The Canterbury Tales (3 of 230)

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THE PROLOGUE. (CONT'D)

A MONK there was, a fair for the mast'ry, above all others<14>
An out-rider, that loved venery; hunting
A manly man, to be an abbot able.
Full many a dainty horse had he in stable:
And when he rode, men might his bridle hear
Jingeling <15> in a whistling wind as clear,
And eke as loud, as doth the chapel bell,
There as this lord was keeper of the cell.
The rule of Saint Maur and of Saint Benet, <16>
Because that it was old and somedeal strait
This ilke monk let olde thinges pace, same
And held after the newe world the trace.
He gave not of the text a pulled hen, he cared nothing
That saith, that hunters be not holy men: for the text
Ne that a monk, when he is cloisterless;
Is like to a fish that is waterless;
This is to say, a monk out of his cloister.
This ilke text held he not worth an oyster;
And I say his opinion was good.
Why should he study, and make himselfe wood mad <17>
Upon a book in cloister always pore,
Or swinken with his handes, and labour, toil
As Austin bid? how shall the world be served?
Let Austin have his swink to him reserved.
Therefore he was a prickasour aright: hard rider
Greyhounds he had as swift as fowl of flight;
Of pricking and of hunting for the hare riding
Was all his lust, for no cost would he spare. pleasure
I saw his sleeves purfil'd at the hand worked at the end with a
With gris, and that the finest of the land. fur called "gris"
And for to fasten his hood under his chin,
He had of gold y-wrought a curious pin;
A love-knot in the greater end there was.
His head was bald, and shone as any glass,
And eke his face, as it had been anoint;
He was a lord full fat and in good point;
His eyen steep, and rolling in his head, deep-set
That steamed as a furnace of a lead.
His bootes supple, his horse in great estate,
Now certainly he was a fair prelate;
He was not pale as a forpined ghost; wasted
A fat swan lov'd he best of any roast.
His palfrey was as brown as is a berry.

A FRIAR there was, a wanton and a merry,
A limitour <18>, a full solemne man.
In all the orders four is none that can knows
So much of dalliance and fair language.
He had y-made full many a marriage
Of younge women, at his owen cost.
Unto his order he was a noble post;
Full well belov'd, and familiar was he
With franklins over all in his country, everywhere
And eke with worthy women of the town:
For he had power of confession,
As said himselfe, more than a curate,
For of his order he was licentiate.
Full sweetely heard he confession,
And pleasant was his absolution.
He was an easy man to give penance,
-There as he wist to have a good pittance: where he know he would
For unto a poor order for to give get good payment
Is signe that a man is well y-shrive.
For if he gave, he durste make avant, dared to boast
He wiste that the man was repentant. knew
For many a man so hard is of his heart,
He may not weep although him sore smart.
Therefore instead of weeping and prayeres,
Men must give silver to the poore freres.
His tippet was aye farsed full of knives stuffed
And pinnes, for to give to faire wives;
And certainly he had a merry note:
Well could he sing and playen on a rote; from memory
Of yeddings he bare utterly the prize. songs
His neck was white as is the fleur-de-lis.
Thereto he strong was as a champion,
And knew well the taverns in every town.
And every hosteler and gay tapstere,
Better than a lazar or a beggere, leper
For unto such a worthy man as he
Accordeth not, as by his faculty,
To have with such lazars acquaintance.
It is not honest, it may not advance,
As for to deale with no such pouraille, offal, refuse
But all with rich, and sellers of vitaille. victuals
And ov'r all there as profit should arise, in every place where&
Courteous he was, and lowly of service;
There n'as no man nowhere so virtuous.
He was the beste beggar in all his house:
And gave a certain farme for the grant, <19>
None of his bretheren came in his haunt.
For though a widow hadde but one shoe,
So pleasant was his In Principio,<20>
Yet would he have a farthing ere he went;
His purchase was well better than his rent.
And rage he could and play as any whelp,
In lovedays <21>; there could he muchel help. greatly
For there was he not like a cloisterer,
With threadbare cope as is a poor scholer;
But he was like a master or a pope.
Of double worsted was his semicope, short cloak
That rounded was as a bell out of press.
Somewhat he lisped for his wantonness,
To make his English sweet upon his tongue;
And in his harping, when that he had sung,
His eyen twinkled in his head aright, eyes
As do the starres in a frosty night.
This worthy limitour <18> was call'd Huberd.

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14. "for the mastery" was applied to medicines in the sense of
"sovereign" as we now apply it to a remedy.

15. It was fashionable to hang bells on horses' bridles.

16. St. Benedict was the first founder of a spiritual order in the
Roman church. Maurus, abbot of Fulda from 822 to 842, did
much to re-establish the discipline of the Benedictines on a true
Christian basis.

17. Wood: Mad, Scottish "wud". Felix says to Paul, "Too
much learning hath made thee mad".

18. Limitour: A friar with licence or privilege to beg, or
exercise other functions, within a certain district: as, "the
limitour of Holderness".

19. Farme: rent; that is, he paid a premium for his licence to
beg.

20. In principio: the first words of Genesis and John, employed
in some part of the mass.

21. Lovedays: meetings appointed for friendly settlement of
differences; the business was often followed by sports and
feasting.

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