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

o TTHE CANTERBURY TALES.
For some folk will be wonnen for rich6ss, Look how it is, and tell me boldily."
And some for strokes, and some with gentiless. This knavd went him up full sturdily,
Sometimes, to show his lightness and mast'ry, And, at the chamber door while that he stood,
He playeth Herod 1 on a scaffold high. He cried and knocked as that he were wood:
But what availeth him as in this case? " What how? what do ye, Master Nicholay?
So loveth she the Hendy Nicholas, How may ye sleepen all the longe day?"
That Absolon may blow the bucke's horn: 2 But all for nought, he hearde not a word.
He had for all his labour but a scorn. An hole he found full low upon the board,
And thus she maketh Absolon her ape, There as 9 the cat was wont in for to creep,
And all his earnest turneth to a jape.3 And at that hole he looked in full deep,
Full sooth is this prov6rb, it is no lie; And at the last he had of him a sight.
Men say right thus alway; the nighe sly This Nicholas sat ever gaping upright,
Maketh oft time the far lief to be loth.4 As he had kyked20 on the newe moon.
For though that Absolon be wood 5 or wroth Adown he went, and told his master soon,
Because that he far was from her sight, In what array he saw this ilke21 man.
This nigh Nicholas stood still in his light. This carpenter to blissen him22 began,
Now bear thee well, thou Hendy Nicholas, And said: " Now help us, Sainte Frideswide.23
For Absolon may wail and sing " Alas!" A man wot 24 little what shall him betide.
And so befell, that on a Saturday This man is fall'n with his astronomy
This carpenter was gone to Oseney, Into some woodness25 or some agony.
And Hendy Nicholas and Alis6n I thought aye well how that it shoulde be.
Accorded were to this conclusi6n, Men should know nought of Godde's privity.26
That Nicholas shall shapB him a wile 6 Yea, blessed be alway a lewed 27 man,
The silly jealous husband to beguile; That nought but only his believe can.28
And if so were the game went aright, So far'd another clerk with astr6nomy:
She shoulde sleepen in his arms all night; He walked in the fieldes for to pry
For this was her desire and his also. Upon29 the starres, what there should befall,
And right anon, withouti wordis mo', Till he was in a marle pit y-fall.30
This Nicholas no longer would he tarry, He saw not that. But yet, by Saint Thomas!
But doth full soft unto his chamber carry Me rueth sore of 31 Hendy Nicholas:
Both meat and drinke for a day or tway. He shall be rated of his studying,3
And to her husband bade her for to say, If that I may, by Jesus, heaven's king!
If that he asked after Nicholas, Get me a staff, that I may underspore33
She should8 say, " She wist 7 not where he was; While that thou, Robin, heavest off the door:
Of all the day she saw him not with eye; He shall out of his studying, as I guess."
She trowed 8 he was in some malady, And to the chamber door he gan him dress.34
For no cry that her maiden could him call His knavB was a strong carl for the nonce,
He would answer, for nought that might befall." And by the hasp 35 he heav'd it off at once;
Thus passed forth all thilk 9 Saturday, Into the floor the door fell down anon.
That Nicholas still in his chamber lay, This Nicholas sat aye as still as stone,
And ate, and slept, and didde what him list And ever he gap'd upward into the air.
Till Sunday, that the sunni went to rest.1 The carpenter ween'd 36 he were in despair,
This silly carpenter had great marvail And hent 37 him by the shoulders mightily,
Of Nicholas, or what thing might him ail, And shook him hard, and cried spitously; 38
And said; "I am adrad,2 by Saint Thomas! "What, Nicholas? what how, man? look adown:
It standeth not aright with Nicholas: Awake, and think on ChristS's passioin.
God shielde 13 that he died suddenly. I crouche thee39 from elves, and from wights."40
This world is now full tickle 14 sickerly.l5 Therewith the night-spell said he anon rights,4'
I saw to-day a corpse y-borne to chirch, On the four halves 42 of the house about,
That now on Monday last I saw him wirch.l6 And on the threshold of the door without.
" Go up," quod he unto his knave,l7 "anon; " Lord Jesus Christ, and Sainte Benedight,
Clepe 18 at his door, or knocke with a stone: BlessB this house from every wicked wight,
1 Parish-clerks, like Absolon, had leading parts in 24 Knows. 25 Madness.
the mysteries or religious plays; Herod was one of 126 Secret counsel. 27 Unlearned.
these parts, which may have been an object of compe- 28 Knows no more than his "credo."
tition among the amateurs of the period. 29 Watch, keep watch on.
2," May go whistle." 3 Jest. 30 Till he fell into a marl-pit. Plato, in his "Theate4 The cunning one near at hand oft makes the loving tus," tells this story of Thales; but it has since apm
one afar off to be odious. 5 Mad. peared in many other forms.
6 Devise a stratagem. 7 Knew. 8 Believed. 31 I am very sorry for.
9 That. 10 Till Sunday evening. 32 Chidden, rated, for his devotion to study.
11 Wondered greatly. 12 Afraid, in dread. 33 Heave up the door by a lever beneath.,
13 Heaven forefend! 14 Ticklish, fickle, uncertain. 34 Apply himself.
15 Surely. 16 Work. 17 Servant. 35 Lock; from the Anglo-Saxon, "haepsian," to lock,
18 Call. 19 Where. fasten; German, "Hespe."
20 Looked; "keek" is still used in some parts in the 36 Thought. 37 Caught. 38 Angrily.
sense of "peep." 39 Protect thee, by signing the sign of the Cross.
21 Same. 22 To bless, cross himself. 40 Witches, who were not of the feminine gender
3 Saint Frideswide, the patroness of a considerable only.
priory at Oxford, and held there in high repute. 41 In due form. 42 Corners, parts.