No More Learning

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.
6 Tear in pieces.
7 Die.
8 Seize.
9 Greeted.
10 Keep in sight, protect.
11 Churl.
12 Completely wrapped up.


## p. 3580 (#562) ###########################################

3580
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
1 Dear.
And on the ground, which is my mother's gate,
I knockè with my staff, both early and late,
And sayen, 'Liefè' mother, let me in.
Lo, how I vanish, flesh, and blood, and skin;
Alas! when shall my bonès be at rest?
Mother, with you would I changen my chest,
That in my chamber longè time hath be,
Yea, for an hairè clout to wrappè me. '
But yet to me she will not do that grace,
For which full pale and welkèd' is my face.
"But, sirs, to you it is no courtesy
To speaken to an old man villainy,
But he trespass in word or else in deed.
In holy writ ye may yourself well read;
'Against an old man, hoar upon his head,
Ye should arise: wherefore I give you rede,5
Ne do unto an old man none harm now,
No more than ye would men did to you
In agè, if that ye so long abide.
And God be with you, where ye go or ride;
I mote go thither as I have to go. "
"Nay, oldè churl, by God, thou shalt not so,"
Saidè this other hazardour anon;
"Thou partest not so lightly, by Saint John.
Thou spake right now of thilkè traitor Death,
That in this country all our friendès slayeth;
Have here my truth, as thou art his espy;
Tell where he is, or thou shalt it aby,"
By God and by the holy sacrament;
For soothly thou art one of his assent
To slay us youngè folk, thou falsè thief. "
"Now, sirs," quoth he, "if that you be so lief'
To finden Death, turn up this crooked way,
For in that grove I left him, by my fay,
Under a tree, and there he will abide;
Not for your boast he will him nothing hide.
See ye that oak? right there ye shall him find.
God save you, that bought again mankind,
And you amend! " thus said this oldè man.
And evereach of these riotourès ran,
Till he came to that tree, and there they found
Of florins fine of gold ycoinèd round,
5 Advice.
2 Withered.
6 Suffer for.
3 Unless.
'Desirous.
To meet.
8 Each one.


## p. 3581 (#563) ###########################################

GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3581
1 Heed.
2 Joke.
3
Thought.
Well nigh an eightè bushels, as hem thought.
No lenger then after Death they sought,
But each of hem so glad was of that sight,
For that the florins be so fair and bright,
That down they set hem by this precious hoard.
The worst of hem he spake the firstè word.
"Brethren," quoth he, "take keepè' what I say:
My wit is great, though that I bourd' and play.
This treasure hath fortúne unto us given
In mirth and jollity our life to liven,
And lightly as it cometh, so will we spend.
Hey! Godès precious dignity! who wend"
To-day, that we should have so fair a grace?
But might this gold be carried from this place
Home to mine house, or ellès unto yours,
For well ye wot that all this gold is ours,
Then were we in high felicity.
But trúèly by day it may not be;
Men woulden say that we were thievès strong,
And for our owen treasure do us hong. '
This treasure must ycarried be by night
As wisely and as slily as it might.
Wherefore I rede, that cut among us all
Be draw, and let see where the cut will fall:
And he that hath the cut, with heartè blithe
Shall renne to the town, and that full swith,Ⓡ
And bring us bread and wine full privily;
And two of us shall keepen subtlely
This treasure well; and if he will not tarry,
When it is night, we will this treasure carry
By one assent, where as us thinketh best. "
That one of hem the cut brought in his fist,
And bade hem draw and look where it will fall,
And it fell on the youngest of hem all:
And forth toward the town he went anon.
And also soon as that he was agone,
That one of hem spake thus unto that other;
"Thou knowest well thou art my sworen brother;
Thy profit will I tellen thee anon.
Thou wost 10 well that our fellow is agone,
'Cause us to be hanged. Run.
5 Advise.
6 Lot.
10 Knowest.
7
$ Quickly.
9 As.


## p. 3582 (#564) ###########################################

3582
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
1 Know not.
2 Two.
And here is gold, and that full great plenty,
That shall departed be among us three.
But nathèless, if I can shape it so,
That it departed were among us two,
Had I not done a friendès turn to thee? »
That other answered, "I not how that may be:
He wot how that the gold is with us tway. 2
What shall we do? what shall we to him say? ”
"Shall it be counsel ? " said the firstè shrew;
"And I shall tellen thee in wordès few
What we shall do, and bring it well about. "
"I grantè," quoth that other, "out of doubt,
That by my truth I shall thee not bewray. "
"Now," quoth the first, "thou wost well we be tway,
And two of us shall strenger be than one.
Look, when that he is set, thou right anon
Arise, as though thou wouldest with him play;
And I shall rive him through the sidès tway,
While that thou strugglest with him as in game,
And with thy dagger look thou do the same;
And then shall all this gold departed be,
My dearè friend, betwixen me and thee:
Then may we both our lustès all fulfill,
And play at dice right at our owen will. "
And thus accorded be these shrewès tway
To slay the third, as ye have heard me say.
This youngest, which that went unto the town,
Full oft in heart he rolleth up and down
The beauty of these florins new and bright.
"O Lord! " quoth he, "if so were that I might
Have all this treasure to myself alone,
There is no man that liveth under the throne
Of God, that shouldè live so merry as I. "
And the last the fiend, our enemy,
Put in his thought that he should poison bey,³
With which he mightè slay his fellows twaye.
Forwhy the fiend found him in such living,
That he had leave him to sorrow bring.
For this was utterly his full intent
To slay hem both, and never to repent.
And forth he goeth, no lenger would he tarry,
Into the town unto a 'pothecary,
3
4
Buy.
Because.


