Mm · Cambridge, Cambridge University Library MS Mm.2.5
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Mm/
[2r]
Syngynge he was or floytynge alle þe daye
He was as fresshe as is þe moneth of Maye
Schorte was his gowne with sleves longe ⁊and wyde
Wele couthe he sitte on an horse ande fair ride
He cowde songes make ande wele endite
Iuste ⁊and eke daunse purtreye and wryte
So hoote he louede þat by nyȝht̉er tale
He slepte no more þan doith a nyghtyngale
Curteyse he was louely ande seruisable
Ande kerffe be forne his fader at þe table
A yoman hadde he and seruᵃauntes no moo
At þat tyme for hym lyste ryde soo .
Ande he was cladde in coote and hoode of grene
A scheefe of pococke arwes bryȝht ⁊and keene
Vnder his belte he bare full thriftely
Wel cowthe he dresse his takell yomanly
His Arwes drowȝed noȝt with feres lowe
Ande in his horde he bare a myȝhty bowe
A notte hede hadde he with a browne visage
Off wode crafte wel couthe he all þe vsage
Vp on his arme he bare a gaye bracēre
Ande be his side a swerde and a boclere
Ande on þat other side a gaye dagere
Harneseide wele and scharpe as poynte of spere
A xpofore on his breste of siluer schene
An horne he bare þe Bawderike was of grene
A forster was he sothely as I gesse
Ther was also a nonne a Prioresse
That of hir smylynge was full sympile and coye
Hir greteste othe was but by seynt loye
Ande sche was iclepede madame englentyne
Full wele sche songe þe seruise diuine
Entuned in hire nose full semely
Ande frenssh sche spake ful faire ande fetisly
After þe scole at Stratforde at þe bowe
For frenssh of paryssh was to hire vnknowe
At meete wele y taught was sche with alle
She lete no morsell from hir lippes falle
Ne wette hire fyngris in hir sause depe
Wel couthe sche carye a morsell ande wel kepe
That no drope ne fill opon hir breste
In curtesye was she full michill hir leste
Hir ouer lippe wyped scho so clene
That in hire coppe þer was no ferthynge seene
Of grece whan sche dronken hadde hire draughte
Full semely after hire mete sche raughte
Ande sikerly scho was of grete desporte
Ande full plesaunte ande amyable of porte
Ande peyned hir to countrefete chere
Off courte and to bene estateliche of maners
Ande to bene holden digne of reuerence
But for to speken of hire consience
She was so charitable and so pytous
She wolde wepe ȝiff þat sche sawe a mous
Kaughte in a trappe if it were dede or bledde
Off smale houndes hadde sche þat sche fedde
With rostede flessh or mylke or wastell brede
But soore wepte scho if one of hem were dede
Or if men smote it with a ȝerde smerte
Ande alle was conscience ande tendir herte
Full semelich hire wympill / pynchede was
Hire noose was streiȝhte hir eyen greye as glasse
Hire mouthe full smalle ande þerto softe and rede
But sikerly scho hadde a faire forhede
It was al moste a spanne broode I trowe
For hardely scho was not vndirgrowe
Full fetyse was hire clooke as I was ware
Of smal corall a boute hire arme sche bare
A paire of bedes gawdede all with grene
Ande þer on henge a broche of golde full schene
On whiche þ̉er was firste writen a Crownede . A
Ande after / Amor vincit omnia .
