So priketh hem' nature in hir2 corages; 3 Of Englelond, to Canterbury they wende, The holy blisful martyr for to seke, That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke. Befelle, that, in that seson on a day, 6 In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay, Redy to wenden on my pilgrimage In felawship, and pilgrimes were they alle, That toward Canterbury wolden ride. The chambres and the stables weren wide, And wel we weren esed' atte beste. And shortly, whan the sonne was gon to reste. So hadde I spoken with hem everich on, That I was of hir felawship anon, And made forword erly for to rise, To take oure way ther as I you devise. But natheles, while I have time and space, Or that I forther in this tale pace, PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES. 3 Me thinketh it accordant to reson, To tellen you alle the condition Of eche of hem, so as it semed me, And whiche they weren, and of what degre; A KNIGHT ther was, and that a worthy man, Trouthe and honour, fredom and curtesie. At Alisandre 3 he was whan it was wonne. In Lettowe hadde he reysed and in Ruce," In Gernade at the siege eke hadde he be Of Algesir, and ridden in Belmarie. At Leyes was he, and at Satalie, Whan they were wonne; and in the Grete see At many a noble armee hadde he be. And foughten for our faith at Tramissene This ilke worthy knight hadde ben also Agen another hethen in Turkie : And evermore he hadde a sovereine pris. He never yet no villanie ne sayde In alle his lif, unto no manere wight.' He was a veray parfit gentil knight. But for to tellen you of his araie, His hors was good, but he ne was not gaie. Alle besmotred with his habergeon,3 For he was late ycome fro his viage, And wente for to don his pilgrimage. With him ther was his sone a yonge SQUIER, A lover, and a lusty bacheler, With lockes crull as they were laide in presse. Of twenty yere of age he was I gesse. Of his stature he was of even lengthe, And wonderly deliver and grete of strengthe. And he hadde be somtime in chevachie, In Flaundres, in Artois, and in Picardie, 1 Kind of man. 4 Nimble. 2 Short coat. 5 Military expedition. 3 Coat of mail. PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES. And borne him wel, as of so litel space, 5 Singing he was, or floyting alle the day, He was as fresshe as is the moneth of May. Wel coude he sitte on hors, and fayre ride. W THOMAS He coude songes make, and wel endite, Juste and eke dance, and wel pourtraie and write. So hote he loved, that by nightertale ' He slep no more than doth the nightingale. Curteis he was, lowly, and servisable, And carf before his fader at the table. A YEMAN hadde he, and servantes no mo Wel coude he dresse his takel yemanly: A not-hed hadde he, with a broune visage. There was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE, Hire gretest othe n'as but by Seint Eloy; 1 Night-time. 2 Pleased. 3 St. Christopher. 4 Forester. |