Ry2 · London, British Library Royal MS 18.c.ii
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Ry2/
[1r]
WHan that Aprill wit his shoures soote
The drought of marche hath ꝑperced to þe roote
And bathed euery Veyne in swich licoure
Of which v̉ertue engendrid is þe floure
Whan zephirus ek wit his swete brethe
Inspirid hath in eủery holt and hethe
The tendre croppes ⁊and the ȝonge sonne
Hath in the ram his half cours y . ronne
And smale foules make melodye .
That slepen alnyght open eyghe
So priketh hem nature in here corages
Than longen folk to gon on pilgmages
And Palmeres for to seke straungre strondes
To ferne halowes cowthe in sondri londes
And speciali fᵃm eủery schires ende
Of Englond to Canturburi þei wende
The holi blisseful martir for to seke
That hem hath holpen whan þat þei wer seke
Bifill þat in þat sesou on a Day
In Southwerk atte Tabbard as I. lay
Redi to wende on my pilgⁱmage
To Cant̉erbury with ful deuoute corage
At nyght was come in to that hostillerie
Wel . xxix . on a companie
Of sondry folk by auenture yfalle
In felaschipe ⁊and pilgⁱmes were thei alle
That toward Canturbury wolde ride
The chambres and stables were wyde
And wel weren esed atte beste
And shortly whan the sonne was to reste
So hadde I spoken wit hem eủerychon
That I was of her felaschipe a non .
And mad forward erly for to rise
To take our wey þere as I yow deuyse
But natheles whil I haue tyme ⁊and space
Or that I ferther in this tale pace
Me thynketh it acordant to resoıı̄un
To telle yow al þe condicioıı̄un
Of ech of hem so as it semed me
And whoche þei were and of what degre
And eke in what array that they were Inne
And at a knyght þan wolde I. ferst bi gynne
A knight þer was ⁊and that a worthi man
That fro the tyme that he ferst bigan
To riden out he louede chiualrie
Treuthe and honoᵘur fredom ⁊and curtesye
Ful worthi was he in his lordes werre
And therto had he riden noman ferre
As wel in cⁱstendom as in hethenesse
And eủere honoured for his worthinesse
¶ At Alisandre he was whan it was wōnne
Ful ofte tyme he had the bord bi gōnne
A bouen alle nacoıı̄uns in Pruce
In lectow had he reysyd and in Ruce
¶ No cⁱsten man so ofte of his degree
In Gernade at the sege ek hadde he be
Of algezire and riden in Belmarye
At lyeis was he and at Satalye
When þei were wōnne ⁊and in the grete see
At many a noble arme had he be
At mortel batailles had he ben fyftene
And foughten for our faith at tramessene
In lystes thries and ay slayn his foo
This ilke worthy knyght hadde ben also
Som tyme with the lord of Palatye
Ayein an other hethen in Turkye
And eủere more he hadde a souerayne prys
And though þat he was worthi he was wys
And of his port as meke as is a mayde
He neủere ȝet no velonye ne sayde
In all his lif vn to no man̉ere . wyght
He was a verrey ꝑperfyt gentill knyght
For to tellen ȝow of his array
His hors were gode . but he was not gay
Of fustioıı̄un he werede a gepoıı̄un
Al by smotered wit his haburgeou
For he was late y come from his viage
And went for to don his pilgⁱmage
¶ Wit hym þer was his sone a ȝong Squier
A louyere and a lusty bacheller
Wit lokkes crulle as þei were leyd in press
Of .xx. ȝeer of age he was I gesse
Of his stature he was of euene lengthe
And wonderly delyuere ⁊and gret of strengthe
And he hadde be somtyme in chiuachye
In flaundres in Artoys and pykardie
And born hym wel as of so litel space
In hope to stonden in his lady grace
Embroyded was he as it were a mede
All ful of fresche floures white ⁊and rede
Syngynge he was or floytynge al þe day
He was as fresch. as is þe moneþ of may
Short was his gowne wiþ sleues longe ⁊and wyde
Wel cowde he sitte on an hors ⁊and fair ride
He cowde songes make ⁊and wel endyte
Iuste and ek daunce ⁊and wel purteray ⁊and wryte
So hote he loued þat bi nyght̉er tale
He slepte namore than doth a nyghtyngale
Corteys he was lowely and seruisable
And karf bi forn his fader atte table
¶ A noþ̉er yeman hadde he ⁊andʆseruantes no mo
At þat tyme for hym liste ride so
And he was clad in coote ⁊and hood of grene
A scheef of pocok arwes bryght ⁊and kene
Vndir his belt he bar ful thriftylly
Wel couthe he dresse his takel . ȝimanly
His arwes drouped noght wit fetheres lowe
And in his hond he bar a myghty bowe
