The Prologue + 

When ended was the life of Saint Cecile, + 

Ere we had ridden fully fivë mile, + 

At Boughton-under-Blee us gan o’ertake + 

A man, that clothed was in clothës black, + 

And underneath he wore a white surplíce. + 

His hackenay, which was all pomely-gris, + 

So sweated, that it wonder was to see; + 

It seem’d as he had pricked milës three. + 

The horse eke that his yeoman rode upon + 

So sweated, that unnethës might he gon. + 

About the peytrel stood the foam full high; + 

He was of foam, as flecked as a pie. + 

A mailë twyfold on his crupper lay; + 

It seemed that he carried little array; + 

All light for summer rode this worthy man. + 

And in my heart to wonder I began + 

What that he was, till that I understood + 

How that his cloak was sewed to his hood; + 

For which, when I had long advised me, + 

I deemed him some Canon for to be. + 

His hat hung at his back down by a lace, + 

For he had ridden more than trot or pace; + 

He haddë pricked like as he were wood. + 

A clote-leaf he had laid under his hood, + 

For sweat, and for to keep his head from heat. + 

But it was joyë for to see him sweat; + 

His forehead dropped as a stillatory + 

Were full of plantain or of paritory. + 

And when that he was come, he gan to cry, + 

“God save,” quoth he, “this jolly company. + 

Fast have I pricked,” quoth he, “for your sake, + 

Becausë that I would you overtake, + 

To riden in this merry company.” + 

His Yeoman was eke full of courtesy, + 

And saidë, “Sirs, now in the morning tide + 

Out of your hostelry I saw you ride, + 

And warned here my lord and sovereign, + 

Which that to ridë with you is full fain, + 

For his disport; he loveth dalliance.” + 

“Friend, for thy warning God give thee good chance,” + 

Said ourë Host; “certáin it wouldë seem + 

Thy lord were wise, and so I may well deem; + 

He is full jocund also, dare I lay; + 

Can he aught tell a merry tale or tway, + 

With which he gladden may this company?” + 

“Who, Sir? my lord? Yea, Sir, withoutë lie, + 

He can of mirth and eke of jollity + 

Not but enough; also, Sir, trustë me, + 

An’ ye him knew all so well as do I, + 

Ye would wonder how well and craftily + 

He couldë work, and that in sundry wise. + 

He hath take on him many a great emprise, + 

Which were full hard for any that is here + 

To bring about, but they of him it lear. + 

As homely as he rides amongës you, + 

If ye him knew, it would be for your prow: + 

Ye wouldë not forego his ácquaintánce + 

For muchë good, I dare lay in balance + 

All that I have in my possessión. + 

He is a man of high discretión. + 

I warn you well, he is a passing man.” + 

“Well,” quoth our Host, “I pray thee tell me than, + 

Is he a clerk, or no? Tell what he is.” + 

“Nay, he is greater than a clerk, y-wis,” + 

Saidë this Yeoman; “and, in wordës few, + 

Host, of his craft somewhat I will you shew. + 

I say, my lord can such a subtletý + 

(But all his craft ye may not weet of me, + 

And somewhat help I yet to his workíng), + 

That all the ground on which we be ridíng + 

Till that we come to Canterbury town, + 

He could all cleanë turnen up so down, + 

And pave it all of silver and of gold.” + 

And when this Yeoman had this talë told + 

Unto our Host, he said; “Ben’dicite! + 

This thing is wonder marvellous to me, + 

Since that thy lord is of so high prudénce, + 

Because of which men should him reverence, + 

That of his worship recketh he so lite; + 

His overest slop it is not worth a mite + 

As in effect to him, so may I go; + 

It is all baudy and to-tore also. + 

Why is thy lord so sluttish, I thee pray, + 

And is of power better clothes to bey, + 

If that his deed accordeth with thy speech? + 

Tellë me that, and that I thee beseech.” + 

“Why?” quoth this Yeoman, “whereto ask ye me? + 

God help me so, for he shall never thé + 

(But I will not avowë that I say, + 

And therefore keep it secret, I you pray); + 

He is too wise, in faith, as I believe. + 

Thing that is overdone, it will not preve + 

Aright, as clerkës say; it is a vice; + 

Wherefore in that I hold him lew’d and nice. + 

For when a man hath over great a wit, + 

Full oft him happens to misusen it; + 

So doth my lord, and that me grieveth sore. + 

God it amend; I can say now no more.” + 

“Thereof no force, good Yeoman,” quoth our Host; + 

“Since of the conning of thy lord, thou know’st, + 

Tell how he doth, I pray thee heartilý, + 

Since that be is so crafty and so sly. + 

Where dwellë ye, if it to tellë be?” + 

“In the suburbës of a town,” quoth he, + 

“Lurking in hernës and in lanës blind, + 

Where as these robbers and these thieves by kind + 

Holdë their privy fearful residence, + 

As they that darë not show their presénce, + 

So farë we, if I shall say the soothë.” + 

“Yet,” quoth our Hostë, “let me talkë tó thee; + 

Why art thou so discolour’d of thy face?” + 

“Peter!” quoth he, “God give it hardë grace, + 

I am so us’d the hotë fire to blow, + 

That it hath changed my coloúr, I trow; + 

I am not wont in no mirrór to pry, + 

But swinkë sore, and learn to multiply. + 

We blunder ever, and poren in the fire, + 

And, for all that, we fail of our desire; + 

For ever we lack our conclusión. + 

To muchë folk we do illusión, + 

And borrow gold, be it a pound or two, + 

Or ten or twelve, or many summës mo’, + 

And make them weenen, at the leastë way, + 

That of a poundë we can makë tway. + 

Yet is it false; and aye we have good hope + 

It for to do, and after it we grope: + 

But that sciénce is so far us beforn, + 

That we may not, although we had it sworn, + 

It overtake, it slides away so fast; + 

It will us makë beggars at the last.” + 

While this Yeomán was thus in his talkíng, + 

This Canon drew him near, and heard all thing + 

Which this Yeomán spake, for suspición + 

Of mennë’s speech ever had this Canón: + 

For Cato saith, that he that guilty is, + 

Deemeth all things be spoken of him y-wis; + 

Because of that he gan so nigh to draw + 

To his Yeomán, that he heard all his saw; + 

And thus he said unto his Yeoman tho; + 

“Hold thou thy peace, and speak no wordës mo’: + 

For if thou do, thou shalt it dear abie. + 

Thou slanderest me here in this companý, + 

And eke discoverest that thou shouldest hide.” + 

“Yea,” quoth our Host, “tell on, whatso betide; + 

Of all his threatening reck not a mite.” + 

“In faith,” quoth he, “no more do I but lite.” + 

And when this Canon saw it would not be + 

But his Yeoman would tell his privitý, + 

He fled away for very sorrow and shame. + 

“Ah!” quoth the Yeoman, “here shall rise a game; + 

All that I can anon I will you tell, + 

Since he is gone; the foulë fiend him quell! + 

For ne’er hereafter will I with him meet, + 

For penny nor for pound, I you behete. + 

He that me broughtë first unto that game, + 

Ere that he die, sorrow have he and shame. + 

For it is earnest to me, by my faith; + 

That feel I well, what so any man saith; + 

And yet for all my smart, and all my grief, + 

For all my sorrow, labour, and mischíef, + 

I couldë never leave it in no wise. + 

Now would to God my wittë might suffice + 

To tellen all that longeth to that art! + 

But natheless yet will I tellë part; + 

Since that my lord is gone, I will not spare; + 

Such thing as that I know, I will declare.” + 