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The Genera l Prolog ue

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:\-1odern English
Whan that Aprill with bis shoures soote
Wh en Apn·1 with his showers. sweet with fni°t
1 Toe droghte of March ha!h per:ced ~o the roote,
of March has pierce d un.to the root And bathed every veyne in sw1ch hcour
Th e d rought . . th
And bathed each vein wi~h hquor at ..has power Of whi~h verlu engtm<lred is the fiuur,
To ~erale therein an<l sire l.he ilowet' Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Wb!n Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath, 5
Inspired hath in every bolt and heeth
Qme . k d again in every bolt and heath, The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
ene , d
The tender shoots and buds, an the young sun Hath in the Ram bis halve cours yronne,
J.nto the Ram one half his course has run, And smale foweles maken melodye,
And many little birds make melody
That sleep through aJl the night with open eye 10 That slepen al the nyght with open ye
(So Nature pricks them on to_ r~p and rage)- ( so priketh hem Nature in bir cor~ge~),
Then do folk long to go on pJlgnmage, Thanne longen folk to goon on p1lgnmages,
And palmers to go seeking out_ strange strands, And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,
To distant shrines well known m sundry lands. To ferne balwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
And specially from every shire's end 15 And specially from every shires ende
Of England they to Canterbury wend, Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,
The holy blessed martyr there to seek The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
Who helped them when they lay so ill and weak. That hem hath holpen whan that they were
seeke.
Befell that, in that season, on a day
In Southwark, at the Tabard, as. I lay 20 Bifil that in that seson on a day,
Ready to start upon my pilgrimage In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay
To Cttnterbury, full of devout homtlge, Redy to wenden on 1ny pilgryma ge
There came at nightfall to that hostelry To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,
Some nine and twenty in a company At nyght was come into that hostelrye
Of sundry persons who had chanced to fall 25 Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye,
In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all Of sondry folk, by aventure yfaUe
That toward Canterbu ry town would ride. In felaweshi pe, and pilgrimes were they a\le,
The rooms and stables spacious were and wide, That toward Caunterb ury wolden ryde.
And well we there were eased, and of the best. The chambres and the stables weren W)'de.,
And briefly, when the sun had gone to rest, 30 And wel we weren esed atte beste.
So had I spoken with them, every one, And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste,
That I was of their fellowship anon, So hadde I spoken with hem evericho n
And made agreement that we'd early rise That I was of hir felaweshipe anon,
To take the road, as you I will apprise. And made forward erly for to ryse,
To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse.
But none the less, whilst I have time and space, 35
Before yet farther in this tale I pace, But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space,
It seems to me accordant with reason Er that I ferther in this tale pace,
To infoITD you oft.he state of every one Me lhynkelh it acotdaun1. 1.o resoun
Of all of these, as it appeared to me, To telle yow al the condicioun
And w'ho they were, and what was their degree, 40 Of ech of hem, so as it semed me,
And even how arrayed there at the iun; And whiche they weren, and of what degree,
And with a knigJ1t thus will I first begin. And eek in what array that they were inne~
And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne.
A knight there was, and he a wo11hy man,
Who, from the moment that he first began A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man,
To ride about the world, loved chivahy, 45 That fro the tyme that he first bigan
Truth, honour, frtedo111 and all cowiesy. To riden out, he loved chivalrie,
Full worthy was he in his liege-lord's war, Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.
A.nd therein had he ridden (none more far) Pnl
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As well in Christendom as heathenesse
••-•••,

' And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,

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And honoured everywhere for worthiness. 50 As wel in cristcndom as in hethenesse,
At Alexandria, be, when it was won; And evere honoured for his worthynesse.
At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne.
Full oft the table's roster he'd begun
Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne
Above all nations' knights in Prussia.
Aboven alle nacions in Pruce;
In Latvia raided he, and Russia,
55 In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce,
No christened 1nan so oft of his degree.
No cristen man so ofte of his degree.