A not hed hadde he wit a broun visage
Of wode crafte wel couþe he al þe vsage
Vp on his arme he bar a gay bracer
⁊and bi his side a swerd ⁊and a Bokeler
And on þat oþ̉er syde a gay Daggere
Harnaysed wel ⁊and scharp as poynt of spere
A xpophre on his breste of seluer shene
An horn he bar the baudryk was of grene
A forster was he sothly as y gesse
¶ Ther was also a Nonne a Prioresse
That of hir smyling was ful symple ⁊and coy
Hire grettest ooth was but be seint loy
And she was cleped ma dame Engletyn
Fol wel she songe þe s̉eruise dyuine
Entuned in hir nose ful semely
And frenssh she spak ful fayr ⁊and fetisly
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe
For frenssh of Parys was to hir vn knowe
At meete wel y taught was she wit alle
She leet no morsell from hire lippes falle
Ne wete hire fyngres in hire sauce depe
Wel cowthe she carye a morsel ⁊and wel kepe
That no drope ne fill vp on hire breste
In curteysye was sette ful mochel hir leste
Hire ouerlippe wyped sche so clene
That in hir cuppe þ̉er was no ferthing sene
Of grece whan she dronken hadde hire draughte
Ful semely aft̉er hire mete she raughte
And sikerly she was of gret disporte
And ful plesante ⁊and amyable of porte
And peyned hir to counterfete chere
Of court ⁊and to ben estatlich of manere
But for to speken of hir concience
She was so charitable and so pytous
She wolde wepe ȝyf þat she saw a mous
Kaught in a trappe yf it wer ded or bledde
Of smale houndes had she þat she fedde
Wit rosted flessh or mylk or wastelbrede
But sore wepte she ȝyf on of hem were dede
Or yf men smot yt wit a ȝerde smerte
And al was conscience ⁊and tendr herte
Ful semelich hir wympil pynchid was
Hire nose was streght hir eighen grey as glas
Hire mouth ful smal ⁊and þ̉erto softe and rede
But sekyrly she hadde a faire forhede
It was almost a spanne brood I. trowe
For hardely she was nought vndergrowe
Ful fetys was hir cloke as I. was war
Of smal coral a bowte hir arm she bar
A payre of bedes gauded al wit grene
And þer on heng a broche of gold ful shene
On which þer was first writen a crowned .A.
And aft̉er Amor vincit om̄inia
An other Nonne wit hire hadde she
That was hir chapelleyne ⁊and preestes thre
¶ A Monk þ̉er was a fair for the Maystrye
An owt Ridere that loved venerye
A manly man to ben an abbot able
Ful Many a deynte hors hadde he in stable
And whan he rood men myghte his bridel here
Gynglyng in a whistelyng wynd as clere
And eke as lowde as doth the chapel belle
Ther as this lord was keper of the selle
The rewle of seynt Maur or of seint Benet
Bi cause that it was old and somdel streit
This ilke Monk leet olde thinges pace
And held after þe newe world þe space
He yaf nought of the text a pulled hen
That seith that hunters be nought holi men .
Ne that a Monk whan he is recheles
Is likned till a Fyssh . þat is wat̉erles
This is to seie Amonk owt of his Cloystre
But thilke text held he nought worth an oystre
And I seyde his Opynioıı̄un was goode
What shulde he studye ⁊and make hīm self woode
Vppon a booke in Cloystre al wey to poure
Or swynk wit his hondis and laboure
As Austyn bit how schal þe world bi serued
Lat Austyn haue his swynk to hym reserued
Ther fore he was a pⁱripasour a right
Grehoundes he hadde as swift as foule in flyght
Of Prikynge ⁊and of huntyng for the hare
Was al his luste for no coste wolde he spare
I seigh his slefes I pʳfiled at the hond
Wit grys ⁊and that the fyneste of a lond
And for to festne his hood vndir þᵉ chynne
He hadde of gold wrought a ful curious pynne
A loue knotte in the gretter ende þer was
His hed was balled that shon as ony glas
And eke his face as he hadde ben anoynt
He was a lord ful fat ⁊and in good poynt
His eyghen stepe and rollyng in his hede
That stemed as a forneys of a led
His botes souple his hors in gret estate
Now c̉erteynly he was a fair prelate
He nas nat pale as a forpyned goost
A fat swan louede he best of any roost
His palfray was as broun as is a berye
A frere þer was a wantoıı̄un ⁊and merye
A lymitour a ful solempne man
In alle þe ordres foure is noon þat can
So mochel of daliaunce ⁊and fayr langage
He hadde made ful many a Mariage
Of ȝonge wōmmēn at his owne cost
Vn to his ordre he was a noble post
Ful wel bi lovid ⁊and famulier was he
