The Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale
Oure hooste saugh wel that the brighte sonne Line 1
The ark of his artificial day hath ronne Line 2
The ferthe part, and half an houre and moore, Line 3
And though he were nat depe ystert in loore, Line 4
He wiste it was the eightetethe day Line 5
Of aprill, that is messager to may; Line 6
And saugh wel that the shadwe of every tree Line 7
Was as in lengthe the same quantitee Line 8
That was the body erect that caused it. Line 9
And therfore by the shadwe he took his wit Line 10
That phebus, which that shoon so clere and brighte, Line 11
Degrees was fyve and fourty clombe on highte; Line 12
And for that day, as in that latitude, Line 13
It was ten of the clokke, he gan conclude, Line 14
And sodeynly he plighte his hors aboute. Line 15
Lordynges, quod he, I warne yow, al this route, Line 16
The fourthe party of this day is gon. Line 17
Now, for the love of God and of seint john, Line 18
Leseth no tyme, as ferforth as ye may. Line 19
Lordynges, the tyme wasteth nyght and day, Line 20
And steleth from us, what pryvely slepynge, Line 21
And what thurgh necligence in oure wakynge, Line 22
As dooth the streem that turneth nevere agayn, Line 23
Descendynge fro the montaigne into playn. Line 24
Wel kan senec and many a philosophre Line 25
Biwaillen tyme moore than gold in cofre; Line 26
For -- los of catel may recovered be, Line 27
But los of tyme shendeth us, -- quod he. Line 28
It wol nat come agayn, withouten drede, Line 29
Namoore than wole malkynes maydenhede, Line 30
Whan she hath lost it in hir wantownesse. Line 31
Lat us nat mowlen thus in ydelnesse. Line 32
Sire man of lawe, quod he, so have ye blis, Line 33
Telle us a tale anon, as forward is. Line 34
Ye been submytted, thurgh youre free assent, Line 35
To stonden in this cas at my juggement. Line 36
Acquiteth yow now of youre biheeste; Line 37
Thanne have ye do youre devoir atte leeste. Line 38
Hooste, quod he, depardieux, ich assente; Line 39
To breke forward is nat myn entente. Line 40
Biheste is dette, and I wole holde fayn Line 41
Al my biheste, I kan no bettre sayn. Line 42
For swich lawe as a man yeveth another wight, Line 43
He sholde hymselven usen it, by right; Line 44
Thus wole oure text. But nathelees, certeyn, Line 45
I kan right now no thrifty tale seyn Line 46
That chaucer, thogh he kan but lewedly Line 47
On metres and on rymyng craftily, Line 48
Hath seyd hem in swich englissh as he kan Line 49
Of olde tyme, as knoweth many a man; Line 50
And if he have noght seyd hem, leve brother, Line 51
In o book, he hath seyd hem in another. Line 52
For he hath toold of loveris up and doun Line 53
Mo than ovide made of mencioun Line 54
In his episteles, that been ful olde. Line 55
What sholde I tellen hem, syn they been tolde? Line 56
In youthe he made of ceys and alcione, Line 57
And sitthen hath he spoken of everichone, Line 58
Thise noble wyves and thise loveris eke. Line 59
Whoso that wole his large volume seke, Line 60
Cleped the seintes legende of cupide, Line 61
Ther may he seen the large woundes wyde Line 62
Of lucresse, and of babilan tesbee; Line 63
The swerd of dido for the false enee; Line 64
The tree of phillis for hire demophon; Line 65
The pleinte of dianire and of hermyon, Line 66
Of adriane, and of isiphilee; Line 67
The bareyne yle stondynge in the see; Line 68
The dreynte leandre for his erro; Line 69
The teeris of eleyne, and eek the wo Line 70
Of brixseyde, and of the, ladomya; Line 71
The crueltee of the, queene medea, Line 72
Thy litel children hangynge by the hals, Line 73
For thy jason, that was of love so fals! Line 74
O ypermystra, penelopee, alceste, Line 75
Youre wifhod he comendeth with the beste! Line 76
But certeinly no word ne writeth he Line 77
Of thilke wikke ensample of canacee, Line 78
That loved hir owene brother synfully; Line 79
Of swiche cursed stories I sey fy!) Line 80
Or ellis of tyro appollonius, Line 81
How that the cursed kyng antiochus Line 82
Birafte his doghter of hir maydenhede, Line 83
That is so horrible a tale for to rede, Line 84
Whan he hir threw upon the pavement. Line 85
And therfore he, of ful avysement, Line 86