An nother Nonne with hire hadde sche
That was hire chappelleyn ande p̉restes three
A Monke þ̉er was a faire for þe maystrye
An owte rider þat louede venerye
A manly man to bene an abbot able
Full mony a deynte horse he hadde in stable
Ande when he rode men myȝhte his bridell here
Gyngelynge in a whystlynge wynde as clere
Ande eke as lowde as doith þe chapell belle
There as þis lorde was keper of the selle
The rewle of seynt Mawre or of seynte beneite
By cause þat it was olde ande som dele streite
This ilke monke lete olde thynges pace
Ande helde after þe newe worlde þe space
He ȝaf of þe texte a pullede henne
That seith þat hunters bene noȝt holy men
Ne þat a monke whan he is rechelesse
Is likkenede till a fyssh when he is waterlesse
This is to seye A monke owte of his Cloystere
But þilke texte helde he noȝte worth an oystre
Ande I seide his opinioıı̄un was goode
What schulde he studye ande make hym selfe woode
Vp on a booke in Cloystre al weye to poure
Or swynke with his hondes ande laboure
As Austyn bitt howe schall þe worlde be ʆseruede
Lat Austyn haue his swynke to hym reseruede
Ther fore he was a prykasour a ryȝhte
Greyhoundes he hadde as swyfte as fowle in flyghte
Off prykkynge ande of huntynge for þe hare
Was all his luste for no coste wolde he spare
I seigh his sleves y pᵃfiled att þe honde
With grise and þat þe fyneste of a londe
Ande for to festene his hoode vndir þe chynne
He hadde of golde y wroȝhte a full curious pynne
A loue knotte in þe gretter ende þer was
His hede was ballede þat schone as eny glasse
Ande eke his face as he hadde bene anoynte
He was a lorde full fatte ande in goode poynte
His eyen were stepe ⁊and rollynge in his hede
That stemed as a fourneys of a leede
His botes souple his horse in greteastate
Nowe certanly he was a faire prelate
He nas not pale as a for pynnede goyste
A fatte swan loued he beste of any royste
His palfreye was as browne as is a berye
A frere þer was a wantoıı̄un ande a merye
A lymytour a full solempne man
In alle þe orders foure is none þat kan
So mychell of dalyaunce ande faire langage
He hadde made full monye a maryage
Of ȝonge wōmmen at his own coste
Vn to his ordre he was a noble poste
Ful wele belouede ande familiare was he
With Fraunkeleyns ouer alle in his cuntree
Ande with worthy wōmmen of the towne
For he hadde power of confessioune
As seide hym selfe more þan a curate
For in his ordre he was licenciate
Full swetely herde he confessioıı̄un
Ande plesaunte was his absolucioun
He was an esy man to ȝefe penaunce
Ther as he wyste to haue a goode pytaunce
For vnto a poure order forto ȝiffe
It is a signe þᵗat a man is wele y schryffe
For if he ȝaff he durste make a vaunte
He wyste þat a manne was repentaunte
For mony a man is so harde of his herte
He may noȝt wepe all þof hym sore a smerte
There fore in stede of wepynge and prayers
Men mote ȝiffe siluer to þe pour freres
His typete was aye farsed full of knyves
Ande pynnes for to ȝiff faire wyffes
And certenly he hadde a mery note
Wele cowth he syngen ande pleyen on a roote
Off ȝeddynges he bare witterly þe prise
His nekke was was whyte as þe floure delyse
Ther to he was stronge as a champioıı̄un
He knewe þe tauernes wele in eủery towne
Ande eủeryche hostiler and tapister
Bette þan a lazare or a beggere
For vn to swiche a worthy man as he
Acorded noȝt as by his faculte
To haue with swiche seke lazars acquayntaıı̄unce
It is noȝt honeste it may noȝte avaunce
Forto delen with swiche poraille
But all with ryche ande with sellers of vitaille
Ande oủer alle þer as ꝓprofite schulde arise
Curtas he was ande lowly of seruyse
Ther nas no man nowher so vertuose
He was þe beste begger in all his house
For thogh a wydewe hadde noȝte a scho
So plesaıı̄unte was he in principio
Ȝet wolde he haf a farthynge or he wente
His purchase was wele bett̉er þan his rente
Ande rage he cowthe riȝht as it were a whelpe
In louedayes þer cowthe he myche helpe
For ther he was noȝt liche a Cloysterer
With a thredebare cope as a pore scolere
But he was like a maistr or a pope
Off double worstede was his semy cope
That rounded was as a bell . on þe presse
Somwhat he lispede for his wantounesse
