{"id":1542,"date":"2019-07-05T14:49:42","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T14:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/epcc-britlit1\/?post_type=chapter&p=1542"},"modified":"2019-07-05T14:52:42","modified_gmt":"2019-07-05T14:52:42","slug":"setting-out-for-canterbury","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/epcc-britlit1\/chapter\/setting-out-for-canterbury\/","title":{"raw":"Setting out for Canterbury","rendered":"Setting out for Canterbury"},"content":{"raw":"Now have I toold you shortly in a clause,\r\nTh'estaat, th'array, the nombre, and eek the cause\r\nWhy that assembled was this compaignye\r\n720<\/span><\/small> In Southwerk, at this gentil hostelrye\r\nThat highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle.\r\nBut now is tyme to yow for to telle\r\nHow that we baren us that ilke nyght,\r\nWhan we were in that hostelrie alyght;\r\n725<\/span><\/small> And after wol I telle of our viage\r\nAnd all the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage.\r\nBut first I pray yow, of youre curteisye,\r\nThat ye n'arette it nat my vileynye,\r\nThogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere,\r\n730<\/span><\/small> To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere,\r\nNe thogh I speke hir wordes proprely.\r\nFor this ye knowen also wel as I,\r\nWhoso shal telle a tale after a man,\r\nHe moot reherce as ny as evere he kan\r\n735<\/span><\/small> Everich a word, if it be in his charge,\r\nAl speke he never so rudeliche or large,\r\nOr ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe,\r\nOr feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe.\r\nHe may nat spare, al thogh he were his brother;\r\n740<\/span><\/small> He moot as wel seye o word as another.\r\nCrist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ,\r\nAnd, wel ye woot, no vileynye is it.\r\nEek Plato seith, whoso kan hym rede,\r\nThe wordes moote be cosyn to the dede.\r\n745<\/span><\/small> Also I prey yow to foryeve it me,\r\nAl have I nat set folk in hir degree\r\nHeere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde.\r\nMy wit is short, ye may wel understonde.\r\n\r\nGreet chiere made oure Hoost us everichon,\r\n750<\/span><\/small> And to the soper sette he us anon.\r\nHe served us with vitaille at the beste;\r\nStrong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste.\r\nA semely man OURE HOOSTE was withalle\r\nFor to been a marchal in an halle.\r\n755<\/span><\/small> A large man he was, with eyen stepe -\r\nA fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe -\r\nBoold of his speche, and wys, and well ytaught,\r\nAnd of manhod hym lakkede right naught.\r\nEek therto he was right a myrie man,\r\n760<\/span><\/small> And after soper pleyen he bigan,\r\nAnd spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges,\r\nWhan that we hadde maad our rekenynges,\r\nAnd seyde thus: \"Now lordynges, trewely,\r\nYe been to me right welcome hertely;\r\n765<\/span><\/small> For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye,\r\nI saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye\r\nAtones in this herberwe, as is now.\r\nFayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how.\r\nAnd of a myrthe I am right now bythoght,\r\n770<\/span><\/small> To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght.\r\n\r\nYe goon to Caunterbury - God yow speede,\r\nThe blisful martir quite yow youre meede!\r\nAnd wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye,\r\nYe shapen yow to talen and to pleye,\r\n775<\/span><\/small> For trewely, confort ne myrthe is noon\r\nTo ride by the weye doumb as stoon;\r\nAnd therfore wol I maken yow disport,\r\nAs I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort.\r\nAnd if yow liketh alle by oon assent\r\n780<\/span><\/small> For to stonden at my juggement,\r\nAnd for to werken as I shal yow seye,\r\nTo-morwe, whan ye riden by the weye,\r\nNow, by my fader soule that is deed,\r\nBut ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed!\r\n785<\/span><\/small> Hoold up youre hond, withouten moore speche.\"\r\n\r\nOure conseil was nat longe for to seche.\r\nUs thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys,\r\nAnd graunted hym, withouten moore avys,\r\nAnd bad him seye his voirdit, as hym leste.\r\n790<\/span><\/small> \"Lordynges,\" quod he, \"now herkneth for the beste;\r\nBut taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn.\r\nThis is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn,\r\nThat ech of yow, to shorte with oure weye,\r\nIn this viage shal telle tales tweye\r\n795<\/span><\/small> To Caunterbury-ward I mene it so,\r\nAnd homward he shal tellen othere two,\r\nOf aventures that whilom han bifalle.\r\nAnd which of yow that bereth hym best of alle,\r\nThat is to seyn, that telleth in this caas\r\n800<\/span><\/small> Tales of best sentence and moost solaas,\r\nShal have a soper at oure aller cost\r\nHeere in this place, sittynge by this post,\r\nWhan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury.\r\nAnd for to make yow the moore mury,\r\n805<\/span><\/small> I wol myselven goodly with yow ryde\r\nRight at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde;\r\nAnd who so wole my juggement withseye\r\nShal paye al that we spenden by the weye.\r\nAnd if ye vouche sauf that it be so,\r\n810<\/span><\/small> Tel me anon, withouten wordes mo,\r\nAnd I wol erly shape me therfore.\"\r\n\r\nThis thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore\r\nWith ful glad herte, and preyden hym also\r\nThat he wolde vouche sauf for to do so,\r\n815<\/span><\/small> And that he wolde been oure governour,\r\nAnd of our tales juge and reportour,\r\nAnd sette a soper at a certeyn pris,\r\nAnd we wol reuled been at his devys\r\nIn heigh and lough; and thus by oon assent\r\n820<\/span><\/small> We been acorded to his juggement.\r\nAnd therupon the wyn was fet anon;\r\nWe dronken, and to reste wente echon,\r\nWithouten any lenger taryynge.\r\n\r\nAmorwe, whan that day bigan to sprynge,\r\n825<\/span><\/small> Up roos oure Hoost, and was oure aller cok,\r\nAnd gadrede us to gidre alle in a flok,\r\nAnd forth we riden, a litel moore than paas\r\nUnto the wateryng of Seint Thomas;\r\nAnd there oure Hoost bigan his hors areste\r\n830<\/span><\/small> And seyde, \"Lordynges, herkneth if yow leste.\r\nYe woot youre foreward, and I it yow recorde.\r\nIf even-song and morwe-song accorde,\r\nLat se now who shal telle the firste tale.\r\nAs evere mote I drynke wyn or ale,\r\n835<\/span><\/small> Whoso be rebel to my juggement\r\nShal paye for al that by the wey is spent.\r\nNow draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne,\r\nHe which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne.\r\nSire Knyght,\" quod he, \"my mayster and my lord,\r\n840<\/span><\/small> Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord.\r\nCometh neer,\" quod he, \"my lady Prioresse,\r\nAnd ye, Sir Clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse,\r\nNe studieth noght; ley hond to, every man!\"\r\nAnon to drawen every wight bigan,\r\n845<\/span><\/small> And shortly for to tellen as it was,\r\nWere it by aventure, or sort, or cas,\r\nThe sothe is this, the cut fil to the Knyght,\r\nOf which ful blithe and glad was every wyght.\r\nAnd telle he moste his tale, as was resoun,\r\n850<\/span><\/small> By foreward and by composicioun,-\r\nAs ye han herd, what nedeth wordes mo?\r\nAnd whan this goode man saugh that it was so,\r\nAs he that wys was and obedient\r\nTo kepe his foreward by his free assent,\r\n855<\/span><\/small> He seyde, \"Syn I shal bigynne the game,\r\nWhat, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name!\r\nNow lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.\"\r\nAnd with that word we ryden forth oure weye,\r\nAnd he bigan with right a myrie cheere\r\n860<\/span><\/small> His tale anon, and seyde as ye may heere.","rendered":"