## p. 3583 (#565) ###########################################

GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3583
And prayed him that he him wouldè sell
Some poison, that he might his rattès quell,
And eke there was a polecat in his haw¹
That, as he said, his capons had yslawe²;
And fain he wouldè wreak him if he might,
On vermin, that destroyed him by night.
The 'pothecary answéred, "And thou shalt have
A thing that, also God my soulè save,
In all this world there nis no créàtúre,
That eaten or drunk hath of this cónfectúre,
Naught but the mountance of a corn of wheat,
That he ne shall his life anon forlete";
Yea, sterve' he shall, and that in lessè while,
Than thou wilt go a pace not but a mile:
This poison is so strong and violent. "
This cursed man hath in his hand yhent"
This poison in a box, and sith he ran
Into the nextè street unto a man,
And borrowed of him largè bottles three;
And in the two his poison pourèd he;
The third he kept clean for his owen drink,
For all the night he shope 10 him for to swink"
In carrying the gold out of that place.
And when this riotour, with sorry grace,
Had filled with wine his greatè bottles three,
To his fellows again repaireth he.
What needeth it to sermon of it more?
For right as they had cast his death before,
Right so they have him slain, and that anon.
And when that this was done, thus spake that one;
Now let us sit and drink, and make us merry,
And afterward we will his body bury. "
And with that word it happèd him par cas, 12
To take the bottle there the poison was,
And drank, and gave his fellow drink also,
For which anon they storven bothè two.
3
But certes I suppose that Avicen
Wrote never in no canon, n' in no fen,"
Mo wonder signès of empoisoning,
Than had these wretches two ere hir ending.
Thus ended be these homicidès two,
And eke the false empoisoner also.
2 Slain.
3
6 Give up.
7 Die.
1 Farm-yard.
Revenge.
13 Died.
9 Seized. 10 Purposed.
11 Labor. 12 By chance.
8 At a footpace.
14 Fen'; the name of the sections of Avicenna's great work entitled 'Canon. '
+ As. 5 Amount.


## p. 3584 (#566) ###########################################

3584
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
A
THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE
POORÈ widow somedeal stope¹ in age,
Was whilom dwelling in a narrow cottage,
Beside a grovè, standing in a dale.
This widow, of which I tellè you my tale,
Since thilkè day that she was last a wife,
In patience led a full simple life.
For little was her cattel' and her rent":
By husbandry of such as God her sent
She found herself, and eke her daughtren two.
Three large sowès had she, and no mo;
Three kine, and eke a sheep that hightè Mall.
Full sooty was her bower, and eke her hall,
In which she ate full many a slender meal.
Of poignant sauce her needed never a deal. '
No dainty morsel passèd through her throat;
Her diet was accordant to her cote.
Repletión ne made her never sick;
Attemper diet was all her physic,
And exercise, and heartès súffisánce. 10
The goutè let " her nothing for to dance,
N' apoplexy ne shentè " not her head.
No wine ne drank she, neither white ne red:
Her board was servèd most with white and black,
Milk and brown bread, in which she found no lack,
Seind 13 bacon, and sometime an egg or twey;
For she was as it were a manner dey. "
A yard she had, enclosed all about
With stickès, and a dryè ditch without,
In which she had a cock hight Chanticleer,
In all the land of crowing was none his peer.
His voice was merrier than the merry orgón,
On masse days that in the churchè gon.
Well sikerer 15 was his crowing in his lodge.
Than is a clock, or an abbéy horloge. 16
By nature he knew each ascensión
Of the equinoctìál in thilkè town;
1 Advanced.
"Capital.
3 Income.
+ Economical management.
5
Supported.
6 Was called.
7 Whit.
8
Cottage.
9 Temperate.
10 Content.
16 Clock, horologe.
11 Prevented.
12 Injured.
13
Singed, broiled.
14 A sort of dairy-woman
15 Surer.


