But albe that he was a philosopher,
Yet hadde he but little gold in coffer,
But all that he might of his friendès hent,"
On bookes and his learning he it spent,
And busily 10 gan for the soulés pray
Of hem, that gave him wherewith to scolay";
Of study took he most cure and most heed.
Yet hadde he but little gold in coffer,
But all that he might of his friendès hent,"
On bookes and his learning he it spent,
And busily 10 gan for the soulés pray
Of hem, that gave him wherewith to scolay";
Of study took he most cure and most heed.
Warner - World's Best Literature - v06 - Cal to Chr
Much the largest proportion of his
greatest work is written in that measure. Yet in spite of his exam-
ple, it found for two centuries comparatively few imitators.
It was
not till the end of the sixteenth century that the measure started on
a new course of life, and entered upon the great part it has since
played in English versification.
The most important of what are sometimes called the minor
works of Chaucer are the 'Parliament of Fowls,' the 'House of
Fame,' 'Troilus and Cressida,' and the 'Legend of Good Women. '
These are all favorable examples of his genius. But however good
they may be in particular portions and in particular respects, in gen-
eral excellence they yield place unquestionably to the Canterbury
Tales. ' It seems to have been very clearly the intention of the poet
to embody in this crowning achievement of his literary life every-
thing in the shape of a story he had already composed or was pur-
posing to compose. Two of the pieces, the love of Palamon and
Arcite and the Life of St. Cecilia, as we know from the words of
his already quoted, had appeared long before. The plan of the work
itself was most happily conceived; and in spite of most painstaking
efforts to find an original for it or suggestion of it somewhere else,
there seems no sufficient reason for doubting that the poet himself
was equal to the task of having devised it. No one certainly can
question the felicity with which the framework for embodying the
tales was constructed. All ranks and classes of society are brought
together in the company of pilgrims who assemble at the Tabard
Inn at Southwark to ride to the shrine of the saint at Canterbury.
The military class is represented By the Knight, belonging to the
highest order of the nobility, his son the Squire, and his retainer the
Yeoman; the church by the Abbot, the Friar, the Parson, the Pri-
oress with her attendant Nun, and the three accompanying Priests,
## p. 3562 (#544) ###########################################
3562
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
and less distinctly by the Scholar, the Clerk of Oxford, and by the
Pardoner and the Summoner. For the other professions are the
Doctor of Physic and the Serjeant of Law; for the middle-class land-
holders the Franklin; and for the various crafts and occupations the
Haberdasher, the Carpenter, the Weaver, the Dyer, the Upholsterer,
the Cook, the Ploughman, the Sailor, the Reeve, the Manciple, and
(joining the party in the course of the pilgrimage) the assistant of
the alchemist, who is called the Canon's Yeoman. Into the mouths
of these various personages were to be put tales befitting their char-
acter and condition. Consequently there was ample space for stories
of chivalry, of religion, of love, of magic, and in truth of every
aspect of social life in all its highest and lowest manifestations.
Between the tales themselves were connecting links, in which the
poet had the opportunity to give an account of the incidents that
took place on the pilgrimage, the critical opinions expressed by the
hearers of what had been told, and the disputes and quarrels that
went on between the various members of the party. So far as this
portion of his plan was finished, these connecting links furnish some
of the most striking passages in the work. In one of them - the
prologue to the Wife of Bath's Tale- the genius of the poet reaches
along certain lines its highest development; while the general pro-
logue describing the various personages of the party, though not
containing the highest poetry of the work as poetry, is the most
acute, discriminating, and brilliant picture of men and manners that
can be found in our literature.
Such was the plan of the work. It was laid out on an extensive
scale, perhaps on too extensive a scale ever to have been completed.
Certain it is that it was very far from ever reaching even remotely
that result. According to the scheme set forth in the prologue, the
work when finished should have included over one hundred and
twenty tales. It actually comprises but twenty-four. Even of these,
two are incomplete: the Cook's Tale, which is little more than begun,
and the romantic Eastern tale of the Squire, which, in Milton's words,
is "left half told. " To those that are finished, the connecting links
have not been supplied in many cases. Accordingly the work exists
not as a perfect whole, but in eight or nine fragmentary parts, each
complete in itself, but lacking a close connection with the others,
though all are bound together by the unity of a common central
interest. The value of what has been done makes doubly keen the
regret that so much has been left undone. Politics, religion, litera-
ture, manners, are all touched upon in this wide-embracing view,
which still never misses what is really essential; and added to this
is a skill of portrayal by which the actors, whether narrating the
tales themselves, or themselves forming the heroes of the narration,
## p. 3563 (#545) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3563
fairly live and breathe before our eyes. Had the work been com-
pleted on the scale upon which it was begun, we should have had a
picture of life and opinion in the fourteenth century more vivid and
exact than has been drawn of any century before or since.
The selections given are partly of extracts and partly of complete
pieces. To the former class belong the lines taken from the opening
of the 'Canterbury Tales,' with the description of a few of the char-
acters; the description of the temples of Mars, of Venus, and of Diana
in the Knight's Tale; and the account of the disappearance of the
fairies at the opening of the Wife of Bath's Tale. The complete
pieces are the tales of the Pardoner, and of the Nun's Priest. From
the first, however, has been dropped the discourse on drunkenness,
profanity, and gambling, which, though in keeping with the character
of the narrator, has no connection with the development of the
story. The second, the tale of the Nun's Priest, was modernized by
Dryden under the title of the Cock and the Fox. ' All of these are
in heroic verse. The final selection is the ballade now usually enti-
tled 'Truth. In it the peculiar ballade construction can be studied—
that is, the formation in three stanzas, either with or without an
envoy; the same rhymes running through the three stanzas; and the
final line of each stanza precisely the same. One of Chaucer's reli-
gious poems-the so-called 'A B C can be found under Deguile-
ville, from whose Pèlerinage la de Vie Humaine' it is translated.
Chaucer's style, like that of all great early writers, is marked by
perfect simplicity, and his language is therefore comparatively easy
to understand. In the extracts here given the spelling has been
modernized, save occasionally at the end of the line, when the
rhyme has required the retention of an earlier form. The words
themselves and grammatical forms have of course undergone no
change. There are two marks used to indicate the pronunciation:
first, the acute accent to indicate that a heavier stress than ordinary
is to be placed on the syllable over which it stands; and secondly,
the grave accent to indicate that the letter or syllable over which it
appears, though silent in modern pronunciation, was then sounded.
Thus landès, grovès, friendès, knavès, would have the final syllable
sounded; and in a similar way timè, Romè, and others ending in e, when
the next word begins with a vowel or h mute. The acute accent can
be exemplified in words like courage, reasón, honour, translated, where
the accent would show that the final syllable would either receive the
main stress or a heavier stress than is now given it. Again, a word
like cre-a-ture consists, in the pronunciation here given, of three sylla-
bles and not of two, and is accordingly represented by a grave accent
over the a to signify that this vowel forms a separate syllable, and
by the acute accent over the ture to indicate that this final syllable
## p. 3564 (#546) ###########################################
3564
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
should receive more weight of pronunciation than usual. It accord-
ingly appears as creàtúre. In a similar way con-dit-i-on would be a
word of four syllables, and its pronunciation would be indicated by
this method condition. It is never to be forgotten that Chaucer had
no superior in the English tongue as a master of melody; and if a
verse of his sounds inharmonious, it is either because the line is
rupt or because the reader has not succeeded in pronouncing it
rectly.
cor-
cor-
the
con-
The explanation of obsolete words or meanings is given in
foot-notes. In addition to these the following variations from mod-
ern English that occur constantly, and are therefore not defined,
should be noted. Hir and hem stand for their' and 'them. ' The
affix y is frequently prefixed to the past participle, which itself
sometimes omits the final en or -n, as 'ydrawe,' 'yshake. ' The im-
perative plural ends in -th, as 'dreadeth. ' The general negative ne
is sometimes to be defined by 'not,' sometimes by 'nor'; and
nected with forms of the verb 'be' gives us nis, 'is not'; nas, was
not. ' As is often an expletive, and cannot be rendered at all;
that
before 'one' and 'other' is usually the definite article; there is fre
quently to be rendered by 'where'; mo always means 'more'; thilke
means that' or 'that sam
ame'; del is 'deal' in the sense of bit,'
'whit'; and the comparatives of 'long' and 'strong' are lenger and
strenger. Finally it should be borne in mind that the double nega
tive invariably strengthens the negation.
