The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Introduction
• Errata.
• Additions to ‘the Minor Poems’ In Vol. I.
• XXIV.: Womanly Noblesse.
• XXV.: Complaint to My Mortal Foe.
• XXVI.: Complaint to My Lode-sterre.
• Notes to the Preceding Poems.
• The Canterbury Tales. Group A.
• The Prologue.
• The Knightes Tale.
• The Miller’s Prologue.
• The Milleres Tale.
• The Reeve’s Prologue.
• The Reves Tale.
• The Cook’s Prologue.
• The Cokes Tale.
• Group B.
• Introduction to the Man of Law’s Prologue. (t. 4421-4446.)
• The Tale of the Man of Lawe.
• The Shipman’s Prologue.
• The Shipmannes Tale.
• The Prioress’s Prologue. (t. 13365-13382.)
• The Prioresses Tale.
• Prologue to Sir Thopas. (t. 13621-13641.)
• Sir Thopas.
• Prologue to Melibeus. (t. 13847-13875.)
• The Tale of Melibeus.
• The Monk’s Prologue. (t. 13895-13924.)
• The Monkes Tale.
• The Prologue of the Nonne Prestes Tale. (t. 14773-14798).
• The Nonne Preestes Tale.
• Epilogue to the Nonne Preestes Tale.
• Group C.
• The Phisiciens Tale. (t. 11935-11957.)
• Words of the Host. (t. 12221-12239.)
• The Prologue of the Pardoners Tale. (t. 12263-12288).
• The Pardoners Tale. ( Numbered In Continuation of the Preceding. )
• Group D.
• The Wife of Bath’s Prologue. (t. 5583-5602; For T. 5582, See P. 164.)
• The Tale of the Wyf of Bathe.
• The Friar’s Prologue. (t. 6847-6868).
• The Freres Tale.
• The Somnour’s Prologue. (t. 7247-7270.)
• The Somnours Tale.
• Group E.
• The Clerk’s Prologue. (t. 7877-7898.)
• The Clerkes Tale.
• The Merchant’s Prologue. (t. 9089-9120).
• The Marchantes Tale.
• Epilogue to the Marchantes Tale.
• Group F.
• The Squieres Tale. (t. 10315-10334).
• The Franklin’s Prologue. (t. 11021-11040).
• The Frankeleyns Tale.
• Group G.
• The Seconde Nonnes Tale.
• The Canon’s Yeoman’s Prologue. (t. 16022-16043.)
• The Chanouns Yemannes Tale.
• Group H.
• The Manciple’s Prologue. (t. 16950-16968).
• The Maunciples Tale.
• Group I.
• The Parson’s Prologue. (t. 17312-17330).
• The Persones Tale.
• Appendix to Group A.
• The Tale of Gamelyn.

PROLOGUE TO SIR THOPAS.
(T. 13621-13641.)

Bihold the murye wordes of the Host to Chaucer.

• • WHAN seyd was al this miracle, every man
  • As sobre was, that wonder was to se,
  • Til that our hoste Iapen tho bigan,
  • And than at erst he loked up-on me,
  • And seyde thus, ‘what man artow?’ quod he;1885
  • ‘Thou lokest as thou woldest finde an hare,
  • For ever up-on the ground I see thee stare.
• • Approche neer, and loke up merily.
  • Now war yow, sirs, and lat this man have place;
  • He in the waast is shape as wel as I;1890
  • This were a popet in an arm tenbrace(11)
  • For any womman, smal and fair of face.
  • He semeth elvish by his contenaunce,
  • For un-to no wight dooth he daliaunce.
• • Sey now somwhat, sin other folk han sayd;1895
  • Tel us a tale of mirthe, and that anoon;’—
  • ‘Hoste,’ quod I, ‘ne beth nat yvel apayd,
  • For other tale certes can I noon,
  • But of a ryme I lerned longe agoon.’
  • ‘Ye, that is good,’ quod he; ‘now shul we here1900
  • Som deyntee thing, me thinketh by his chere.’(21)

Explicit.

[]Heading.From E. E. Bihoold; Hoost.

[1883. ]Only Hl. inserts to before Iapen. Cm. Cp. tho; E. to; Hn. he; Pt. Ln. Hl. omit.

[1888. ]E. murily; Hl. merily.

[1897. ]Cp. Ln. Oste; E. Hn. Cm. Hoost.

[1900. ]E. ye; rest we.