Se · Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Arch. Selden. B. 14

Here bigynneth the prolog of this book the which is namede the talis of Cauntur bury in the whiche pro log thautour openly declarith the names of alle the pilgremes there condicioıı̄uns ⁊and there array

Whan that Apprill with his shouris soote

The drought of Marche hath ꝑpershid to the roote

And bathed eủery veyne in swich licoure

Of which v̉ertue / engendrid is the floure

Inspirid hath in eủery holt ⁊and hethe

The tendre croppis / ⁊and the yonge sonne

Hath in the Ram / his halff cours I ronne

And smale fowlis make melodie

So priketh hem nature / in here coragis

That longen folk to gon / on pilgⁱmagis

And Palmeris for to seke strange strondes

To serue halowes couthe / in sondre londes

Of Ingelond to Caunturbery thei wende

The holy blisfull mart̉er / for to seke

That hem hath holpen / whan thei were seke /

Bifill that on that sesoıı̄un on a day

Redy to wende / on my pilgⁱmage

To Caunt̉erbury / with ful deuout corage

At night was come / in to that hosterie

Wel . xxixᵗⁱ . in a companye

In feloship / ⁊and pilgremes were thei alle

That toward Caunt̉erbury wolde ryde

The chambres ⁊and stablis weren wyde

And wel weren eased at the beste

So hadde I spokyn / with hem eủerychon

That I was of here feloship anon

And made forward erly for to ryse

To take oure wey / there as I yow devise

Or that I ferther in this tale pace

Me thynketh it acoordaıı̄unt to resoıı̄un

To telle yow al the condicioıı̄un

Of ech of hem so as it semed me

And eke in what array that thei were inne

And at a knyght than woll I first bigynne

A knyght ther was / ⁊and that a worthi man

That fro the tyme / that he first bigan

Trouth ⁊and honour / fredom ⁊and curtesie

Ful worthi was he / in his lordis werre

And ther to had he riden / no man ferre

As wel in cristendom / as in hethenesse

At Alisandre he was whan it was wonne

Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne

Aboven alle nacōns in Pruce

In Lectow hadde he reysed ⁊and in Ruce

In Garnade at the sege eke hadde he be

Of Algezire ⁊and riden in Belmarye

At Lyeis was he ⁊and at Satalye

Whan thei were wonne ⁊and in the grete See

At mortal batailles had he ben Fiftene

And foughten for our feith at Tramessene

In listes thries ⁊and ay slayn his foo

This ilke worthi knyght hadde ben also

Ayeyne another hethen in Turkye

And eủere more he had a soủerayne prys

And though that he was worthy he was wys .

And of his port as meke as is a mayde

In al his liff / vn no man̉ere wight

He was a verry ꝑparfit gentill knight

For to tellen yow . of his array

His hors were gode / but he was not gay

Al bi smotered with his haburgeoıı̄un

For he was late I come from his viage

And wente for to don / his pilgrimage

With him ther was his sone a yonge Squyere

With lokkes crulle as thei were leyde in presse

Of . xxᵗⁱ . yere of age / he was I gesse

Of his stature he was of evene lengthe

And wonderli delivere ⁊and grete of strengthe .

In Flaundres in Artoys ⁊and Picardie .

And born him wel as of so litill space

In hope to stonden in his lady grace .

