The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale: Prologue
WHEN ended was the life of Saint Cecile,Ere we had ridden fully five mile,At Boughton-under-Blee us gan o’ertakeA man, that clothed was in clothes black,And underneath he wore a white surplice.His hackenay, which was all pomely-gris,So sweated, that it wonder was to see;It seem’d as he had pricked miles three.The horse eke that his yeoman rode uponSo sweated, that unnethes might he gon.About the peytrel stood the foam full high;He was of foam, as flecked as a pie.A maile 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 beganWhat that he was, till that I understoodHow 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 hadde 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 joye for to see him sweat;His forehead dropped as a stillatoryWere 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,Because that I would you overtake,To riden in this merry company.”His Yeoman was eke full of courtesy,And saide, “Sirs, now in the morning tideOut of your hostelry I saw you ride,And warned here my lord and sovereign,Which that to ride with you is full fain,For his disport; he loveth dalliance.”“Friend, for thy warning God give thee good chance,”Said oure Host; “certain it woulde seemThy 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, withoute lie,He can of mirth and eke of jollityNot but enough; also, Sir, truste me,An ye him knew all so well as do I,Ye would wonder how well and craftilyHe coulde work, and that in sundry wise.He hath take on him many a great emprise,Which were full hard for any that is hereTo bring about, but they of him it lear.As homely as he rides amonges you,If ye him knew, it would be for your prow:Ye woulde not forego his acquaintanceFor muche good, I dare lay in balanceAll that I have in my possession.He is a man of high discretion.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,”Saide this Yeoman; “and, in wordes few,Host, of his craft somewhat I will you shew,I say, my lord can such a subtlety(But all his craft ye may not weet of me,And somewhat help I yet to his working),That all the ground on which we be ridingTill that we come to Canterbury town,He could all cleane turnen up so down,And pave it all of silver and of gold.”And when this Yeoman had this tale toldUnto our Host, he said; “Ben’dicite!This thing is wonder marvellous to me,Since that thy lord is of so high prudence,Because of which men should him reverence,That of his worship recketh he so lite;His overest slop it is not worth a miteAs 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?Telle me that, and that I thee beseech.”
“Why?” quoth this Yeoman, “whereto ask ye me?God help me so, for he shall never the(But I will not avowe 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 preveAright, as clerkes say; it is a vice;Wherefore in that I hold him lewd 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 heartily,Since that be is so crafty and so sly.Where dwelle ye, if it to telle be?”“In the suburbes of a town,” quoth he,“Lurking in hernes and in lanes blind,Where as these robbers and these thieves by kindHolde their privy fearful residence,As they that dare not show their presence,So fare we, if I shall say the soothe.”“Yet,” quoth our Hoste, “let me talke to thee;Why art thou so discolour’d of thy face?”“Peter!” quoth he, “God give it harde grace,I am so us’d the hote fire to blow,That it hath changed my colour, I trow;I am not wont in no mirror to pry,But swinke sore, and learn to multiply.We blunder ever, and poren in the fire,And, for all that, we fail of our desireFor ever we lack our conclusionTo muche folk we do illusion,And borrow gold, be it a pound or two,Or ten or twelve, or many summes mo’,And make them weenen, at the leaste way,That of a pounde we can make tway.Yet is it false; and aye we have good hopeIt for to do, and after it we grope:But that science is so far us beforn,That we may not, although we had it sworn,It overtake, it slides away so fast;It will us make beggars at the last.”While this Yeoman was thus in his talking,This Canon drew him near, and heard all thingWhich this Yeoman spake, for suspicionOf menne’s speech ever had this Canon: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 drawTo his Yeoman, that he heard all his saw;And thus he said unto his Yeoman tho“Hold thou thy peace,and speak no wordes mo’:For if thou do, thou shalt it dear abie.Thou slanderest me here in this companyAnd 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 beBut his Yeoman would tell his privity,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 foule fiend him quell!For ne’er hereafter will I with him meet,For penny nor for pound, I you behete.He that me broughte 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 mischief,I coulde never leave it in no wise.Now would to God my witte might sufficeTo tellen all that longeth to that art!But natheless yet will I telle part;Since that my lord is gone, I will not spare;Such thing as that I know, I will declare.”
Words in this poem 53
- blee n.
- Complexion; color; hue; likeness; form. [AS. bleó, bleóh.]
- gris n.