<
Thomas R. Lounsbury
1 Sweet.
PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES›
HEN that Aprílè with his showers swoot¹
WHEN
The drought of March hath pierced to the root,
And bathed every vein in such liqoúr
Of which virtue engendered is the flower;
When Zephyrús eke with his sweetè breath
Inspirèd hath in every holt and heath
The tender croppès, and the youngè sun
Hath in the Ram his halfè course yrun,
And smallè fowlès maken melody,
That sleepen all the night with open eye,
So pricketh hem natúre in hir couráges2-
Then longen folk to go on pilgrimages,
2 Hearts.
-
-
## p. 3565 (#547) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3565
·
And palmers for to seeken strangè strands,
To fernè hallows' couth in sundry lands;
And specially, from every shirès end
Of Engeland, to Canterbury they wend,
The holy blissful martyr for to seek,
That hem hath holpen when that they were sick.
Befell that in that season on a day,
In Southwark at the Tabard³ as I lay,
Ready to wenden on my pilgrimáge
To Canterbury with full devout courage,
At night were come into that hostelry
Well nine and twenty in a company
Of sundry folk, by áventúre yfalle
In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all,
That toward Canterbury woulden ride.
The chambers and the stables weren wide,
And well we weren easèd' at the best.
And shortly, when the sunnè was to rest,
So had I spoken with hem evereach-one,"
That I was of hir fellowship anon,
And madè forward' early for to rise
To take our way there-as I you devise. Ⓡ
But nathèless, while I have time and space,
Ere that I further in this talè pace,
Me thinketh it accordant to reasón,
To tellen you all the conditión
Of each of hem, so as it seemed me,
And which they weren, and of what degree,
And eke in what array that they were in:
And at a knight then will I first begin.
THE KNIGHT
A KNIGHT there was, and that a worthy⁹ man,
That 10 from the timè that he first began
To riden out, he ¹ lovèd chivalry,
Truth and honoúr, freedom" and courtesy.
Full worthy was he in his Lordès war,
And thereto had he ridden, no man farre, 12
1 Distant saints.
2 Known.
'Tabard: sign of the inn at Southwark.
• Accident.
5 Accommodated.
"Every one.
'Agreement.
8 Tell.
'Of high rank.
10 That-he=who.
11 Liberality.
12 Farther.
## p. 3566 (#548) ###########################################
3566
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
As well in Christendom as in Heatheness,,
And ever honoured for his worthiness.
At Alexandr' he was when it was won;
Full oftè time he had the board begun¹
Aboven allè natìóns in Prusse;
In Lettowe had he reyséd³ and in Russe,
No Christian man so oft of his degree;
In Gernade at the siegè had he be
Of Algezir, and ridden in Belmarié.
At Lieys' was he, and at Satalié,
When they were won; and in the Greatè Sea'
At many a noble army 10 had he be.
At mortal battles had he been fifteen,
And foughten for our faith at Tramassene ¹¹
In listès thriès, and aye slain his foe.
This ilkè" worthy knight had been also
Sometimè with the lord of Palatié, 13
Again another heathen in Turkéy:
And evermore he had a sovereign pris. ¹
15
And though that he were worthy 5 he was wise,
And of his port as meek as is a maid.
He never yet no villainy 16 ne said
In all his life unto no manner wight. "
He was a very perfect gentle knight.
But for to tellen you of his array,
His horse were good, but he ne was not gay
Of fustìán he wearèd a gipon, 19
All besmuterèd 20 with his habergeón,
For he was late ycome from his viáge,"1
And wentè for to do his pilgrimage.
1 Sat at the head of the table.
2 Lithuania.
3 Traveled.
'Grenada.
5 Algeciras.
"Moorish Kingdom of Africa.
'Lieys: in Armenia.
8 Satalie: ancient Attalia.
"Mediterranean.
10 Armed expedition.
11 Tramassene: a kingdom in Africa.
12 Same.
13 Palatie: Palatine in Anatolia.
14 Estimation.
15 Of high rank.
16 Anything discourteous.
17 No sort of person.
18 Richly dressed.
19 Cassock.
20 Soiled.
21 Journey.
## p. 3567 (#549) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3567
'Called.
2 Intoned.
3 Properly.
* Pleasure.
5 Bit.
THE PRIORESS
There was also a Nun, a PRIORESS,
That of her smiling was full simple and coy;
Her greatest oath was but by Sáìnt Loy;
And she was clepèd¹ Madame Eglentine.
Full well she sang the servicè divine,
Entunéd in her nose full seemély;
And French she spake full fair and fetisly
After the school of Stratford-at-the-Bow,
For French of Paris vas to her unknowe.
At meatè well ytaught was she withal;
She let no morsel from her lippès fall,
Ne wet her fingers in her saucè deep.
Well could she carry a morsel, and well keep,
That no dropè ne fell upon her breast.
In courtesy was set full much her lest. "
16 Smartly.
Her over-lippè wipèd she so clean,
9
That in her cup there was no farthing³ seen
Of grease, when she drunken had her draught;
Full seemély after her meat she raught:
And sickerly' she was of great disport,
And full pleasant and amiable of port,
And painèd her to counterfeiten cheer
Of court, and to be stately of manére,
And to be holden digne 10 of reverénce.
But for to speaken of her conscience,"
She was so charitable and so pitoús,
She wouldè weep if that she saw a mouse
Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bled;
Of smallè houndès had she, that she fed
With roasted flesh, or milk and wastel-bread ¹²;
But sore wept sh' if one of hem were dead, 13
Or if men smote it with a yardè smarte 16:
And all was consciénce and tender heart.
Full seemély her wimple" pinchèd 18 was;
Her nosè tretys, her eyen gray as glass,
Her mouth full small and thereto soft and red;
But sickerly 19 she had a fair forehéad;
14
6 Reached.
7 Certainly.
8 Took pains.
9 Imitate.
10 Worthy.
17 Covering for the neck.
3
18 Plaited.
11 Tender-heartedness.
12 Bread of the, finest flour.
13 Died.
14 One.
15 Staff.
19 Certainly.
## p. 3568 (#550) ###########################################
3568
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
1
It was almost a spannè broad, I trow,
For hardily she was not undergrowe. 2
Full fetis was her cloak, as I was ware.
Of small corál about her arm she bare
3
A pair of beadès gauded all with green";
And thereon hung a brooch of gold full sheen,
On which ther was first writ a crownèd A,
And after, Amor vincit omnia.
Another Nunnè with her haddè she,
That was her chapèlain, and Priestès three.
THE FRIAR
A FRERE there was, a wanton and a merry,
A limitoúr, a full solemnè man.
In all the orders four is none that can'
So much of dalliance and fair language.
He haddè made full many a marrìáge
Of youngè women at his owen cost.
Unto his order he was a noble post;
Full well beloved and fámiliár was he
With franklins over-all 10 in his country,
And eke with worthy" women of the town:
For he had power of confessión,
As saidè hímself, more than a curáte,
For of his order he was licentiáte.
Full sweetèly heard he confessión,
And pleasant was his absolutión.
He was an easy man to give penance,
There-as he wist to have a good pittánce;
For unto a poor order for to give
¹ Certainly.
2 Undergrown.
3 Neat.
13
Is signè that a man is well yshrive;
For if he gave, he durstè make avaunt, 1s
He wistè that a man was répentánt.
For many a man so hard is of his heart,
He may not weep although him sorè smart;
Therefore instead of weeping and prayérs,
Men mote give silver to the poorè freres.
'String.
Having the gaudies, or large beads,
green.
"Private secretary.
'Licensed to beg within certain limits.
8 Festive.
9 Knows.
10 Everywhere.
11 Of high position.
12 Where he knew he should have.
13 Boast.
## p. 3569 (#551) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3569
1 Stuffed.
2 A stringed instrument.
3 Songs.
* Estimation.
5 Innkeeper.
His tippet was aye farsèd¹ full of knives
And pinnès, for to given fairè wives;
And certainly he had a merry note:
Well could he sing and playen on a rote2;
Of yeddings he bare utterly the pris. '
His neckè white was as the fleur-de-lis.
Thereto he strong was as a champión.
He knew the taverns well in every town,
And every hostèlér³ and tapèstér,
Bet than a lazár or a beggestér¹;
For unto such a worthy man as he
Accorded nought, as by his faculty,
To have with sickè lazárs ácquaintance;
It is not honest, it may not advance
For to dealen with no such poraille,"
But all with rich and sellers of vitaille. 10
And o'er-all," there-as profit should arise,
Courteous he was and lowly of service.
There nas no man nowhere so virtuous 12;
He was the bestè beggar in his house:
[And gave a certain farmè 3 for the grant,
None of his brethren came there in his haunt. ]
13
For though a widow haddè not a shoe,
So pleasant was his In principio,"
Yet would he have a farthing ere he went;
His purchase 5 was well better than his rent.
And rage" he could as it were right a whelp:
In lovèdays there could he muchel help;
For there he was not like a cloisterér
With a threadbare cope, as is a poor scholér;
But he was like a master or a pope.
Of double worsted was his semicope, "
That rounded as a bell out of the press.
Somewhat he lispèd for his wantonness,
19
6 Leper.
¡ Beggar.