Embroyded was he as it were a mede

Syngynge he was or floityng al the day

He was as fressh as is the moneth of may

Short was his gowne with slevis longe ⁊and wide

Wel cowde he sitte on an hors ⁊and faire ride

Iuste ⁊and eke daunce ⁊and wel portrey ⁊and write

So hote he loued that bi night̉er tale

He slepte no more than doth anightyngale

Curteys he was lowly ⁊and suysable

A yeman hadde he ⁊and ʆseruantes no mo

At that tyme for him liste ride so

And he was clad in coote ⁊and hood of grene

A sheeff of pecok arwes bright ⁊and ken

Wel couth he dresse his takell yomānly

His arwes drouped not with fetheris lowe

In his hond he bar a mighti bowe

A not hed hadde he with a broun visage

Vppon his harme he bar agay bracer

And bi his side a swerde ⁊and a bokeler

And on that other side agay daggere

Harneysed wel ⁊and sharp as poynt of spere

An horn he bar the bawderike was of grene

A foster was he sothly as I gesse

Ther was also a Nonne a Prioresse

That of hir smylyng was ful symple ⁊and coy

And she was cleped madame Englentyne

Ful wel she songe the ʆseruyse dyuine

Entuned in hir nose ful semely

And frenssh she spak ful faire ⁊and fetisly

For frenssh of Paris was to hir vnknowe

At meete wel I taught was she with alle

She leet no morsell from hir lippes falle

Ne wette hir fyngres in hir savse depe

That no droppe ne fil vppon hir breste

In curtesie was sette ful mechel hir leste

Hir oủerlippe wiped she so clene

That in hir cuppe th̉ere was no ferthyng sene

Ful semely after hir meete she raughte

And sekerly she was of grete disporte

And ful plesaunte ⁊and amyable of porte

And peyned hir to counterfete chere

And to ben holden digne of reủerence

But for to speken of hir conscience

She was so charitable ⁊and pitous

She wolde wepe yiff that she saw amous

Of smale houndis had she that she fedde

With rosted flessh or mylke or wastelbrede

But soore wept she if oon of hem were dede

Or if men smote it with a yerde smerte

Ful semlich hir wympil pynched was

Hir nose was streight hir eyghen grey as glas

Hir mouth ful smal . ⁊and ther to softe ⁊and rede

But sekerly she hadde a faire forhede

For hardly she was nought vndirgrowe

Ful fetis was hir cloke as I was war

A smal coral abowte hir arme she bar

A peire of bedis gavded al with grene

On which ther first wreten a crowned A .

And after Amor vincit omnia .

Another Nonne with hir had she

That was hir chapeleyne ⁊and prestes thre .

An owtrider that loued venorie

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

And eke as lowde as doth the chapel belle

Ther as this lord was keper of the celle

The rewle of seint Mavre / or of seint Benet

Bi cause that it was olde ⁊and somdel streit

And helde after the newe world the trace

He yaff nought of the text a pulled hen

That seith that hunters ben nought holy men .