Wit Frankeleyns ouer al in his contre
And wit worthi wōmmen of þe toun
For he hadde power of confessioun
As sayde hym self more þān a curat
For his ordre he was licenciat
Ful sweteli herde he confession
And plesant was his absolucom
He was an esy man to ȝefe penance
Ther as he wiste to haue a gode pitance
For vn to a poure . ordre for to ȝyue
Is signe that a man is wele I shryue
For yf he yaf he dorste make auant
He wiste that a man was repentant
For many a man is so hard of his herte
He may nought wepe al þogh him sore smerte
Ther fore in stede of wepyng and preyeres
Men mote yeve siluer to the poủere freres
His typet was ay farsed ful of knyfes
And pynnes for to yeue fair wifes
And c̉ertaynly he had a mery note
Wel cowthe he syngen ⁊and playen on a rote
Of ȝeddinges he bar wittly the pris
His nekke whigt was as the flour delys
Ther to he was stronge as a champyoıı̄un
He knew the taủernes wel in eủery toıı̄un
And eủerich hostiller and tapster
Betᵗʳ than a lazer or a Begge
For vn to swich a worthi man as he
Acorded noght as by hys faculte
To haue with swich seke lazer aquayntance
It is nouȝt honest it may not avaunce
For to delen wit swich . poraylle
But all wᵗith Riche ⁊and seller of vitaille
And oủer al þer as ꝓprofyt scholde a rise
Curtays he was and lowely of s̉eruyse
Ther nas no man noghwer so v̉ertuous
He was the beste begger in his hous
For thogh a widewe hadde noght a sho
So plesant was his In Principio
Yet wolde he haue a Ferthing or he wente
His purchace was wel better þan his rente
And rage he couthe right as it were a whelpe
In louedayes þer cowthe he moche helpe
For ther he was not lyke a cloistrer
Wit a thred bare cope as a pore scoler
But he was lyke a Maister or a pope
Of double worstede was his semy cope
That rounded as a belle on the presse
Somwhat he lipsede for his wantounesse
To make his Englisch swete vppon his tonge
And in his harpyng whan that he hadde songe
Hys eyghen twynklede in his hede a Right
As don þe sterres in the frosty nyght
This worthi lymitoᵘur was clepid huberd
A marchant was thare wit a forked berd
In mottle ⁊and heygh on horse he satte
Vp on his heued a Flaundrisshe beuer hatte
His botis clapsid fair ⁊and fetyslye
His resons he spak ful solempnelye
Shewyng al wey the encres of his wynyge
He wolde the see were kept for any thynge
By twixe Middilburgh and Orewell
Wel couthe he in eschaunge sheldes selle
This worthi man ful wel his witte bi sette
Ther wiste no whight þat he was in dette
So estatly was he of his goủernance
Wit his Bargaynes and wᵗith his cheuissaıı̄unc
For sothe he was a worthi man wit alle
But sothelich to seyn I not how mēn hīm calle
An clerc þ̉er was of Oxenforde also
That vnto logyk hadde longe y go
As lene was his hors as is a rake
And he nas not ryght fat I vndirtake
But loked holowe and þerto soburly
Ful thredbare was his oủereste Courtepy
For he hadde getyn him no benefice
Ne was so worldly to haue office
For hym was leuer haue at his bedde hede
Twenty bokes clad in blak ⁊and rede
Of Aristotle ⁊and his philosophie
Than robes Riche or fythel or gay sawt̉erye
But al bi that he was a philosophre
Yet hadde he but litill gold in coffre
But al that he myghte of his frendes hente
On bokes and on lernyng he it spente
And besyly gan for þo soules preie
Of hem that yaf hym whar wit forto scoleye
Of studie took he most cure ⁊and hede
Naught a word spake he more þan was nede
And þat was seid informe ⁊and reủerence
And short ⁊and quyk ⁊and ful of heigh sentence
Sownyng in morall vertue was his speche
And gladly wolde he lerne ⁊and gladly teche
A sergeant of the lawe war and wys
That often had ben at Paruys
That was also ful riche of excellence
Discret he was ⁊and of gret reủerence
He semyd swich his wordes weren so wyse
Iustice he was ful often in Assise
Bi patent and bi pleyne cōmmissioıı̄un
For his science ⁊and for his hyegh . renoıı̄un
Of fees ⁊and Robes hadde he many on
So gret a purchaceoᵘur was nowher non
Al was fee symple to him in effecte
His pʳchasyng myght nought ben in fecte
Nowher so besy a man as he þer nas
And ȝet he semed besier þan he was
In t̉ermes hadde he caas ⁊and domes alle
That from the tyme of kyng willᵃm wer falle
Therto he cowthe endite ⁊and make a think
Ther cowthe no whight pynche at his writink