8 Poor people.
" Givers.
10 Victuals.
11
Everywhere.
12 Efficient.
13 Rent.
16
¹¹ In principio: In the beginning — the
friar's salutation.
15 Proceeds from begging.
16 Income.
17 Toy wantonly.
18
Days for settling differences.
19 Short cape
VI-224
## p. 3570 (#552) ###########################################
3570
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
To make his English sweet upon his tongue;
And in his harping, when that he had sung,
His eyen twinkled in his head aright,
As do the starrès in the frosty night.
This worthy limitour was cleped' Hubérd.
THE CLERK OF OXFORD
A CLERK there was of Oxenford' also,
That unto logic haddè long ygo. ³
As leanè was his horse as is a rake,
And he was not right fat, I undertake,*
But looked hollow, and thereto soberly.
Full threadbare was his overest courtepy,"
For he had geten him yet no benefice,
Ne was so worldly for to have office.
For him was liefer have at his bed's head
Twenty bookès clad in black or red,
Of Aristotle, and his philosophy,
7
Than robes rich, or fiddle, or gay psaltery.
But albe that he was a philosopher,
Yet hadde he but little gold in coffer,
But all that he might of his friendès hent,"
On bookes and his learning he it spent,
And busily 10 gan for the soulés pray
Of hem, that gave him wherewith to scolay";
Of study took he most cure and most heed.
Not one word spake he more than was need;
And that was said in form and reverence,
And short and quick, and full of high sentence. "
Sounding in moral virtue was his speech,
And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.
1 Called.
2 Oxford.
3 Gone.
4 Venture to say.
5 Uppermost.
Short cloak.
Gotten.
8 Rather.
9 Get.
10 Earnestly.
11 To attend school.
12 Matter.
## p. 3571 (#553) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3571
THE LAWYER
A SERGEANT OF THE LAWÈ, ware and wise,
That often had ybeen at the Parvys,¹
There was also, full rich of excellence.
Discreet he was and of great reverence;
He seemed such, his wordès were so wise;
Justice he was full often in assize,
By patent and by plein commissión.
For his science, and for his high renown,
Of fees and robès had he many one;
So great a purchaser³ was nowhere none;
All was fee simple to him in effect,
His purchasing mightè not be infect. "
Nowhere so busy a man as he there nas,
And yet he seemèd busier than he was.
In termès had he case and doomès all,
That from the time of King William were fall.
Thereto he could indite, and make a thing,
There couldè no wight pinch at his writing;
And every statute could' he pleins by rote.
He rode but homely in a medley' coat,
Girt with a ceint 10 of silk, with barrès smale";
Of his array tell I no lenger tale.
THE SHIPMAN
13
A SHIPMAN was there, woning 12 far by West:
For aught I wot, he was of Dartèmouth.
He rode upon a rouncy,' as he couth,"
In a gown of falding 15 to the knee.
A dagger hanging on a lace had he
About his neck under his arm adown;
The hotè summer had made his hue all brown;
And certainly he was a good felláw.
Full many a draught of wine had he ydrawe
1
¹ Parvys: the portico of St. Paul's, fre-
quented by lawyers for consultation.
2 Full.
Acquirer of property.
Tainted by illegality.
5 Cases and decisions.
Find a flaw.
7 Knew.
8 Fully.
Mixed in color.
10 Girdle.
11 Small.
12 Dwelling.
13 Hack.
14 Could.
15 Coarse cloth.
I
1
1
## p. 3572 (#554) ###########################################
3572
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
'Supercargo.
6 Lies.
From Bourdeaux-ward, while that the chapman' sleep²;
Of nicè consciénce took he no keep. ³
If that he fought, and had the higher hand,
By water he sent hem home to every land.
But of his craft to reckon well his tides,
His streamès and his dangers him besides,
His harbour and his moon, his lodemanage, 4
There was none such from Hullè to Carthage.
Hardy he was, and wise to undertake;
With many a tempest had his beard been shake.
He knew well all the havens, as they were,
From Gothland to the Cape of Finisterre,
And every creek in Bretagne and in Spain:
His barge yclepèd was the Maudelaine.
THE TEMPLES OF VENUS, MARS, AND DIANA
From the Knight's Tale
IRST in the temple of Venus mayst thou see
Wrought on the wall, full piteous to behold,
The broken sleepès, and the sighès cold,
The sacred tearès, and the waimenting,"
The fiery strokès of the désiríng
That loves servants in this life enduren;
The oathès, that hir covenánts assuren.
Pleasance and hope, desire, foolhardiness,
Beauty and youthè, bawdry and richesse,
Charmes and force, leasings and flattery,
Dispencè, business, and jealousy
9
That weared of yellow goldès a garland,
And a cuckoo sitting on her hand;
Feastès, instruments, carólès, dances,
Lust and array, and all the circumstances
Of love, which that I reckoned have and reckon shall,
By order weren painted on the wall,
And mo than I can make of mentión.
For soothly all the mount of Citheron,
There Venus hath her principal dwelling,
Was showed on the wall in portraying,
With all the garden and the lustiness.
Nought was forgot the porter Idleness,
2 Slept.
7 Expense.
3 Heed.
8 Anxiety.
'Pilotage.
5 Lamentation.
9 The flower turnsol.
## p. 3573 (#555) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3573
Ne Narcissus the fair of yore agone,
Ne yet the folly of King Solomon,
Ne yet the greatè strength of Hercules,
The enchantèments of Medea and Circes,
N'of Turnús with the hardy fierce courage,
The richè Croesus caitiff¹ in serváge. "
Thus may ye see, that wisdom ne richesse,
Beauty ne sleightè, strengthè, hardiness,
Ne may with Venus holden champarty,³
For as her list the world then may she gye. '
Lo, all these folk so caught were in her las
Till they for woe full often said, "Alas! "
Sufficeth here ensamples one or two,
And though I couldè reckon a thousand mo.
The statue of Venus, glorious for to see,
Was naked fleting in the largè sea,
And from the navel down all covered was
With wavès green, and bright as any glass,
A citole' in her right hand haddé she,
And on her head, full seemly for to see,
A rosé garland fresh and well smelling,
Above her head her dovès flickering. "
Before her stood her sonè Cupido,
Upon his shoulders wingès had he two;
And blind he was, as it is often seen;
A bow he bare and arrows bright and keen.
Why should I not as well eke tell you all
The portraitúre, that was upon the wall
Within the temple of mighty Mars the red?
All painted was the wall in length and brede
Like to the estres 10 of the grisly place,
That hight the greatè temple of Mars in Thrace,
In thilkè coldè frosty región,
There-as Mars hath his sovereign mansión.
First on the wall was painted a forést,
In which there dwelleth neither man ne beast,
With knotty gnarry barren treès old
Of stubbès" sharp and hideous to behold,
In which there ran a rumble and a sough,
As though a storm should bresten ¹2
every bough:
1 Wretched.
2 Slavery.
3 Partnership in power.
• Guide.
5 Snare.
6
Floating.
Musical instrument.
8 Fluttering.
9 Breadth.
10 Interiors.
11 Projecting old roots.
12 Burst.
## p. 3574 (#556) ###########################################
3574
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
And downward from an hill, under a bent,'
There stood the temple of Mars armipotent,
Wrought all of burnèd' steel, of which th' entry
Was long and strait³ and ghastly for to see.
And thereout came a rage and such a vese,'
That it made all the gatès for to rese. "
The northern light in at the doorès shone,
For window on the wall ne was there none
Through which men mighten any light discern;
The doors were all of adamant eterne,
Yclenched overth wart and endèlong"
With iron tough, and for to make it strong,
Every pillár the temple to sustene
Was tunnè-great,' of iron bright and sheen.
There saw I first the dark imagining
Of felony, and all the compassing;
The cruel irè, red as any gleed,
The pickèpurse, and eke the palè drede;
The smiler with the knife under the cloak;
The shepen brenning" with the blackè smoke;
The treason of the murdering in the bed,
The open war, with woundès all bebled;
Contek 12 with bloody knife and sharp menáce.
All full of chirking 13 was that sorry place.
The slayer of himself yet saw I there,
His heartè-blood hath bathèd all his hair:
The nail ydriven in the shode" anight;
The coldè death, with mouth gaping upright. "
Amiddès of the temple sat mischance,
With discomfórt and sorry countenance,
Yet saw I woodness 16 laughing in his rage,
Armed complaint, outhees," and fierce outrage;
The carrion 18 in the bush, with throat ycorven,'
A thousand slain, and not of qualm 20 ystorven";
The tyrant with the prey by force yreft;
The town destroyèd, there was nothing left.
1
Slope.
2 Burnished.
3 Narrow.
Furious rush of wind.
5 Shake.
6 Across and lengthways.
Of the circumference of
a tun.
10
8
9 Coward.
10 Stables.
11 Burning.
12 Contention.
13
Burning coal.