Ne that a monke whan he is recheles

That is to seie amonke owt of his cloystre

But thilke text held he nought worth a noystre

And I seide his opynyon was goode

What shulde he studie / ⁊and make him silff woode

Or swynke with his houndes ⁊and laboure

As Austyn bit how shal the world be s̉erued

Lat Austyn haue his swynke to hym reʆserued

Ther fore he was a prikasour a right

Of prikyng ⁊and huntyng for the hare

Was al his luste for no cost wolde he spare

I say his slevis I purfiled at the honde

With grys and that the fyneste in a londe

He hadde of gold wrought a ful curious pynne

A love knotte in the grett̉er ende ther was

His hed was balled that shon as eny glas

And eke his face as he hadde ben anoynt

His eighen stepe ⁊and rollyng in his hede

That stemed as a forneys of lede

His botis souple his hors in gret estate

Now c̉erteīnly he was a faire prelate

A fatt swan louede he beste of any roost

His palfray was as broun as is a berye

A Frere ther was a wantoun ⁊and a merye

A lymytour a ful solempne man

So mechel of Daliaunce ⁊and faire langage

He hadde made ful many a Mariag

Of yonge wōmmen at his owne coost

Vn to his ordre he was a noble poost

With Frankeleyns oủer al in his contre

And with worthi wōmmen of the town

For he hadde power of confessioıı̄un

As seide him selff more than a curat

Ful swetely herde he confessioıı̄un

And plesaunt was his absolucioıı̄un

He was an esy man to yeff penaunce

Ther as he wiste to haue a good pitaunce

Is signe that a man is wel I shrive

For if he yaff he dorste make auaunt

He wiste that a man was repentaunt

For many a man so hard is of his herte

Therfore in stede of wepyng ⁊and preyeres

Men mote yeve siluer to the poure freres

His tepet was ay farsed ful of knyvis

And pynnes for to yeve to faire wivis

Wel cowde he syngen ⁊and pleyen on a rote

Of tydyngges bar he witt̉erli the pris

His nekke was whight as the floure delys

Ther to he was strong as a champioıı̄un

And eủerich hostiller ⁊and tapster

Bet than a lazar or a begger

For vn to swich a worthi man as he

Accorded nought as bi his faculte

It is nought honest it may not avaunce

For to delen with swich poraille

But al with riche ⁊and sellers of vitaill

And oủeral ther as ꝓprofit shulde a rise

Ther nas no man nowher so v̉ertuous

He was the beste begger in his hous

So plesaunt was his In principio

Yit wolde he haue a ferthing or he wente

His purchace was wel bett̉er than his rente

And rage he couth right as it were a whelpe

For ther he was not lich a cloystrer

With a thredbare cope as a poure scoler

But he was like a maist̉er or a pope

Of double worstede was his semy cope

Somwhat he lipsede for his wantounesse

To make his englissh swete vppon his tonge

And in his har ping / whan that he hadde songe

His eighen twynklede in his hede a right

This worthi lymitour was called Huberd

A marchaunt ther was with a forked berd

In mottle ⁊and high on hors he satte

Vppon his hede a flaundrissh beuer hatte

His resoıı̄uns he spak ful solempnelye

Shewyng alwey thencres of his wynnynge

He wolde the see were kept for any thinge

Bitwixe Middelburgh ⁊and Orewelle

This worthi man / so wel his witt bisette

Ther wiste no whight that he was in dette

So estatly was he of his goủernaunce

With his bargeynes ⁊and with his chevisaunce

But sothlich to seyn I not how men hīm calle

A clerke ther was of Oxonford also

That vn to logik hadde longe I go

As lene was his hors as is a rake

But loked holowe ⁊and ther to soburly

Ful thredbare was his oủereste curteby

For he had geten hīm no benefice

Ne was so worldly to haue office

. xxᵗⁱ . bookes clad in blak ⁊and rede

Of Aristotle ⁊and his philosophie

Than robes riche or fithel or gay sawtrie

But al be that he was a Philosophre

But al that he myghte of his frendes hente

On bookes ⁊and in lernyng he it spente

And besily gan for tho soules praye

Of hem that fonde hīm wher with to scole aye .

Not o word spak he more than was nede

And that was seide / in forme ⁊and reủerence

And short ⁊and quyk / ⁊and ful of high sentence

Sownyng in moral v̉ertue was his speche

A sergiant of the lawe war ⁊and wis

That often hadde ben at parvis

That was also ful riche of excellence

Discret he was ⁊and of gret reủerence

Iustice he was ful often in assise

Bi patent ⁊and bi pleyne cōmmissioıı̄un

For his science ⁊and for his high renoıı̄un

Of fees ⁊and robes hadde he many on

Al was fee symple to hīm in effecte

His purchasing might not ben infect

Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas

And yit he semyd besyer than he was

That from the tyme of kyng william wer falle

Ther to he couth endite ⁊and make a thing

Ther coude no whight pynche at his writyng

And eủery statut couth he pleyne bi roote

Girt with a seint of silk with barres smale

Of his array telle I no lenger tale

A Frankeleyne was in that companye

Whight was his berde as is the dayissye

Wel loued he bi the morow a sop in wyne

To liven in delitte eủere was his wone

For he was Epiournes owne sone

That held opynyoıı̄un that pleyne delite

An housholder ⁊and that a gret was he

Senyt Iulian he was in his contre

His bred his ale was alweys aft̉er one

A bett̉er envyned man was nowher none

Of fissh ⁊and flessh ⁊and that so plentivous

It snewed in his hous of mete ⁊and drynke

Of alle deyntethis that men couth thinke

Aft̉er the sondry sesoıı̄uns of the yere

Ful many a fatt partrich had he mewe

And many a brem ⁊and many a luce in stuwe

Wo was his coke but his sauce were

Poynaıı̄unt ⁊and sharpe ⁊and redy al his gere

Stood redy coủered al the longe day

At sessioıı̄uns ther was lord ⁊and sire

Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire .

An analas ⁊and a gipser al of silke

A shreve had he ben ⁊and

Was nowher swich a worthi vauasour

An haburdasshere ⁊and a Carpentere

A Webbe a Dyere ⁊and a Tapecere

Of a solempne ⁊and a gret frat̉ernite

Ful fressh ⁊and newe here gere I piked was

Here knyvis nere chaped nought with bras

But al with silủere wrought ful clene ⁊and well

Wel semed ech of hem a faire burgeys

To sytten in a yeldhalle on a deys

Eủerich for the wisdom that he can

Was shaply for to ben an Alderman

And eke here wives wolde it wel assente

And ellis c̉erteyne thei were to blame

It is ful faire to be clepid madame

And gon to vigilies al byfore

A Cook thei hadde with hem for the nones

To boille the chikenes with the marie bones

And poudre marchānt tart ⁊and galyngale

Wel coude he knowe a draught of londoıı̄un ale

Maken mortreux ⁊and wel bake a pye

But gret harm was it a thoughte me

That on his shene a mormal hadde he

For blank manger that made he with the beste

For ought I woot he was of Dertemouthe

He rood vppon a rouncy as he couthe

In a gowne of faldyng to the kne

A dagger hangynge in a lace hadde he

The hote somer hadde made his huwe al brown

And c̉erteynly he was a good felawe

Ful many a draughte of wyn he hadde drawe

From Burdeux ward while the chapmen slepe

Iff that he faughte ⁊and hadde the higher honde

Biwat̉er he sente hem hom to eủery londe

But of his craft to riken wel his tydes

His stremes ⁊and his daunger him bisides

Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage

Hardy he was ⁊and wys to vndertake

With many a tempest had his berd be shake

He knewe alle the havenes as they were

And eủery Creke in Bretaigne ⁊and in Spayne

His barge clepid was the Mavdeleyne

With vs ther was a doctour of Phisike

In al this world ne was ther noon hīm like

For he was grounded in Astronomye

He kept his pacient a ful gret del

In houres bi his magik naturel

Wel couthe he fortune the ascendent

He knewe the cause of eủerych maladie

Were it of hoot or colde or moiste or drye

And where engendred ⁊and of what humour

He was a verry ꝑparfite practisour

Anon he yaff the sike man his bote

Ful redy hadde he his appoticaries

To sende hem drugges ⁊and his lettuaries

For ech of hem made other for to wynne

Wel knewe he the olde Escalapius

And discorides ⁊and eke Ruphus

Olde ypocras haly ⁊and Galyen

Serapion Razie ⁊and Avisen

Bernard Gatisdene ⁊and Gylbertyne

of his diete mesurable was he

For it was of no suꝑperfluyte

But of gret norsshing ⁊and digestible

In sangweyne ⁊and in pers he clad was al

Lyned with taffata ⁊and with sendal

And yit he was but esy of dispence

He kepte that he wan in pestilence

Therfore he loved gold in special .

A good wiff ther was of be side Bathe

But she was somdel deff ⁊and that was scathe

Of cloth makinge / she hadde swich an haunte

and in al the parissh wiff was ther noon

That to the offryng to forn hir shulde goon

And if ther ded c̉erteyne wroth was she

That she was owte of alle charite

I dorste swere they weyeden ten pounde

That on a sonday weren vppon hir hede

Hir hosyn weren of fyne scarlet rede

Ful streyte I tyede ⁊and shoos moiste ⁊and newe

She was a worthi woman al hir lyve

Housbondes at the chirch dore she hadde fyve

Withouten other companye in youthe

But ther of nedith nought to speke as nouthe

She hadde passid many a strange strem

At Rome she hadde ben ⁊and at Boloigne

In Galyce at seint Iame ⁊and at Coloigne

She couth mech on wandryng bi the weye

Vppon an ambler esily she satte

I wympled wel ⁊and on hir hede an hatte

As brood as is a bokeler or a targe

A foote mantel a bowte hir hepes large .

In felowship wel couth she laughe ⁊and carpe

Of remedies of love she knewe ꝑpar chaunce

For she couth of that arte the colde daunce

A good man ther was of religioıı̄un

But rich he was of holy thought ⁊and werk

He was also alerned man ⁊and a clerk

That cristis gospel truly wolde preche

His parisshyns deuoutly wolde he teche

And in adủersite ful pacient

And swich he was previd often sithes

Ful loth were him to cursen for his tithes

But rather wolde he yeven oute of doute

Of his offryng ⁊and of his substaunce

He couth in litel thing haue suffisaunce

Wide was his parissh ⁊and houses fer a sondre

But he ne laft nought for rayne ne thondre

The ferreste in his parisshe meche ⁊and lite

Vppon his feete ⁊and in his honde a staff

This noble ensample to his shepe he yaff

That first he wrought ⁊and aft̉er that he taughte

And this figure he addede eke ther to

That and yif gold ruste what shal Iren do .