And eủery statut cowthe he pleyn bi Rote
He rood but homly in a medle coote
Gert wᵗith a seynt of selk wit barres smale
Of his array telle I no leng tale
A frankeleyn was in his companie
White was his berd as is the dayessye
Of his complexcioıı̄un he was sangwyne
Wel loued he by the morowe a sop in wyne
To lyuen in delyt eủere was his wone
For he was Epicurues oune sone
That held opyniou that pleyn delite
Was verrey felicite ꝑperfite
An housholder and that a gret was he
Seynt Iuliānn he was in his contre
His breed his ale was alleweys after one
A better envyned man was nowher none
Wit oute bakemete was neủere his hous
Of fissh ⁊and flessh and þat so plentyuous
It snewid in his hous of mete ⁊and drink
Of alle deyntethes þat men cowthe think
Aft̉er þe sondri sesons of the yere
So changet he his mete ⁊and his sopere
Ful many a fat partⁱch hadde he īm Mewe
And many a brem ⁊and many a luce in stuwe
Wo was his coke but his sauce were
Poynant ⁊and scharp and redy al his gere
His table dormant in his halle al way
Stod redy coủered alle þe longe day
At sessions ther was he lord ⁊and sire
Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire
An anelas ⁊and a gipser al of silke
Heng at his girdel whight as morne mylke
A scherref had he ben ⁊and a compatour
Was nowher swich a worthi vauasour
An haburdassher and a carpenter
A Webbe A . Dyere ⁊and a Tapece
And thei were clothed alle in oo liủere
Of a solempne ⁊and a gret frat̉ernite
Ful fressh ⁊and newe here gere a piged was
Here knyfes ner chaped nouȝt wit bras
But alle wᵗith siluer wroght ful clene ⁊and wel
Her gerdeles ⁊and her pouches euerydel
Wel semed eche of hem a fair burgeys
To sitten in a yeldhalle on a deys
Eủerich for the wisdom that he can
Was shaply for to ben an Alderman
For catell hadde thei I. nough ⁊and Rente
And eke her wyues wolde it wel assente
And ellis c̉ertein thei were to blame
It is ful fair to be clepid madame
And gon to vigilies al bi fore
And haue a mantel rialliche I bore
A cook thei hadde wit hem for the nones
To boille þe chikenes wᵗith þe Mariebones
And poudr marchant tart ⁊and galyngale
Wel cowthe he knowe a draught of londen ale
He couthe roost ⁊and sethe ⁊and broille and frye
Maken mortreux and wel bake a pye
But gret harm was it as it thoghte me
That on his schyne a mormal hadde he
For blank manger þat made he wit þe beste
A schip man was there wonyng fer bi weste
For ought I woot he was of Dertemouthe
He rood vp on a Rouncy as he couthe
In a gowne of faldyng to the kne
A dagger hangynge in a lace hadde he
A bowten his nekke vndir his harm down
The hote somer hadde mad his hiew al brown
And c̉erteinly he was a good felawe
Ful many a draught of wyn hadde he drawe
From Burdeux ward while þe chapmen slepe
Of nyce conscience toke he no kepe
Yf þat he faught ⁊and hadde þe heigher honde
Bi watir he sent hem hom to euery londe
But of his craft to riken wel his tydes
His stremys and his daunger him biside
His herberwe ⁊and his moone ⁊and his ledmannage
Ther nas noon swich fro hull to kartage
Hardy he was ⁊and wys to vndirtake
Wit many atempest hadde his berd bi shake
He knew alle the hauenes as thei were
Fro Gotlond to the Cape defynystere
And eủery Cryke in Bretaigne ⁊and in Spayne
His barge y clepid was the Mawdeleyne
Wit vs þer was a doctour of phisik
In al this werld ne was þ̉er noon him lyke
To speke of phisik ⁊and of Surgerie
For he was grownded in Astronomye
He kept his pacient a ful gret del
In houres bi his magik naturel
Wel cowthe he fortune the ascendent
Of his ymages for his paciet
He knewe the cause of eủerich maladye
Were it of hoot or colde or moiste or drie
And wher engendred ⁊and of what humoᵘur
He was a verrey ꝑparfit practisour
The cause I knowe ⁊and of his harm þe rote
A non he yaf the sike man his bote
Ful redy hadde he his appotekaries
To sende hem drugges and his letuaries
For ech of hem made other for to wynne
Her frendschipe nas not newe for to gynne
Wel knew he the olde Escalapius
And discorides ⁊and eke Rufus
Olde ypocᵃs haly and galien
Serapion Razie and auyzen
Aueroys damascien ⁊and constantine
Bernard ⁊and Gatisdene ⁊and Gilbertine
Of his diete mesurable was he
For it was of no suꝑperfluite
But of gret norsshing ⁊and digestable
