The General Prologue

1: Whan that aprill with his shoures soote 
2: The droghte of march hath perced to the roote, 
3: And bathed every veyne in swich licour 
4: Of which vertu engendred is the flour; 
5: Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth 
6: Inspired hath in every holt and heeth 
7: Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne 
8: Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne, 
9: And smale foweles maken melodye, 
10: That slepen al the nyght with open ye 
11: (so priketh hem nature in hir corages); 
12: Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, 
13: And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, 
14: To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; 
15: And specially from every shires ende 
16: Of engelond to caunterbury they wende, 
17: The hooly blisful martir for to seke, 
18: That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. 
19: Bifil that in that seson on a day, 
20: In southwerk at the tabard as I lay 
21: Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage 
22: To caunterbury with ful devout corage, 
23: At nyght was come into that hostelrye 
24: Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye, 
25: Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle 
26: In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle, 
27: That toward caunterbury wolden ryde. 
28: The chambres and the stables weren wyde, 
29: And wel we weren esed atte beste. 
30: And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, 
31: So hadde I spoken with hem everichon 
32: That I was of hir felaweshipe anon, 
33: And made forward erly for to ryse, 
34: To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse. 
35: But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space, 
36: Er that I ferther in this tale pace, 
37: Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun 
38: To telle yow al the condicioun 
39: Of ech of hem, so as it semed me, 
40: And whiche they weren, and of what degree, 
41: And eek in what array that they were inne; 
42: And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne. 
The Knight's Portrait
43: A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man, 
44: That fro the tyme that he first bigan 
45: To riden out, he loved chivalrie, 
46: Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie. 
47: Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre, 
48: And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre, 
49: As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse, 
50: And evere honoured for his worthynesse. 
51: At alisaundre he was whan it was wonne. 
52: Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne 
53: Aboven alle nacions in pruce; 
54: In lettow hadde he reysed and in ruce, 
55: No cristen man so ofte of his degree. 
56: In gernade at the seege eek hadde he be 
57: Of algezir, and riden in belmarye. 
58: At lyeys was he and at satalye, 
59: Whan they were wonne; and in the grete see 
60: At many a noble armee hadde he be. 
61: At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, 
62: And foughten for oure feith at tramyssene 
63: In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo. 
64: This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also 
65: Somtyme with the lord of palatye 
66: Agayn another hethen in turkye. 
67: And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys; 
68: And though that he were worthy, he was wys, 
69: And of his port as meeke as is a mayde. 
70: He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde 
71: In al his lyf unto no maner wight. 
72: He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght. 
73: But, for to tellen yow of his array, 
74: His hors were goode, but he was nat gay. 
75: Of fustian he wered a gypon 
76: Al bismotered with his habergeon, 
77: For he was late ycome from his viage, 
78: And wente for to doon his pilgrymage. 
The Squire's Portrait
79: With hym ther was his sone, a yong squier, 
80: A lovyere and a lusty bacheler, 
81: With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse. 
82: Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse. 
83: Of his stature he was of evene lengthe, 
84: And wonderly delyvere, and of greet strengthe. 
85: And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie 
86: In flaundres, in artoys, and pycardie, 
87: And born hym weel, as of so litel space, 
88: In hope to stonden in his lady grace. 
89: Embrouded was he, as it were a meede 
90: Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede. 
91: Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day; 
92: He was as fressh as is the month of may. 
93: Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde. 
94: Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde. 
95: He koude songes make and wel endite, 
96: Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write. 
97: So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale. 
98: He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale. 
99: Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable, 
100: And carf biforn his fader at the table. 
The Yeoman's Portrait
101: A yeman hadde he and servantz namo 
102: At that tyme, for hym liste ride so, 
103: And he was clad in cote and hood of grene. 
104: A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene, 
105: Under his belt he bar ful thriftily, 
106: (wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly: 
107: His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe) 
108: And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe. 
109: A not heed hadde he, with a broun visage. 
110: Of wodecraft wel koude he al the usage. 
111: Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer, 
112: And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler, 
113: And on that oother syde a gay daggere 
114: Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere; 
115: A cristopher on his brest of silver sheene. 
116: An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene; 
117: A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse. 
The Prioress' Portrait
118: Ther was also a nonne, a prioresse, 
119: That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy; 
120: Hire gretteste ooth was but by seinte loy; 
121: And she was cleped madame eglentyne. 
