{"id":1528,"date":"2019-07-05T14:26:46","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T14:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/epcc-britlit1\/?post_type=chapter&p=1528"},"modified":"2019-07-05T14:54:49","modified_gmt":"2019-07-05T14:54:49","slug":"general-prologue-prioress-monk-friar","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/epcc-britlit1\/chapter\/general-prologue-prioress-monk-friar\/","title":{"raw":"General Prologue: Prioress, Monk, Friar","rendered":"General Prologue: Prioress, Monk, Friar"},"content":{"raw":"Ther was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE,\r\nThat of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;\r\n120<\/span><\/small> Hir gretteste ooth was but by Seinte Loy;\r\nAnd she was cleped Madame Eglentyne.\r\nFul weel she soong the service dyvyne,\r\nEntuned in hir nose ful semely,\r\nAnd Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,\r\n125<\/span><\/small> After the scole of Stratford-atte-Bowe,\r\nFor Frenssh of Parys was to hir unknowe.\r\nAt mete wel ytaught was she with alle:\r\nShe leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,\r\nNe wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;\r\n130<\/span><\/small> Wel koude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe\r\nThat no drope ne fille upon hir brist.\r\nIn curteisie was set ful muche hir list.\r\nHire over-lippe wyped she so clene\r\nThat in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene\r\n135<\/span><\/small> Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.\r\nFul semely after hir mete she raughte.\r\nAnd sikerly, she was of greet desport,\r\nAnd ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,\r\nAnd peyned hir to countrefete cheere\r\n140<\/span><\/small> Of court, and been estatlich of manere,\r\nAnd to ben holden digne of reverence.\r\nBut, for to speken of hir conscience,\r\nShe was so charitable and so pitous\r\nShe wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous\r\n145<\/span><\/small> Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.\r\nOf smale houndes hadde she, that she fedde\r\nWith rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.\r\nBut soore weep she if oon of hem were deed,\r\nOr if men smoot it with a yerde smerte;\r\n150<\/span><\/small> And al was conscience, and tendre herte.\r\nFul semyly hir wympul pynched was,\r\nHire nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,\r\nHir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed;\r\nBut sikerly she hadde a fair forheed;\r\n155<\/span><\/small> It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;\r\nFor, hardily, she was nat undergrowe.\r\nFul fetys was hir cloke, as I was war;\r\nOf smal coral aboute hir arm she bar\r\nA peire of bedes, gauded al with grene,\r\n160<\/span><\/small> An theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene,\r\nOn which ther was first write a crowned A,\r\nAnd after Amor vincit omnia.\r\n\r\nAnother NONNE with hir hadde she,\r\nThat was hire chapeleyne, and preestes thre.\r\n\r\n165<\/span><\/small> A MONK ther was, a fair for the maistrie,\r\nAn outridere, that lovede venerie,\r\nA manly man, to been an abbot able.\r\nFul many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable,\r\nAnd whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere\r\n170<\/span><\/small> Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere\r\nAnd eek as loude, as dooth the chapel belle.\r\nTher as this lord was keper of the celle,\r\nThe reule of Seint Maure, or of Seint Beneit,\r\nBy cause that it was old and somdel streit\r\n175<\/span><\/small> This ilke Monk leet olde thynges pace,\r\nAnd heeld after the newe world the space.\r\nHe yaf nat of that text a pulled hen,\r\nThat seith that hunters beth nat hooly men,\r\nNe that a monk, whan he is recchelees,\r\n180<\/span><\/small> Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees,-\r\nThis is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre\r\nBut thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre;\r\nAnd I seyde his opinioun was good.\r\nWhat sholde he studie, and make hymselven wood,\r\n185<\/span><\/small> Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure,\r\nOr swynken with his handes and laboure,\r\nAs Austyn bit? How shal the world be served?\r\nLat Austyn have his swynk to him reserved!\r\nTherfore he was a prikasour aright:\r\n190<\/span><\/small> Grehoundes he hadde, as swift as fowel in flight;\r\nOf prikyng and of huntyng for the hare\r\nWas al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.\r\nI seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond\r\nWith grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;\r\n195<\/span><\/small> And, for to festne his hood under his chyn,\r\nHe hadde of gold ywroght a curious pyn;\r\nA love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.\r\nHis heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,\r\nAnd eek his face, as it hadde been enoynt.\r\n200<\/span><\/small> He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt,\r\nHise eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed,\r\nThat stemed as a forneys of a leed;\r\nHis bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat.\r\nNow certeinly he was a fair prelaat;\r\n205<\/span><\/small> He was nat pale as a forpyned goost.\r\nA fat swan loved he best of any roost.\r\nHis palfrey was as broun as is a berye,\r\n\r\nA FRERE ther was, a wantowne and a merye,\r\nA lymytour, a ful solempne man.\r\n210<\/span><\/small> In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan\r\nSo muchel of daliaunce and fair langage.\r\nHe hadde maad ful many a mariage\r\nOf yonge wommen at his owene cost.\r\nUnto his ordre he was a noble post,\r\n215<\/span><\/small> And wel biloved and famulier was he\r\nWith frankeleyns overal in his contree,\r\nAnd eek with worthy wommen of the toun;\r\nFor he hadde power of confessioun,\r\nAs seyde hymself, moore than a curat,\r\n220<\/span><\/small> For of his ordre he was licenciat.\r\nFul swetely herde he confessioun,\r\nAnd plesaunt was his absolucioun:\r\nHe was an esy man to yeve penaunce,\r\nTher as he wiste to have a good pitaunce.\r\n225<\/span><\/small> For unto a povre ordre for to yive\r\nIs signe that a man is wel yshryve;\r\nFor, if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,\r\nHe wiste that a man was repentaunt;\r\nFor many a man so harde is of his herte,\r\n230<\/span><\/small> He may nat wepe, al thogh hym soore smerte;\r\nTherfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres\r\nMen moote yeve silver to the povre freres.\r\nHis typet was ay farsed ful of knyves\r\nAnd pynnes, for to yeven yonge wyves.\r\n235<\/span><\/small> And certeinly he hadde a murye note:\r\nWel koude he synge, and pleyen on a rote;\r\nOf yeddynges he baar outrely the pris.\r\nHis nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys;\r\nTherto he strong was as a champioun.\r\n240<\/span><\/small> He knew the tavernes wel in every toun\r\nAnd everich hostiler and tappestere\r\nBet than a lazar or a beggestere;\r\nFor unto swich a worthy man as he\r\nAcorded nat, as by his facultee,\r\n245<\/span><\/small> To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce.\r\nIt is nat honeste, it may nat avaunce,\r\nFor to deelen with no swich poraille,\r\nBut al with riche and selleres of vitaille.\r\nAnd over al, ther as profit sholde arise,\r\n250<\/span><\/small> Curteis he was, and lowely of servyse.\r\nTher nas no man nowher so vertuous.\r\nHe was the beste beggere in his hous;\r\n(And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt\r\nNoon of his brethren cam ther in his haunt;)\r\n255<\/span><\/small> For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho,\r\nSo plesaunt was his \"In principio\"\r\nYet wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente;\r\nHis purchas was wel bettre than his rente.\r\nAnd rage he koude, as it were right a whelp.\r\n260<\/span><\/small> In love-dayes ther koude he muchel help,\r\nFor there he was nat lyk a cloysterer\r\nWith a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler,\r\nBut he was lyk a maister or a pope;\r\nOf double worstede was his semycope,\r\n265<\/span><\/small> That rounded as a belle out of the presse.\r\nSomwhat he lipsed for his wantownesse\r\nTo make his Englissh sweete upon his tonge;\r\nAnd in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe,\r\nHise eyen twynkled in his heed aryght\r\n270<\/span><\/small> As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.\r\nThis worthy lymytour was cleped Huberd.\r\n\r\n ","rendered":"