To make his ynglyssh swete opon his tonge
And in his harpynge when þat he hadde y songe
His eyen twynklede in his hede a ryght
As done þe sterres in þe frosty nyghte
This worthy limitour was cleped huberte
A marchaunt þ̉er was with a forkede berde
In mot ⁊and hiegh on horse he satte
Vpon his hede a flaundressbeuer hatte
His botes clasped fair ande fetyslye
His resoıı̄uns he spake full solempnely
Shewynge al weye þe encrese of his wynnynge
He wolde þe see were kepte for eny thynge
Betwyx Midellburgh ande Orwelle
Wele cowthe he in eschaunche scheldes selle
This worthy man full wele his wytte be sette
Ther wyste no wyȝhte þat he was in dette
So estately was he of his gouernance
With his bargaynes and with his cheuysshance
For sothe he was a worthy man with alle
But sotheliche to seyne I note howe men hym calle
A Clerke þer was of Oxenforde also
That vn to logyke hadde longe y goo
As lene was his horse as is a raake
Ande he nas not right fatte I vndirtake
But loked holowe and þer to soburly
Full thredbare was his ouereste courtebye
For he hadde geten hym no benefice
Ne was so worldly to haue an office
For hym leuer haffe at his beddys hede
Twenty bookes y cladde in blakke anderede
Off Aristotill ande of philosophie
Than robes riche or fythel or gaye sawterye
But alle bi þat he was a philisopher
Ȝet hadde he but litill colde in coffr
But all þat he myȝhte of his frendes hente
On bookes ande on lernynge he it spente
Ande besily gan for þe soules preye
Of hem þat fonde hym to scole whar with aye
Off studye toke he moste cure ande hede
Nought oo worde spake he mor þan was nede
Ande þat was seide in forme ande reuerence
And schorte and quyk and full of goode sentence
Sownynge in morall vertue was his specche
Ande gladly wolde he lerne and gladlyteecche
A sergeant of þe lawe ware and wyse
That often hadde bene at paruyce
That was also full riche of excellence
Discrete he was ande of grete reuerence
He semed swiche his wordes wer so wyse
Iustise he was full often in assise
By patent and by pleyne cōmmissione
For his science ande for his heigh renowne
Off fees and robes hadde he mony one
So grete a purchasour was nowhere none
Alle was fee symple to hym in effecte
His purchasynge myȝht not bene in fecte
Nowhere so besy as he þer nas
Ande ȝet he semede besier þan he was
In termes hadde he caases and domes all
That from þe tyme of kynge Willᵃm wer falle
Ther to he cowthe endite ande make a thynge
Ther couthe no wyght pynche at his wrytynge
Ande euery statute couthe he pleyne by rote
He roode but homly in a medlede coote
Gert with a seynt of selke with barres smale
Off his aray tell I no lenger tale
A Fraunkeleyn was in his companye
White was his berde as is þe daysye
Of his complexion he was sanguyne
Wele louede he by þe morue a soppe in wyne
To lyuen in delite eủer was his wone
For he was Epycurues own sonne
That helde opinion þat pleyne delite
Was verrey felicite perfite
An householder ande þat a grete was he
Seynt Iulyan he was in his cuntree
His brede his ale was alweys aft̉er one
A bett̉er uiendedenvyned man was nowhere noone
With oute Baken mete was neuer his house
Off fyssh ande flessh ande þat so plentevous
It sewede in his howse of mete and drynke
Offall deyntes þat men couthe thynke
After þe sondry sesoıı̄uns of þe ȝere
So chaunchede he his mete and his sopere
Full mony a fatte partriche hadde he in Mewe
And mony a breme ande eke luces in stewe
Woo was his Cooke but his sauce were
Poynant ande scharpe and redy in all his geere
His table dormant in his halle alweye
Stoode redy couerede all þe longe daye
At sessions þer was he lorde ande sire
Full ofte tyme he was knyȝhte of þe schyre
An Anelas ande a gisperal of silke
Henge at his gyrdell white as morne mylke
A scherreffe hadde he bene ande a countour
Was nowher swiche a worthy vauasour
An haburdassher ande a carpentere
A webbe a Dyere ande a tapesere
And þei were clothed alle in oo lyuereye
Off a solempne and a grete fraternite
Full fressh ande newe here eere a pyked was
Her knyffes wer chapede noȝte with brasse
But all wyth siluer wroȝhte full clene and wele
Here gerdells and her pouches eủerydele