## p. 3585 (#567) ###########################################

GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3585
For when degrees fifteenè were ascended,
Then crew he, that it might not be amended.
His comb was redder than the fine corál,
And battled,' as it were a castle wall.
His bill was black, and as the jet it shone;
Like azure were his leggès and his ton 2;
His nailès whiter than the lily flower,
And like the burnèd³ gold was his colour.
This gentle cock had in his governance
Seven hennès, for to do all his pleasánce,
Which were his sisters and his paramours,
And wonder like to him, as of coloúrs;
Of which the fairest huèd on her throat
Was clepèd fairè Damosel Partelote.
Courteous she was, discreet, and debonair,
And cómpanáble, and bare herself so fair,
Sin' thilkè day that she was sevennight old,
That truely she hath the heart in hold
Of Chanticleer, locken' in every lith;
4
(
He loved her so, that well was him therewith.
But such a joy was it to hear hem sing,
When that the brightè sunnè gan to spring,
In sweet accord, My lief is faren on land. '"
For thilkè time, as I have understande,
Beastès and birdès couldè speak and sing.
And so befell, that in a dawèning,
As Chanticleer among his wivès all
Sat on his perchè, that was in the hall,
And next him sat this fairè Partèlote,
This Chanticleer gan groanen in his throat,
As man that in his dream is drecchèd
And when that Partèlote thus heard him roar,
She was aghast, and said, "O heartè dear,
What aileth you to groan in this mannére?
Ye be a very sleeper, fie, for shame! "
sore.
And he answéred and saidè thus: "Madáme,
I pray you that ye take it not agrief";
By God, me met 12 I was in such mischief "
13
1 Battlemented.
2 Toes.
3 Burnished.
* Companionable.
5 Since.
11 In offence.
6 Possession.
'Locked, inclosed.
8 Limb.
9"My love is gone to the country. "
10 Oppressed.
13 Misfortune.
12 I dreamed.
VI-225


## p. 3586 (#568) ###########################################

3586
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
1 Dream.
2 Interpret.
3 Die.
4 Secret.
Right now, that yet mine heart is sore affright.
Now God," quoth he, "my sweven' read² aright,
And keep my body out of foul prisón.
Me met how that I roamèd up and down
Within our yard, where-as I saw a beast
Was like an hound, and would have made arrest
Upon my body, and have had me dead.
His colour was betwixè yellow and red;
And tippèd was his tail, and both his ears
With black, unlike the remnant of his hairs.
His snoutè small, with glowing eyen twey;
Yet of his look for fear almost I dey³:
This caused me my groaning doubtèless. "
"Avoy! " quoth she, "fie on you heartèless!
Alas! " quoth she, "for by that God above
Now have ye lost mine heart and all my love;
I cannot love a coward, by my faith.
For certes, what so any woman saith,
We all desiren, if it mightè be,
To have husbándès, hardy, wise, and free,
And secre, and no niggard ne no fool,
Ne him that is aghast of every tool,
Ne none avantour" by that God above.
How durst ye say for shame unto your love,
That anything might maken you afeard?
Have ye no mannès heart, and have a beard?
Alas! and can ye be aghast of swevenès ?
Nothing but vanity, God wot, in sweven is.
Swevens engender of repletìóns,
And oft of fume, and of complexións,'
When humours be too abundant in a wight.
Certes this dream, which ye have met to-night,
Cometh of the greatè superfluity
Of yourè redè colera," pardié,
Which causeth folk to dreamen in hir dreams
Of arrows, and of fire with redè leames, 10
Of greate beastès, that they will hem bite,
Of contek" and of whelpès great and lite¹²;
Right as the humour of melancholy
Causeth full many a man in sleep to cry,
5 Boaster of female favor.
Dreams.
Temperaments.
8 Dreamed.
9 Bile.
10 Flames.
11 Contention.
12 Little.


## p. 3587 (#569) ###########################################

GEOFFREY CHAUCER
3587
For fear of blackè beares or bullès blake,
Or ellès blackè devils will hem take.
Of other humours could I tell also,
That worken many a man in sleep full woe:
But I will pass as lightly as I can.
Lo Cato, which that was so wise a man,
Said he not thus? Ne do no force of dreams. › »
"Now, Sir," quoth she, "when ye fly from the beams,
For Godès love, as take some laxative:
Up³ peril of my soul, and of my live,
I counsel you the best, I will not lie,
That both of choler, and of melancholy
Ye purge you; and for ye shall not tarry,
Though in this town is none apothecary,
I shall myself to herbès teachen you,
That shall be for your heal' and for your prow5;
And in our yard tho herbès shall I find,
The which have of hir property by kind'
To purgen you beneath, and eke above.
Forget not this for Godès owen love;
Ye be full choleric of complexìón;
Ware the sun in his ascensión
Ne find you not replete of humours hot:
And if it do, I dare well lay a groat,
That ye shall have a fever tertián,
Or an agúe, that may be yourè bane.
A day or two ye shall have digestives
Of wormès, ere ye take your laxatives,
Of lauriol, centaury, and fumetere,8
Or else of hellebore, that groweth there,
Of catapucè, or of gaitres-berríès, 10
Of herb ivy growing in our yard, that merry is:
Pick hem up right as they grow, and eat hem in.
Be merry, husband, for your father kin
Dreadeth no dream; I can say you no more. "
"Madame," quoth he, "grand mercy of your lore.