122: Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne, 
123: Entuned in hir nose ful semely, 
124: And frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly, 
125: After the scole of stratford atte bowe, 
126: For frenssh of parys was to hire unknowe. 
127: At mete wel ytaught was she with alle: 
128: She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, 
129: Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe; 
130: Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe 
131: That no drope ne fille upon hire brest. 
132: In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest. 
133: Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene 
134: That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene 
135: Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte. 
136: Ful semely after hir mete she raughte. 
137: And sikerly she was of greet desport, 
138: And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port, 
139: And peyned hire to countrefete cheere 
140: Of court, and to been estatlich of manere, 
141: And to ben holden digne of reverence. 
142: But, for to speken of hire conscience, 
143: She was so charitable and so pitous 
144: She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous 
145: Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. 
146: Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde 
147: With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed. 
148: But soore wepte she if oon of hem were deed, 
149: Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte; 
150: And al was conscience and tendre herte. 
151: Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was, 
152: Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas, 
153: Hir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed; 
154: But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed; 
155: It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe; 
156: For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe. 
157: Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war. 
158: Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar 
159: A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene, 
160: And theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene, 
161: On which ther was first write a crowned a, 
162: And after amor vincit omnia. 
The Second Nun's Portrait
163: Another nonne with hire hadde she, 
164: That was hir chapeleyne, and preestes thre. 
The Monk's Portrait
165: A monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie, 
166: An outridere, that lovede venerie, 
167: A manly man, to been an abbot able. 
168: Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable, 
169: And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere 
170: Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere 
171: And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle. 
172: Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle, 
173: The reule of seint maure or of seint beneit, 
174: By cause that it was old and somdel streit 
175: This ilke monk leet olde thynges pace, 
176: And heeld after the newe world the space. 
177: He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen, 
178: That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men, 
179: Ne that a monk, whan he is recchelees, 
180: Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees, -- 
181: This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre. 
182: But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre; 
183: And I seyde his opinion was good. 
184: What sholde he studie and make hymselven wood, 
185: Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure, 
186: Or swynken with his handes, and laboure, 
187: As austyn bit? how shal the world be served? 
188: Lat austyn have his swynk to hym reserved! 
189: Therfore he was a prikasour aright: 
190: Grehoundes he hadde as swift as fowel in flight; 
191: Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare 
192: Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare. 
193: I seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond 
194: With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond; 
195: And, for to festne his hood under his chyn, 
196: He hadde of gold ywroght a ful curious pyn; 
197: A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was. 
198: His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas, 
199: And eek his face, as he hadde been enoynt. 
200: He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt; 
201: His eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed, 
202: That stemed as a forneys of a leed; 
203: His bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat. 
204: Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat; 
205: He was nat pale as a forpyned goost. 
206: A fat swan loved he best of any roost. 
207: His palfrey was as broun as is a berye. 
The Friar's Portrait
208: A frere ther was, a wantowne and a merye, 
209: A lymytour, a ful solempne man. 
210: In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan 
211: So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage. 
212: He hadde maad ful many a mariage 
213: Of yonge wommen at his owene cost. 
214: Unto his ordre he was a noble post. 
215: Ful wel biloved and famulier was he 
216: With frankeleyns over al in his contree, 
217: And eek with worthy wommen of the toun; 
218: For he hadde power of confessioun, 
219: As seyde hymself, moore than a curat, 
220: For of his ordre he was licenciat. 
221: Ful swetely herde he confessioun, 
222: And plesaunt was his absolucioun: 
223: He was an esy man to yeve penaunce, 
224: Ther as he wiste to have a good pitaunce. 
225: For unto a povre ordre for to yive 
226: Is signe that a man is wel yshryve; 
227: For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt, 
228: He wiste that a man was repentaunt; 
229: For many a man so hard is of his herte, 
230: He may nat wepe, althogh hym soore smerte. 
231: Therfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres 
232: Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres. 
233: His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves 
234: And pynnes, for to yeven faire wyves. 
235: And certeinly he hadde a murye note: 
236: Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rote; 
237: Of yeddynges he baar outrely the pris. 
238: His nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys; 
239: Therto he strong was as a champioun. 