Wele semed eche of hem a feir burgeyse
To sitten in a ȝelde halle on a deese
Eủeryche For þe wysdome þat he kanne
Was schaply for to bene an Alderman
For Catell hadde þei ynogh ande rente
And eke her wyffes wolde it wele assente
And ellis ceyteyn þei wer to blame
It is full fair to be cleped madame
And gone to vigilies all be fore
Ande haue a mantell ryallyche y boor
A Cooke þei hadde with hem for þe nonse
To boylle þe Chikens with þe marybones
And powdr marchant tarte and Galyngale
Wele cowthe he knowe a draght of londoıı̄un ale
He couthe roiste ande seeth ande broill and frye
Maken mortrewes and wele baken a pye
But grete harme was it as it thoghte me
That on his schyne a mormaylle hadde he
For blanke manger þat made he with þe beste
A schipman was þer wōnnynge fer be weste
For ought I wote he was of dertenmouthe
He roode opon a Rouncy as he couthe
In a gowne of faldynge to to kenee
A dagger hangyng in a lase hadde he
A bowten his nekke vndir his arme down
The hote somer hadde made his hewe al browne
Ande certenly he was a goode felawe
Full mony a draȝhte of wyne hadde he drawe
From Burdeux warde while þe chapmen slepe
Of nyce conscience toke he no kepe
Yff þat he fauȝhte ande hadde þe hyer honde
By water he sente hem home to euery londe
But of his Crafte to rekken wele his tydes
Hys stremes and his daungers hym besydes
His herberewe ⁊and his moone ⁊and his ledmaunage
Ther nas none swiche from hulle to Cartage
Hardy he was and wyse to vndirtake
With mony a tempeste hadde his berde bene schake
He knewe alle þe hauenes as þei wer
Fro Gotlonde to þe Cape defynyster
And eủery Cryke in bretaygne ande in spayne
His barge y clepede y clepede was þe Mawdeleyne
With us þer was a doctour of phisyke
In all þis worlde ne was þ̉er none hym like
To speke of phisyke ande of surgerye
For he was groundede in astronomye
He kepte his pacience a full grete dele
In houres by his magyk naturelle
Wele couthe he fortune þe ascendente
Off his ymage for his paciente
He knewe þe cause of eủeriche maladye
Were it of hoote or colde or moste or drye
And wher engendred and of what humor
He was a verrey parfite practisour
The cause I knowe and of his harme þe rote
Onon he ȝaff þe seke man his boote
Full redy hadde he his apotekaries
To sonde hem dragges and his lettuaries
For eche of hem made other for to wynne
Her frendschipe nas not newe for to gynne
Wele knowe he þe olde Escalapius
Ande discorides ande eke Rufus
Olde ypocras . haly . Ande Galien
Serapioıı̄un rasy and auyen .
Aueroys damascien / ⁊and constantyne
Bernarde ⁊and Gatisdene ⁊and Gilbertyne
Off his dyete mesurable was he
For it was of no suꝑperfluite
But of grete nurryshynge ande digestable
His studye was but litill on þe bible
In sangweyne ande in peres cladde he was alle
Lynede with tapheta and with sendall
And ȝet he was bot esy of despense
He kepte þat he wanne in pestilence
For golde in phisike is acordiall
Ther for he louede golde in specialle
A goode wyffe þ̉er was of beside bathe
But sche was somdele defe and þat was skaathe
Of clothe makynge scho hadde swiche an haunte
She passed hem of ypres ande of gaunte
In all þe parissh wyffe ne was þer none
That to þe offerynge to forne hir schulde goone
Ande if þer did certeyne wrothe was sche
That sche was oute of all charitee
Hir coủerchiefes full fyne wer of grounde
I dorste swer þei weyden . x pounde
That on a sonday weren vp on hir hede
Her hosen weren fyne of rede skarlete
Full streyte y tyede and schoose full softe and newe
Bolde was hir face ande fair and rede of hewe
She was a worthy wōmman all her lyue
Husbondes at þe chirche dor scho hadde fyffe
With outen oþer company in thouȝhte
But þer of nedeth it to speke riȝhte moȝhte
Ande thries hadde sche bene at Ierlm̄Ierusalem
She hadde passed mony a stronge streme
At Rome scho hadde bene and at boloigne
In galise at seynt Iames and at Coloigne
Sho couthe myche on wandrynge be þe weye
Gat tothede was scho sothely for to seye
Vpon an ambler esily sche satte
Y wymplede wele ande on hir hede an hatte
Als brode as is a Bokeler or a targe
A fote mantell A bouten hir hippes large
Ande on hir feete a paire of spores scharpe
In felaschipe wele couthe scho laugh and karpe