Shrieking.
14 Forehead.
15 Prone on the back.
19
16 Madness.
17 Outcry.
18 Corpse.
19 Cut.
20 Disease.
21 Having died.
## p. 3575 (#557) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3575
Yet saw I brent' the shippès hoppèsteres,²
The huntè strangled with the wildè bears:
The sowè freten' the child right in the cradle;
The cook yscalded, for all his longè ladle.
Nought was forgotten by th' infortúne of Marte;
The carter overridden with his cart;
-
Under the wheel full low he lay adown.
There were also of Mars' división,
The barber, and the butcher, and the smith
That forgeth sharpè swordès on his stith. "
And all above depainted in a tower
Saw I Conquést, sitting in great honóur,
With the sharpè sword over his head
Hanging by a subtle twinès thread.
Depainted was the slaughter of Juliús,
Of great Neró, and of Antoniús:
Albe that thilkè time they were unborn,
Yet was hir death depainted there beforn,
By ménacíng of Mars, right by figúre,
So was it showèd in that portraitúre,
As is depainted in the stars above,
Who shall be slain or ellès dead for love.
Sufficeth one ensample in stories old,
I may not reckon them allè though I wold.
The statue of Mars upon a cartè stood
Armed, and lookèd grim as he were wood,"
And over his head there shinen two figúres
Of starrès, that be clepèd in scriptures,"
That one Puella, that other Rubeus. "
This god of armès was arrayèd thus:
A wolf there stood before him at his feet
With eyen red, and of a man he eat:
With subtle pencil depainted was this story,
In redoubting 10 of Mars and of his glory.
Now to the temple of Dián the chaste
As shortly as I can I will me haste,
To tellen you all the descriptìón:
Depainted be the wallès up and down
1 Burnt.
The dancing ships.
3 Hunter.
Devour.
5 Anvil.
6 Fine.
(Puella' and 'Rubeus': two figures in Geomancy, representing two con-
stellations, the one signifying Mars retrograde, the other Mars direct.
10 Reverence.
'Mad.
8 Called in writings.
## p. 3576 (#558) ###########################################
3576
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
Of hunting and of shamefast chastity.
There saw I how wofúl Calistope, ¹
When that Dian aggrievèd was with her,
Was turned from a woman to a bear,
And after was she made the lodèstar2:
Thus was it painted, I can say no farre³;
Her son is eke a star as men may see.
There saw I Danè yturnèd till' a tree,
I meanè not the goddesse Diánè,
But Peneus' daughter, which that hightè Danè.
There saw I Acteon an hart ymakèd,'
For vengeance that he saw Dian all naked:
I saw how that his houndès have him caught,
And freten him for that they knew him naught.
Yet painted was a little furthermore,
How Atalanta hunted the wild boar,
6
And Meleager, and many another mo,
For which Diana wrought him care and woe.
There saw I many another wonder story,
The which me list not drawen to memóry.
This goddess on an hart full highè seet,'
With smallè houndès all about her feet,
And underneath her feet she had a moon,
Waxing it was, and shouldè wanen soon.
In gaudy-green her statue clothed was,
With bow in hand and arrows in a case.
Her eyen castè she full low adown
There Pluto hath his darkè región.
A woman travailing was her beforn,
But for her child so longè was unborn
Full piteously Lucina' gan she call,
11
And saidè, "Help, for thou mayst best of all. ”
Well could he painten lifely 10 that it wrought,
With many a florin he the huès bought.
8
1 Calistope, or Callisto: daughter of Lycaon— seduced by Jupiter — turned
into a bear by Juno (or Diana) — and placed afterwards, with her son, as the
Great Bear among the stars.
2 Pole-star.
3 Farther.
+ To.
5 Made.
• Devour.
7 Sat.
8 Light-green.
9(Lucina: another name for Diana-
as the goddess of child-bearing.
10 Lifelike.
11 What.
## p. 3577 (#559) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
THE PASSING OF THE FAIRIES
From the Wife of Bath's Tale
N TH' oldè dayès of the king Arthur
IN
Of which that Britons speaken great honour,
All was this land fulfilled of faèrié;
The Elf-queen, with her jolly company,
Danced full oft in many a greenè mead;
This was the old opinion as I read:
I speak of many hundred years ago;
But now can no man see none elvès mo,
For now the greatè charity and prayérs
Of limitours' and other holy freres,
That searchen every land and every stream,
As thick as motès in the sunnè-beam,
Blessing halles, chambers, kitchenès. bowers,
Cities, boroughs, castles, highè towers,
Thorpès, barnès, shepens, daìriés,
This maketh that there be no faèriés:
For there as wont to walken was an elf,
There walketh now the limitour himself,
In undermelés" and in morwèníngs,
And saith his matins and his holy things,
As he goeth in his limitatìón,'
Women may go now safely up and down,
In every bush, and under every tree;
There is none other incubus but he.
1 Begging friars.
THE PARDONER'S TALE
IN
N FLANDERS whilom was a company
Of youngè folk, that haunteden folly,
As riot, hazard, stewès, and tavérns;
Whereas with harpès, lutès, and gittérns,"
They dance and play at dice both day and night,
And eat also, and drinken o'er hir might;
Through which they do the devil sacrifice
Within the devil's temple, in cursed wise,
By superfluity abominable.
Hir oathès be so great and so damnáble,
2 Stables.
2
'Begging district.
"Afternoons.
5 Guitars.
3577
## p. 3578 (#560) ###########################################
3578
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
That it is grisly¹ for to hear hem swear.
Our blessed Lordès body they to-tear2;
Hem thoughte³ Jewès rent him not enough;
And each of hem at otherès sinnè lough. *
And right anon then comen tombesteres³
Fetis and small, and youngè fruitesteres,'
Singers with harpès, bawdès, waferérs,8
Which be the very devil's officers,
To kindle and blow the fire of lechery,
That is annexèd unto gluttony.
These riotourès three, of which I tell,
Long erst ere primè rung of any bell,
Were set hem in a tavern for to drink:
And as they sat, they heard a bellè clink
Before a corpse, was carried to his grave:
That one of hem gan callen to his knave,10
"Go bet, quoth he, "and askè readily,
What corpse is this, that passeth here forby:
And look that thou report his namè well. "
12
13
"Sir," quoth this boy, "it needeth never a del;
It was me told ere ye came here two hours;
He was pardie an old fellów of yours,
And suddenly he was yslain to-night,
Fordrunk as he sat on his bench upright;
There came a privy thief, men clepeth ¹³ Death,
That in this country all the people slayéth,
And with his spear he smote his heart atwo,
And went his way withouten wordès mo.
He hath a thousand slain this pestilénce:
And, master, ere ye come in his presénce,
Methinketh that it werè necessary,
For to be ware of such an adversary;
Be ready for to meet him evermore:
Thus taughtè me my dame; I say no more. "
"By Saintè Mary," said this tavernér,¹
"The child saith sooth, for he hath slain this year
Hence over a mile, within a great villáge,
Both man and woman, child, and hine, and page;
13
¹ Dreadful.
2 Tear in pieces.
3 It seemed to them.
'Laughed.
Female dancers.
6 Neat.
7 Female fruit-sellers.
8 Sellers of wafer-cakes.
9 Long first before.
10 Servant.
11 Quickly.
12 Excessively drunk.
13 Call.
14 Innkeeper.
15 Peasant.
## p. 3579 (#561) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3579
¹ Watchful.
2 Worthy.
3 At one.
• Born.
I trow his habitatìón be there:
To be avisèd¹ great wisdóm it were,
Ere that he did a man a dishonour. "
"Yea, Godès armès," quoth this riotóur,
"Is it such peril with him for to meet?
I shall him seek by way and eke by street,
I make avow to Godès digne bonès.
Hearkeneth, fellówès, we three be all onès³:
Let each of us hold up his hand till other,
And each of us becomen otherès brother,
And we will slay this falsè traitor Death:
He shall be slain, which that so many slayeth,
By Godès dignity, ere it be night. "
Together have these three hir truthès plight
To live and dien each of hem for other,
As though he were his own yborèn brother.
And up they start all drunken, in this rage,
And forth they go towárdès that villáge,
Of which the taverner had spoke beforn,
5
And many a grisly oath then have they sworn,
And Christès blessed body they to-rent;"
4
Death shall be dead,' if that they may him hent. "
When they have gone not fully half a mile,
Right as they would have trodden o'er a stile,
An old man and a poorè with hem met.
This olde man full meekèly hem gret,"
And saidè thus: "Now, lordès, God you see. >> 10
The proudest of these riotourès three
Answéred again: "What, carl," with sorry grace,
Why art thou all forwrappèd " save thy face?