240: He knew the tavernes wel in every toun 
241: And everich hostiler and tappestere 
242: Bet than a lazar or a beggestere; 
243: For unto swich a worthy man as he 
244: Acorded nat, as by his facultee, 
245: To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce. 
246: It is nat honest, it may nat avaunce, 
247: For to deelen with no swich poraille, 
248: But al with riche and selleres of vitaille. 
249: And over al, ther as profit sholde arise, 
250: Curteis he was and lowely of servyse. 
251: Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous. 
252: He was the beste beggere in his hous; 
252.1: (and yaf a certeyne ferme for the graunt; 
252.2: Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt;) 
253: For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho, 
254: So plesaunt was his in principio, 
255: Yet wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente. 
256: His purchas was wel bettre than his rente. 
257: And rage he koude, as it were right a whelp. 
258: In love-dayes ther koude he muchel help, 
259: For ther he was nat lyk a cloysterer 
260: With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler, 
261: But he was lyk a maister or a pope. 
262: Of double worstede was his semycope, 
263: That rounded as a belle out of the presse. 
264: Somwhat he lipsed, for his wantownesse, 
265: To make his englissh sweete upon his tonge; 
266: And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe, 
267: His eyen twynkled in his heed aryght, 
268: As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght. 
269: This worthy lymytour was cleped huberd. 
The Merchant's Portrait
270: A marchant was ther with a forked berd, 
271: In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat; 
272: Upon his heed a flaundryssh bever hat, 
273: His bootes clasped faire and fetisly. 
274: His resons he spak ful solempnely, 
275: Sownynge alwey th' encrees of his wynnyng. 
276: He wolde the see were kept for any thyng 
277: Bitwixe middelburgh and orewelle. 
278: Wel koude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle. 
279: This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette: 
280: Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette, 
281: So estatly was he of his governaunce 
282: With his bargaynes and with his chevyssaunce. 
283: For sothe he was a worthy man with alle, 
284: But, sooth to seyn, I noot how men hym calle. 
The Clerk's Portrait
285: A clerk ther was of oxenford also, 
286: That unto logyk hadde longe ygo. 
287: As leene was his hors as is a rake, 
288: And he nas nat right fat, I undertake, 
289: But looked holwe, and therto sobrely. 
290: Ful thredbare was his overeste courtepy; 
291: For he hadde geten hym yet no benefice, 
292: Ne was so worldly for to have office. 
293: For hym was levere have at his beddes heed 
294: Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed, 
295: Of aristotle and his philosophie, 
296: Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie. 
297: But al be that he was a philosophre, 
298: Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre; 
299: But al that he myghte of his freendes hente, 
300: On bookes and on lernynge he it spente, 
301: And bisily gan for the soules preye 
302: Of hem that yaf hym wherwith to scoleye. 
303: Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede, 
304: Noght o word spak he moore than was neede, 
305: And that was seyd in forme and reverence, 
306: And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence; 
307: Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche, 
308: And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche. 
The The MAn of Law's Portrait
309: A sergeant of the lawe, war and wys, 
310: That often hadde been at the parvys, 
311: Ther was also, ful riche of excellence. 
312: Discreet he was and of greet reverence -- 
313: He semed swich, his wordes weren so wise. 
314: Justice he was ful often in assise, 
315: By patente and by pleyn commissioun. 
316: For his science and for his heigh renoun, 
317: Of fees and robes hadde he many oon. 
318: So greet a purchasour was nowher noon: 
319: Al was fee symple to hym in effect; 
320: His purchasyng myghte nat been infect. 
321: Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas, 
322: And yet he semed bisier than he was. 
323: In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle 
324: That from the tyme of kyng william were falle. 
325: Therto he koude endite, and make a thyng, 
326: Ther koude no wight pynche at his writyng; 
327: And every statut koude he pleyn by rote. 
328: He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote. 
329: Girt with a ceint of silk, with barres smale; 
330: Of his array telle I no lenger tale. 
The Franklin's Portrait
331: A frankeleyn was in his compaignye. 
332: Whit was his berd as is the dayesye; 
333: Of his complexioun he was sangwyn. 
334: Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn; 
335: To lyven in delit was evere his wone, 
336: For he was epicurus owene sone, 
337: That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit 
338: Was verray felicitee parfit. 
339: An housholdere, and that a greet, was he; 
340: Seint julian he was in his contree. 
341: His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon; 
342: A bettre envyned man was nowher noon. 