His studie was but litil on þe bible
In sangwyne and in pers he clad was al
Lyned wit Taffata ⁊and wit sendal
And yet ⁊and was but esy of dispense
He kept þat he wan in pestilense
For gold in Phisik is accordial
Ther fore he loued gold in special
A gode wif þ̉er was of bi side þe bathe
But sche was somdel Def ⁊and þat was scathe
Of cloth makyng she had swich an haunte
She passide hem of ypres and of Gaunte
In alle þe parisshe wif ne was þ̉er noon
Þat to þe offryng to forn hir schulde goon
And yf þ̉er dede c̉erteyn wroth was she
That she was owte of alle charite
Hire coủerchiefs ful fyne were of gᵒunde
Y dorste swere thei weyeden ten pounde
That on a soneday weren vp on hir hede
Hire hosyn weren of fyn scarlet rede
Ful streyt y teyed and shoos ful moyste ⁊and newe
Bolde was hir face and fair ⁊and rede of hiewe
She was a worthi wōmman al hir lyue
Housbondes atte chirche dore she hadde fyue
Wit outen other companye in youthe
But ther of nedyþ noght to speke as nouthe
And þries hadde she ben at Ierlm
She hadde passid many a strange strem
At Rome sche hadde ben ⁊and at boloigne
In Galice at seynt Iame ⁊and at Coloigne
She couthe moche on wandringe bi the weie
Gat tothed was she sotheli for to seye
Vppon an Ambler esely she satte
I wympled wel and on hire hede an hatte
As brood as is a bokeler or a targe
A fote mantell a bowtēm hir hipes large
And on hire feet a paire of spores sharpe
In felaschipe wel couthe sche laughe ⁊and carpe
Of remedies of loue sche knew ꝑper chaıı̄unce
For sche couthe of þat arte þe colde daıı̄unce
A goode man was thare of religioıı̄un
And was a powr ꝑparson of a town
But riche he was of holy þoght ⁊and werk
He was also a lerned man ⁊and a clerk
That cⁱristys gospell treweli wolde preche
His parisshyns deuoutely wolde he teche
Benigne he was ⁊and wondir diligent
And in adủersite ful pacien
And swich he was preuyd ofte sythes
Ful loth were him to cursyn for his tythes
But rather wolde he yeuen out of doute
Vnto his poure parisshens a boute
Of his offring ⁊and of his substance
He couthe in litil thyng haue suffisance
Wyde was his parisshe ⁊and houses fer a sondre
But he ne laft nought for rayne ne thundre
In syknesse nor in meschief to visite
The ferreste in his parisshe muche ⁊and lite
Vpon his feet and in his honde a staf
This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf
That ferst he wroughte ⁊and after ward þᵗat he tauȝt
Owt of þe gospell he þo wordes kaught
And this figure he addede ek þer to
That yf gold ruste what schal Iren do
For yf a preest be foul on whom we truste
No wondir is a lewid man to ruste
And shame it is yf a prest take kepe
A shiten shepꝑparde ⁊and a clene shepe
Weel ought a preest ensample for to ȝyue
Bi his clennes how þᵗat his shepe schulde lyue
He set naught his benefice to hir
And leet his sheep a combred in þe myre
And ran to londou vnto seynt Poules
To seke hym a Chaunterye for soules
Or wit a bretherhed to ben wit holde
But dwelte at hom ⁊and kepte wel his folde
So that þe wolf ne made it not myscarie
He was a sheꝑparde ⁊and not a mercenarie
And thought he holi ⁊and v̉ertuous were
He was nought to synful men dispitous
Ne of his speche daungous ne digne
But in his teching discret and benīngne
To drawen folk to heuen bi fairnesse
Bi good emsample þis was his bisynesse
But it were ony ꝑparsoıı̄un obstinate
What so he were of heygh or low estate
Hym wolde he snebbe sharply for þᵉ nones
A bett̉er preest Y trowe þat now here non es
He waytede after no pompe ⁊and reủerenc
Ne maked hym a spiced conscience
But Cⁱstes lore and his aposteles twelue
He taught but ferst he folwed in him selue
Wit hym þ̉er was a ploweman was his brother
That hadde I ladde of dong ful many a fother
And a trewe swynker ⁊and a good was he
Leuynge in pees and ꝑperfite charite
God loued he best wᵗith alle his herte
At alle tymes þough he gamede or smte
And þan his neyghebore riȝt as him selue
He wolde thesshe ⁊and þ̉erto dyke and delue
For cⁱstes sake for euery poủere wight
Wit oute hir yf it lay in his myght
His tithes paied he ful fair and well
Bothen of his ꝓpropre swynk ⁊and his catell
In a tabbard he rood vp on a mere
Ther was also a Reue and a Mellere
A sompnoᵘur and a Pardon̉er also
A Maunciple and my self þer nare nomo .