- A costly kind of fur. [OF., fr. gris gray. Cf. G. grauwerk (lit. gray work) the gray skin of the Siberian squirrel. See Gris, a.]
- rode n.
- Redness; complexion. [See Rud.]
- unnethes adv.
- With difficulty. See Uneath.
- peytrel n.
- The breastplate of a horse's armor or harness. [Spelt also peitrel.] See Poitrel. [OF. peitral. See Poitrel.]
- crupper n.
- The buttocks or rump of a horse. [F. croupi, fr. croupe. See Croup the rump of a horse.]
- stillatory n.
- An alembic; a vessel for distillation. [From Still, for distill. Cf. Still, n., and Distillatory, a.]
- quoth v. t.
- Said; spoke; uttered; -- used only in the first and third persons in the past tenses, and always followed by its nominative, the word or words said being the object; as, quoth I. quoth he. [AS.cweedhan, imp cwæedh, pl. cwædon; akin to OS. queedhan, OHG. quethan, quedan, Icel. kveedha, Goth. qiþan. sq. root22. Cf. Bequeath.]
- hostelry n.
- An inn; a lodging house. [OE. hostelrie, hostelrye, ostelrie, OF. hostelerie, fr. hostel. See Hostel.]
- fain v. t.
- To be glad ; to wish or desire.
- disport n.
- Play; sport; pastime; diversion; playfulness. [OF. desport, deport. See Disport, v. i., and cf. Sport.]
- dalliance n.
- The act of dallying, trifling, or fondling; interchange of caresses; wanton play. [From Dally.]
- deem v. t.
- To decide; to judge; to sentence; to condemn. [OE. demen to judge, condemn, AS. d, fr. d doom; akin to OFries. d, OS. ad, D. doemen, OHG. tuommen, Icel. dæma, Sw. dömma, Dan. dömme, Goth. d. See Doom, n., an]
- jocund
- Merry; cheerful; gay; airy; lively; sportive. [L. jocundus, jucundus, orig., helpful, fr. juvare to help. See Aid.]
- aught n.
- Property; possession. [AS. , fr. agan to own, p. p. ahte.]
- gladden v. t.
- To make glad; to cheer; to please; to gratify; to rejoice; to exhilarate. [See Glad, v. t.]
- craftily adv.
- With craft; artfully; cunningly. [See Crafty.]
- sundry a.
- Several; divers; more than one or two; various. [OE. sundry, sondry, AS. syndrig, fr. sundor asunder. See Sunder, v. t.]
- emprise n.
- An enterprise; endeavor; adventure. [OF. emprise, fr. emprendre to undertake; pref. em- (L. in) + F. prendre to take, L. prehendere, prendere; prae before + a verb akin to E. get. See Get, and cf. ]
- lear v. t.
- To learn. See Lere, to learn.
- homely a.
- Belonging to, or having the characteristics of, home; domestic; familiar; intimate. [From Home, n.]
- forego v. t.
- To quit; to relinquish; to leave. [See Forgo.]
- discretion n.
- Disjunction; separation. Mede. [F. discrétion, L. discretio separation, difference, discernment, fr. discernere, discretum. See Discreet, Discern.]
- clerk n.
- A clergyman or ecclesiastic. [Either OF. clerc, fr. L. clericus a priest, or AS. clerc, cleric, clerk, priest, fr. L. clericus, fr. Gr. Clergy.]
- craft n.
- Strength; might; secret power. [AS. cr strength, skill, art, cunning; akin to OS., G., Sw., & Dan. kraft strength, D. kracht, Icel. kraptr; perh. originally, a drawing together, stretching, fr]
- shew n.
- Show. [Obs. except in shewbread.]
- subtlety n.
- The quality or state of being subtle, or sly; cunning; craftiness; artfulness. [OE. sotelte, sutilte, OF. sotillete, L. subtilitas. See Subtle, and cf. Subtility.]
- weet v. i.
- To know; to wit. Tyndale. [See Wit to know.]
- pave n.
- The pavement. Nymphe du pavé ([A low euphemism.] [F., from paver to pave. See Pave.]
- overest a.
- Uppermost; outermost.
- slop n.
- Any kind of outer garment made of linen or cotton, as a night dress, or a smock frock. Halliwell. [AS. slop a frock or over-garment, fr. sl to slip, to slide; akin to Icel sloppr a thin garment; cf. OHG. slouf a garment. Cf. Slip, v. i.]
- whereto adv.
- To which; -- used relatively.