343: Withoute bake mete was nevere his hous 
344: Of fissh and flessh, and that so plentevous, 
345: It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke, 
346: Of alle deyntees that men koude thynke. 
347: After the sondry sesons of the yeer, 
348: So chaunged he his mete and his soper. 
349: Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in muwe, 
350: And many a breem and many a luce in stuwe. 
351: Wo was his cook but if his sauce were 
352: Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geere. 
353: His table dormant in his halle alway 
354: Stood redy covered al the longe day. 
355: At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire; 
356: Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire. 
357: An anlaas and a gipser al of silk 
358: Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk. 
359: A shirreve hadde he been, and a contour. 
360: Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour. 
The Guildsmen's Portrait
361: An haberdasshere and a carpenter, 
362: A webbe, a dyere, and a tapycer, -- 
363: And they were clothed alle in o lyveree 
364: Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee. 
365: Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was; 
366: Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras 
367: But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel 
368: Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel. 
369: Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys 
370: To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys. 
371: Everich, for the wisdom that he kan, 
372: Was shaply for to been an alderman. 
373: For catel hadde they ynogh and rente, 
374: And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente; 
375: And elles certeyn were they to blame. 
376: It is ful fair to been ycleped madame, 
377: And goon to vigilies al bifore, 
378: And have a mantel roialliche ybore. 
The Cook's Portrait
379: A cook they hadde with hem for the nones 
380: To boille the chiknes with the marybones, 
381: And poudre-marchant tart and galyngale. 
382: Wel koude he knowe a draughte of londoun ale. 
383: He koude rooste, and sethe, and broille, and frye, 
384: Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye. 
385: But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me, 
386: That on his shyne a mormal hadde he. 
387: For blankmanger, that made he with the beste. 
The Shipman's Portrait
388: A shipman was ther, wonynge fer by weste; 
389: For aught I woot, he was of dertemouthe. 
390: He rood upon a rounce, as he kouthe, 
391: In a gowne of faldyng to the knee. 
392: A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he 
393: Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun. 
394: The hoote somer hadde maad his hewe al broun; 
395: And certeinly he was a good felawe. 
396: Ful many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe 
397: Fro burdeux-ward, whil that the chapmen sleep. 
398: Of nyce conscience took he no keep. 
399: If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond, 
400: By water he sente hem hoom to every lond. 
401: But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes, 
402: His stremes, and his daungers hym bisides, 
403: His herberwe, and his moone, his lodemenage, 
404: Ther nas noon swich from hulle to cartage. 
405: Hardy he was and wys to undertake; 
406: With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake. 
407: He knew alle the havenes, as they were, 
408: Fro gootlond to the cape of fynystere, 
409: And every cryke in britaigne and in spayne. 
410: His barge ycleped was the maudelayne. 
The Physician's Portrait
411: With us ther was a doctour of phisik; 
412: In al this world ne was the noon hym lik, 
413: To speke of phisik and of surgerye 
414: For he was grounded in astronomye. 
415: He kepte his pacient a ful greet deel 
416: In houres by his magyk natureel. 
417: Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent 
418: Of his ymages for his pacient. 
419: He knew the cause of everich maladye, 
420: Were it of hoot, or coold, or moyste, or drye, 
421: And where they engendred, and of what humour. 
422: He was a verray, parfit praktisour: 
423: The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote, 
424: Anon he yaf the sike man his boote. 
425: Ful redy hadde he his apothecaries 
426: To sende hym drogges and his letuaries, 
427: For ech of hem made oother for to wynne -- 
428: Hir frendshipe nas nat newe to bigynne. 
429: Wel knew he the olde esculapius, 
430: And deyscorides, and eek rufus, 
431: Olde ypocras, haly, and galyen, 
432: Serapion, razis, and avycen, 
433: Averrois, damascien, and constantyn, 
434: Bernard, and gatesden, and gilbertyn. 
435: Of his diete mesurable was he, 
436: For it was of no superfluitee, 
437: But of greet norissyng and digestible. 
438: His studie was but litel on the bible. 
439: In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al, 
440: Lyned with taffata and with sendal; 
441: And yet he was but esy of dispence; 
442: He kepte that he wan in pestilence. 
443: For gold in phisik is a cordial, 
444: Therefore he lovede gold in special. 