In far Granada at the siege was he
In Gemade at the seege eek badde he be
Of Algeciras, and in Behnarie.
Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye.
At Ayas was he and at Satalye
When they were won; and on the Middle Sea At Lyeys was he and at Satalye,
60 Whan they were wonne; and in the Grete See
At many a noble meeting chanced to be.
Of mortal battles he had fought fifteen, At many a noble armee hadde he be.
And he'd fought for our faith at Tramissene At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene,
Three times in lists, and each time slain his foe. And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene
This self-same worthy knight had been also In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.
At one time with the lord of Palatye 65 This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also
Against another heathen in Turkey: Somtyme with the lord of Palatye
And always won he sovereign fame for prize. Agayn another hethen in Turkye.
Though so illustrious, he was very wise And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys;
And bore himself as meekly as a maid. And though that he were worthy, he was wys,
He never yet had any vileness said, 70 And of his port as meeke as is a mayde.
In all his life, to whatsoever wight. He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde
He was a truly perfect, gentle knight. In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
But now, to tell you all of his array, He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght
His steeds were good, but yet he was not gay. But, for to tellen yow of his array,
Of simple fustian wore he a jupon 75 His hors were goode, but he was nat gay.
Sadly discoloured by his habergeon; Of fustian he wered a gypon
For he had lately come from his voyage Al bismotered with his habergeon,
And now was going on this pilgrimage. For he was late ycome from bis viage,
"'-.. - - And wente for to doon his pilgrymage.
With him there was his son, a youthful squire,
A lover and a lusty bachelor, 80 With hym ther was his sone, a yong squier,
With locks well curled, as if they'd laid in press. A lovyere and a lusty bacheler,
Some twenty years of age he was, I guess. With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse.
In stature he was of an average length, Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse.
Wondrously active, aye, and great of strength. Of his stature he was of evene lengthe, '
He'd ridden sometime with the cavalry 85 And wonderly delyvere, and of greet strengthe.
In Flanders, in Artois, and Picardy, And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie
And borne him well within that little space In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Pycardie,
In hope to win thereby his lady's grace. And born hym weel, as of so litel space,
Prinked out he was, as if he were a mead, In hope to stonden in his lady grace.
All full of fresh-cut flowers white and red. 90 Embrouded was he, as it were a meede
Singing he was, or fluting, all the day; Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede.
He was as fresh as is the month of May. Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day;
Short was his gown, with sleeves long and wide. He was as fressh as is the month of May.
Well could be sit on horse, and fairly ride. Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and
He could make songs and words thereto indite, 95 wyde.
Joust, and dance too, as well as sketch and write. Wei koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.
So hot he loved that, while night told her tale, He koude songes make and wel endite,
He slept no more than does a nightingale. Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and
Courteous he, and humble, willing and able, write.
And carved before his father at the table. 100 So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale.
He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale.
A yeoman had he, nor more servants, no, Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable,
At that time, for he chose to travel so; And carfbifom his fader at the table.
And be was clad in coat and hood of green.
A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen Ayeman hadde he and servantz namo
Under his belt he bore right carefully 105 At that tyme, for hym liste ride so,
(Well could he keep his tackle yeomanly: And he was clad in cote and hood of grene.
His arrows had no draggled feathers low), A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene,
And in his hand he bore a mighty bow. Under his belt he bar ful thriftily,
 A cropped bead had he and a sun-browned face. (wel koude be dresse his takel yemanly:
Of woodcraft knew be all the useful ways. 110 His arwes drouped nogbt wilh fethcres lowc)
Upon his ann he bore a bracer gay, And in his hand he baar a myght y bowe.
And at one side a sword and buckler, yea, A not heed hadde he, with a broun visage.
And at the other side a dagger brigh~ Of wodecraft wel koude he al the usage.