For yf a preste be foule on whom we truste

No wonder is a lewde man to ruste

A shetyn shepherde ⁊and a clene shepe

Wel ought a preste ensample for to yeve

Bi his clennesse how that his shepe shulde live

He sette naught his bnfice to hire

And ran to london vn to seint Poules

To seke him a chauntrie for soules

Or with a britherhede / to ben witholde

But dwelte at hom ⁊and kepte wel his folde

He was a shepeherde ⁊and not a mercenarye

And though he holy were ⁊and v̉ertuous

He was nought to synful men dispitous

Ne of his speche dangerous ne digne

To drawen folk to heuen bi fairnesse

Bi good ensample this was his besynesse

But hit were ony ꝑparsoıı̄un obstinate

What so he were of high or lowe estate

A bett̉er preest I trowe that nowhere non es

He waytede after no pompe ⁊and reủerence

Ne maked him no spiced conscience

But cristis lore ⁊and his apostelis twelve

With him ther was a plowman was his brother

That hadde I ladde of donge ful many a fother

And a trewe swynker ⁊and a good was he

Livynge in pees ⁊and ꝑparfite charite

At alle tymes though he gamede or smerte

And than his neighebore right as him selve

He wolde thresshe ⁊and ther to dike ⁊and delve

For cristis sake for eủery poure whight

His tithes paied he ful faire ⁊and wel

Bothen of his propre swynke ⁊and his catel

In a Tabard he rood vppon a Mere

There was also a Reve ⁊and a Millere

A Maunciple ⁊and my selff ther were no mo

The Millere was a stoute carle for the nones

Ful bigg he was of brawne ⁊and of bones

That preved wel for oủeral thare he cam

He was short shuldred a thikke knarre

The was no dore but he wolde heve of barre

Or breke it at a rennyng with his hede

His berd as any sowe or fox was reede

Vppon the cop right of his nose haade

A werte ⁊and theron stood a tufte of heeris

Rede as the berstelis of a sowes Eris

His nose thrillis blak were ⁊and wide

His movthe as gret was / as a fourneys

He was a Iangler ⁊and a goliardeys

And that was most of synne ⁊and of harlotrie

Wel couthe he stele corn ⁊and tolle thrie

A whighte coote ⁊and a bliewe hood wered he

Abaggepipe wel couthe blowe ⁊and sown

And therwithal he brought vs owt of town

A gentil Maunciple was there of a temple

For to ben wise in biyng of vitaylle

For whethir he paiede or toke bi taylle

Algate he wayted so in his a chate

That he was ay aforn ⁊and in good estate

That swich a lewid mannys witte shal pace

The wisdom of an hepe of lernede men

Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten

That were of lawe expert ⁊and curious

Worthi to ben Stiwardes of rente ⁊and londe

Of any lord that is in al Ingelonde

To make him live with his ꝓpropre good

In honour detteles but yf that he were wood

And able for to helpen al a shire

In any caas that mighte falle or happe

And yit this maunciple sette ther alther cappe .