The mellere was a stout carle for þe nones
Ful big he was of brawn ⁊and ek of bones
That ꝓproued wel for oủer all þere he cam
Atte wrastelyng he wolde haue a wey þe ram
He was schort schuldred a thikke knarre
Ther was no dore þat he wolde heue of harre
Or breke it at a rennynge with his hede
His berd as any sow or fox was reede
And þerto brood as þough it were a spade
Vppon þe cop ryght of his nose he hade
A wert And þ̉eron stod a tuft of heris
Rede as þe bresteles of a sowes eris
His nose þrilles blak were ⁊and wide
A swerd and a bokeler bar he be his syde
His mouthe as grete was as a grete fourneys
He was a Iangler ⁊and a galiardeis
And þat was most of synne ⁊and of harlotries
Wel cowthe he stele corn ⁊and tolle þries
And ȝyt he hadde a thombe of golde parde
A whight coote ⁊and a blieu hood wered he
A bagge pipe wel couthe he blow and sown
And ther wit alle he brought vs out of town
A gentil Maunciple was ther of a temple
Of which Acatours myghte take exsample
For to ben wyse in buyng / of vytaille
For whethur þat he paied or toke bi taille
Al gate he waited so in his achate
That he was ay byforn ⁊and in good estate
Now is not þat of god a ful faire grace
That swich a lewid mannes witte schal pace
The wisdom of an hep of lernede men
Of maistres had he mo than thries ten
That were of Lawe exꝑpert ⁊and Curious
Of which þer was a doseyn in that hous
Worthi to ben stywardes of Rente ⁊and londe
Of any lord that is in Ingelonde
To make hym lyue bi his ꝓproper good
In honour detteles but yf þat he were wood
Or lyue als scarsly as him list desire
And able for to helpen al a shire
In any cas þat miȝte falle or happe
And yet þis Manciple sette her alþ̉ere cappe
The Reue was a sclendre colerik man
His berd was shaue as nygh as eủere he can
His her was bi his eres ful Rounde y shorne
His toppe was dokked lyk a preest biforne
Ful longe were his legges and ful lene
Y lyk a staf þ̉er was no calf y sene
Wel couthe he kepe a garner or a bynne
Ther was noon Auditour couthe on him wynne
Wel wiste he bi þe droghte ⁊and bi þe reyne
The yelding of his seed ⁊and of his greyne
His lordes shepe his nete his dayerye
His swyn his hors his stoor ⁊and his pulletrie
Was hooly in þis Reues gouernynge
And bi his couenānt yaf þe rekenynge
Syn þat his lord was twenti ȝeer of age
Þer cowthe no man brynge hy in arrerage
Ther nas baillif ne herde nor other hyne
That he ne knew his sleight ⁊and his covyne
Thei were a drad of hym as of the deth
His wonyng was ful fair vppon an heth
Wit grene trees shadewed was his place
He couthe bettre þan his lord pᵃchace
Ful Riche he was a stored pⁱriuyl
His lord he cowthe wel plesen subtili
To yiue and lene hym of his owne gode
And haue a thank and yet a coote ⁊and an hode
In youthe he hadde lerned a good mistere
He was a wel good wryghte a carpentere
This Reve satte vppon a wel good stot
That was al Pomely gray ⁊and highte scot
A long surcote of peers vppon he hadde
And by his syde he bare a Rusty bladde
Of Nothfolk was this Reue of which I telle
Bi syden a toun men clepen it Baldeswelle
Tukked he was as is a frere a bowte
And eủer he rood þe hyndrest of our Route
A Somynour was þer wit vs in þat place
That hadde a fyri cherubynnes face
For sauseflem he was wit eyghen narwe
Als hoot he was and leccherous as a sparwe
Wit scalled browes blak ⁊and piled berde
Of his visage children weren a ferde
Ther nas quyk seluyr litarge or bremston
Boras or sure ne oylle of tartre noon
Ne oynement that wolde clense ⁊and byte
That hym myght helpe of his whelkes whighte
Nor of the knobbes syttynge in his chekes
Wel louede he garlik oynons ⁊and eke lekes
And for to drinke strong wyn rede as blode
Than wolde he speke and crye as he were wode
And whan that he wel dronken had the wyne
Than wolde he speke no word but latyne
A fewe t̉ermes hadde he two or thre
That he had lerned out of som de cre
No wonder is . he herde it al the day
And yk ye knowen it wel how þat a Iay
Kane clepe watte as wel as can the pope
But ho so couthe in othir thing him grope
Than hadde he spent al his philosophie
Ay questio quid Iurꝭes wolde he crye
He was a gentil harlot and a kynde
A better felaw shul men not fynde
He wolde suffre for a quarte of wyn
A good felaw to haue his concuby
A twelf moneth and excuse him atte fulle
Ful pⁱriuyli ek a fynch couþe he pulle
And yf he fond owher a good felawe
He wolde techyn him to han noon awe
In swich caas of the Erchedekenes curs
But yf māmnes soule were in his purs
For in his purs punysshed he shuld be
Purs is þe Erchedeknes helle seide he
But wel y woot he lyhede right in dede
Of cursyng owht ech gilty man him drede
For curs wil slee ryȝt as a soilling sauith
And also war him of a significauith
In daunger hadde he at his owne gyse
