Comparison of Geoffrey Chaucer Summoner's Prologue to Geoffrey Chaucer

Our hoste up-on his stiropes stood anon, [continues next]

This Chauntecleer stood hye up-on his toos, [continues next]

Strecching his nekke, and heeld his eyen cloos, [continues next]

With-inne his brest, and hente him by the herte [continues next]

So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde [continues next]

[continues previous] Our hoste up-on his stiropes stood anon,

[continues previous] This Chauntecleer stood hye up-on his toos,

[continues previous] Strecching his nekke, and heeld his eyen cloos,

'Lordinges,' quod he, 'now herkneth for the beste; [continues next]

[continues previous] So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde

But first I pray yow, of your curteisye, [continues next]

[continues previous] 'Lordinges,' quod he, 'now herkneth for the beste;

[continues previous] But tak it not, I prey yow, in desdeyn;

'Now, maister,' quod this lord, 'I yow biseke.' [continues next]

'No maister, sire,' quod he, 'but servitour, [continues next]

O thing biseke I yow and warne also, [continues next]

'My lord,' quod she, 'I biseke yow in al humblesse, that ye wol nat wilfully replye agayn my resouns, ne distempre your herte thogh I speke thing that yow displese. For god wot that, as in myn entente, I speke it for your beste, for your honour and for your profite eke. And soothly, I ... [continues next]

[continues previous] But first I pray yow, of your curteisye, [continues next]

[continues previous] That ye narette it nat my vileinye, [continues next]

[continues previous] 'Now, maister,' quod this lord, 'I yow biseke.'

[continues previous] O thing biseke I yow and warne also, [continues next]

[continues previous] That ye ne prikke with no tormentinge [continues next]

And sin that ye han herd al myn entente, [continues next]

[continues previous] 'My lord,' quod she, 'I biseke yow in al humblesse, that ye wol nat wilfully replye agayn my resouns, ne distempre your herte thogh I speke thing that yow displese. For god wot that, as in myn entente, I speke it for your beste, for your honour and for your profite eke. And soothly, I hope that your benignitee wol taken ... [continues next]

Ye han wel herd of Theseus devyse [continues next]

But sin that ye han herd me som-what seye, [continues next]

[continues previous] That ye narette it nat my vileinye,

'Wyf,' quod this markis, 'ye han herd er this,

[continues previous] That ye ne prikke with no tormentinge

[continues previous] And sin that ye han herd al myn entente,

I preche, so as ye han herd bifore,

And telle an hundred false Iapes more.

To sleen the thridde, as ye han herd me seye. [continues next]

This yongest, which that wente un-to the toun, [continues next]

[continues previous] 'My lord,' quod she, 'I biseke yow in al humblesse, that ye wol nat wilfully replye agayn my resouns, ne distempre your herte thogh I speke thing that yow displese. For god wot that, as in myn entente, I speke it for your beste, for your honour and for your profite eke. And soothly, I hope that your benignitee wol taken it ...

To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse. [continues next]

Fair was this medew, as thoughte me overal; [continues next]

[continues previous] Therfor I passe shortly in this wyse;

[continues previous] Ye han wel herd of Theseus devyse

[continues previous] But sin that ye han herd me som-what seye,

Now sires, now wol I telle forth my tale. —

As ever mote I drinken wyn or ale,

And ther-fore every man this tale I telle, [continues next]

Winne who-so may, for al is for to selle. [continues next]

For pardee, ye han ofte tyme herd telle, [continues next]

[continues previous] To sleen the thridde, as ye han herd me seye.

For he shal telle a tale, by my fey! [continues next]

[continues previous] To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse.

[continues previous] Fair was this medew, as thoughte me overal;

'But wherfor that I telle my tale? [continues next]

Right on this same, as I have seyd, [continues next]

Of al my tale, so thoghte me.

To telle shortly as hit is,

[continues previous] And ther-fore every man this tale I telle,

[continues previous] How that a frere ravisshed was to helle

... a singuler persone sinneth in takinge vengeance of another man, right so sinneth the Iuge if he do no vengeance of hem that it han deserved. For Senek seith thus: "that maister," he seith, "is good that proveth shrewes." And as Cassidore seith: "A man dredeth to do outrages, whan he woot and knoweth that it displeseth to the Iuges and sovereyns." And another seith: "the Iuge that dredeth to do right, maketh men shrewes." And Seint Paule the apostle seith in his epistle, whan he wryteth un-to the Romayns: that "the Iuges beren nat the spere with-outen cause;" but they beren it to punisse ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Do him come forth, he knoweth his penaunce,

[continues previous] For he shal telle a tale, by my fey!

[continues previous] 'But wherfor that I telle my tale?

[continues previous] Right on this same, as I have seyd,

[continues previous] ... singuler persone sinneth in takinge vengeance of another man, right so sinneth the Iuge if he do no vengeance of hem that it han deserved. For Senek seith thus: "that maister," he seith, "is good that proveth shrewes." And as Cassidore seith: "A man dredeth to do outrages, whan he woot and knoweth that it displeseth to the Iuges and sovereyns." And another seith: "the Iuge that dredeth to do right, maketh men shrewes." And Seint Paule the apostle seith in his epistle, whan he wryteth un-to the Romayns: that "the Iuges beren nat the spere with-outen cause;" but they beren it to punisse the ...