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- aright adv.
- Rightly; correctly; in a right way or form; without mistake or crime; as, to worship God aright. [Pref. a- + right.]
- wherefore adv.
- For which reason; so; -- used relatively. [Where + for.]
- lewd a.
- Not clerical; laic; laical; hence, unlearned; simple. [OE.lewed, lewd, lay, ignorant, vile, AS. l laical, belonging to the laity.]
- soothe v. t.
- To assent to as true. Testament of Love. [Originally, to assent to as true; OE. so to verify, AS. ges to prove the truth of, to bear witness. See Sooth, a.]
- hote v. t.
- To command; to enjoin. Piers Plowman.
- trow v. i.
- To believe; to trust; to think or suppose. [OE. trowen, AS.treówan to trust, believe, fr. treów trust, treówe true, faithful. See True.]
- folk n.
- In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
- borrow v. t.
- To receive from another as a loan, with the implied or expressed intention of returning the identical article or its equivalent in kind; -- the opposite of lend. [OE. borwen, AS. borgian, fr. borg, borh, pledge; akin to D. borg, G. borg; prob. fr. root of AS. beorgan to protect. Borough.]
- saith
- 3d pers. sing. pres. of Say.
- shalt
- 2d per. sing. of Shall.
- whatso pron.
- Whatsoever; whosoever; whatever; anything that.
- betide v. t.
- To happen to; to befall; to come to ; as, woe betide the wanderer. [OE. bitiden; pref. bi-, be- + tiden, fr. AS. tidan, to happen, fr. tid time. See Tide.]
- reck v. t.
- To make account of; to care for; to heed; to regard. [AS. reccan, remccan, to care for; akin to OS. rokian, OHG. ruochan, G. geruhen, Icel. rækja, also to E. reckon, rake an implement. See Rake, and cf. Reckon.]
- privity n.
- Privacy; secrecy; confidence. [From Privy, a.: cf. F. privauté extreme familiarity.]
- anon adv.
- Straightway; at once. [OE. anoon, anon, anan, lit., in one (moment), fr. AS. on in + an one. See On and One.]
- quell v. t.
- To take the life of; to kill. [OE. quellen to kill, AS. cwellan, causative of cwelan to die; akin to OHG. quellen to torment, Icel. kvelja. See Quail to cower.]
- hereafter adv.
- In time to come; in some future time or state. [AS. hræfter.]
- witte v. t.
- To know; to learn. [OE. witen, pres. ich wot, wat, I know (wot), imp. wiste, AS. witan, pres. wat, imp. wiste, wisse; akin to OFries. wita, OS. witan, D. weten, G. wissen, OHG. wiz]
- suffice v. i.
- To be enough, or sufficient; to meet the need (of anything); to be equal to the end proposed; to be adequate. [OE. suffisen, OF. soufire, F. suffire (cf. suffisant, p.pr.), L. sufficere to put under, to substitute, to avail for, to suffice; sub under + facere to make. Se]
- tellen n.
- Any species of Tellina.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale: Prologue is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Canterbury Tales, Project Gutenberg ebook #2383; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale: Prologue, in The Canterbury Tales (1400), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #2383, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/canterbury-tales/the-canon-s-yeoman-s-tale-prologue.html, id L15881.