The Reve was a sclendir colorik man

His heer was bi his eeris ful rounde I shorne

His toppe was docked lik a preest bi forne

Ful longe were his legges ⁊and ful lene

I like a staff ther was no calff I sene

Ther was noon Auditour couthe on him wynne

Wel wiste he bi the droughthe ⁊and bi the reyne

The yeldyng of his seed ⁊and of his greyne

His lordis shepe his nete his dayerie

Was hooly in this reves goủernynge

And bi his couenaunt yaff the rikenynge

Syn that his lord was twenty yere of age

Ther couthe noman bringe him in arrerage

That he ne knewe his sleight ⁊and his covyne

They were adrad of him as of the deth

His wonynge was ful faire vppon an heth

With grene trees shadewed was his place

Ful riche he was a stored privily

His lord he couth wel plesen subtyly

To yive ⁊and lene him / of his owne good

And haue a thanke ⁊and yit a cote ⁊and hood

He was a wel good whrighte a carpenter

This Reve satte vppon a wel good stot

That was pomly grey ⁊and highte scot

A long surcote of peers vppon he hadde

Of Northfolk was this reve of which I telle

Biside a town men clepen it Bladeswelle

Tukked he was as is a frere a bowte

And eủere he rood the hyndereste of our rowte

That hadde a firy cherubynnes face

For savseflem he was with eyghen narwe

Als hoote he was ⁊and lecherous as a sparwe

With scalled browes blak ⁊and piled berde

Ther quyk siluer litarge or bremston

Boras orsure ne oyelle of tartre noon

Ne oynement that wolde clennce ⁊and bite

That him myghte helpe of his whelkes whighte

Wel loued he garlik oynons ⁊and eke lekes

And for to drinke stronge wyn reede as blood

Than wolde speke ⁊and crie as he were wood .

And whan he hadde wel dronken the wyne

Than wolde he speke no worde but latyne

A fewe t̉ermes hadde he two or thre

No wonder is he herde it all the day

And ek ye knowen it wel / how that a Iay

Can clepe watte / as wel as can the pope

But ho so couthe in other thing him grope .

Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crie

He was agentil harlot ⁊and a kynde

A better felowe shulde no men fynde

He wolde suffre for a quarte of wyn

A twelf moneth ⁊and excuse him atte fulle

Ful privily ek a fynch couthe he pulle

And yf he founde owher a good felawe

He wolde techyn him to haue noon awe

But yf mannys soule were in his purs

For in his purs he sholde punysshed be

Purs is the Archideknes helle seide he

But wel I woot he lyhede right in dede

For curs wol sle right as a soillyng savith

And also war him of a significauith

In daungere hadde he at his owne gyse

The yonge gerles of al the diocise

A garland hadde he sette / vppon his hede

As gret as it were for an ale stake

A bokeler hadde he made him of a cake

With him ther rood agentil ꝑpardoner

That streight was comen fro the court of Rome

Ful lowde songe he come hider love to me

This sōmpnour bar to him a stiff burdoıı̄un

Was neủere trompe of halff so gret a sown

But smowthe it heng as doth a strike of flax

Bi ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde

And therwith he his shildres oủerspradde

But thynne it lay bi culpons oon ⁊and oon

For it was trussed vp / in his walet

Him thoughte he rood al of the newe get

Discheuele saf his cappe he rood al bare

Swich glaryng eyghen hadde he as an hare

His walet biforn him in his lappe

Bret ful of ꝑpardoıı̄un comen fro Rome al hoote

A voys he hadde as smal as a goote

No berd hadde he ne neủere shulde haue

I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare

But of his crafft fro Berwyke in to ware

Ne was ther swich a nother Pardoner

For in his male he hadde a pelewber

He seide he hadde a gobet of the seylle

That seint Peter hadde whan that he wente

Vppon the see til ihu crist him hente

He hadde a croys of latoıı̄un ful of stones

But with these relikes whan that he fonde

A poure ꝑpersoıı̄un dwelling vppon londe

Vppon a day he gat him more moneye

Than the ꝑpersoıı̄un gat in monethis tweye

He made the ꝑperson ⁊and the peple his Apes

But trwly to tellen at the laste

He was in chirche a noble ecciaste

Wel couthe rede a lessoıı̄un or a story

For wel he wiste whan that song was songe

He moste preche ⁊and wel affile his tonge

To wynne seluer as he wel cowde

Ther fore he songe so merily ⁊and lowde

Thestate . the araye the nombre ⁊and eke the cause

Whi that assembled was this companye

In Suthwerk at this gentill hostrie

That highte the Tabard faste bi the belle

How that we beren vs that ilke night

Whan we were in that hostrie alight

And aft̉er wol I tellen of our viage

And al the remanent of our Pilgrimage

That ye ne rette it nought my vilonye

Though that I pleynly speke in this matere

To tellen here wordes ⁊and here chere

Ne though I speke here wordes ꝓpropurly

Who so shal tellen a tale aft̉er a man

He mot reherce as nyghe as eủere he can

Eủery worde yf it be in his charge

Al speke he neủere so rudely ⁊and large

Or feyne thinges or fynde wordes newe

He may nought spare al though he were his brother

He mote also wel seye o worde as a nother

Criste spak hīm silff ful brode in holy writte

Eke Plato seith whoso can him reede

The wordes mote be cosyn to the deede

Also I praye yow for yeve it me

Al haue I nought sette folk in here degre

My witte is short / ye may wel vndir stonde

Greet chere made our host to vs eủerychon

And to the soper sette he vs anoon .

