The Prologue + 

“In faith, Squiër, thou hast thee well acquit, + 

And gentilly; I praisë well thy wit,” + 

Quoth the Franklin; “considering thy youthë + 

So feelingly thou speak’st, Sir, I aloue thee, + 

As to my doom, there is none that is here + 

Of eloquencë that shall be thy peer, + 

If that thou live; God give thee goodë chance, + 

And in virtúe send thee continuánce, + 

For of thy speaking I have great daintý. + 

I have a son, and, by the Trinitý; + 

It were me lever than twenty pound worth land, + 

Though it right now were fallen in my hand, + 

He were a man of such discretión + 

As that ye be: fy on possessión, + 

But if a man be virtuous withal. + 

I have my sonë snibbed, and yet shall, + 

For he to virtue listeth not t’ intend, + 

But for to play at dice, and to dispend, + 

And lose all that he hath, is his uságe; + 

And he had lever talkë with a page, + 

Than to commune with any gentle wight, + 

There he might learen gentilless aright.” + 

“Straw for your gentillessë!” quoth our Host. + 

“What? Frankëlin, pardie, Sir, well thou wost + 

That each of you must tellen at the least + 

A tale or two, or breakë his behest.” + 

“That know I well, Sir,” quoth the Frankëlin; + 

“I pray you havë me not in disdain, + 

Though I to this man speak a word or two.” + 

“Tell on thy tale, withoutë wordës mo’.” + 

“Gladly, Sir Host,” quoth he, “I will obey + 

Unto your will; now hearken what I say; + 

I will you not contráry in no wise, + 

As far as that my wittës may suffice. + 

I pray to God that it may pleasë you, + 

Then wot I well that it is good enow. + 

“These oldë gentle Bretons, in their days, + 

Of divers áventúrës madë lays, + 

Rhymeden in their firstë Breton tongue; + 

Which layës with their instruments they sung, + 

Or ellës readë them for their pleasánce; + 

And one of them have I in remembránce, + 

Which I shall say with good will as I can. + 

But, Sirs, because I am a borel man, + 

At my beginning first I you beseech + 

Have me excused of my rudë speech. + 

I learned never rhetoric, certáin; + 

Thing that I speak, it must be bare and plain. + 

I slept never on the mount of Parnassó, + 

Nor learned Marcus Tullius Cicero. + 

Coloúrës know I none, withoutë dread, + 

But such coloúrs as growen in the mead, + 

Or ellës such as men dye with or paint; + 

Coloúrs of rhetoric be to me quaint; + 

My spirit feeleth not of such mattére. + 

But, if you list, my talë shall ye hear.” + 