Ther was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE,
\nThat of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;
\n120<\/span><\/small> Hir gretteste ooth was but by Seinte Loy;
\nAnd she was cleped Madame Eglentyne.
\nFul weel she soong the service dyvyne,
\nEntuned in hir nose ful semely,
\nAnd Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
\n125<\/span><\/small> After the scole of Stratford-atte-Bowe,
\nFor Frenssh of Parys was to hir unknowe.
\nAt mete wel ytaught was she with alle:
\nShe leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,
\nNe wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;
\n130<\/span><\/small> Wel koude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe
\nThat no drope ne fille upon hir brist.
\nIn curteisie was set ful muche hir list.
\nHire over-lippe wyped she so clene
\nThat in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene
\n135<\/span><\/small> Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.
\nFul semely after hir mete she raughte.
\nAnd sikerly, she was of greet desport,
\nAnd ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,
\nAnd peyned hir to countrefete cheere
\n140<\/span><\/small> Of court, and been estatlich of manere,
\nAnd to ben holden digne of reverence.
\nBut, for to speken of hir conscience,
\nShe was so charitable and so pitous
\nShe wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous
\n145<\/span><\/small> Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.
\nOf smale houndes hadde she, that she fedde
\nWith rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.
\nBut soore weep she if oon of hem were deed,
\nOr if men smoot it with a yerde smerte;
\n150<\/span><\/small> And al was conscience, and tendre herte.
\nFul semyly hir wympul pynched was,
\nHire nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,
\nHir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed;
\nBut sikerly she hadde a fair forheed;
\n155<\/span><\/small> It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;
\nFor, hardily, she was nat undergrowe.
\nFul fetys was hir cloke, as I was war;
\nOf smal coral aboute hir arm she bar
\nA peire of bedes, gauded al with grene,
\n160<\/span><\/small> An theron heng a brooch of gold ful sheene,
\nOn which ther was first write a crowned A,
\nAnd after Amor vincit omnia.<\/p>\n

Another NONNE with hir hadde she,
\nThat was hire chapeleyne, and preestes thre.<\/p>\n

