HERE THE MAKER OF THIS BOOK TAKES HIS LEAVE 

Now do I pray all those who hear this little treatise,
or read it, that, if there be within it anything that
pleases them, they thank Our Lord Jesus Christ, 
from Whom proceeds all understanding and all
goodness. And if there be anything that displeases 
them, I pray them, also, that they impute it to the 
fault of my ignorance and not to my intention, which 
would fain have better said if I had had knowledge. 
For our Book says, "All that is written is written for
our instruction;" and that was my intention. 
Wherefore I meekly beseech you that, for the sake
of God's mercy, you pray for me that Christ have 
mercy upon me and forgive me my trespasses and
especially for my translations and the writing of worldly
vanities, the which I withdraw in my retractations: as, 
The Book of Troilus; also The Book of Fame; The Book 
of the Nineteen Ladies; The Book of the Duchess;
The Book of Saint Valentine's Day, Of the Parliament
of Birds; The Tales of Canterbury, those that tend
toward sin; The Book of the Lion; and many another
book, were they in my remembrance; and many a 
song and many a lecherous lay,- as to which may 
Christ, of His great mercy, forgive me the sin. But 
for the translation of Boethius's de Consolatione, 
and other books of legends of saints, and homilies,
and of morality and devotion- for those I thank Our 
Lord Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother and all
the saints of Heaven; beseeching them that they,
henceforth unto my life's end, send me grace 
whereof to bewail my sins, and to study for the 
salvation of my soul:- and grant me the grace of 
true penitence, confession, and expiation in this
present life; through the benign grace of Him 
Who is King of kings and Priest over all priests,
Who redeemed us with the precious blood of 
His heart; so that I may be one of those, at the
day of doom, that shall be saved: Qui cum patre, etc. 

HERE ENDS THE BOOK OF THE TALES OF 
CANTERBURY, WRITTEN BY GEOFFREY 
CHAUCER, ON WHOSE SOUL MAY JESUS 
CHRIST HAVE MERCY. AMEN. 

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