Off remedies of loue sche knewe ꝑparchaunce
For scho cowthe . of þat arte þe olde daunce
A goode man was þer of religioıı̄un
And was a ꝑpersone of a towne
But riche he was of holy thoȝhte ande werke
He was also a lernede man and a clerke
That Cristes gospell trewly wolde preche
His parysshyns deuoutly wolde he tecche
Benigne he was Ande wonder diligente
And in aduersite full paciente
And swiche he was preved ofte sythes
Full lothe wer hym to cursen for his tythes
But rather wolde he ȝeffen oute of doute
Vn to his poure parisshens a boute
Off his offringes and of his substaunce
He couthe in litill thynge haf suffisaunce
Wyde was his ꝑparryssh ande house ferr a sundre
But he ne lafte not for rayne ne for thundre
In sekenes ner in myschiefe to visite
The ferrest in his ꝑparryssh both myche and lite
Vpon his fete and in his honde a staffe
This noble onsample to his schepe he ȝaffe
That ferste he wroȝht and aft̉erwarde þᵗat he tauȝhte
Oute of þe gospell he þo wrdes kaughte
Ande þis figur he hadde eke þerto
That if golde ruste what schall iren doo
For if a preste be foule on whome we truste
No wonder is a lewde man to ruste
Ande schame it is if a preste take kepe
A . schiten scheparde ande a clene schepe
Wele ouȝhte a preste en sample for to ȝyffe
By his clennesse howe þat his schepe schulde lyffe
He sette noȝte his benefice to hyre
Ande lete his schepe to ben acombred in þe myre
And ranne to londoıı̄un vn to seynt Poules
To seeke hym a Chauntr for soules
Or with a bretherede to bene with holde
But dwelled at home and kepte his folde
So þat þe wolff ne made it not myscarye
He was a scheparde ande not a Mercenarye
And þof he were holy ande vertuose
He was nouȝt to synfull men despitous
Ne of speche daungerous ne digne
But in his techynge discrete ande benigne
To drawen folke to heuen by fairnesse
By goode ensample þis was his besynesse
But it were eny ꝑpersoıı̄un obstinate
What so he were of hiegh or lowe astate
Hym wolde he snybbe scharply for þe nones
A bett̉er preste I trowe þat nowher none is
He wayted aft̉er no pompe ne reuerence
Ne maked hym a spicede conscience
But Cristes lore and his Apostells twelfe
He tauȝte but firste he folowed hem in hym selfe
With hym þ̉er was a plogh man þat was his brother
That hadde y ladde of donge full mony a fother
And a trewe swynker ande a goode was he
Lyffynge in peese ande ꝑparfite charite
Godde loued he beste with all his herte
At alle tymes þogh he gamed or smerte
And þan his neiȝhbore riȝht as hym selfe
He wolde thresshe and þ̉er to dyke ande delue
For Cristes sake for eủery pore wyȝhte
With oute hir if it lay in his myghte
His tythes paied he full fair ande wele
Bothen of his ꝓpropre swynke and his Catell
In a tabbarde he roode opon a mere
Ther was also A Reve and A Mellere
A sompnoure and A pardoner also
A Maunciple and my selfe þer . war no moo
The Meller was a stoute Carle for þe nones
Full byg he was of brawne ande eke of bones
That proued wele For oủer alle þ̉er he cam
At wrastelynge he wolde ber a weye þe Ram
He was schorte schuldered a thykke knarre
Ther nas no dore þat he ne wolde heue of harre
Or breke it at a rennynge with his hede
His berde as eny sowe or fox was rede
Ande þerto brode as þof it wer a spade
Vpon þe coppe riȝht of his noose he hadde
A werte and þ̉er on stoode a tufte of heeres
Reede as þe birstelles of a sowes eres
His noose thrilles blakke wer ande wyde
A swerde ande Bokeler bare he be his syde
His mouthe als grete was as a grete fourneyse
He was a Iangler ande a goliardeys
And þat was moste of synne and of harlotries
Wele couthe he stelen corne and toll it thries
And ȝit he hadde a thombe of golde parde
A white Cote and a blewe hode wered he
A baggepipe wele couthe he blowe and sowne
And þ̉er with all he broȝht us oute of towne
A gentill manciple was þ̉er of a temple
Of whiche acatours myght take en semple
For to bene wyse in byynge of vitaill
For wheder þat he paied or toke be tayll
Algate he waytede so in his achate
That he was ay be forne ande in goode estate
Nowe is not þat of godde a full fair grace
That swiche a lewede māmnys wytte schall passe
The wysdom of an hepe of lerned men
