The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems (Paperback)

Excerpt: ...said; Tell us a tale of mirth, and that anon." "Hoste," quoth I, "be not evil apaid, dissatisfied For other tale certes can I none, know Eut of a rhyme I learned yore agone." long "Yea, that is good," quoth he; "now shall we hear Some dainty thing, me thinketh by thy cheer." expression, mien Notes to the Prologue to Chaucer's Tale of Sir Thopas 1. This prologue is interesting, for the picture which it gives of Chaucer himself; riding apart from and indifferent to the rest of the pilgrims, with eyes fixed on the ground, and an "elvish," morose, or rather self-absorbed air; portly, if not actually stout, in body; and evidently a man out of the common, as the closing words of the Host imply. 2. Referring to the poet's corpulency. THE TALE 1 The First Fit part Listen, lordings, in good intent, And I will tell you verrament truly Of mirth and of solas, delight, solace All of a knight was fair and gent, gentle In battle and in tournament, His name was Sir Thopas. Y-born he was in far country, In Flanders, all beyond the sea, At Popering 2 in the place; His father was a man full free, And lord he was of that country, As it was Godde's grace. 3 Sir Thopas was a doughty swain, White was his face as paindemain, 4 His lippes red as rose. His rode is like scarlet in grain, complexion And I you tell in good certain He had a seemly nose. His hair, his beard, was like saffroun, That to his girdle reach'd adown, His shoes of cordewane: 5 Of Bruges were his hosen brown; His robe was of ciclatoun, 6 That coste many a jane. 7 He coulde hunt at the wild deer, And ride on hawking for rivere by the river With gray goshawk on hand: 8 Thereto he was a good archere, Of wrestling was there none his peer, Where any ram 9 should stand. Full many a maiden bright in bow'r They mourned for him par amour, When them were better sleep; But he was chaste, and no lechour, And sweet as is the bramble flow'r That beareth the red heep. hip And so it fell upon a day, For sooth as I you...