The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

164 yTHtL CANTERBP7 R TA~LES.
Of th' Earl HUGOLIN OF PISE the languofur That Dante hight, for he can it devise 13
There may no tongue telle for pit.' From point to point, not one word will he fail,
But little out of Pisa stands a tow'r,
In which6 tow'r in prison put was he,
And with him be his little children three;
The eldest scarcely five years was of age;
Alas! Fortfine, it was great cruelty THE NUN'S PRIEST'S TALE.
Such birdes for to put in such a cage.
Damned was he to die in that pris6n; THE PROLOGUE.
For Roger, which that bishop was of Pise,,.'TT-~,i~ ~ 1~~ -" Io!" quoth the Knight, " good sir, no more
Had on him made a false suggesti6n,
Through which the people gan upon him rise, of th,
An put him in prisn in such a wise That ye have said is right enough, y-wis,l4
And put him in pris6n, in such a wise ^ ^
And much6 more; for little heaviness
As ye have heard; and meat and drink he had u fol ha ess
Is right enough to muchU folk, I guess.
So small, that well unneth 2 it might suffice, I e ges
And therewithal it was full poor and bad. I y formeitis agreat dsease,5
TVhere as men have been in great wealth and
And on a day befell, that in that hour ease,
When that his meatU wont was to be brought, To hearen of their sudden fall, alas!
The jailor shut the doores of the tow'r; And the contrary is joy and great solas,16
He heard it right well, but he spake nought. As when a man hath been in poor estate,
And in his heart anon there fell a thought, And climbeth up, and waxeth fortunate,
That they for hunger woulde do him dien; 3 And there abideth in prosperity;
"Alas! " quoth he, "alas that I was wrought! 4 Such thing is gladsome, as it thinketh me,
Therewith the teares felle from his eyen. And of such thing were goodly for to tell."
His youngest son, that three years was of age, " Yea," quoth our Hoste, " by Saint Paule's
Unto him said, "Father, why do ye weep? bell,
When will the jailor bringen our pottage? Ye say right sooth; this monk hath clapped 17
Is there no morsel bread that ye do keep? loud;
I am so hungry, that I may not sleep. He spake how Fortune cover'd with a cloud
Now woulde God that I might sleepen ever! I wot not what, and als' of a trag6dy
Then should not hunger in my wombe creep; Right now ye heard: and pardie no remedy
There is no thing, save bread, that me were It is for to bewaile, nor complain
lever."5 That that is done, and also it is pain,
Thus day by day this child began to ry, As ye have said, to hear of heaviness.
Till in his'father's barme6 adown he lay, Sir Monk, no more of this, so God you bless;
And saide, " Farewell, father, I must die;" Your tale annoyeth all this company;
And kiss'd his father, and died the sami day. uch talkig is not worth a butterfly,
And when the woeful father did it sey,7 For therein is there no disport nor game;
For woe his armis two he gan to bite, Therefore, Sir Monke, Dan Piers by your name,
And said, "Alas! Fortine, and well-away! I pray yo heart'ly, tell us sewhat else,
To thy false wheel my woe all may I wite." 8 For sickerly, n'ere clinking of your bells,18
That on your bridle hang on every side,
His children ween'd B that it for hunger was By heaven's king, that for us alle died,
That he his armes gnaw'd, and not for woe, should ere this havefallen down for sleep,
And saide, " Father, do not so, alas! Although the slough hadbeen never so deep;
But rather eat the flesh upon us two. Then had your tali been all told in vain.
Our flesh thou gave us, our flesh take us fro', For certainly, as thes clerkes sayn,
And eat enough;" right thus they to him Where as a man may have no audience,
said. Nought helpeth it to telle his sent6nce.
And after that, within a day or two, And well I wot the substance is in me,
They laid them in his lap adown, and died. If anything shall well reported be.
Himself, despaired, eke for hunger starf.1' Sir, say somewhat of hunting,l9 I you pray."
Thus ended is this mighty Earl of Pise; "Nay," quoth the Monk, " I have no lust to
From high estate Fortune away him carf.l play; 20
Of this trag6dy it ought enough suffice; Now let another tell, as I have told."
Whoso will hear it in a longer wise,l Then spake our Host with rude speech and bold,
Reade the greate poet of Itale, And said unto the Nunne's Priest anon,
imprisoned by his nephew, and died a captive in 1385. 13 Relate. The story of Ugolino is told in the 33d
His death is the latest historical fact mentioned in the canto of the " Inferno." 14 Of a surety.
Tales; and thus it throws the date of their composition 15 Source of distress, annoyance.
to about the sixtieth year of Chaucer's age. 16 Delight, comfort. 17 Talked.
1 Agony. 2 With difficulty. 18 Were it not for the jingling of your bridle-bells.
3 Cause him to die. i 4 Made, born. See note 13, page 19.
5 Dearer. 6 Lap. 7 See. 19 The request is justified by the description of the
8 Blame, impute. 9 Thought. Monk in the Prologue as "an out-rider, that loved
10 Died. 11 Cut off. venery;' see page 19.
12 More at length. 20 I have no fondness for jesting.