Canterbury Tales

By Geoffrey Chauncer QUOTATION: “Woman is mannes joy and all his bliss.”
For when I feel a-night your softe side,
Albeit that I may not on you ride,
For that our perch is made so narrowe, alas!
I am so full of joy and of solace
That I defye bothe sweven and dream.’
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. The Nun’s Priest’s Tale (l. 400–405).

QUOTATION: when I see the beauty of your face,
Ye been so scarlet red about your eyen,
It maketh all my dreade for to dyen;
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. The Nun’s Priest’s Tale (l. 394–396).

QUOTATION: My tale is of a cock, as ye may hear,
That took his counsel of his wife, with sorrow,
To walken in the yard upon that morrow
That he had met the dream that I you told.
Womenes counsels been full ofte cold;
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. The Nun’s Priest’s Tale (l. 486–490).

QUOTATION: We all desiren, if it mighte be,
To han husbandes hardy, wise, and free,
And secret, and no niggard, ne no fool,
Ne him that is aghast of every tool,
Ne none avaunter, by that God above!
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. The Nun’s Priest’s Tale (l. 147–151).

QUOTATION: I preche of nothing but for coveityse.
Therfor my theme is yet, and ever was—
Radix malorum est cupiditas.
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale (l. 138–140).

QUOTATION: But, though myself be gilty in that sinne,
Yet can I maken other folk to twinne
From avaryce, and sore to repente.
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale (l. 143–145).

QUOTATION: And thou shalt kisse the relikes everychon,
Ye, for a grote! Unbokele anon thy purs.’
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale (l. 658–659).

QUOTATION: The millere was a stout carl for the nones;
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. General Prologue (l. 547).

QUOTATION: whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere
Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere
And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle.
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. General Prologue (l. 169–171).

QUOTATION: She was so charitable and so pitous
She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous
Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. General Prologue (l. 143–145).

QUOTATION: A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man,
That fro the tyme that he first bigan
To riden out, he loved chivalrie,
Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.
Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,
And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,
As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,
And evere honoured for his worthynesse.
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. General Prologue (l. 43–50).

QUOTATION: A monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie,
An outridere, that lovede venerie,
A manly man, to been an abbot able.
ATTRIBUTION: Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400), British poet. General Prologue (l. 165–167).

[1] - [2] - [3] - [4]