The Wife of Bath's Portrait
445: A good wif was ther of biside bathe, 
446: But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe. 
447: Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt, 
448: She passed hem of ypres and of gaunt. 
449: In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon 
450: That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon; 
451: And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she, 
452: That she was out of alle charitee. 
453: Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground; 
454: I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound 
455: That on a sonday weren upon hir heed. 
456: Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed, 
457: Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe. 
458: Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe. 
459: She was a worthy womman al hir lyve: 
460: Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve, 
461: Withouten oother compaignye in youthe, -- 
462: But therof nedeth nat to speke as nowthe. 
463: And thries hadde she been at jerusalem; 
464: She hadde passed many a straunge strem; 
465: At rome she hadde been, and at boloigne, 
466: In galice at seint-jame, and at coloigne. 
467: She koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye. 
468: Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye. 
469: Upon an amblere esily she sat, 
470: Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat 
471: As brood as is a bokeler or a targe; 
472: A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large, 
473: And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe. 
474: In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe. 
475: Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce, 
476: For she koude of that art the olde daunce. 
The Parson's Portrait
477: A good man was ther of religioun, 
478: And was a povre persoun of a toun, 
479: But riche he was of hooly thoght and werk. 
480: He was also a lerned man, a clerk, 
481: That cristes gospel trewely wolde preche; 
482: His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche. 
483: Benygne he was, and wonder diligent, 
484: And in adversitee ful pacient, 
485: And swich he was ypreved ofte sithes. 
486: Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes, 
487: But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute, 
488: Unto his povre parisshens aboute 
489: Of his offryng and eek of his substaunce. 
490: He koude in litel thyng have suffisaunce. 
491: Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer asonder, 
492: But he ne lefte nat, for reyn ne thonder, 
493: In siknesse nor in meschief to visite 
494: The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite, 
495: Upon his feet, and in his hand a staf. 
496: This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf, 
497: That first he wroghte, and afterward he taughte. 
498: Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte, 
499: And this figure he added eek therto, 
500: That if gold ruste, what shal iren do? 
501: For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, 
502: No wonder is a lewed man to ruste; 
503: And shame it is, if a prest take keep, 
504: A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep. 
505: Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yive, 
506: By his clennesse, how that his sheep sholde lyve. 
507: He sette nat his benefice to hyre 
508: And leet his sheep encombred in the myre 
509: And ran to londoun unto seinte poules 
510: To seken hym a chaunterie for soules, 
511: Or with a bretherhed to been withholde; 
512: But dwelte at hoom, and kepte wel his folde, 
513: So that the wolf ne made it nat myscarie; 
514: He was a shepherde and noght a mercenarie. 
515: And though he hooly were and vertuous, 
516: He was to synful men nat despitous, 
517: Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne, 
518: But in his techyng discreet and benygne. 
519: To drawen folk to hevene by fairnesse, 
520: By good ensample, this was his bisynesse. 
521: But it were any persone obstinat, 
522: What so he were, of heigh or lough estat, 
523: Hym wolde he snybben sharply for the nonys. 
524: A bettre preest I trowe that nowher noon ys. 
525: He waited after no pompe and reverence, 
526: Ne maked him a spiced conscience, 
527: But cristes loore and his apostles twelve 
528: He taughte, but first he folwed it hymselve. 
The Plowman's Portrait
529: With hym ther was a plowman, was his brother, 
530: That hadde ylad of dong ful many a fother; 
531: A trewe swynkere and a good was he, 
532: Lyvynge in pees and parfit charitee. 
533: God loved he best with al his hoole herte 
534: At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte, 
535: And thanne his neighebor right as hymselve. 
536: He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve, 
537: For cristes sake, for every povre wight, 
538: Withouten hire, if it lay in his myght. 
539: His tithes payde he ful faire and wel, 
540: Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel. 
541: In a tabard he rood upon a mere. 
542: Ther was also a reve, and a millere, 
543: A somnour, and a pardoner also, 
544: A maunciple, and myself -- ther were namo. 
The Miller's Portrait
545: The millere was a stout carl for the nones; 
546: Ful byg he was of brawn, and eek of bones. 
547: That proved wel, for over al ther he cam, 
548: At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram. 
549: He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre; 
550: Ther was no dore that he nolde heve of harre, 
551: Or breke it at a rennyng with his heed. 