Form and metre
The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale: Prologue is 166 lines in 4 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 65% of the lines: heroic couplets. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 79%). 94% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 9.8 syllables. 35 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 18% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in heroic couplets, other poems in iambic pentameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 ------AABBAACCDDEEFFGGHH--II--JJ--KKLLMMNNOO-P-PP-QQRR----SSSS--TT----UUVV----WW--XXYY cecile · mile · o'ertake · black · surplice · gris · seeA · threeA · uponB · gonB · highA · pieA · layC · arrayC · manD · beganD · understoodE · hoodE · meF · beF · laceG · paceG · woodH · hoodH · heat · sweat · stillatoryI · paritoryI · cry · company · sakeJ · overtakeJ · company · courtesy · tideK · rideK · sovereignL · fainL · dallianceM · chanceM · seemN · deemN · layO · twayO · company · lieP · jollity · meP · iP · craftily · wiseQ · empriseQ · hereR · learR · you · prow · acquaintance · balance · possessionS · discretionS · manS · thanS · is · wis · fewT · shewT · subtlety · me · working · riding · townU · downU · goldV · toldV · ben'dicite · me · prudence · reverence · liteW · miteW · go · also · prayX · beyX · speechY · beseechY
- 2 AABBCCDDEEFF meA · theA · sayB · prayB · believeC · preveC · viceD · niceD · witE · itE · soreF · moreF
- 3 ---AAABB----CCDDEEFFGG--HHIIJJKKLL----MMNN--OOPP--- host · know'st · heartily · slyA · beA · heA · blindB · kindB · residence · presence · soothe · thee · faceC · graceC · blowD · trowD · pryE · multiplyE · fireF · desireF · conclusionG · illusionG · two · mo · wayH · twayH · hopeI · gropeI · befornJ · swornJ · fastK · lastK · talkingL · thingL · suspicion · canon · is · wis · drawM · sawM · thoN · moN · abie · company · hideO · betideO · miteP · liteP · be · privity · shame
- 4 ABB--AACCDD--EEFF gameA · tellB · quellB · meet · behete · gameA · shameA · faithC · saithC · griefD · mischiefD · wise · suffice · artE · partE · spareF · declareF
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| WHEN ended was the life of Saint Cecile, | 10 | ·/˘·····˘/ |
| Ere we had ridden fully five mile, | 9 | ···/˘/˘·· |
| At Boughton-under-Blee us gan o’ertake | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| A man, that clothed was in clothes black, | 9 | ····˘···· |
| And underneath he wore a white surplice. | 10 | ··˘/····/˘ |
| His hackenay, which was all pomely-gris, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| So sweated, that it wonder was to see; | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| It seem’d as he had pricked miles three. | 9 | ······˘·· |
| The horse eke that his yeoman rode upon | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| So sweated, that unnethes might he gon. | 9 | ·/˘······ |
| About the peytrel stood the foam full high; | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| He was of foam, as flecked as a pie. | 10 | ······˘··· |
| A maile twyfold on his crupper lay; | 9 | ······/˘· |
| It seemed that he carried little array; | 10 | ····/˘/˘˘/ |
| All light for summer rode this worthy man. | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| And in my heart to wonder I began | 10 | ·····/˘·˘/ |
| What that he was, till that I understood | 10 | ········˘/ |
| How that his cloak was sewed to his hood; | 10 | ······˘··· |
| For which, when I had long advised me, | 10 | ······˘/˘· |
| I deemed him some Canon for to be. | 10 | ··˘··/˘··· |
| His hat hung at his back down by a lace, | 10 | ·········· |
| For he had ridden more than trot or pace; | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| He hadde pricked like as he were wood. | 9 | ···˘····· |
| A clote-leaf he had laid under his hood, | 10 | ·········· |
| For sweat, and for to keep his head from heat. | 10 | ·········· |
| But it was joye for to see him sweat; | 9 | ········· |
| His forehead dropped as a stillatory | 10 | ·/˘···/˘˘˘ |
| Were full of plantain or of paritory. | 11 | ···/˘··/˘˘˘ |
| And when that he was come, he gan to cry, | 10 | ·········· |
| “God save,” quoth he, “this jolly company. | 10 | ·····/˘/˘˘ |
| Fast have I pricked,” quoth he, “for your sake, | 10 | ····˘····· |
| Because that I would you overtake, | 9 | ······/˘· |
| To riden in this merry company.” | 10 | ·/˘··/˘/˘˘ |
| His Yeoman was eke full of courtesy, | 10 | ·/˘····/˘˘ |
| And saide, “Sirs, now in the morning tide | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Out of your hostelry I saw you ride, | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| And warned here my lord and sovereign, | 9 | ··˘····/˘ |
| Which that to ride with you is full fain, | 9 | ········· |
| For his disport; he loveth dalliance.” | 10 | ··˘/···/˘˘ |
