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

THE PROLOGUE.
Of court, 1 and be estately of mnihiere, Therefore he was a prickasour aright: 21
And to be holden digne 2 of reverence, Greyhpunds he.ad as swift as fowl of flight s
But for to speaken of her conscince, Of pricking22 and of hunting for the hare
She was so charitable and so pitotis, 3 Was all his lust,23 for no cost would he spare.
She woulde weep if that she saw a mouse I saw his sleeves purfil'd at the hand
Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bled. With gris,24 and that the finest of the land.
Of smalle houndes had she, that she fed And for to bf[ lis hood under his chin4,
With roasted flesh, an i an milk anwastel bread.4 He had of gold y-wrought a cu: fd ~-
But sore she wept if one of them were dead, A love-knot in the greater en d' te was.
Or if men smote it with a yarde 5 smart His head was bald, and shone as any glass,
And all was conscience and tender hearts And eke his face, as it had been anoint-;
Full seemly her wimple y-pinched was He was a lord full fat and in good point; A" t1ie
Her nose tretis; 6 her; eyen gray as glass 7 His eyen step25 and rolling in his head, \
Her mouth full small, and thereto soft and red; That steamed as a furnace of a lead.
But sickerly she had a fair forehead. His bootes supple, his horse in great estate,
It was almost a spanne broad I trow; Now certainly he was a fair prelate;
For hardily she was not undergrow.8 He was not pale as a forpined 26 ghost;
Full fetis 9 was her cloak, as I was ware. A fat swan lov'd he best of any roast.
Of small coral about her arm she bare His palfrey was as brown as is a berry.
A pair of beades, gauded all with green 10 -
And thereon hung a brooch of gold full sheen, A FRnAR there was, a wanton and a nerry,
On which was first y-written a crown'd A, A liatur, a full solemne man.
And after, Amor vincit omnia. In all the orders four is none that can 28
Another NUN also with her had she, So much of alliance and fair language,
[That was her chapell6ine, and PSIESTES three.] He had y-made full many a marriage
Of you women, at h owen.t. H.
A MONK there was, fair for the inast'ry," to his or was a noble post
An out-rider, that loved venery;? Full well belov'd, and familiar was he
A manly man, to be an abbot able. With franklins over all 29 in his country,
Full many a dainty horse had he in stable: And Bke with worthy women of the town:
And when he rode, men might his- bridle hear For he had power of confessi6n,
Jingeling' in a whistling wind as clear, As said himselfd, more than a curate,
And eke as loud, as doth the chapel bell, For of his order he was li entiate. ^ t.< pi
There as this lord was keeper of the cell. Full sweetely heard he confession,
The rule of Saint Maur and of Saint Benet,l4 And pleasant was his absolution.
Because that it was old and somedeal15 strait, He was an easy man to give penince,
This ilk6 16 monk let olde thinges pace, There as he wist to have a good pittnce: 30
And held after the newe world the trace. For unto a poor order for to give
He gave not of the text a pulled hen,l7 Is signe that a man is well.-shrive..1
That saith, that hunters be not holy men; For if he gave, he durstm ake avan -,3
Ne that a monk, when he is cloisterless He wiste that the man was repentant.
Is like to a fish that is waterless; For many a man so hard is of his heart, J: S o
This is to say, a monk out of his cloister. He may not weep although him sore smart.
This ilke text held' he not worth an oyster Therefore instead of weeping and pray Sres,
And I say his opinion wag good. Men must give silver to the poor6 frores.
Why should he study, and make himseife His tippet was aye farsed 3 full of knives,
wood,8 And pinnes, for to give'to faire wives;
Upon a book in cloister always pore, And certainly he had a merry 4ote:
Or swinkei 19 with his handes, and labofr, Well could he sing and playen on aot' e;3
As Austin bit? a2 how shall the world be served? Ofe y.dligs35 he bare utterly the prize.
Let Austin have his swink to him reserved. His neck was white as is the fleur-de-lis.:
I Took pains to assume a courtly air. 15 Somewhat. 16 Same.
2 Worthy; French, "digne." 17 He cared nothing for the text.
3 Piteous; full of pity. 4 Bread of finest flour. 18 Mad; Scottish, "wud." Felix says to Paul, "Too
5 Staff, rod. 6 Well-formed, much learning hath made thee mad."
7 Gray eyes appear to have been a mark of female 19 Toil hard.
beauty in Chaucer's time. 20 As the rules of St Augustine prescribe.
8SCertainly she was not of low stature. 9 Neat. 21 A right hard rider. 22 Riding. 23 Pleasure.
10 Astringofbeadshavingthedrops, orgaudies, green. 24 Worked at the edge with a fur called "gris," or
ll Fair above all others; "for the mystery" was gray. 25 Deep-set. 26 Wasted,
applied to medicines in the sense of "sovereign," as 27 A friar with licence or privilege to beg, or exerwe now apply it to a remedy. cise other functions, within.a certain district: as "the
12 A bold rider, fond of hunting-a proclivity of the limitour of Holderness." 28 Knows, understands.
monks in those days, that occasioned much complaint 29 Everywhere; German, " ueberall."
and satire. 30 Where he knew that a liberal dole would be given
13 It was fashionable to hang bells on horses' bridles, him.
14 St Benedict was the first founder of a spiritual 31 Has well made confession. 32 Vaunt, boast.
order in the Roman Church. Maurus, Abbot of Fulda,33 Stuffed. 34 By rote; from memory.
from 822 to 842, did much to re-establish the discipline 35 A kind of song; from the Saxon "geWddian," to
of the Benedictines on a true Christian basis, sing.