552: His berd as any sowe or fox was reed, 
553: And therto brood, as though it were a spade. 
554: Upon the cop right of his nose he hade 
555: A werte, and theron stood a toft of herys, 
556: Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys; 
557: His nosethirles blake were and wyde. 
558: A swerd and bokeler bar he by his syde. 
559: His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys. 
560: He was a janglere and a goliardeys, 
561: And that was moost of synne and harlotries. 
562: Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thries; 
563: And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee. 
564: A whit cote and a blew hood wered he. 
565: A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne, 
566: And therwithal he broghte us out of towne. 
The Manciple's Portrait
567: A gentil maunciple was ther of a temple, 
568: Of which achatours myghte take exemple 
569: For to be wise in byynge of vitaille; 
570: For wheither that he payde or took by taille, 
571: Algate he wayted so in his achaat 
572: That he was ay biforn and in good staat. 
573: Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace 
574: That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace 
575: The wisdom of an heep of lerned men? 
576: Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten, 
577: That weren of lawe expert and curious, 
578: Of which ther were a duszeyne in that hous 
579: Worthy to been stywardes of rente and lond 
580: Of any lord that is in engelond, 
581: To make hym lyve by his propre good 
582: In honour dettelees (but if he were wood), 
583: Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desire; 
584: And able for to helpen al a shire 
585: In any caas that myghte falle or happe; 
586: And yet this manciple sette hir aller cappe. 
The Reeve's Portrait
587: The reve was a sclendre colerik man. 
588: His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan; 
589: His heer was by his erys ful round yshorn; 
590: His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn 
591: Ful longe were his legges and ful lene, 
592: Ylyk a staf, ther was no calf ysene. 
593: Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne; 
594: Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne. 
595: Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn 
596: The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn. 
597: His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye, 
598: His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye 
599: Was hoolly in this reves governynge, 
600: And by his covenant yaf the rekenynge, 
601: Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age. 
602: Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage. 
603: Ther nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne, 
604: That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne; 
605: They were adrad of hym as of the deeth. 
606: His wonyng was ful faire upon an heeth; 
607: With grene trees yshadwed was his place. 
608: He koude bettre than his lord purchace. 
609: Ful riche he was astored pryvely: 
610: His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly, 
611: To yeve and lene hym of his owene good, 
612: And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood. 
613: In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster; 
614: He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. 
615: This reve sat upon a ful good stot, 
616: That was al pomely grey and highte scot. 
617: A long surcote of pers upon he hade, 
618: And by his syde he baar a rusty blade. 
619: Of northfolk was this reve of which I telle, 
620: Biside a toun men clepen baldeswelle. 
621: Tukked he was as is a frere aboute, 
622: And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route. 
The Summoner's Portrait
623: A somonour was ther with us in that place, 
624: That hadde a fyr-reed cherubynnes face, 
625: For saucefleem he was, with eyen narwe. 
626: As hoot he was and lecherous as a sparwe, 
627: With scalled browes blake and piled berd. 
628: Of his visage children were aferd. 
629: Ther nas quyk-silver, lytarge, ne brymstoon, 
630: Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon; 
631: Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte, 
632: That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes white, 
633: Nor of the knobbes sittynge on his chekes. 
634: Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes, 
635: And for to drynken strong wyn, reed as blood; 
636: Thanne wolde he speke and crie as he were wood. 
637: And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn, 
638: Thanne wolde he speke no word but latyn. 
639: A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre, 
640: That he had lerned out of som decree -- 
641: No wonder is, he herde it al the day; 
642: And eek ye knowen wel how that a jay 
643: Kan clepen watte as wel as kan the pope. 
644: But whoso koude in oother thyng hym grope, 
645: Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophie; 
646: Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crie. 
647: He was a gentil harlot and a kynde; 
648: A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde. 
649: He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn 
650: A good felawe to have his concubyn 
651: A twelf month, and excuse hym atte fulle; 
652: Ful prively a fynch eek koude he pulle. 
653: And if he foond owher a good felawe, 
654: He wolde techen him to have noon awe 
655: In swich caas of the ercedekenes curs, 
656: But if a mannes soule were in his purs; 
657: For in his purs he sholde ypunysshed be. 
658: Purs is the ercedekenes helle, seyde he. 