Of maystres hadde he mo than thries ten
That wer of lawe exꝑparte ande curiouse
Of whiche þ̉er was a dosseyn in þat house
Worthy to bene Stewardes of Rente and londe
Off ony lorde þat is in Englelonde
To make hym lyffe by his ꝓpropre goode
In honour detteles / but if þᵗat he wer wode
Or liff als skarsly als hym liste desire
Ande able for to helpen all a schir
In eny Caase þat myȝhte falle or happe
And ȝet þis manciple sate her allder cappe
The Reue was a sklender colerike man
His berde was schauen as nyeȝh as eủer he can
His heer was by his eres full rownde y schorne
His toppe was dokked like a preste be forne
Full longe wer his legges and full lene
Y lyke a staffe þ̉er was no Calfe y seene
Wele couthe he kepe a garner or a bynne
Ther was non auditour couthe on hym wynne
Wele wyste he by þe droghte ande by þe Reyne
The ȝeldynge of his seede and of his greyne
His lordes schepe his nete his dayrye
His swyne his horse his store and his pulterye
Was holy in þis Reues gouernynge
Ande by his couenᵃnt ȝaff þe rekkenynge
Syn þat his lorde was xx ȝer of age
Ther couthe no man brynge hym in arrerage
Ther nas Baillyff ner herde ner oþ̉er hyne
That he ne knewe his sleght ande his covyne
Thei wer a dredde of hym as of þe deeth
His wonnynge was full fair opon an heeth
With grene treese y schadewede was his plase
He couthe bett̉er þan his lorde purchase
Full riche he was astored priuely
His lorde he couthe wele plesen sotelly
To yiue ⁊and lene hym of his owne goode
And haf a thanke and ȝet a cote ⁊and an hoode
In thoughte he hadde lernede a goode mister
He was a wel goode wryght a Carpenter
This Reue satte opon a full goode stotte
That was all pomely grey and hye scotte
A longe surcote of Peeres vpon he hadde
Ande by his side he bar a Rusty bladde
Off Northfolke was þis Reve of whiche I telle
Besiden a towne men clepen it Baldeswelle
Tukked he was as is a frere a boute
Ande eủer herode þe hyndereste of our Route
A somnour was þer with us in þat plase
That hadde a fyri cherubynnes face
For sausefleme he was with eyen narowe
Als hote he was and leccherouse as a sparowe
With scalled browes blak and piled berde
Off his visage Children weren a ferde
Ther nas quykke silủer litarge or brennestone
Boras orsur ne oylle of tartr noone
Ne oynement þat wolde clense and bite
That hym myȝhte helpe of his whelkes whyte
Nor of þe knobbes syttynge in his chekes
Wele loued he garleke oynyons ande eke leekꝭes
And for to drynke stronge wyne reede as blode
Than wolde he speke and crye as he wer woode
And whan þat he wel dronken hadde þe wyne
That wolde he speke no worde but latyne
A fewe termes hadde he two orthr
That he hadde lernede oute of som decree
No wonder is he harde it al þe daye
Ande eke ȝe knowen it wele howe þat a Iaye
Kan clepe watte as wele as I can þe pope
But who so couthe in other thynge hym grope
Than hadde he spente all his philosophie
Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crye .
He was a gentill harlotte ande a kynde
A better felowe schulde men not fynde
He wolde suffre for a quarte of wyne
A goode felowe to haue his concubyne
A twelfe moneth ande excuse hym at þe full
Full pⁱriuely eke a fynche couthe he pulle
Ande if he fonde owher a goode felawe
He wolde techen hym to haue none awe
In swiche caas of þe arsdekyns curs
But if mannes soule wer in his purs
For in his purse he schulde punysshede be
Purse is þe arsdekenes helle seide he
But wele I wote he liede riȝhte in dede
Off cursynge ought eche gilty man hym drede
For curs will slee / riȝht as assoilynge sauith
And also war hym of a . significauit
In daunger hadde he at his owne gyse
The ȝonge gyrles of þe diocise
Ande knewe hir counsell and what was al hir reede
A garlande hadde he sate opon his heede
Als grete as it wer for an ale stake
A bokeler hadde he made hy of a kake
With hym þ̉er rode a gentill pardoner
Off Rouncyvale his frende and his comper
That streiȝht was cōmen fro þe courte of rome
Full lowde he songe come hider loue to me
This somnour bar to hym a styff burdoıı̄un
Was neủer trompe of halfe so grete a sown
This ꝑpardoner hadde heer as ȝelowe as wexe
But smothe it henge as doith a strike of flexe