The yonge gerles of þe diocise
And knew hir consaill and what was al hire rede
A garland had he sette vp on his hede
As grete as it were for an Ale stake
A bokeler hadde he made him of a kake
With him þer rode a gentill pardoner
Of Rouncyuale his frend ⁊and his comper
That streght was comyn fro þe court of Rome
Ful lowde he songe come hyder loue to me
This somynoᵘur bar to hym a styf burdoıı̄un
Was neủere trompe of half so gret a sown
This ꝑpardoner hadde her as yelow as wax
But smothe it heng as doth a strike of flax
Bi ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde
And ther wit he his shuldernes ouer spradde
But thynne it lay by culpoıı̄uns on ⁊and oon
But hode for Iolite werede he noon
For it was trussed vp in his walet
Hym thoughte he rood al of þe newe get
Discheuele saf his cappe he rood al bare
Swich glarynge eighen hadde he as an hare
A v̉ernycle hadde he sowid vppon his cappe
His walet bi forn hym in his lappe
Bret ful of ꝑpardon comen fro Rome al hote
A voys he hadde as smal as a goote
No berd ne hadde he ne neủer schuld haue
As smothe it was as it were late shaue
I trowe he were a geldyng or a mar
But of his craft fro Berwyk in to ware
Ne was ther swich an nother ꝑpardoner
For in his male he hadde a pylewber
Swich þat he seyd was our lady veylle
He sayde he hadde a gobet of þe seylle
That seynt Petir hadde when þat he wente
Vppon þe see til Ihu crist hym hente
He hadde a Croys of latoıı̄un ful of stones
And in a glas he hadde pigges bones
But wit þeise relikes whan that he fonde
A poure ꝑparson dwelling vppon londe
Vppon a day he gat him more moneye
Than þat þe ꝑparson gat in monethes tweye
And þus wit feyned flatering and Iapes
He made the ꝑparson ⁊and þe peple his Apes
But trewely to tellen atte þe laste
He was in churche a noble Ecciaste
Wel couthe he rede a lesson or a story
But alderbeste he song an offetory
For wel he wiste whan þat song was songe
He moste preche and welle affile his tonge
To wynne seluyr as he wel kowde
Therfore he songe so meriely ⁊and lowde
¶ Now haue I tolde yow sotheli in a clause
The estat / the array þe nombre ⁊and ek þe cause
Whi þat assembled was þis companye
In suthwerk at þis gentil hosterye
That highte the Tabbard faste bi þe belle
But now is tyme yow for to telle
How that we beryn vs þat ylke nyght
Whan we were in that Osterye a lyght
And after wol y tellen of oure viage
And alle þe remenant of our pilgⁱmage
But ferst y pray yow of yowre curtesie
That ye ne rette it noght my vilenye
Thow that I pleynelye speke in þis mater
To telle ȝow here wordes and here chere
Ne though I. speke her wordes ꝓpropurly
For this ye knowen as wel as I .
Who so schall tellen a tale aft̉er a man
He moot reherse as neygh as eủere he ca
Eủerich a word yf it be in his charge
Al speke he neủer so rudely ⁊and large
Or elles he mot telle his tale vn trewe
Or feyne thinges or fynde wordys newe
He may nought spare al thogh he were his brother
He mote also wel seiȝe o word as an other
Crist spak him self ful brode in holy writte
And wel ȝe woot ne velenye is itte
Ek Plato seith ho so can hym rede
The wordis mote be Cosyn to þe dede
Also y preye yow for yiue it me
All haue I not sett folk in her degre
Here in þis tale as þat þei shuld stonde
My wit is short ye may wel vnderstonde
Greet chere maad oure ost vs ev̉erychon
And to þe soper sette he vs a noon
He suede vs wit vitailles at þe beste
Strong was the wyn and wel drinke vs leste
A semely man oure oost was wit alle
For to ben a marchall in an halle
A large man he was wit eieȝen stepe
A Fairer burgeis is noon in chepe
Bold of his speche ⁊and wys ⁊and wel y taught
And of Manhod him lakkede right nouht
Eke þ̉er to he was ryght a mery man
And aft̉er soper pleyȝen he bigan
And spak of merþe among oþ̉ere þinges
Whan that we hadde made our rekenynges
And seide þus . Now lordynges trewely
Ye ben to me welcome right hertely
For bi my trouthen yf þat I schal not lye
I sey noght this yeer so mery a companye
At oones in this herberwe as is now
Fayn wolde I don yow merthe wiste I how
And of a merthe I.am ryght now bi þought
To don yow ese ⁊and it schal coste nought
Ye gon to Canturbery god yow spede
Þe blisseful martir quyte ȝow ȝoure mede
And wel y woot as ȝe gon by þe weye
Ye shapyn yow to talen ⁊and to pleye
For trewely confort ne merthe is noo
To riden bi þe weye domb as a stoon
And þ̉erfore wil I maken yow disport
As I . seyd arst and don yow som comfort
And yf yow lyketh alle bi oon assent
Forto stonden at my Iugement
And for to werken as I schal yow seie
To morwen whan we riden bi þe weie
Now by my fadir soule þat is ded
But ye be merye I wil yeue yow my hed
Hold vp your hondes wit oute more speche
Our conseill was not longe to seche