Now have I toold you shortly in a clause,
\nTh’estaat, th’array, the nombre, and eek the cause
\nWhy that assembled was this compaignye
\n720<\/span><\/small> In Southwerk, at this gentil hostelrye
\nThat highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle.
\nBut now is tyme to yow for to telle
\nHow that we baren us that ilke nyght,
\nWhan we were in that hostelrie alyght;
\n725<\/span><\/small> And after wol I telle of our viage
\nAnd all the remenaunt of oure pilgrimage.
\nBut first I pray yow, of youre curteisye,
\nThat ye n’arette it nat my vileynye,
\nThogh that I pleynly speke in this mateere,
\n730<\/span><\/small> To telle yow hir wordes and hir cheere,
\nNe thogh I speke hir wordes proprely.
\nFor this ye knowen also wel as I,
\nWhoso shal telle a tale after a man,
\nHe moot reherce as ny as evere he kan
\n735<\/span><\/small> Everich a word, if it be in his charge,
\nAl speke he never so rudeliche or large,
\nOr ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe,
\nOr feyne thyng, or fynde wordes newe.
\nHe may nat spare, al thogh he were his brother;
\n740<\/span><\/small> He moot as wel seye o word as another.
\nCrist spak hymself ful brode in hooly writ,
\nAnd, wel ye woot, no vileynye is it.
\nEek Plato seith, whoso kan hym rede,
\nThe wordes moote be cosyn to the dede.
\n745<\/span><\/small> Also I prey yow to foryeve it me,
\nAl have I nat set folk in hir degree
\nHeere in this tale, as that they sholde stonde.
\nMy wit is short, ye may wel understonde.<\/p>\n

Greet chiere made oure Hoost us everichon,
\n750<\/span><\/small> And to the soper sette he us anon.
\nHe served us with vitaille at the beste;
\nStrong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste.
\nA semely man OURE HOOSTE was withalle
\nFor to been a marchal in an halle.
\n755<\/span><\/small> A large man he was, with eyen stepe –
\nA fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe –
\nBoold of his speche, and wys, and well ytaught,
\nAnd of manhod hym lakkede right naught.
\nEek therto he was right a myrie man,
\n760<\/span><\/small> And after soper pleyen he bigan,
\nAnd spak of myrthe amonges othere thynges,
\nWhan that we hadde maad our rekenynges,
\nAnd seyde thus: “Now lordynges, trewely,
\nYe been to me right welcome hertely;
\n765<\/span><\/small> For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye,
\nI saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye
\nAtones in this herberwe, as is now.
\nFayn wolde I doon yow myrthe, wiste I how.
\nAnd of a myrthe I am right now bythoght,
\n770<\/span><\/small> To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght.<\/p>\n