And served vs with vitailles at the beste

A semly man our oost was with alle

For to ben a marchall in an halle .

A large man hewas with eyghen stepe

A fairer burgeys is noon in chepe

And of manhode him lakked right naughte .

Eke therto he was right a mery man

And aft̉er soper pleyen he bigan

And spak of merthe among ⁊and other thinges

And seide thus / Now lordynges trwely

Ye ben to me welcome right hertely

For bi my trouthe yf that I shal not lye

I saw not this yere so mery a companye

Fayne wolde I don yow merthe wiste I how

And of a merthe I am right now bi thought

To don yow ease ⁊and it shal coste yow nought

¶ Ye goon to Caunturbury god yow spede

And wel I woot as ye goon bi the weye

Ye shapen yow to talkyn ⁊and to pleye

For truly conforte ne merthe is noon

To riden bi the wey dombe as a stoon .

As I seide arst ⁊and don yow som conforte

And yf yow like alle bi oon assente

For to stonden at my iugemente

And for to werkyn as I shal yow seye

¶ Now bi my fader soule that is ded

But ye be merye I wol lese myn hed

Holde vp youre hondes withoute more speche

Oure counsaille was not longe for to seche

And graunted him withoute more advys

And bad him sey his verdite as him leste

Lordynges qd he now herkneth for the beste .

But take it nought I praie yow in disdeyne

That ech of yow to shorte with oure weye

In this viage shal telle talis tweye

To Caunturburyward I mene it so

And homwardes he shal telle other two

And which of yow that berith him best of alle

That is to seyn that tellith in this caas

Talis of best sentence ⁊and most solaas

Shal haue a soper at our alder coste

Whan that we comen ageyn fro Caunturbury

And for to make yow the more mery

I wol my silff goodly with yow ride

Right at myn owne coste ⁊and be your gyde

Shal pay al that we spende bi the weye

And yf ye vouchesaf that it be soo

Telle me a noon withouten wordes moo

And I wol erly shape me therfore

With ful glad herte ⁊and praied him also

That he wolde vouchesauff for to do soo .

And that he wolde be oure goủernour

And of oure talis Iugge ⁊and reportour .

And we wol rewled ben at his devys

In hygh ⁊and lough ⁊and this bi oon assente

We ben accorded to the Iuggemente

And ther vppon the wyn was fet anoon

Withouten eny lenger tariyng

Amorowe whan the day gan to spryng .

Vp roos oure oste ⁊and was oure alder cok

And gaderede vs to gyder in a flok .

Vn to the wateryng of seynt Thomas .

And there our hoste gan his hors areste

And seide lordes herkneth yf yow leste

Ye woot youre forward ⁊and I it wol recorde

Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale

As eủere mot y drynke wyn or ale

Who so be rebell to my Iuggement

Shal paie for al that bi the weye is spent .

Which hath the shorteste shal begynne .

°Sir knyght qduod he my maister ⁊and my lorde

Now drawith Cut for that is myn accorde

Cometh nere qduod he my lady prioresse

Ne studieth nought lay honde to eủery man

Anoon to drawe eủery whight bigan

And shortly for to tellen as it was

Were it bi auenture or sorte or cas

Of which ful blithe ⁊and glad was eủery whight

And tellen he moste his tale as it was resoıı̄un

Bi forward ⁊and by composicioıı̄un

As ye han herde what nedith wordes moo

As he that wys was ⁊and obedient

To kepen his forward bi his fre assent

He seide sitthen I shal bigynne the game

What welcome be the cut a goddes name

And with that word we reden forth our weie

And he bigan with right a mery chere

His tale anoon ⁊and seide as ye may here .

Here endith the prolog of this book

And next
folwith the knyghtis tale of Arcyte ⁊and Palamon