Canterbury Tales

Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote, The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Whan Zephirus eek with his sweet breath Inspired hath in every holt and heath The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne, And smale foweles maken melodye, That slepen al the nyght with open ye, So priketh hem nature in hir corages, Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, And palmeres for to seken strange strondes, To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; And specially from every shires ende Of Engelond to Canterbury they wende, The holy blisful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen whan they were seeke. Befell that in that seson on a day, In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay Ready to wenden on my pilgrymage To Canterbury with ful devout corage, At nyght ther was come into that hostelrye Some nine and twenty in a companye Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle In felawshipe, and pilgrims were they alle, That toward Canterbury wolden ryde; The chambre and the stables weren wyde, And wel we weren esed att the beste. And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, So hadde I spoken with hem everychon That I was of hir felawshipe anon, And made forward erly for to ryse, To take our wey ther as I yow devyse. But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space, Er that I ferther in this tale pace, Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun To telle yow al the condicioun Of ech of hem, so as it semed me, And whiche they weren, and of what degree, And eek in what array that they were inne; And at a knight then wol I first bigynne. A Knyght ther was, and that a worthy man, That from the tyme that he first bigan To ryden out, he loved chivalrye, Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisye. Ful worthi was he in his lordes werre, And thereto hadde he riden, no man ferre, As wel in cristendom as hethenesse, And evere honoured for his worthynesse; And though that he were worthy, he was wys, And in his port as meeke as is a mayde. He hadde been somtyme in chevachie In Flaundres, in Artois, and in Picardie, And hadde been at the segee of Algezir, In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce, No Cristen man so ofte of his degree; In Gernade at the segee eek hadde he be Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye. At Lyeys was he and at Satalye, Whan they were wonne, and in the Grete See At many a noble armee hadde he be. At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene In lystes thries, and aye slayn his foo. This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also Somtyme with the Lord of Palatye Ageyn another hethen in Turkye; And evere honoured for his worthynesse. And though that he were worthy, he was wys, And in his port as meeke as is a mayde. And therfore, whan he homeward cam from his peregrinacioun, With him ther riden nine and twenty persones, Of whiche I wol telle yow the condicioun Of ech of hem, so as it semed me, And whiche they weren, and of what degree. A Yeman hadde he, and servantz no fewe, At that tyme, for hym lust to pleye; And therfore he was alway ful of game, And wolde have been a yeman, for his owene shame. A Yeoman hadde he, and servantz no fewe, For hym lust to pleye, and for to be gay, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Pardoner hadde he, a ful profitable man, That precheth for aught he coud winne, And therfore he was alway ful of game, And hadde a fyn gold chalice, and a purs of silk, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Monk hadde he, a ful wel Solomon, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Frere hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Marchant hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Squire hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to pleye was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Clerk hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to lernen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Person hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Plowman hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Miller hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to malten was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Manciple hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Parson hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Ploughman hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Carter hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to carren was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Cook hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to seethen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Sowere hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to seethen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Seargent-at-the-Lawe hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to plede was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Frankeleyn hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to eten was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Haberdasher hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Carpenter hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Weaver hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Dyer hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Tapicer hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Bakers hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to bakyn was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Butcher hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to selden was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Smith hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to smythen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Potter hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to potyn was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Shipman hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to sailen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Doctour of Phisik hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to helpe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Wyf of Bathe hadde he, a ful wel worthy womman, That for to speken was alway ful of game, And therfore she was alway ful of game. A Somnour hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to somnen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Pardoner hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Manciple hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Reve hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Millere hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to malten was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Squire hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to pleye was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Yeoman hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to pleye was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Pardoner hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Monk hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Frere hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Marchant hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Seargent-at-the-Lawe hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to plede was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Frankeleyn hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to eten was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Haberdasher hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Carpenter hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Weaver hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Dyer hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Tapicer hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Bakers hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to bakyn was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Butcher hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to selden was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Smith hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to smythen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Potter hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to potyn was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Shipman hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to sailen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Doctour of Phisik hadde he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to helpe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Wyf of Bathe hadde he, a ful wel worthy womman, That for to speken was alway ful of game, And therfore she was alway ful of game. A Somnour hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to somnen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Pardoner hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Manciple hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Reve hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Millere hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to malten was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Squire hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to pleye was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Yeoman hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to pleye was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Pardoner hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Monk hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Frere hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Marchant hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Seargent-at-the-Lawe hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to plede was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Frankeleyn hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to eten was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Haberdasher hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Carpenter hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Weaver hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Dyer hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Tapicer hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Bakers hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to bakyn was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Butcher hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to selden was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Smith hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to smythen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Potter hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to potyn was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Shipman hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to sailen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Doctour of Phisik hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to helpe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Wyf of Bathe hade he, a ful wel worthy womman, That for to speken was alway ful of game, And therfore she was alway ful of game. A Somnour hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to somnen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Pardoner hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to prechen was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Manciple hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to chepe was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Reve hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to wyrken was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Millere hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to malten was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Squire hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to pleye was alway ful of game, And therfore he was alway ful of game. A Yeoman hade he, a ful wel worthy man, That for to pleye was