Ye goon to Caunterbury – God yow speede,
\nThe blisful martir quite yow youre meede!
\nAnd wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye,
\nYe shapen yow to talen and to pleye,
\n775<\/span><\/small> For trewely, confort ne myrthe is noon
\nTo ride by the weye doumb as stoon;
\nAnd therfore wol I maken yow disport,
\nAs I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort.
\nAnd if yow liketh alle by oon assent
\n780<\/span><\/small> For to stonden at my juggement,
\nAnd for to werken as I shal yow seye,
\nTo-morwe, whan ye riden by the weye,
\nNow, by my fader soule that is deed,
\nBut ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed!
\n785<\/span><\/small> Hoold up youre hond, withouten moore speche.”<\/p>\n

Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche.
\nUs thoughte it was noght worth to make it wys,
\nAnd graunted hym, withouten moore avys,
\nAnd bad him seye his voirdit, as hym leste.
\n790<\/span><\/small> “Lordynges,” quod he, “now herkneth for the beste;
\nBut taak it nought, I prey yow, in desdeyn.
\nThis is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn,
\nThat ech of yow, to shorte with oure weye,
\nIn this viage shal telle tales tweye
\n795<\/span><\/small> To Caunterbury-ward I mene it so,
\nAnd homward he shal tellen othere two,
\nOf aventures that whilom han bifalle.
\nAnd which of yow that bereth hym best of alle,
\nThat is to seyn, that telleth in this caas
\n800<\/span><\/small> Tales of best sentence and moost solaas,
\nShal have a soper at oure aller cost
\nHeere in this place, sittynge by this post,
\nWhan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury.
\nAnd for to make yow the moore mury,
\n805<\/span><\/small> I wol myselven goodly with yow ryde
\nRight at myn owene cost, and be youre gyde;
\nAnd who so wole my juggement withseye
\nShal paye al that we spenden by the weye.
\nAnd if ye vouche sauf that it be so,
\n810<\/span><\/small> Tel me anon, withouten wordes mo,
\nAnd I wol erly shape me therfore.”<\/p>\n

This thyng was graunted, and oure othes swore
\nWith ful glad herte, and preyden hym also
\nThat he wolde vouche sauf for to do so,
\n815<\/span><\/small> And that he wolde been oure governour,
\nAnd of our tales juge and reportour,
\nAnd sette a soper at a certeyn pris,
\nAnd we wol reuled been at his devys
\nIn heigh and lough; and thus by oon assent
\n820<\/span><\/small> We been acorded to his juggement.
\nAnd therupon the wyn was fet anon;
\nWe dronken, and to reste wente echon,
\nWithouten any lenger taryynge.<\/p>\n

Amorwe, whan that day bigan to sprynge,
\n825<\/span><\/small> Up roos oure Hoost, and was oure aller cok,
\nAnd gadrede us to gidre alle in a flok,
\nAnd forth we riden, a litel moore than paas
\nUnto the wateryng of Seint Thomas;
\nAnd there oure Hoost bigan his hors areste
\n830<\/span><\/small> And seyde, “Lordynges, herkneth if yow leste.
\nYe woot youre foreward, and I it yow recorde.
\nIf even-song and morwe-song accorde,
\nLat se now who shal telle the firste tale.
\nAs evere mote I drynke wyn or ale,
\n835<\/span><\/small> Whoso be rebel to my juggement
\nShal paye for al that by the wey is spent.
\nNow draweth cut, er that we ferrer twynne,
\nHe which that hath the shorteste shal bigynne.
\nSire Knyght,” quod he, “my mayster and my lord,
\n840<\/span><\/small> Now draweth cut, for that is myn accord.
\nCometh neer,” quod he, “my lady Prioresse,
\nAnd ye, Sir Clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse,
\nNe studieth noght; ley hond to, every man!”
\nAnon to drawen every wight bigan,
\n845<\/span><\/small> And shortly for to tellen as it was,
\nWere it by aventure, or sort, or cas,
\nThe sothe is this, the cut fil to the Knyght,
\nOf which ful blithe and glad was every wyght.
\nAnd telle he moste his tale, as was resoun,
\n850<\/span><\/small> By foreward and by composicioun,-
\nAs ye han herd, what nedeth wordes mo?
\nAnd whan this goode man saugh that it was so,
\nAs he that wys was and obedient
\nTo kepe his foreward by his free assent,
\n855<\/span><\/small> He seyde, “Syn I shal bigynne the game,
\nWhat, welcome be the cut, a Goddes name!
\nNow lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye.”
\nAnd with that word we ryden forth oure weye,
\nAnd he bigan with right a myrie cheere
\n860<\/span><\/small> His tale anon, and seyde as ye may heere.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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