| “Friend, for thy warning God give thee good chance,” | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Said oure Host; “certain it woulde seem | 10 | ····/˘···· |
| Thy lord were wise, and so I may well deem; | 10 | ·········· |
| He is full jocund also, dare I lay; | 10 | ···/˘/˘··· |
| Can he aught tell a merry tale or tway, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| With which he gladden may this company?” | 10 | ···/˘··/˘˘ |
| “Who, Sir? my lord? Yea, Sir, withoute lie, | 10 | ·········· |
| He can of mirth and eke of jollity | 10 | ·······/˘˘ |
| Not but enough; also, Sir, truste me, | 10 | ··˘//˘···· |
| An ye him knew all so well as do I, | 10 | ·········· |
| Ye would wonder how well and craftily | 10 | ··/˘···/˘˘ |
| He coulde work, and that in sundry wise. | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| He hath take on him many a great emprise, | 10 | ·····/··˘/ |
| Which were full hard for any that is here | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| To bring about, but they of him it lear. | 10 | ·········· |
| As homely as he rides amonges you, | 9 | ·/˘···˘/· |
| If ye him knew, it would be for your prow: | 10 | ·········· |
| Ye woulde not forego his acquaintance | 10 | ····˘/·˘/˘ |
| For muche good, I dare lay in balance | 10 | ········/˘ |
| All that I have in my possession. | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| He is a man of high discretion. | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| I warn you well, he is a passing man.” | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Well,” quoth our Host, “I pray thee tell me than, | 10 | ··/······· |
| Is he a clerk, or no? Tell what he is.” | 10 | ·········· |
| “Nay, he is greater than a clerk, y-wis,” | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Saide this Yeoman; “and, in wordes few, | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| Host, of his craft somewhat I will you shew, | 10 | ····//···· |
| I say, my lord can such a subtlety | 10 | ·······/˘˘ |
| (But all his craft ye may not weet of me, | 10 | ·········· |
| And somewhat help I yet to his working), | 10 | ·//·····/˘ |
| That all the ground on which we be riding | 10 | ········/˘ |
| Till that we come to Canterbury town, | 10 | ·····/˘·˘· |
| He could all cleane turnen up so down, | 9 | ········· |
| And pave it all of silver and of gold.” | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| And when this Yeoman had this tale told | 9 | ···/˘···· |
| Unto our Host, he said; “Ben’dicite! | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| This thing is wonder marvellous to me, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Since that thy lord is of so high prudence, | 10 | ········/˘ |
| Because of which men should him reverence, | 10 | ·······/˘˘ |
| That of his worship recketh he so lite; | 10 | ···/˘/˘··· |
| His overest slop it is not worth a mite | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| As in effect to him, so may I go; | 10 | ··˘/······ |
| It is all baudy and to-tore also. | 10 | ········/˘ |
| Why is thy lord so sluttish, I thee pray, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| And is of power better clothes to bey, | 10 | ···/˘/˘··· |
| If that his deed accordeth with thy speech? | 10 | ····˘/˘··· |
| Telle me that, and that I thee beseech.” | 9 | ·······˘/ |
| “Why?” quoth this Yeoman, “whereto ask ye me? | 10 | ···/˘˘/··· |
| God help me so, for he shall never the | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| (But I will not avowe that I say, | 9 | ········· |
| And therefore keep it secret, I you pray); | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| He is too wise, in faith, as I believe. | 10 | ········˘/ |
| Thing that is overdone, it will not preve | 10 | ···/˘/···· |
| Aright, as clerkes say; it is a vice; | 9 | ˘/······· |
| Wherefore in that I hold him lewd and nice.” | 10 | /˘········ |
| For when a man hath over great a wit, | 10 | ·········· |
| Full oft him happens to misusen it; | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| So doth my lord, and that me grieveth sore. | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| God it amend; I can say now no more.” | 10 | ··˘/······ |
| “Thereof no force, good Yeoman, “quoth our Host; | 10 | ·····/˘·/· |
| “Since of the conning of thy lord, thou know’st, | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Tell how he doth, I pray thee heartily, | 10 | ·······/˘˘ |
| Since that be is so crafty and so sly. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Where dwelle ye, if it to telle be?” | 8 | ········ |
| “In the suburbes of a town,” quoth he, | 9 | ··/˘····· |
| “Lurking in hernes and in lanes blind, | 8 | /˘······ |
| Where as these robbers and these thieves by kind | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Holde their privy fearful residence, | 9 | ··/˘/˘/˘˘ |
| As they that dare not show their presence, | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| So fare we, if I shall say the soothe.” | 9 | ········· |
