A BOOK OF ENGLISH LITERATURE THE END OF THE MIDDLE AGES GEOFFREY CHAUCER (1340-1400) THE PROLOGUE Whan that Aprille with his shoures sote The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour, ΙΟ To ferne halwes, couthe5 in sondry londes; And specially, from every shires ende 15 Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende, The holy blisful martir for to seke, 45 That fro the tyme that he first bigan Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,10 Aboven alle naciouns in Pruce. In Lettow hadde he reysed13 and in Ruce, No Cristen man so ofte of his degree. 55 That hem hath holpen, whan that they In Gernade at the sege eek hadde he be were seke. Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye. At Lyeys was he, and at Satalye, I 14 disembarkation. 16 no sort of person. 70 A lovyere, and a lusty bacheler, Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse. 10 And he had been somtyme in chivachye,9 Wel coude he sitte on hors, and faire ryde. and wryte. So hote1 he lovede, that by nightertale18 He sleep namore than dooth a nightingale. Curteys he was, lowly, and servisable, And carf biforn his fader at the table. 100 A YEMAN hadde he, and servaunts namo At that tyme, for him liste19 ryde so; And he was clad in cote and hood of grene; A sheef of pecock-arwes brighte and kene Under his belt he bar ful thriftily, (Wel coude he dresse his takel20 yemanly: His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe), 105 And in his hand he bar a mighty bowe. Of wode-craft wel coude he al the usage.110 1 horses (plural). 4 coat of mail. 7 ordinary height. 10" considering the short 11 lady's. 15 joust. 12 adorned. 16 draw. 19 it pleased him. 21 cropped head. 2 doublet. 5 voyage. • spotted. 6 curly. military expedition. time he had served."" 8 active. 13 meadow. 14 fluting. 17 hotly. 18 in the night-time. 20 take care of his weapons. 22 guard. Harneised 23 wel, and sharp as point of spere; A Cristofre24 on his brest of silver shene.115 An horn he bar, the bawdrik 25 was of grene; A forster26 was he, soothly, as I gesse. 119 Ther was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE, That of hir smyling was ful simple and coy; Hir gretteste ooth was but by seynt Loy, And she was cleped27 madame Eglentyne. Ful wel she song the service divyne, Entuned in hir nose ful semely; And Frensh she spak ful faire and fetisly, 28 After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe, 125 For Frensh of Paris was to hir unknowe. At mete wel y-taught was she with-alle; She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, Ne wette hir fingres in hir sauce depe. Wel coude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe, 130 That no drope ne fille up-on hir brest. In curteisye was set ful moche hir lest.29 Hir over lippe wyped she so clene, That in hir coppe was no ferthing sene Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte. 30 135 Ful semely after hir mete she raughte,3 145 Of smale houndes had she, that she fedde With rosted flesh, or milk and wastel breed.39 But sore weep she if oon of hem were deed, But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed; 23 equipped. pleasure. 30 reached. 31 truly. 32 fond of pleasure. |