Why livest thou so long in so great age? »
This oldè man gan look on his viságe,
And saidè thus: "For I ne cannot find
A man, though that I walked into Ind,
Neither in city, nor in no village,
That wouldè change his youthè for mine age;
And therefore mote I have mine agè still
As longè time as it is Godès will.
Ne death, alas! ne will not have my life;
Thus walk I like a restèless cáìtiff,
5 Dreadful.
greatest work is written in that measure. Yet in spite of his exam-
ple, it found for two centuries comparatively few imitators.
It was
not till the end of the sixteenth century that the measure started on
a new course of life, and entered upon the great part it has since
played in English versification.
The most important of what are sometimes called the minor
works of Chaucer are the 'Parliament of Fowls,' the 'House of
Fame,' 'Troilus and Cressida,' and the 'Legend of Good Women. '
These are all favorable examples of his genius. But however good
they may be in particular portions and in particular respects, in gen-
eral excellence they yield place unquestionably to the Canterbury
Tales. ' It seems to have been very clearly the intention of the poet
to embody in this crowning achievement of his literary life every-
thing in the shape of a story he had already composed or was pur-
posing to compose. Two of the pieces, the love of Palamon and
Arcite and the Life of St. Cecilia, as we know from the words of
his already quoted, had appeared long before. The plan of the work
itself was most happily conceived; and in spite of most painstaking
efforts to find an original for it or suggestion of it somewhere else,
there seems no sufficient reason for doubting that the poet himself
was equal to the task of having devised it. No one certainly can
question the felicity with which the framework for embodying the
tales was constructed. All ranks and classes of society are brought
together in the company of pilgrims who assemble at the Tabard
Inn at Southwark to ride to the shrine of the saint at Canterbury.
The military class is represented By the Knight, belonging to the
highest order of the nobility, his son the Squire, and his retainer the
Yeoman; the church by the Abbot, the Friar, the Parson, the Pri-
oress with her attendant Nun, and the three accompanying Priests,
## p. 3562 (#544) ###########################################
3562
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
and less distinctly by the Scholar, the Clerk of Oxford, and by the
Pardoner and the Summoner. For the other professions are the
Doctor of Physic and the Serjeant of Law; for the middle-class land-
holders the Franklin; and for the various crafts and occupations the
Haberdasher, the Carpenter, the Weaver, the Dyer, the Upholsterer,
the Cook, the Ploughman, the Sailor, the Reeve, the Manciple, and
(joining the party in the course of the pilgrimage) the assistant of
the alchemist, who is called the Canon's Yeoman. Into the mouths
of these various personages were to be put tales befitting their char-
acter and condition. Consequently there was ample space for stories
of chivalry, of religion, of love, of magic, and in truth of every
aspect of social life in all its highest and lowest manifestations.
Between the tales themselves were connecting links, in which the
poet had the opportunity to give an account of the incidents that
took place on the pilgrimage, the critical opinions expressed by the
hearers of what had been told, and the disputes and quarrels that
went on between the various members of the party. So far as this
portion of his plan was finished, these connecting links furnish some
of the most striking passages in the work. In one of them - the
prologue to the Wife of Bath's Tale- the genius of the poet reaches
along certain lines its highest development; while the general pro-
logue describing the various personages of the party, though not
containing the highest poetry of the work as poetry, is the most
acute, discriminating, and brilliant picture of men and manners that
can be found in our literature.
Such was the plan of the work. It was laid out on an extensive
scale, perhaps on too extensive a scale ever to have been completed.
Certain it is that it was very far from ever reaching even remotely
that result. According to the scheme set forth in the prologue, the
work when finished should have included over one hundred and
twenty tales. It actually comprises but twenty-four. Even of these,
two are incomplete: the Cook's Tale, which is little more than begun,
and the romantic Eastern tale of the Squire, which, in Milton's words,
is "left half told. " To those that are finished, the connecting links
have not been supplied in many cases. Accordingly the work exists
not as a perfect whole, but in eight or nine fragmentary parts, each
complete in itself, but lacking a close connection with the others,
though all are bound together by the unity of a common central
interest. The value of what has been done makes doubly keen the
regret that so much has been left undone. Politics, religion, litera-
ture, manners, are all touched upon in this wide-embracing view,
which still never misses what is really essential; and added to this
is a skill of portrayal by which the actors, whether narrating the
tales themselves, or themselves forming the heroes of the narration,
## p. 3563 (#545) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3563
fairly live and breathe before our eyes. Had the work been com-
pleted on the scale upon which it was begun, we should have had a
picture of life and opinion in the fourteenth century more vivid and
exact than has been drawn of any century before or since.
The selections given are partly of extracts and partly of complete
pieces. To the former class belong the lines taken from the opening
of the 'Canterbury Tales,' with the description of a few of the char-
acters; the description of the temples of Mars, of Venus, and of Diana
in the Knight's Tale; and the account of the disappearance of the
fairies at the opening of the Wife of Bath's Tale. The complete
pieces are the tales of the Pardoner, and of the Nun's Priest. From
the first, however, has been dropped the discourse on drunkenness,
profanity, and gambling, which, though in keeping with the character
of the narrator, has no connection with the development of the
story. The second, the tale of the Nun's Priest, was modernized by
Dryden under the title of the Cock and the Fox. ' All of these are
in heroic verse. The final selection is the ballade now usually enti-
tled 'Truth. In it the peculiar ballade construction can be studied—
that is, the formation in three stanzas, either with or without an
envoy; the same rhymes running through the three stanzas; and the
final line of each stanza precisely the same. One of Chaucer's reli-
gious poems-the so-called 'A B C can be found under Deguile-
ville, from whose Pèlerinage la de Vie Humaine' it is translated.
Chaucer's style, like that of all great early writers, is marked by
perfect simplicity, and his language is therefore comparatively easy
to understand. In the extracts here given the spelling has been
modernized, save occasionally at the end of the line, when the
rhyme has required the retention of an earlier form. The words
themselves and grammatical forms have of course undergone no
change. There are two marks used to indicate the pronunciation:
first, the acute accent to indicate that a heavier stress than ordinary
is to be placed on the syllable over which it stands; and secondly,
the grave accent to indicate that the letter or syllable over which it
appears, though silent in modern pronunciation, was then sounded.
Thus landès, grovès, friendès, knavès, would have the final syllable
sounded; and in a similar way timè, Romè, and others ending in e, when
the next word begins with a vowel or h mute. The acute accent can
be exemplified in words like courage, reasón, honour, translated, where
the accent would show that the final syllable would either receive the
main stress or a heavier stress than is now given it. Again, a word
like cre-a-ture consists, in the pronunciation here given, of three sylla-
bles and not of two, and is accordingly represented by a grave accent
over the a to signify that this vowel forms a separate syllable, and
by the acute accent over the ture to indicate that this final syllable
## p. 3564 (#546) ###########################################
3564
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
should receive more weight of pronunciation than usual. It accord-
ingly appears as creàtúre. In a similar way con-dit-i-on would be a
word of four syllables, and its pronunciation would be indicated by
this method condition. It is never to be forgotten that Chaucer had
no superior in the English tongue as a master of melody; and if a
verse of his sounds inharmonious, it is either because the line is
rupt or because the reader has not succeeded in pronouncing it
rectly.
cor-
cor-
the
con-
The explanation of obsolete words or meanings is given in
foot-notes. In addition to these the following variations from mod-
ern English that occur constantly, and are therefore not defined,
should be noted. Hir and hem stand for their' and 'them. ' The
affix y is frequently prefixed to the past participle, which itself
sometimes omits the final en or -n, as 'ydrawe,' 'yshake. ' The im-
perative plural ends in -th, as 'dreadeth. ' The general negative ne
is sometimes to be defined by 'not,' sometimes by 'nor'; and
nected with forms of the verb 'be' gives us nis, 'is not'; nas, was
not. ' As is often an expletive, and cannot be rendered at all;
that
before 'one' and 'other' is usually the definite article; there is fre
quently to be rendered by 'where'; mo always means 'more'; thilke
means that' or 'that sam
ame'; del is 'deal' in the sense of bit,'
'whit'; and the comparatives of 'long' and 'strong' are lenger and
strenger. Finally it should be borne in mind that the double nega
tive invariably strengthens the negation.
<
Thomas R. Lounsbury
1 Sweet.
PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES›
HEN that Aprílè with his showers swoot¹
WHEN
The drought of March hath pierced to the root,
And bathed every vein in such liqoúr
Of which virtue engendered is the flower;
When Zephyrús eke with his sweetè breath
Inspirèd hath in every holt and heath
The tender croppès, and the youngè sun
Hath in the Ram his halfè course yrun,
And smallè fowlès maken melody,
That sleepen all the night with open eye,
So pricketh hem natúre in hir couráges2-
Then longen folk to go on pilgrimages,
2 Hearts.
-
-
## p. 3565 (#547) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3565
·
And palmers for to seeken strangè strands,
To fernè hallows' couth in sundry lands;
And specially, from every shirès end
Of Engeland, to Canterbury they wend,
The holy blissful martyr for to seek,
That hem hath holpen when that they were sick.
