He was a lord full fat and in good point;
His eyen steep,72 and rolling in his head,
That steamed as a furnace of a lead.
His bootës supple, his horse in great estate,
Now certainly he was a fair preláte;
He was not pale as a forpined73 ghost;
A fat swan lov’d he best of any roast.
His palfrey was as brown as is a berry.
A Friar there was, a wanton and a merry,
A limitour,74 a full solemnë man.
In all the orders four is none that can75
So much of dalliance and fair languáge.
He had y-made full many a marriáge
Of youngë women, at his owen cost.
Unto his order he was a noble post;
Full well belov’d, and familiár was he
With franklins over all76 in his countrý,
And eke with worthy women of the town:
For he had power of confessión,
As said himselfë, more than a curáte,
For of his order he was licentiate.
Full sweetëly heard he confession,
And pleasant was his absolution.
He was an easy man to give penánce,
There as he wist to have a good pittánce:77
For unto a poor order for to give
Is signë that a man is well y-shrive.78
For if he gave, he durstë make avant,79
He wistë that the man was repentant.
For many a man so hard is of his heart,
He may not weep although him sorë smart.
Therefore instead of weeping and prayéres,
Men must give silver to the poorë freres.
His tippet was aye farsed80 full of knives,
And pinnës, for to give to fairë wives;
And certainly he had a merry note:
Well could he sing and playen on a rote;81
Of yeddings82 he bare utterly the prize.
His neck was white as is the fleur-de-lis.
Thereto he strong was as a champion,
And knew well the tavérns in every town.
And every hosteler and gay tapstére,
Better than a lazar83 or a beggére,
For unto such a worthy man as he
Accordeth not, as by his faculty,
To havë with such lazars acquaintánce.
It is not honest, it may not advance,
As for to dealë with no such pouraille,84
But all with rich, and sellers of vitaille.
And ov’r all there as85 profit should arise,
Courteous he was, and lowly of servíce;
There n’as no man nowhere86 so virtuous.
He was the bestë beggar in all his house:
And gave a certain farmë87 for the grant,
None of his bretheren came in his haunt.
For though a widow haddë but one shoe,
So pleasant was his In principio,88
Yet would he have a farthing ere he went;
His purchase was well better than his rent.
And rage he could and play as any whelp,
In lovëdays;89 there could he muchel help.90
For there was he not like a cloisterer,
With threadbare cope, as is a poor scholer,
But he was like a master or a pope.
Of double worsted was his semicope,91
That rounded was as a bell out of press.
Somewhat he lisped for his wantonness,
To make his English sweet upon his tongue;
And in his harping, when that he had sung,
His eyen twinkled in his head aright,
As do the starrës in a frosty night.
This worthy limitour was call’d Hubérd.
A Merchant was there with a forked beard,
In motley, and high on his horse he sat,
Upon his head a Flandrish beaver hat.
His bootës clasped fair and fetisly.92
His reasons aye spake he full solemnly,
Sounding alway th’ increase of his winning.
He would the sea were kept93 for any thing
Betwixtë Middleburg and Orëwell.94
Well could he in exchangë shieldës95 sell.
This worthy man full well his wit beset;96
There wistë no wight that he was in debt,
So estately was he of governance97
With his bargáins, and with his chevisance.98
For sooth he was a worthy man withal,
But sooth to say, I n’ot99 how men him call.
A Clerk there was of Oxenford100 also,
That unto logic haddë long y-go.101
As leanë was his horse as is a rake,
And he was not right fat, I undertake;
But looked hollow,102 and thereto soberly.103
Full threadbare was his overest courtepy,104
For he had gotten him yet no benefice,
Ne was not worldly, to have an office.
For him was lever105 have at his bed’s head
Twenty bookës, clothed in black or red,
Of Aristotle, and his philosophy,
Than robës rich, or fiddle, or psalt’ry.
But all be that he was a philosópher,
Yet haddë he but little gold in coffer,
But all that he might of his friendës hent,106
On bookës and on learning he it spent,
And busily gan for the soulës pray
Of them that gave him wherewith to scholay.107
Of study took he mostë care and heed.
Not one word spake he morë than was need;
And that was said in form and reverence,
And short and quick, and full of high senténce.
Sounding in moral virtue was his speech,
And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.
A Sergeant of the Law, wary and wise,
That often had y-been at the Parvis,108
There was also, full rich of excellence.
Discreet he was, and of great reverence:
He seemed such, his wordës were so wise,
Justice he was full often in assize,
By patent, and by plein109 commission;
For his sciénce, and for his high renown,
Of fees and robës had he many one.
So great a purchaser was nowhere none.
All was fee simple to him, in effect
His purchasing might not be in suspect.110
Nowhere so busy a man as he there was,
And yet he seemed busier than he was.
In termës had he case’ and doomës111 all,
That from the time of King Will. werë fall.
Thereto he could indite, and make a thing,
There couldë no wight pinch at his writing.112
And every statute coud113 he plain by rote.
He rode but homely in a medley114 coat,
Girt with