| “Yet,” quoth our Hoste, “let me talke to thee; | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| Why art thou so discolour’d of thy face?” | 10 | ·········· |
| “Peter!” quoth he, “God give it harde grace, | 9 | /˘······· |
| I am so us’d the hote fire to blow, | 10 | ······/˘·· |
| That it hath changed my colour, I trow; | 10 | ····˘·/˘·· |
| I am not wont in no mirror to pry, | 10 | ······/˘·· |
| But swinke sore, and learn to multiply. | 9 | ······/˘· |
| We blunder ever, and poren in the fire, | 11 | ·/˘/·····/˘ |
| And, for all that, we fail of our desire | 11 | ·······/˘/˘ |
| For ever we lack our conclusion | 10 | ·/˘··/˘˘/˘ |
| To muche folk we do illusion, | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| And borrow gold, be it a pound or two, | 10 | ·/········ |
| Or ten or twelve, or many summes mo’, | 9 | ·····/˘·· |
| And make them weenen, at the leaste way, | 10 | ·········· |
| That of a pounde we can make tway. | 8 | ········ |
| Yet is it false; and aye we have good hope | 10 | ·········· |
| It for to do, and after it we grope: | 10 | ·········· |
| But that science is so far us beforn, | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| That we may not, although we had it sworn, | 10 | ·········· |
| It overtake, it slides away so fast; | 10 | ·/˘···˘/·· |
| It will us make beggars at the last.” | 9 | ····/˘··· |
| While this Yeoman was thus in his talking, | 10 | ··/˘····/˘ |
| This Canon drew him near, and heard all thing | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| Which this Yeoman spake, for suspicion | 9 | ··/˘··˘/˘ |
| Of menne’s speech ever had this Canon: | 9 | ···/˘··/˘ |
| For Cato saith, that he that guilty is, | 10 | ·/˘····/˘· |
| Deemeth all things be spoken of him y-wis; | 11 | /˘···/˘···· |
| Because of that he gan so nigh to draw | 10 | ·········· |
| To his Yeoman, that he heard all his saw; | 10 | ··/˘······ |
| And thus he said unto his Yeoman tho | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| “Hold thou thy peace,and speak no wordes mo’: | 9 | ········· |
| For if thou do, thou shalt it dear abie. | 10 | ········/˘ |
| Thou slanderest me here in this company | 11 | ·/˘˘····/˘˘ |
| And eke discoverest that thou shouldest hide.” | 10 | ··˘/˘··/˘· |
| “Yea,” quoth our Host, “tell on, whatso betide; | 10 | ··/···/˘˘/ |
| Of all his threatening reck not a mite.” | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| “In faith,” quoth he, “no more do I but lite.” | 10 | ·········· |
| And when this Canon saw it would not be | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| But his Yeoman would tell his privity, | 10 | ··/˘···/˘˘ |
| He fled away for very sorrow and shame. | 11 | ··˘/·/˘/˘·· |
| “Ah!” quoth the Yeoman, “here shall rise a game; | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| All that I can anon I will you tell, | 10 | ····˘/···· |
| Since he is gone; the foule fiend him quell! | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| For ne’er hereafter will I with him meet, | 10 | ··˘/˘····· |
| For penny nor for pound, I you behete. | 10 | ·/˘·····˘/ |
| He that me broughte first unto that game, | 9 | ········· |
| Ere that he die, sorrow have he and shame. | 10 | ····/˘···· |
| For it is earnest to me, by my faith; | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| That feel I well, what so any man saith; | 10 | ······/˘·· |
| And yet for all my smart, and all my grief, | 10 | ·········· |
| For all my sorrow, labour, and mischief, | 10 | ···/˘/˘·/˘ |
| I coulde never leave it in no wise. | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Now would to God my witte might suffice | 9 | ·······˘/ |
| To tellen all that longeth to that art! | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| But natheless yet will I telle part; | 9 | ········· |
| Since that my lord is gone, I will not spare; | 10 | ·········· |
| Such thing as that I know, I will declare.” | 10 | ········˘/ |
Notes from the edition 4
Glosses from the Purves edition of 1870, printed beside the lines (Project Gutenberg #2383).
- Stanza 1 nag **dapple-gray · spurred · hardly **go · flecked as a pie.: spotted like a magpie · considered · cord · mad · burdock-leaf · stillatory: still · wallflower · fortune · knows · not less than · if · task, undertaking · unless **learn · advantage · surpassing, extraordinary · scholar, priest · certainly · knows · learn · honour **little · upper garment · slovenly · buy
- Stanza 2 the: thrive · admit · preve: stand the test · lewd and nice.”: ignorant and foolish
- Stanza 3 no matter · knowledge · wise · corners · kind: nature · truth · labour · poren: toil **peer · fancy · search, strive · surely · tho: then · it dear abie.: pay dearly for it · little · secrets
- Stanza 4 some diversion · destroy · promise · a serious matter · trouble
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