Befell that in that season on a day,
In Southwark at the Tabard³ as I lay,
Ready to wenden on my pilgrimáge
To Canterbury with full devout courage,
At night were come into that hostelry
Well nine and twenty in a company
Of sundry folk, by áventúre yfalle
In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all,
That toward Canterbury woulden ride.
The chambers and the stables weren wide,
And well we weren easèd' at the best.
And shortly, when the sunnè was to rest,
So had I spoken with hem evereach-one,"
That I was of hir fellowship anon,
And madè forward' early for to rise
To take our way there-as I you devise. Ⓡ
But nathèless, while I have time and space,
Ere that I further in this talè pace,
Me thinketh it accordant to reasón,
To tellen you all the conditión
Of each of hem, so as it seemed me,
And which they weren, and of what degree,
And eke in what array that they were in:
And at a knight then will I first begin.
THE KNIGHT
A KNIGHT there was, and that a worthy⁹ man,
That 10 from the timè that he first began
To riden out, he ¹ lovèd chivalry,
Truth and honoúr, freedom" and courtesy.
Full worthy was he in his Lordès war,
And thereto had he ridden, no man farre, 12
1 Distant saints.
2 Known.
'Tabard: sign of the inn at Southwark.
• Accident.
5 Accommodated.
"Every one.
'Agreement.
8 Tell.
'Of high rank.
10 That-he=who.
11 Liberality.
12 Farther.
## p. 3566 (#548) ###########################################
3566
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
As well in Christendom as in Heatheness,,
And ever honoured for his worthiness.
At Alexandr' he was when it was won;
Full oftè time he had the board begun¹
Aboven allè natìóns in Prusse;
In Lettowe had he reyséd³ and in Russe,
No Christian man so oft of his degree;
In Gernade at the siegè had he be
Of Algezir, and ridden in Belmarié.
At Lieys' was he, and at Satalié,
When they were won; and in the Greatè Sea'
At many a noble army 10 had he be.
At mortal battles had he been fifteen,
And foughten for our faith at Tramassene ¹¹
In listès thriès, and aye slain his foe.
This ilkè" worthy knight had been also
Sometimè with the lord of Palatié, 13
Again another heathen in Turkéy:
And evermore he had a sovereign pris. ¹
15
And though that he were worthy 5 he was wise,
And of his port as meek as is a maid.
He never yet no villainy 16 ne said
In all his life unto no manner wight. "
He was a very perfect gentle knight.
But for to tellen you of his array,
His horse were good, but he ne was not gay
Of fustìán he wearèd a gipon, 19
All besmuterèd 20 with his habergeón,
For he was late ycome from his viáge,"1
And wentè for to do his pilgrimage.
1 Sat at the head of the table.
2 Lithuania.
3 Traveled.
'Grenada.
5 Algeciras.
"Moorish Kingdom of Africa.
'Lieys: in Armenia.
8 Satalie: ancient Attalia.
"Mediterranean.
10 Armed expedition.
11 Tramassene: a kingdom in Africa.
12 Same.
13 Palatie: Palatine in Anatolia.
14 Estimation.
15 Of high rank.
16 Anything discourteous.
17 No sort of person.
18 Richly dressed.
19 Cassock.
20 Soiled.
21 Journey.
## p. 3567 (#549) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3567
'Called.
2 Intoned.
3 Properly.
* Pleasure.
5 Bit.
THE PRIORESS
There was also a Nun, a PRIORESS,
That of her smiling was full simple and coy;
Her greatest oath was but by Sáìnt Loy;
And she was clepèd¹ Madame Eglentine.
Full well she sang the servicè divine,
Entunéd in her nose full seemély;
And French she spake full fair and fetisly
After the school of Stratford-at-the-Bow,
For French of Paris vas to her unknowe.
At meatè well ytaught was she withal;
She let no morsel from her lippès fall,
Ne wet her fingers in her saucè deep.
Well could she carry a morsel, and well keep,
That no dropè ne fell upon her breast.
In courtesy was set full much her lest. "
16 Smartly.
Her over-lippè wipèd she so clean,
9
That in her cup there was no farthing³ seen
Of grease, when she drunken had her draught;
Full seemély after her meat she raught:
And sickerly' she was of great disport,
And full pleasant and amiable of port,
And painèd her to counterfeiten cheer
Of court, and to be stately of manére,
And to be holden digne 10 of reverénce.
But for to speaken of her conscience,"
She was so charitable and so pitoús,
She wouldè weep if that she saw a mouse
Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bled;
Of smallè houndès had she, that she fed
With roasted flesh, or milk and wastel-bread ¹²;
But sore wept sh' if one of hem were dead, 13
Or if men smote it with a yardè smarte 16:
And all was consciénce and tender heart.
Full seemély her wimple" pinchèd 18 was;
Her nosè tretys, her eyen gray as glass,
Her mouth full small and thereto soft and red;
But sickerly 19 she had a fair forehéad;
14
6 Reached.
7 Certainly.
8 Took pains.
9 Imitate.
10 Worthy.
17 Covering for the neck.
3
18 Plaited.
11 Tender-heartedness.
12 Bread of the, finest flour.
13 Died.
14 One.
15 Staff.
19 Certainly.
## p. 3568 (#550) ###########################################
3568
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
1
It was almost a spannè broad, I trow,
For hardily she was not undergrowe. 2
Full fetis was her cloak, as I was ware.
Of small corál about her arm she bare
3
A pair of beadès gauded all with green";
And thereon hung a brooch of gold full sheen,
On which ther was first writ a crownèd A,
And after, Amor vincit omnia.
Another Nunnè with her haddè she,
That was her chapèlain, and Priestès three.
THE FRIAR
A FRERE there was, a wanton and a merry,
A limitoúr, a full solemnè man.
In all the orders four is none that can'
So much of dalliance and fair language.
He haddè made full many a marrìáge
Of youngè women at his owen cost.
Unto his order he was a noble post;
Full well beloved and fámiliár was he
With franklins over-all 10 in his country,
And eke with worthy" women of the town:
For he had power of confessión,
As saidè hímself, more than a curáte,
For of his order he was licentiáte.
Full sweetèly heard he confessión,
And pleasant was his absolutión.
He was an easy man to give penance,
There-as he wist to have a good pittánce;
For unto a poor order for to give
¹ Certainly.
2 Undergrown.
3 Neat.
13
Is signè that a man is well yshrive;
For if he gave, he durstè make avaunt, 1s
He wistè that a man was répentánt.
For many a man so hard is of his heart,
He may not weep although him sorè smart;
Therefore instead of weeping and prayérs,
Men mote give silver to the poorè freres.
'String.
Having the gaudies, or large beads,
green.
"Private secretary.
'Licensed to beg within certain limits.
8 Festive.
9 Knows.
10 Everywhere.
11 Of high position.
12 Where he knew he should have.
13 Boast.
## p. 3569 (#551) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3569
1 Stuffed.
2 A stringed instrument.
3 Songs.
* Estimation.
5 Innkeeper.
His tippet was aye farsèd¹ full of knives
And pinnès, for to given fairè wives;
And certainly he had a merry note:
Well could he sing and playen on a rote2;
Of yeddings he bare utterly the pris. '
His neckè white was as the fleur-de-lis.
Thereto he strong was as a champión.
He knew the taverns well in every town,
And every hostèlér³ and tapèstér,
Bet than a lazár or a beggestér¹;
For unto such a worthy man as he
Accorded nought, as by his faculty,
To have with sickè lazárs ácquaintance;
It is not honest, it may not advance
For to dealen with no such poraille,"
But all with rich and sellers of vitaille. 10
And o'er-all," there-as profit should arise,
Courteous he was and lowly of service.
There nas no man nowhere so virtuous 12;
He was the bestè beggar in his house:
[And gave a certain farmè 3 for the grant,
None of his brethren came there in his haunt. ]
13
For though a widow haddè not a shoe,
So pleasant was his In principio,"
Yet would he have a farthing ere he went;
His purchase 5 was well better than his rent.
And rage" he could as it were right a whelp:
In lovèdays there could he muchel help;
For there he was not like a cloisterér
With a threadbare cope, as is a poor scholér;
But he was like a master or a pope.
Of double worsted was his semicope, "
That rounded as a bell out of the press.
Somewhat he lispèd for his wantonness,
19
6 Leper.
¡ Beggar.
8 Poor people.
" Givers.
10 Victuals.
11
Everywhere.
12 Efficient.
13 Rent.
16
¹¹ In principio: In the beginning — the
friar's salutation.
15 Proceeds from begging.
16 Income.
17 Toy wantonly.
18
Days for settling differences.