Vs þought it was noght worth to make it wys
And gᵃrauntede him wit oute more auys
And bad him seie his veordyt as him leste
Lordinges qdquod he now herkeneþ for þe beste
But take it nought I pᵃray yow in disdeigne
This is þe poynt to speke short ⁊and pleigne
That ech of yow to shorte wiþ our weye
In þis viage schal telle tales tweye
To Canturbery ward I mene it so
And homwardes he schal tellen oþ̉ere two
Of auentures þat whilom haue by falle
And which of yow þat bereþ hym best of alle
Þat is to seyn þat telleþ in this caas
Tales of beste sentence ⁊and most solaas
Shal haue a soꝑper at our aldercost
Here in þis place sitting by this post
Whan þat we comyn agayn fro Canturbury
And for to make yow þe more mery
I wil my selfen goodli wit ȝow ryde
Ryght at myn oune coste ⁊and be youre gyde
And who so wil myn Iuggement withsey
Shal pay all þat we spende bi þe weye
And yf ye vouchesaf þat it be soo
Tel me a noon with owten worde moo
And I . wil erly shape me þ̉er fore
This thing was gᵃraunted and our othes swore
Wit ful glad herte ⁊and pyȝen him also
That he wolde vouchesaf for to do soo
And þat he wolde be oure goủernoure
And of oure tales Iugge and reportour
And set a soper at c̉ertayn prys
And we wiln rewled be at his deuys
In hyegh and lowh ⁊and þus bi oon assent
We ben accorded to þe Iuggement
And þer vppon þe wyn was fet a noon
We dronken and to reste went echoon
Wit outen eny leng taryinge
A morowe whan þe day gan to sprynge
Vp roos oure ost and was oure alde cok
And gaderede vs to gidere in a flok
And forþ we ryden a litel more þan pas
Vn to þe wateryng of seynt Thomas
And þere our oost gan his hors a reste
And seyde lordys herkenyth yf yow leste
Ye woot youre forward ⁊and I it yow recorde
If euynsong ⁊and morwesong accorde
Lat se Now ho shal telle þe firste tale
As eủere mote I. drinke wyn or ale
Who so be rebell to my Iuggement
Shall paye for all þat bi þe weye is spent
Now drawith Cut or þat we ferþ̉er twynne
Whoche þat hath þe shorteste shal be gynne
Sir knyght qd he my mayst̉er ⁊and my lord
Now drawyþ Cut for þat is myn accord
Comyþ Nere qd he my lady Prioresse
And ye sire Clerk lat be ȝour shamfastnesse
Ne studieth . nought lay hond to euery man
Anoon to drawe eủery wight be gan
And shortly for to tellen as it was
Were it bi auenture or sort or cas
The sothe is this þe cut fel te þᵉ knyght
Of which ful bliþe ⁊and glad was eủery whigt
And tellen he moste his tale as it was reson
By forward and by composicoıı̄un
And ye han herde what nedeþ wordes moo
And þan this goode man saugh þat it was soo
As he þat wys was and obedient
To kepen his forward bi his free assent
He seyde siþþen I shal by gynne þe game
What / welcome be þe Cut a goddes nam
Now lat vs ride and herkneþ what I seie
And wit þat word we riden forth oure weie
And he bigan wit right a merye chere
His tale a noon ⁊and seide as ye may here
Iam qꝫue domos patⁱrias post aspera gentis Prelia laurigero et cetera
(base) Here bigynneth / the knyghtes tale
(base) c incipit fabula Militis ;
(base) Iamque domos patria Scithice post asꝑpara gentis laurigero etc Here bigynneth the knygtis tale
(base) Whilom / as olde stories tellen vs
(base) Ther was a Duc that highte Theseus
(base) Of Atthenes / he was lord and gouernour
(base) And in his tyme / swich a conquerour
(base) That gretter was ther noon vnder the sonne
(base) Ful many a riche contree / hadde he wonne
(base) What with his wysdom / and his chiualrye
(base) He conquered / al the regne of femenye
(base) That whilom / was ycleped Scithia
(base) And wedded / the queene ypolita
(base) And broghte hire hom with hym / in his contree
(base) With muchel glorie / and greet solempnitee
(base) And eek / hir yonge suster Emelye
(base) And thus with victorie / and with melodye
(base) Lete I this noble Duc to Atthenes ryde
(base) And al his hoost . in armes hym bisyde
(base) ¶ And certes / if it nere to long to heere
(base) I wolde haue toold / fully the manere
(base) How / wonnen was the regne of Femenye
(base) By Theseus / and by his Chiualrye
(base) And of the grete bataille / for the nones
(base) Bitwixen Atthenes / and Amazones
(base) And how assegeged was ypolita
(base) The faire hardy queene of Scithia
(base) And of the feste / that was at hir weddynge
(base) And of the tempest at hir hom comynge
(base) But al that thyng I moot as now forbere
(base) I haue god woot a large feeld to ere
(base) And wayke / been the oxen in my plogh
(base) The remenant of the tale / is long ynogh
(base) I wol nat letten eek / noon of this route
(base) Lat euery felawe / telle his tale aboute
(base) And lat se now / who shal the souper wynne
(base) And ther I lefte / I wol ayein bigynne
(base) Incipit narracio
(base) ¶ Here bygynneth the knyghtes tale