The Parson's Prologue
By that the maunciple hadde his tale al ended, Line 1
The sonne fro the south lyne was descended Line 2
So lowe that he nas nat, to my sighte, Line 3
Degrees nyne and twenty as in highte. Line 4
Foure of the clokke it was tho, as I gesse, Line 5
For ellevene foot, or litel moore or lesse, Line 6
My shadwe was at thilke tyme, as there, Line 7
Of swiche feet as my lengthe parted were Line 8
In sixe feet equal of proporcioun. Line 9
Therwith the moones exaltacioun, Line 10
I meene libra, alwey gan ascende, Line 11
As we were entryng at a thropes ende; Line 12
For which oure hoost, as he was wont to gye, Line 13
As in this caas, oure joly compaignye, Line 14
Seyde in this wise: lordynges everichoon, Line 15
Now lakketh us no tales mo than oon. Line 16
Fulfilled is my sentence and my decree; Line 17
I trowe that we han herd of ech degree; Line 18
Almoost fulfild is al myn ordinaunce. Line 19
I pray to god, so yeve hym right good chaunce, Line 20
That telleth this tale to us lustily. Line 21
Sire preest, quod he, artow a vicary? Line 22
Or arte a person? sey sooth, by the fey! Line 23
Be what thou be, ne breke thou nat oure pley; Line 24
For every man, save thou, hath toold his tale. Line 25
Unbokele, and shewe us what is in thy male; Line 26
For, trewely, me thynketh by thy cheere Line 27
Thou sholdest knytte up wel a greet mateere. Line 28
Telle us a fable anon, for cokkes bones! Line 29
This persoun answerde, al atones, Line 30
Thou getest fable noon ytoold for me; Line 31
For paul, that writeth unto thymothee, Line 32
Repreveth hem that weyven soothfastnesse, Line 33
And tellen fables and swich wrecchednesse. Line 34
Why sholde I sowen draf out of my fest, Line 35
Whan I may sowen whete, if that me lest? Line 36
For which I seye, if that yow list to heere Line 37
Moralitee and vertuous mateere, Line 38
And thanne that ye wol yeve me audience, Line 39
I wol ful fayn, at cristes reverence, Line 40
Do yow plesaunce leefful, as I kan. Line 41
But trusteth wel, I am a southren man, Line 42
I kan nat geeste -- rum, ram, ruf, -- by lettre, Line 43
Ne, God woot, ryn holde I but litel bettre; Line 44
And therfore, if yow list -- I wol nat glose -- Line 45
I wol yow telle a myrie tale in prose Line 46
To knytte up al this feeste, and make an ende. Line 47
And jhesu, for his grace, wit me sende Line 48
To shewe yow the wey, in this viage, Line 49
Of thilke parfit glorious pilgrymage Line 50
That highte jerusalem celestial. Line 51
And if ye vouche sauf, anon I shal Line 52
Bigynne upon my tale, for which I preye Line 53
Telle youre avys, I kan no bettre seye. Line 54
But nathelees, this meditacioun Line 55
I putte it ay under correccioun Line 56
Of clerkes, for I am nat textueel; Line 57
I take but the sentence, trusteth weel. Line 58
Therfore I make protestacioun Line 59
That I wol stonde to correccioun. Line 60
Upon this word we han assented soone, Line 61
For, as it seemed, it was for to doone, Line 62
To enden in som vertuous sentence, Line 63
And for to yeve hym space and audience; Line 64
And bade oure hoost he sholde to hym seye Line 65
That alle we to telle his tale hym preye. Line 66
Oure hoost hadde the wordes for us alle: Line 67
Sire preest, quod he, now faire yow bifalle! Line 68
Telleth, quod he, youre meditacioun. Line 69
But hasteth yow, the sonne wole adoun; Line 70
Beth fructuous, and that in litel space, Line 71
And to do wel God sende yow his grace! Line 72
Sey what yow list, and we wol gladly heere. Line 73
And with that word he seyde in this manere. Line 74