19 Short cape
VI-224
## p. 3570 (#552) ###########################################
3570
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
To make his English sweet upon his tongue;
And in his harping, when that he had sung,
His eyen twinkled in his head aright,
As do the starrès in the frosty night.
This worthy limitour was cleped' Hubérd.
THE CLERK OF OXFORD
A CLERK there was of Oxenford' also,
That unto logic haddè long ygo. ³
As leanè was his horse as is a rake,
And he was not right fat, I undertake,*
But looked hollow, and thereto soberly.
Full threadbare was his overest courtepy,"
For he had geten him yet no benefice,
Ne was so worldly for to have office.
For him was liefer have at his bed's head
Twenty bookès clad in black or red,
Of Aristotle, and his philosophy,
7
Than robes rich, or fiddle, or gay psaltery.
But albe that he was a philosopher,
Yet hadde he but little gold in coffer,
But all that he might of his friendès hent,"
On bookes and his learning he it spent,
And busily 10 gan for the soulés pray
Of hem, that gave him wherewith to scolay";
Of study took he most cure and most heed.
Not one word spake he more than was need;
And that was said in form and reverence,
And short and quick, and full of high sentence. "
Sounding in moral virtue was his speech,
And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.
1 Called.
2 Oxford.
3 Gone.
4 Venture to say.
5 Uppermost.
Short cloak.
Gotten.
8 Rather.
9 Get.
10 Earnestly.
11 To attend school.
12 Matter.
## p. 3571 (#553) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3571
THE LAWYER
A SERGEANT OF THE LAWÈ, ware and wise,
That often had ybeen at the Parvys,¹
There was also, full rich of excellence.
Discreet he was and of great reverence;
He seemed such, his wordès were so wise;
Justice he was full often in assize,
By patent and by plein commissión.
For his science, and for his high renown,
Of fees and robès had he many one;
So great a purchaser³ was nowhere none;
All was fee simple to him in effect,
His purchasing mightè not be infect. "
Nowhere so busy a man as he there nas,
And yet he seemèd busier than he was.
In termès had he case and doomès all,
That from the time of King William were fall.
Thereto he could indite, and make a thing,
There couldè no wight pinch at his writing;
And every statute could' he pleins by rote.
He rode but homely in a medley' coat,
Girt with a ceint 10 of silk, with barrès smale";
Of his array tell I no lenger tale.
THE SHIPMAN
13
A SHIPMAN was there, woning 12 far by West:
For aught I wot, he was of Dartèmouth.
He rode upon a rouncy,' as he couth,"
In a gown of falding 15 to the knee.
A dagger hanging on a lace had he
About his neck under his arm adown;
The hotè summer had made his hue all brown;
And certainly he was a good felláw.
Full many a draught of wine had he ydrawe
1
¹ Parvys: the portico of St. Paul's, fre-
quented by lawyers for consultation.
2 Full.
Acquirer of property.
Tainted by illegality.
5 Cases and decisions.
Find a flaw.
7 Knew.
8 Fully.
Mixed in color.
10 Girdle.
11 Small.
12 Dwelling.
13 Hack.
14 Could.
15 Coarse cloth.
I
1
1
## p. 3572 (#554) ###########################################
3572
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
'Supercargo.
6 Lies.
From Bourdeaux-ward, while that the chapman' sleep²;
Of nicè consciénce took he no keep. ³
If that he fought, and had the higher hand,
By water he sent hem home to every land.
But of his craft to reckon well his tides,
His streamès and his dangers him besides,
His harbour and his moon, his lodemanage, 4
There was none such from Hullè to Carthage.
Hardy he was, and wise to undertake;
With many a tempest had his beard been shake.
He knew well all the havens, as they were,
From Gothland to the Cape of Finisterre,
And every creek in Bretagne and in Spain:
His barge yclepèd was the Maudelaine.
THE TEMPLES OF VENUS, MARS, AND DIANA
From the Knight's Tale
IRST in the temple of Venus mayst thou see
Wrought on the wall, full piteous to behold,
The broken sleepès, and the sighès cold,
The sacred tearès, and the waimenting,"
The fiery strokès of the désiríng
That loves servants in this life enduren;
The oathès, that hir covenánts assuren.
Pleasance and hope, desire, foolhardiness,
Beauty and youthè, bawdry and richesse,
Charmes and force, leasings and flattery,
Dispencè, business, and jealousy
9
That weared of yellow goldès a garland,
And a cuckoo sitting on her hand;
Feastès, instruments, carólès, dances,
Lust and array, and all the circumstances
Of love, which that I reckoned have and reckon shall,
By order weren painted on the wall,
And mo than I can make of mentión.
For soothly all the mount of Citheron,
There Venus hath her principal dwelling,
Was showed on the wall in portraying,
With all the garden and the lustiness.
Nought was forgot the porter Idleness,
2 Slept.
7 Expense.
3 Heed.
8 Anxiety.
'Pilotage.
5 Lamentation.
9 The flower turnsol.
## p. 3573 (#555) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3573
Ne Narcissus the fair of yore agone,
Ne yet the folly of King Solomon,
Ne yet the greatè strength of Hercules,
The enchantèments of Medea and Circes,
N'of Turnús with the hardy fierce courage,
The richè Croesus caitiff¹ in serváge. "
Thus may ye see, that wisdom ne richesse,
Beauty ne sleightè, strengthè, hardiness,
Ne may with Venus holden champarty,³
For as her list the world then may she gye. '
Lo, all these folk so caught were in her las
Till they for woe full often said, "Alas! "
Sufficeth here ensamples one or two,
And though I couldè reckon a thousand mo.
The statue of Venus, glorious for to see,
Was naked fleting in the largè sea,
And from the navel down all covered was
With wavès green, and bright as any glass,
A citole' in her right hand haddé she,
And on her head, full seemly for to see,
A rosé garland fresh and well smelling,
Above her head her dovès flickering. "
Before her stood her sonè Cupido,
Upon his shoulders wingès had he two;
And blind he was, as it is often seen;
A bow he bare and arrows bright and keen.
Why should I not as well eke tell you all
The portraitúre, that was upon the wall
Within the temple of mighty Mars the red?
All painted was the wall in length and brede
Like to the estres 10 of the grisly place,
That hight the greatè temple of Mars in Thrace,
In thilkè coldè frosty región,
There-as Mars hath his sovereign mansión.
First on the wall was painted a forést,
In which there dwelleth neither man ne beast,
With knotty gnarry barren treès old
Of stubbès" sharp and hideous to behold,
In which there ran a rumble and a sough,
As though a storm should bresten ¹2
every bough:
1 Wretched.
2 Slavery.
3 Partnership in power.
• Guide.
5 Snare.
6
Floating.
Musical instrument.
8 Fluttering.
9 Breadth.
10 Interiors.
11 Projecting old roots.
12 Burst.
## p. 3574 (#556) ###########################################
3574
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
And downward from an hill, under a bent,'
There stood the temple of Mars armipotent,
Wrought all of burnèd' steel, of which th' entry
Was long and strait³ and ghastly for to see.
And thereout came a rage and such a vese,'
That it made all the gatès for to rese. "
The northern light in at the doorès shone,
For window on the wall ne was there none
Through which men mighten any light discern;
The doors were all of adamant eterne,
Yclenched overth wart and endèlong"
With iron tough, and for to make it strong,
Every pillár the temple to sustene
Was tunnè-great,' of iron bright and sheen.
There saw I first the dark imagining
Of felony, and all the compassing;
The cruel irè, red as any gleed,
The pickèpurse, and eke the palè drede;
The smiler with the knife under the cloak;
The shepen brenning" with the blackè smoke;
The treason of the murdering in the bed,
The open war, with woundès all bebled;
Contek 12 with bloody knife and sharp menáce.
All full of chirking 13 was that sorry place.
The slayer of himself yet saw I there,
His heartè-blood hath bathèd all his hair:
The nail ydriven in the shode" anight;
The coldè death, with mouth gaping upright. "
Amiddès of the temple sat mischance,
With discomfórt and sorry countenance,
Yet saw I woodness 16 laughing in his rage,
Armed complaint, outhees," and fierce outrage;
The carrion 18 in the bush, with throat ycorven,'
A thousand slain, and not of qualm 20 ystorven";
The tyrant with the prey by force yreft;
The town destroyèd, there was nothing left.
1
Slope.
2 Burnished.
3 Narrow.
Furious rush of wind.
5 Shake.
6 Across and lengthways.
Of the circumference of
a tun.
10
8
9 Coward.
10 Stables.
11 Burning.
12 Contention.
13
Burning coal.
Shrieking.
14 Forehead.
15 Prone on the back.
19
16 Madness.
17 Outcry.
18 Corpse.
19 Cut.
20 Disease.
21 Having died.
## p. 3575 (#557) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3575
Yet saw I brent' the shippès hoppèsteres,²
The huntè strangled with the wildè bears:
The sowè freten' the child right in the cradle;
The cook yscalded, for all his longè ladle.