165<\/span><\/small> A MONK ther was, a fair for the maistrie,
\nAn outridere, that lovede venerie,
\nA manly man, to been an abbot able.
\nFul many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable,
\nAnd whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere
\n170<\/span><\/small> Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere
\nAnd eek as loude, as dooth the chapel belle.
\nTher as this lord was keper of the celle,
\nThe reule of Seint Maure, or of Seint Beneit,
\nBy cause that it was old and somdel streit
\n175<\/span><\/small> This ilke Monk leet olde thynges pace,
\nAnd heeld after the newe world the space.
\nHe yaf nat of that text a pulled hen,
\nThat seith that hunters beth nat hooly men,
\nNe that a monk, whan he is recchelees,
\n180<\/span><\/small> Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees,-
\nThis is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre
\nBut thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre;
\nAnd I seyde his opinioun was good.
\nWhat sholde he studie, and make hymselven wood,
\n185<\/span><\/small> Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure,
\nOr swynken with his handes and laboure,
\nAs Austyn bit? How shal the world be served?
\nLat Austyn have his swynk to him reserved!
\nTherfore he was a prikasour aright:
\n190<\/span><\/small> Grehoundes he hadde, as swift as fowel in flight;
\nOf prikyng and of huntyng for the hare
\nWas al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.
\nI seigh his sleves purfiled at the hond
\nWith grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;
\n195<\/span><\/small> And, for to festne his hood under his chyn,
\nHe hadde of gold ywroght a curious pyn;
\nA love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.
\nHis heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,
\nAnd eek his face, as it hadde been enoynt.
\n200<\/span><\/small> He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt,
\nHise eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed,
\nThat stemed as a forneys of a leed;
\nHis bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat.
\nNow certeinly he was a fair prelaat;
\n205<\/span><\/small> He was nat pale as a forpyned goost.
\nA fat swan loved he best of any roost.
\nHis palfrey was as broun as is a berye,<\/p>\n

A FRERE ther was, a wantowne and a merye,
\nA lymytour, a ful solempne man.
\n210<\/span><\/small> In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan
\nSo muchel of daliaunce and fair langage.
\nHe hadde maad ful many a mariage
\nOf yonge wommen at his owene cost.
\nUnto his ordre he was a noble post,
\n215<\/span><\/small> And wel biloved and famulier was he
\nWith frankeleyns overal in his contree,
\nAnd eek with worthy wommen of the toun;
\nFor he hadde power of confessioun,
\nAs seyde hymself, moore than a curat,
\n220<\/span><\/small> For of his ordre he was licenciat.
\nFul swetely herde he confessioun,
\nAnd plesaunt was his absolucioun:
\nHe was an esy man to yeve penaunce,
\nTher as he wiste to have a good pitaunce.
\n225<\/span><\/small> For unto a povre ordre for to yive
\nIs signe that a man is wel yshryve;
\nFor, if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,
\nHe wiste that a man was repentaunt;
\nFor many a man so harde is of his herte,
\n230<\/span><\/small> He may nat wepe, al thogh hym soore smerte;
\nTherfore in stede of wepynge and preyeres
\nMen moote yeve silver to the povre freres.
\nHis typet was ay farsed ful of knyves
\nAnd pynnes, for to yeven yonge wyves.
\n235<\/span><\/small> And certeinly he hadde a murye note:
\nWel koude he synge, and pleyen on a rote;
\nOf yeddynges he baar outrely the pris.
\nHis nekke whit was as the flour-de-lys;
\nTherto he strong was as a champioun.
\n240<\/span><\/small> He knew the tavernes wel in every toun
\nAnd everich hostiler and tappestere
\nBet than a lazar or a beggestere;
\nFor unto swich a worthy man as he
\nAcorded nat, as by his facultee,
\n245<\/span><\/small> To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce.
\nIt is nat honeste, it may nat avaunce,
\nFor to deelen with no swich poraille,
\nBut al with riche and selleres of vitaille.
\nAnd over al, ther as profit sholde arise,
\n250<\/span><\/small> Curteis he was, and lowely of servyse.
\nTher nas no man nowher so vertuous.
\nHe was the beste beggere in his hous;
\n(And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt
\nNoon of his brethren cam ther in his haunt;)
\n255<\/span><\/small> For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho,
\nSo plesaunt was his “In principio”
\nYet wolde he have a ferthyng, er he wente;
\nHis purchas was wel bettre than his rente.
\nAnd rage he koude, as it were right a whelp.
\n260<\/span><\/small> In love-dayes ther koude he muchel help,
\nFor there he was nat lyk a cloysterer
\nWith a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler,
\nBut he was lyk a maister or a pope;
\nOf double worstede was his semycope,
\n265<\/span><\/small> That rounded as a belle out of the presse.
\nSomwhat he lipsed for his wantownesse
\nTo make his Englissh sweete upon his tonge;
\nAnd in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe,
\nHise eyen twynkled in his heed aryght
\n270<\/span><\/small> As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.
\nThis worthy lymytour was cleped Huberd.<\/p>\n

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Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Public domain content<\/div>