659: But wel I woot he lyed right in dede; 
660: Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man him drede, 
661: For curs wol slee right as assoillyng savith, 
662: And also war hym of a significavit. 
663: In daunger hadde he at his owene gise 
664: The yonge girles of the diocise, 
665: And knew hir conseil, and was al hir reed. 
666: A gerland hadde he set upon his heed 
667: As greet as it were for an ale-stake. 
668: A bokeleer hadde he maad hym of a cake. 
The Pardoner's Portrait
669: With hym ther rood a gentil pardoner 
670: Of rouncivale, his freend and his compeer, 
671: That streight was comen fro the court of rome. 
672: Ful loude he soong com hider, love, to me! 
673: This somonour bar to hym a stif burdoun; 
674: Was nevere trompe of half so greet a soun. 
675: This pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex, 
676: But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex; 
677: By ounces henge his lokkes that he hadde, 
678: And therwith he his shuldres overspradde; 
679: But thynne it lay, by colpons oon and oon. 
680: But hood, for jolitee, wered he noon, 
681: For it was trussed up in his walet. 
682: Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet; 
683: Dischevelee, save his cappe, he rood al bare. 
684: Swiche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare. 
685: A vernycle hadde he sowed upon his cappe. 
686: His walet lay biforn hym in his lappe, 
687: Bretful of pardoun, comen from rome al hoot. 
688: A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot. 
689: No berd hadde he, ne nevere sholde have; 
690: As smothe it was as it were late shave. 
691: I trowe he were a geldyng or a mare. 
692: But of his craft, fro berwyk into ware, 
693: Ne was ther swich another pardoner 
694: For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer, 
695: Which that he seyde was oure lady veyl: 
696: He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl 
697: That seint peter hadde, whan that he wente 
698: Upon the see, til jhesu crist hym hente. 
699: He hadde a croys of latoun ful of stones, 
700: And in a glas he hadde pigges bones. 
701: But with thise relikes, whan that he fond 
702: A povre person dwellynge upon lond, 
703: Upon a day he gat hym moore moneye 
704: Than that the person gat in monthes tweye; 
705: And thus, with feyned flaterye and japes, 
706: He made the person and the peple his apes. 
707: But trewely to tellen atte laste, 
708: He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste. 
709: Wel koude he rede a lessoun or a storie, 
710: But alderbest he song an offertorie; 
711: For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe, 
712: He moste preche and wel affile his tonge 
713: To wynne silver, as he ful wel koude; 
714: Therefore he song the murierly and loude. 
715: Now have I toold you soothly, in a clause, 
716: Th' estaat, th' array, the nombre, and eek the cause 
717: Why that assembled was this compaignye 
718: In southwerk at this gentil hostelrye 
719: That highte the tabard, faste by the belle. 
720: But now is tyme to yow for to telle 
721: How that we baren us that ilke nyght, 
722: Whan we were in that hostelrie alyght; 
723: And after wol I telle of our viage 
724: And al the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage. 
725: But first I pray yow, of youre curteisye, 
726: That ye n' arette it nat my vileynye, 
727: Thogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere, 
728: To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere, 
729: Ne thogh I speke hir wordes proprely. 
730: For this ye knowen al so wel as I, 
731: Whoso shal telle a tale after a man, 
732: He moot reherce as ny as evere he kan 
733: Everich a word, if it be in his charge, 
734: Al speke he never so rudeliche and large, 
735: Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe, 
736: Or feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe. 
737: He may nat spare, althogh he were his brother; 
738: He moot as wel seye o word as another. 
739: Crist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ, 
740: And wel ye woot no vileynye is it. 
741: Eek plato seith, whoso that kan hym rede, 
742: The wordes moote be cosyn to the dede. 
743: Also I prey yow to foryeve it me, 
744: Al have I nat set folk in hir degree 
745: Heere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde. 
746: My wit is short, ye may wel understonde. 
747: Greet chiere made oure hoost us everichon, 
748: And to the soper sette he us anon. 
749: He served us with vitaille at the beste; 
750: Strong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste. 
751: A semely man oure hooste was withalle 
752: For to han been a marchal in an halle. 
753: A large man he was with eyen stepe -- 
754: A fairer burgeys is ther noon in chepe -- 
755: Boold of his speche, and wys, and wel ytaught, 
756: And of manhod hym lakkede right naught. 