As ye han herd, I can telle it no bettre,

As suffereth me I may my tale telle! [continues next]

And tolde hir al the cas, as ye bifore

Han herd; nat nedeth for to telle it more.

I preche, so as ye han herd bifore,

And telle an hundred false Iapes more.

As thus, thogh that I telle som-what more

Of proverbes, than ye han herd bifore,

And some han feyned ofte tyme, and tolde [continues next]

'Lo, nece, I trowe ye han herd al how [continues next]

[continues previous] This Frere bosteth that he knoweth helle,

[continues previous] How that they wake, whan they slepen softe;

[continues previous] 'Lo, nece, I trowe ye han herd al how

And un-to Sathanas he ladde him doun. [continues next]

"And now hath Sathanas," seith he, "a tayl [continues next]

So likerously, and ladde him up and doun [continues next]

His yonge knightes, ladde hem up and doun

For love of hir that him these peynes wroughte; [continues next]

And up and doun as he the forest soughte, [continues next]

[continues previous] And un-to Sathanas he ladde him doun.

[continues previous] So likerously, and ladde him up and doun

[continues previous] For love of hir that him these peynes wroughte;

Lordes, ladyes, knightes of renoun, [continues next]

And other folk y-nowe, this is the ende; [continues next]

Seyde that Iankin spak, in this matere, [continues next]

Till atte laste she spak in this manere [continues next]

[continues previous] And other folk y-nowe, this is the ende;

'Ye, woltow so, sir Somnour?' quod the Frere, [continues next]

[continues previous] The lord, the lady, and ech man, save the frere,

[continues previous] Seyde that Iankin spak, in this matere,

[continues previous] Till atte laste she spak in this manere

[continues previous] Un-to the hauk, as ye shul after here.

'Tel me the rote, good sir,' quod he tho, [continues next]

'Now, goode sir,' quod I [right] tho, [continues next]

Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace, [continues next]

That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace [continues next]

[continues previous] 'Ye, woltow so, sir Somnour?' quod the Frere,

[continues previous] 'Now, by my feith, I shal, er that I go,

[continues previous] 'Tel me the rote, good sir,' quod he tho,

[continues previous] 'Now, goode sir,' quod I [right] tho,

[continues previous] Ye han wel told me her-before.

[continues previous] That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace

For lakke of answer, noon of hem shal dyen.

How that yet she shulde here al this,

Or they espye hit.' 'O yis, yis!'

Quod he to me, 'that can I preve

And as an angel ladde him up and doun, [continues next]

To shewen him the peynes that ther were, [continues next]

So likerously, and ladde him up and doun [continues next]

[continues previous] And as an angel ladde him up and doun,

Hold up thy tayl, thou Sathanas!" quod he,

[continues previous] So likerously, and ladde him up and doun

"And now hath Sathanas," seith he, "a tayl

He clapte his tayl agayn, and lay ful stille. [continues next]

That flaterest with thyn heed when thou wolt stinge; [continues next]

Thy tayl is deeth, thurgh thyn enveniminge. [continues next]

[continues previous] And in his ers they crepten everichon.

[continues previous] That flaterest with thyn heed when thou wolt stinge;

[continues previous] Thy tayl is deeth, thurgh thyn enveniminge.

Whan they were set, and hust was al the place, [continues next]

Ne nat a word was spoken in the place [continues next]

Here in this place a furlong-wey or ye! [continues next]

[continues previous] And Theseus abiden hadde a space

Er any word cam from his wyse brest,

[continues previous] The mountance of a furlong-wey of space.

The mountance of a furlong-wey of space.

[continues previous] Here in this place a furlong-wey or ye!

Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees; [continues next]

Alday as thikke as been flen from an hyve;

So was the develes ers ay in his minde,

[continues previous] Out of the hyve cam the swarm of bees;

Tho come ther lepinge in a route, [continues next]

And gonne choppen al aboute [continues next]

[continues previous] Tho come ther lepinge in a route, [continues next]

[continues previous] And gonne choppen al aboute

"Shewe forth thyn ers, and lat the frere see [continues next]

For in the bush he sitteth now ful stille. [continues next]

[continues previous] Hold up thy tayl, thou Sathanas!" quod he,

They comen ayein to the knight ther he lay ful stille, [continues next]

And tolden him anon-right how they hadden wrought; [continues next]

or he wex olde, his vertu, that lay now ful stille, ne should nat

And thus she sit, and darketh wonder stille. [continues next]

[continues previous] For in the bush he sitteth now ful stille.

[continues previous] Whan that Arcite had romed al his fille,

The Frere lough, whan he hadde herd al this, [continues next]

[continues previous] They comen ayein to the knight ther he lay ful stille,

[continues previous] Whan that this leonesse hath dronke her fille,

[continues previous] The Frere lough, whan he hadde herd al this,

For fere of which he quook and syked sore. [continues next]

[continues previous] For fere of which he quook and syked sore.

And quook for fere, pale and pitously,

Out of the develes ers ther gonne dryve

And to every spokes ende, in this manere,

Sith I have suffisaunce unto my pay.

Thus wol I ende this compleynt or lay;