The Canterbury Tales

Prologue
Chapter 1: Lines 91-120 of 860
Middle English
 
 
91   Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day,
92   He was as fressh as is the monthe of May.
93   Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde.
94   Wel koude he sitte on hors, and faire ryde,
95   He koude songes make, and wel endite,
96   Juste, and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write.
97   So hoote he lovede, that by nyghtertale
98   He slepte namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale.
99   Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable,
100   And carf biforn his fader at the table.
101  A Yeman hadde he, and servantz namo
102   At that tyme, for hym liste ride soo;
103   And he was clad in cote and hood of grene,
104   A sheef of pecok arwes bright and kene
105   Under his belt he bar ful thriftily-
106   Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly,
107   Hise arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe-
108   And in his hand he baar a myghty bowe.
109   A not -heed hadde he, with a broun visage,
110   Of woodecraft wel koude he al the usage.
111   Upon his arm he baar a gay bracer,
112   And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler,
113   And on that oother syde a gay daggere,
114   Harneised wel, and sharpe as point of spere.
115   A Cristophere on his brest of silver sheene,
116   An horn he bar, the bawdryk was of grene.
117   A Forster was he, soothly, as I gesse.
118  Ther was also a Nonne, a Prioresse,
119   That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy.
120   Hir gretteste ooth was but by Seinte Loy,

Previous: 1:61 | Current in Modern English | Next: 1:121 | Contents
Bookmarks: Bookmark This | View () | Clear




Produced by ELF
JazzEtext Engine, Version 2.0 ~ Copyright © 1999-2006