757: Eek therto he was right a myrie man, 
758: And after soper pleyen he bigan, 
759: And spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges, 
760: Whan that we hadde maad oure rekenynges, 
761: And seyde thus: now, lordynges, trewely, 
762: Ye been to me right welcome, hertely; 
763: For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye, 
764: I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye 
765: Atones in this herberwe as is now. 
766: Fayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how. 
767: And of a myrthe I am right now bythoght, 
768: To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght. 
769: Ye goon to caunterbury -- God yow speede, 
770: The blisful martir quite yow youre meede! 
771: And wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye, 
772: Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye; 
773: For trewely, confort ne myrthe is noon 
774: To ride by the weye doumb as a stoon; 
775: And therfore wol I maken yow disport, 
776: As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort. 
777: And if yow liketh alle by oon assent 
778: For to stonden at my juggement, 
779: And for to werken as I shal yow seye, 
780: To-morwe, whan ye riden by the weye, 
781: Now, by my fader soule that is deed, 
782: But ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed! 
783: Hoold up youre hondes, withouten moore speche. 
784: Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche. 
785: Us thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys, 
786: And graunted hym withouten moore avys, 
787: And bad him seye his voirdit as hym leste. 
788: Lordynges, quod he, now herkneth for the beste; 
789: But taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn. 
790: This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, 
791: That ech of yow, to shorte with oure weye, 
792: In this viage shal telle tales tweye 
793: To caunterbury-ward, I mene it so, 
794: And homward he shal tellen othere two, 
795: Of aventures that whilom han bifalle. 
796: And which of yow that bereth hym best of alle, 
797: That is to seyn, that telleth in this caas 
798: Tales of best sentence and moost solaas, 
799: Shal have a soper at oure aller cost 
800: Heere in this place, sittynge by this post, 
801: Whan that we come agayn fro caunterbury. 
802: And for to make yow the moore mury, 
803: I wol myselven goodly with yow ryde, 
804: Right at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde, 
805: And whoso wole my juggement withseye 
806: Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye. 
807: And if ye vouche sauf that it be so, 
808: Tel me anon, withouten wordes mo, 
809: And I wol erly shape me therfore. 
810: This thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore 
811: With ful glad herte, and preyden hym also 
812: That he wolde vouche sauf for to do so, 
813: And that he wolde been oure governour, 
814: And oure tales juge and reportour, 
815: And sette a soper at a certeyn pris, 
816: And we wol reuled been at his devys 
817: In heigh and lough; and thus by oon assent 
818: We been acorded to his juggement. 
819: And therupon the wyn was fet anon; 
820: We dronken, and to reste wente echon, 
821: Withouten any lenger taryynge. 
822: Amorwe, whan that day bigan to sprynge, 
823: Up roos oure hoost, and was oure aller cok, 
824: And gradrede us togidre alle in a flok, 
825: And forth we riden a litel moore than paas 
826: Unto the wateryng of seint thomas; 
827: And there oure hoost bigan his hors areste 
828: And seyde, lordynges, herkneth, if yow leste. 
829: Ye woot youre foreward, and I it yow recorde. 
830: If even-song and morwe-song accorde, 
831: Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale. 
832: As evere mote I drynke wyn or ale, 
833: Whoso be rebel to my juggement 
834: Shal paye for al that by the wey is spent. 
835: Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne; 
836: He which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne. 
837: Sire knyght, quod he, my mayster and my lord, 
838: Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord. 
839: Cometh neer, quod he, my lady prioresse. 
840: And ye, sire clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse, 
841: Ne studieth noght; ley hond to, every man! 
842: Anon to drawen every wight bigan, 
843: And shortly for to tellen as it was, 
844: Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas, 
845: The sothe is this, the cut fil to the knyght, 
846: Of which ful blithe and glad was every wyght, 
847: And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun, 
848: By foreward and by composicioun, 
849: As ye han herd; what nedeth wordes mo? 
850: And whan this goode man saugh that it was so, 
851: As he that wys was and obedient 
852: To kepe his foreward by his free assent, 
853: He seyde, syn I shal bigynne the game, 
854: What, welcome be the cut, a goddes name! 
855: Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye. 
856: And with that word we ryden forth oure weye, 
857: And he bigan with right a myrie cheere 
858: His tale anon, and seyde as ye may heere.
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