þat hight Theseus
Of Athenes he was lorde and goủernour
And in his tyme suche a Conquerour
Þat gretter was þer noon vnder þe son̄
Ful many a riche Contre had he won̄
What with his wisdom and his Chiualrye
He conquered al þe londe of Femenye
That whilom was called Cythea
And wedded þe quene eke ypolita
And browth here home to his Contre
Wᵗith moche glorye and eke grete solempnite
And eke here yonger Suster Emelye
And þus with Victory and melodye
Lete y þis noble Duke to Athenes ride
And all his oost in armes hym beside
But certes if it were not to long̉e to here
Y wolde haue tolde you fully þe manere
How wonne was the regne of Femenye
By Theseus and his noble Chiualrye
And of þe grete bataile for þe nones
Betwix Athenes and Amasones
And how beseged was ypolita
Þe faire hardy quene of Cithea
And of þe fest þat was att here weddyng
And of þe tempest att here home comyng
But al þis as now y mote forbere
I haue god wote a large feeld to eere
And weke be myn oxen in my plowgh
Þe remanent of my tale is long y nowgh
This Duke of whom y make mencyon
When he was almost come to þe Toun̄
In al his wele and his moste pride
He was ware as he cast his eye aside
Wher þat þer kneled in þe hygh wey
A Companye of ladies twey and twey
Eche after oþer in clothes blake
But soche a crye ⁊and such a wo þei dede make
Þat in þis wordil is no Creature leuyng͗e
Þat herde soche a nodir weymentyng͗e