By ounces henge his lokkes þat he hadde
And þ̉er with he his schuldernes ouer spradde
But thynne it lay by culpons one and one
But hoode for Iolitee werede he noone
For it was trussed up in his walette
Hym thouȝhte he roode al of þe newe gette
Discheuele saf his cappe he rode all bare
Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare
A vernykle hadde he sewed opon his cappe
His walet beforne hym was in his lappe
Bret full of ꝑpardone come fro rome all hote
A voys he hadde als small as a goote
No berde ne hadde he ne neủer schulde haue
Als smothe it was as it wer late y schaue
I trowe he wer a geldynge or a mare
But of his Crafte fro Berwyke in to ware
Ne was þ̉er swiche a nother ꝑpardonere
For in his male he hadde a pyleweber
Whiche þat he saide was oure lady vaille
He seide he hadde a gobette of þe seylle
That seynt Petir hadde when þat he wente
Vp on þe see till Ihu Criste hym sente
He hadde a Croyse of latoıı̄un full of stones
Ande in a glasse he hadde pikges bones
But with þise relikes when þat he fonde
A poure ꝑpersone dwellyng opon londe
O pon a day he gat hym more monye
Than þe ꝑpersonne gat in monethis tweye
And þus with feyned flat̉erynge and with Iapes
He made þe ꝑpersone and þe peple his apes
But trewly to tellen at þe laste
He was in chirche a noble eccłiasteecclesiaste
Wele couthe he rede a lessoıı̄un or a storye
But alderbeste he songe an offertorye
For wele he wyste whan þat songe was songen
He moste preche ande wele a fyle his tonge
To wynnen siluer as he wele couthe
Ther fore he sange so merely ande lowde
Nowe haf I tolde ȝowe sothely in a clause
The astate þe araye þe noumbr ande eke þe cause
Why þat assembled was þis companye
In Suthwerke at þis gentill hostelerye
That hiȝht þe tabbarde faste by þe belle
But nowe is tyme to ȝowe for to telle
Howe þat we beren us þat ilke nyȝht
Whan we wer in þat Osterye a liȝhte
Ande after woll I tellen of our viage
And alle remenaunte of oure pilgrimage
But ferste I preye ȝowe of ȝoure Curtesye
That ȝe ne rette it noȝte my vilaynye
Thof þat I pleynly speke in þis matere
To tellen ȝowe her wordes and her cher
Ne thogh I speke her wordes ꝓpropurlye
For þis ȝe knowen als wele as I .
Who so schall tellen a tale after a man
He mote reherce als neigh as eủer he can
Eủeryche a worde if it be in his charge
All speke he neủer so rudely ande large
Or ells he mot telle his tale vntrewe
Or feyne thynges or fynde wordes newe
He may nouȝt spare all þof he wer his brother
He mot als wele seye oo . worde as a nother
Criste spake hym selfe full brode in holy writte
And wele ȝe wote no vilanye is it
Eke plato seith who so can hym reede
The wordes mote bene Cosyn to þe dede
Also I pray ȝowe forȝiff it me
All haf I not sette folke in hir degree
Here in þis tale as þat þei schulden stonde
My wytte is schorte ȝe may wele vndirstonde
Grete chere made oure oste us eủerichon
And to þe soper sette he us onon
He ʆserued us with vitailles at þe beste
Stronge was þe wyne ande wele drynke us leste
A semely man oure oste was with alle
For to bene a Merschall in an halle
A large man he was with eyen stepe
A fairer burgese is none in chepe
Bolde of his speche ande wise and wele y tauȝhte
Ande of manhode hym lakkede riȝht nauȝhte
Eke þ̉erto he was riȝht a mery manne
Ande aft̉er soper pleien he began
Ande spake of mirthe amonge oþer thynges
Whan þat we hadde made our rekkenynges
And seide þus Nowe lordynges trewly
Ȝe beene to me welcome riȝht hertely
For be my trouthe if þat I schall not lye
I seye noȝte þis ȝere so mery a companye
At ones in þis herberowe as is nowe
Fayne wolde I done ȝowe mirthe wiste I howe
And of a myrthe I am ryght nowe be thōghte
To done ȝowe ese Ande it schall coste noȝte
Ȝe gone to Caunturbury godde ȝowe spede
The Blesfull martir quite ȝowe ȝoure mede
Ande wele I wote as ȝe gone by þe waye
Ȝe schapen ȝowe to talen and to pleye
For trewly comforte ne mirthe is þ̉er none
To riden by þe weye dombe as a stoone
Ande þer for woll I maken ȝowe desporte
As I seide arste ande done ȝowe som ꝯconforte
Ande if ȝowe liketh alle by one assente
For to stonden at my Iuggemente
Ande for to werken as I schall . ȝewe seye .
