The Canterbury tales

The Monk's Prologue

Whan ended was my tale of melibee, Line 1889 And of prudence and hire benignytee, Line 1890 Oure hooste seyde, as I am feithful man, Line 1891 And by that precious corpus madrian, Line 1892 I hadde levere than a barel ale Line 1893 That goodelief, my wyf, hadde herd this tale! Line 1894 For she nys no thyng of swich pacience Line 1895 As was this melibeus wyf prudence. Line 1896 By goddes bones! whan I bete my knaves, Line 1897 She bryngeth me forth the grete clobbed staves, Line 1898 And crieth, -- slee the dogges everichoon, Line 1899 And brek hem, bothe bak and every boon! -- Line 1900 And if that any neighebor of myne Line 1901 Wol nat in chirche to my wyf enclyne, Line 1902 Or be so hardy to hire to trespace, Line 1903 Whan she comth hoom she rampeth in my face, Line 1904 And crieth, -- false coward, wrek thy wyf! Line 1905 By corpus bones, I wol have thy knyf, Line 1906 And thou shalt have my distaf and go spynne! -- Line 1907 Fro day to nyght right thus she wol bigynne. Line 1908 -- allas! -- she seith, -- that evere I was shape Line 1909 To wedden a milksop, or a coward ape, Line 1910 That wol been overlad with every wight! Line 1911 Thou darst nat stonden by thy wyves right! -- Line 1912 This is my lif, but if that I wol fighte; Line 1913 And out at dore anon I moot me dighte, Line 1914 Or elles I am but lost, but if that I Line 1915 Be lik a wilde leoun, fool-hardy. Line 1916 I woot wel she wol do me slee som day Line 1917 Som neighebor, and thanne go my way; Line 1918 For I am perilous with knyf in honde, Line 1919 Al be it that I dar nat hire withstonde, Line 1920 For she is byg in armes, by my feith: Line 1921 That shal he fynde that hire mysdooth or seith, -- Line 1922 But lat us passe awey fro this mateere. Line 1923 My lord, the monk, quod he, by myrie of cheere, Line 1924 For ye shul telle a tale trewely. Line 1925 Loo, rouchestre stant heer faste by! Line 1926 Ryde forth, myn owene lord, brek nat oure game. Line 1927 But, by my trouthe, I knowe nat youre name. Line 1928 Wher shal I calle yow my lord daun john, Line 1929 Or daun thomas, or elles daun albon? Line 1930 Of what hous be ye, by youre fader kyn? Line 1931 I vowe to god, thou hast a ful fair skyn; Line 1932 It is a gentil pasture ther thow goost. Line 1933 Thou art nat lyk a penant or a goost: Line 1934 Upon my feith, thou art som officer, Line 1935 Som worthy sexteyn, or som celerer, Line 1936 For by my fader soule, as to my doom, Line 1937 Thou art a maister whan thou art at hoom; Line 1938 No povre cloysterer, ne no novts, Line 1939 But a governour, wily and wys, Line 1940 And therwithal of brawnes and of bones, Line 1941 A wel farynge persone for the nones. Line 1942 I pray to god, yeve hym confusioun Line 1943 That first thee broghte unto religioun! Line 1944 Thou woldest han been a tredefowel aright. Line 1945

Line 1945 Haddestow as greet a leeve, as thou hast myght, Line 1946 To parfourne al thy lust in engendrure, Line 1947 Thou haddest bigeten ful many a creature. Line 1948 Allas, why werestow so wyd a cope? Line 1949 God yeve me sorwe, but, and I were a pope, Line 1950 Nat oonly thou, but every myghty man, Line 1951 Though he were shorn ful hye upon his pan, Line 1952 Sholde have a wyf; for al the world is lorn! Line 1953 Religioun hath take up al the corn Line 1954 Of tredyng, and we borel men been shrympes. Line 1955 Of fieble trees ther comen wrecched ympes. Line 1956 This maketh that oure heires been so sklendre Line 1957 And feble that they may nat wel engendre. Line 1958 This maketh that oure wyves wole assaye Line 1959 Religious folk, for ye mowe bettre paye Line 1960 Of venus peiementz than mowe we; Line 1961 God woot, no lussheburghes payen ye! Line 1962 But be nat wrooth, my lord, though that I pleye. Line 1963 Ful ofte in game a sooth I have herd seye! Line 1964 This worthy monk took al in pacience, Line 1965 And seyde, I wol doon al my diligence, Line 1966 As fer as sowneth into honestee, Line 1967 To telle yow a tale, or two, or three. Line 1968 And if yow list to herkne hyderward, Line 1969 I wol yow seyn the lyf of seint edward; Line 1970 Or ellis, first, tragedies wol I telle, Line 1971 Of whiche I have an hundred in my celle. Line 1972 Tragedie is to seyn a certeyn storei, Line 1973 As olde bookes maken us memorie, Line 1974 Of hym that stood in greet prosperitee, Line 1975 And is yfallen out of heigh degree Line 1976 Into myserie, and endeth wrecchedly. Line 1977 And they ben versified communely Line 1978 Of six feet, which men clepen exametrron. Line 1979 In prose eek been endited many oon, Line 1980 And eek in meetre, in many a sondry wyse. Line 1981 Lo, this declaryng oghte ynogh suffise. Line 1982 Now herkneth, if yow liketh for to heere. Line 1983 But first I yow biseeke in this mateere, Line 1984 Though I by ordre telle nat thise thynges, Line 1985 Be it of popes, emperours, or kynges, Line 1986 After hir ages, as men writen fynde, Line 1987 But tellen hem som bifore and som bihynde, Line 1988 As it now comth unto my remembraunce, Line 1989 Have me excused of myn ignoraunce. Line 1990