Nought was forgotten by th' infortúne of Marte;
The carter overridden with his cart;
-
Under the wheel full low he lay adown.
There were also of Mars' división,
The barber, and the butcher, and the smith
That forgeth sharpè swordès on his stith. "
And all above depainted in a tower
Saw I Conquést, sitting in great honóur,
With the sharpè sword over his head
Hanging by a subtle twinès thread.
Depainted was the slaughter of Juliús,
Of great Neró, and of Antoniús:
Albe that thilkè time they were unborn,
Yet was hir death depainted there beforn,
By ménacíng of Mars, right by figúre,
So was it showèd in that portraitúre,
As is depainted in the stars above,
Who shall be slain or ellès dead for love.
Sufficeth one ensample in stories old,
I may not reckon them allè though I wold.
The statue of Mars upon a cartè stood
Armed, and lookèd grim as he were wood,"
And over his head there shinen two figúres
Of starrès, that be clepèd in scriptures,"
That one Puella, that other Rubeus. "
This god of armès was arrayèd thus:
A wolf there stood before him at his feet
With eyen red, and of a man he eat:
With subtle pencil depainted was this story,
In redoubting 10 of Mars and of his glory.
Now to the temple of Dián the chaste
As shortly as I can I will me haste,
To tellen you all the descriptìón:
Depainted be the wallès up and down
1 Burnt.
The dancing ships.
3 Hunter.
Devour.
5 Anvil.
6 Fine.
(Puella' and 'Rubeus': two figures in Geomancy, representing two con-
stellations, the one signifying Mars retrograde, the other Mars direct.
10 Reverence.
'Mad.
8 Called in writings.
## p. 3576 (#558) ###########################################
3576
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
Of hunting and of shamefast chastity.
There saw I how wofúl Calistope, ¹
When that Dian aggrievèd was with her,
Was turned from a woman to a bear,
And after was she made the lodèstar2:
Thus was it painted, I can say no farre³;
Her son is eke a star as men may see.
There saw I Danè yturnèd till' a tree,
I meanè not the goddesse Diánè,
But Peneus' daughter, which that hightè Danè.
There saw I Acteon an hart ymakèd,'
For vengeance that he saw Dian all naked:
I saw how that his houndès have him caught,
And freten him for that they knew him naught.
Yet painted was a little furthermore,
How Atalanta hunted the wild boar,
6
And Meleager, and many another mo,
For which Diana wrought him care and woe.
There saw I many another wonder story,
The which me list not drawen to memóry.
This goddess on an hart full highè seet,'
With smallè houndès all about her feet,
And underneath her feet she had a moon,
Waxing it was, and shouldè wanen soon.
In gaudy-green her statue clothed was,
With bow in hand and arrows in a case.
Her eyen castè she full low adown
There Pluto hath his darkè región.
A woman travailing was her beforn,
But for her child so longè was unborn
Full piteously Lucina' gan she call,
11
And saidè, "Help, for thou mayst best of all. ”
Well could he painten lifely 10 that it wrought,
With many a florin he the huès bought.
8
1 Calistope, or Callisto: daughter of Lycaon— seduced by Jupiter — turned
into a bear by Juno (or Diana) — and placed afterwards, with her son, as the
Great Bear among the stars.
2 Pole-star.
3 Farther.
+ To.
5 Made.
• Devour.
7 Sat.
8 Light-green.
9(Lucina: another name for Diana-
as the goddess of child-bearing.
10 Lifelike.
11 What.
## p. 3577 (#559) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
THE PASSING OF THE FAIRIES
From the Wife of Bath's Tale
N TH' oldè dayès of the king Arthur
IN
Of which that Britons speaken great honour,
All was this land fulfilled of faèrié;
The Elf-queen, with her jolly company,
Danced full oft in many a greenè mead;
This was the old opinion as I read:
I speak of many hundred years ago;
But now can no man see none elvès mo,
For now the greatè charity and prayérs
Of limitours' and other holy freres,
That searchen every land and every stream,
As thick as motès in the sunnè-beam,
Blessing halles, chambers, kitchenès. bowers,
Cities, boroughs, castles, highè towers,
Thorpès, barnès, shepens, daìriés,
This maketh that there be no faèriés:
For there as wont to walken was an elf,
There walketh now the limitour himself,
In undermelés" and in morwèníngs,
And saith his matins and his holy things,
As he goeth in his limitatìón,'
Women may go now safely up and down,
In every bush, and under every tree;
There is none other incubus but he.
1 Begging friars.
THE PARDONER'S TALE
IN
N FLANDERS whilom was a company
Of youngè folk, that haunteden folly,
As riot, hazard, stewès, and tavérns;
Whereas with harpès, lutès, and gittérns,"
They dance and play at dice both day and night,
And eat also, and drinken o'er hir might;
Through which they do the devil sacrifice
Within the devil's temple, in cursed wise,
By superfluity abominable.
Hir oathès be so great and so damnáble,
2 Stables.
2
'Begging district.
"Afternoons.
5 Guitars.
3577
## p. 3578 (#560) ###########################################
3578
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
That it is grisly¹ for to hear hem swear.
Our blessed Lordès body they to-tear2;
Hem thoughte³ Jewès rent him not enough;
And each of hem at otherès sinnè lough. *
And right anon then comen tombesteres³
Fetis and small, and youngè fruitesteres,'
Singers with harpès, bawdès, waferérs,8
Which be the very devil's officers,
To kindle and blow the fire of lechery,
That is annexèd unto gluttony.
These riotourès three, of which I tell,
Long erst ere primè rung of any bell,
Were set hem in a tavern for to drink:
And as they sat, they heard a bellè clink
Before a corpse, was carried to his grave:
That one of hem gan callen to his knave,10
"Go bet, quoth he, "and askè readily,
What corpse is this, that passeth here forby:
And look that thou report his namè well. "
12
13
"Sir," quoth this boy, "it needeth never a del;
It was me told ere ye came here two hours;
He was pardie an old fellów of yours,
And suddenly he was yslain to-night,
Fordrunk as he sat on his bench upright;
There came a privy thief, men clepeth ¹³ Death,
That in this country all the people slayéth,
And with his spear he smote his heart atwo,
And went his way withouten wordès mo.
He hath a thousand slain this pestilénce:
And, master, ere ye come in his presénce,
Methinketh that it werè necessary,
For to be ware of such an adversary;
Be ready for to meet him evermore:
Thus taughtè me my dame; I say no more. "
"By Saintè Mary," said this tavernér,¹
"The child saith sooth, for he hath slain this year
Hence over a mile, within a great villáge,
Both man and woman, child, and hine, and page;
13
¹ Dreadful.
2 Tear in pieces.
3 It seemed to them.
'Laughed.
Female dancers.
6 Neat.
7 Female fruit-sellers.
8 Sellers of wafer-cakes.
9 Long first before.
10 Servant.
11 Quickly.
12 Excessively drunk.
13 Call.
14 Innkeeper.
15 Peasant.
## p. 3579 (#561) ###########################################
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3579
¹ Watchful.
2 Worthy.
3 At one.
• Born.
I trow his habitatìón be there:
To be avisèd¹ great wisdóm it were,
Ere that he did a man a dishonour. "
"Yea, Godès armès," quoth this riotóur,
"Is it such peril with him for to meet?
I shall him seek by way and eke by street,
I make avow to Godès digne bonès.
Hearkeneth, fellówès, we three be all onès³:
Let each of us hold up his hand till other,
And each of us becomen otherès brother,
And we will slay this falsè traitor Death:
He shall be slain, which that so many slayeth,
By Godès dignity, ere it be night. "
Together have these three hir truthès plight
To live and dien each of hem for other,
As though he were his own yborèn brother.
And up they start all drunken, in this rage,
And forth they go towárdès that villáge,
Of which the taverner had spoke beforn,
5
And many a grisly oath then have they sworn,
And Christès blessed body they to-rent;"
4
Death shall be dead,' if that they may him hent. "
When they have gone not fully half a mile,
Right as they would have trodden o'er a stile,
An old man and a poorè with hem met.
This olde man full meekèly hem gret,"
And saidè thus: "Now, lordès, God you see. >> 10
The proudest of these riotourès three
Answéred again: "What, carl," with sorry grace,
Why art thou all forwrappèd " save thy face?
Why livest thou so long in so great age? »
This oldè man gan look on his viságe,
And saidè thus: "For I ne cannot find
A man, though that I walked into Ind,
Neither in city, nor in no village,
That wouldè change his youthè for mine age;
And therefore mote I have mine agè still
As longè time as it is Godès will.
Ne death, alas! ne will not have my life;
Thus walk I like a restèless cáìtiff,
5 Dreadful.