To morowen when we riden by þe weye
Nowe be my fader soule þat is dede
But ȝe be mery I will ȝiff ȝowe my hede
Holde up ȝour hondes with oute more speche
Our counseall was not longe for to seeche
Vs thought it was not worth to make to wyse
And grauntede hym withoute more avise
And badde hym seye his verdeyte as hym lyste
Lordynges qd he nowe herkeneth for þe beste
But take it noȝte I preye ȝowe in disdeigne
This is þe poynte to speke schorte ande pleyne
That eche of ȝowe to schorte with oþer weye
In þis viage schall tellen tales tweye
To Cauntirbury warde I mene it . soo
And homwardes he schall tellen other two
Off auentures þat whilom hauen befalle
Ande whiche of ȝowe þat berith hym beste of all
That is to seyne þat tellith in þis case
Tales of beste sentence Ande moste solace
Shall haue a soper at our aller cooste
Her in þis place sittynge by þis poste
Whan þat comyn a gayn from caunterbery
And for to make ȝowe þe mor merye
I will my selfe goodly with ȝowe ride
Riȝht at myn own coste and be ȝour gyde
And who so will my Iuggement withsaye
Shall paye all þat we spende by þe weye
And if ȝe wouchesaue þat it be soo
Tell me onon with outen wordes moo
Ande I woll arly schape me þer fore
This thynge was gᵃraunted and our othes y swore
With full gladde herte and preiden hym alsoo
That he wolde wouchesaue for to don soo
And þat he wolde be oure gouernour
And of our tales Iugge ande repirtour
And sette a soper at a certeyn prise
And we willen rewlede bene at his deuyse
In heigh ande lowe and þus by one assente
We bene acorded to þat Iuggemente
And þer opon þe wyne was fette onone
We dronken ande to reste wente eủerychone
With outen eny lenger taryynge
A morowe whan þe daye gan to sprynge
Vp rose our ooste ande was our alder Cokke
Ande gadered us to gider in a flokke
And forthe we ridden a litill mor þn paase
Vn to þe waterynge of seynte thomas
Ande þere our oste gan his horse areste
And seide lordes herkeneth if ȝowe leste
Ye wote ȝe forwarde and I it ȝow recorde
Yff euensonge and morowen songe acorde
Lat se nowe ho schall . tell þe firste tale
As euer motte I drynke wyne or ale
Who so be rebell to my Iuggemente
Shall paye for all þat by þe weye is spente
Nowe draweth or þat we ferþer wynne
Whiche þat hath þe schorteste schall begynne
Sir knyght qduod he my maister and my lorde
Nowe draweth cutte for þat is myne accorde
Cometh nere qduod he my lady prioresse
And ȝe sir Clerke lat be ȝour schamefastnesse
Ne studieth not leye honde to euery manne
A noon̄ to drawe eủery wighte beganne
And schortly for to tellen̄ as it was
Wer it by auentur or sorte or caase
The south is þis þe cutte felle to þe knyȝhte
Of whiche fuƚƚ gladde and blithe was eủery wyȝhte
And tellen he moste his tale as it was resoune
By forwarde ande by composicioıı̄un
As ȝe han̄ herde what nedith wordes moo
And whan þis goode man sawgh þat it was soo
As he þat wise was ande obediente
To kepen̄ his forwarde by his free assente
He seide sethen I schall begynne þe game
What welcome be þe cutte of goddis name
Nowe lat us ride ande herkenyth what I seye
And witħ þat worde we riden̄ forthe our weye
Ande beganne with riȝht a mery cheer
His taale onon and seide as ȝe may her
Iam qꝫue domos patrias scitate post asꝑpera gentis
prelia laurigero ⁊et c̉etera
prelia laurigero ⁊et c̉etera
¶ Here endith þe prologe of þis booke
¶ Here begynneth þe knyghtis taale
Whilom was as olde stories tellen us
Ther was a Duke þat hiȝhte Theseus
Off Athenes he was lorde ande gouernour͗e
And in his tyme swiche a conquerour͗e
That gretter was none vndir þe sonne
Full mony a riche cuntr͗e hadde he wonne
What with his wysdome ande his chiualrye
He conquerede all þe reigne of femynye
That whilom was y clepede Scithia
And wedded þe quene ypolita
And broght hir͗e home with hym in his countr͗e
With myche glorie ande grete solempnite
And eke here ȝonge suster emelye
And þus with victorie ande with melodye