Weil sheathed and sharp as spear point in the Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer,
light; 115 And by his syde a swerd and a bokele r,
On breast a Christopher of silver sheen. And on that ootber syde a gay dagge re
He bore a horn in baldric all of green; Hamei sed wel and sharp as point of spere;
A forester he truly was, I guess. A Cristopher on bis brest of silver sheene.
An horn be bar, the bawdryk was of grene;
A forster was he, soothly, as I gesse.

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 The General Prologue (lines 1IX-207)
There was also a nun, a prioress, Ther was also a nonne, a prioresse,
Who, in her smiling, modest was and coy; That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;
Her greatest oath was but "By Saint Eloy!" 120 Hire gretteste ooth was but by Seinte Loy;
And she wag known as Madam Eglantine. And she was cleped Madame Eglentyne.
Full well she sang the services divine, Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
Intoning through her nose, becomingly; Entuned in hir nose ful semely,
And fair she spoke her French, and fluently, And frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
After the school of Stratford-at-the-Bow, 125 After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,
For French of Paris was not hers to know. For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe.
At table she had been well taught withal, At mete wel ytaught was she with alle:
And never from her lips let morsels fall, She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,
Nor dipped her .fingers deep in sauce, but ate Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;
With so much care the food upon her plate 130 Wei koude she carie a morsel and we\ kepe
That never driblet fell upon her breast. That no drope ne fille upon hire brest.
In courtesy she had delight and zest. In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest.
Her upper lip was always wiped so clean Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene
That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene
That in her cup was no iota seen
135 Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.
Of grease, when she had drunk her draught of Ful semely after hir mete she raughte.
wme.
And sikerly she was of greet desport,
Becomingly she reached for meat to dine. And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,
And certainly delighting in good sport, And peyned hire to countrefete cheere
She was right pleasant, amiable- in short. Of court, and to been estatlich of manere,
She was at pains to counterfeit the look 140
And to ben holden digne of reverence.
Of courtliness, and stately manners took, But, for to speken of hire conscience,
And would be held worthy of reverence. She was so charitable and'so pitous
But, to say something of her moral sense, She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous
She was so charitable and piteous Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.
That she would weep if she but saw a mouse 145
Of smale houndes had de she that she f edde
Caught in a trap, though it were dead or bled.
With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-b reed.
She had som·e little dogs, too, that she fed
But soore wepte she if oon of hem were deed,
On roasted flesh, or milk and fine white bread.
Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte;
But sore she'd weep if one of them were dead,
150 And al was conscien ce and tendre herte.
Or if men smote it with a rod to smart:
Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was,
For pity ruled her, and her tender heart.
Right decorous her pleated wimple was; Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,
Her nose was fine; her eyes were blue as glass; Hir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed;
Her mouth was small and therewith soft and red; But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed;
But certainly she had a fair forehead; 155 It wa:s almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;
It was almost a full span broad, I own, For, hardily, she was nat undergr owe.
For, truth to tell, she was not undergrown. Ful fetys was hir cloke, as I was war.
Neat was her cloak, as I was well aware. Of smar coral aboute hire arm she bar
Of coral small about her arm she'd bear A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene,
A string of beads and gauded all with green; 160 And theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene,
And therefrom hung a brooch of golden sheen On which tlier was first write a crowned A
'
Whereon there was first written a crowned "A," And after Amor Vincit Omnia.
And under, Amor Vinci! Omnia.
Another nonne with hire hadde she
'
Another little nun with her had she, That was hir chapele yne, and preestes thre.
Who was her chaplain ; and of priests she'd three.
165 A monk. ther was, a fair for the maistrie ,
A monk there was, one made for mastery, An outnder e, that lovede venerie
'
An outrider, who loved his venery; A manly man, to been an abbot able.
A manly man, to be an abbot able. Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable
Full many a blooded horse had he in stable: And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel 'heere
And when he rode men might his bridle hear 170 Gynglen in a whistly nge wynd als cleere
A-jingling iri the whistlin g wind as clear, And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle.
Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle,