Geoffrey Chaucery Important RTCS MEG 01 British Poetry

Watch these videos to get a good amount of knowledge of Canterbury Tales

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONL2Vj00QU4&t=424s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ2-uvpT6nY&t=544s


1 Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote,The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licóur
Of which vertú engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heath

2 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 honóur, fredom and curteisie.
Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,
And thereto hadde he riden, no man ferre,

3 But for to tellen yow of his array,His hors weren goode, but he was nat gay;
Of fustian he wered a gypon
Al bismótered with his habergeon;
For he was late y-come from his viage,
And wente for to doon his pilgrymage.

4 Ther was also a Nonne, a Prioresse,That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy;
Hire gretteste ooth was but by seinte Loy,
And she was cleped madame Eglentyne.
Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,

5  "Hoo!" quod the Knyght, "good sire, namoore of this!                    "Whoa!" said the Knight, "good sire, no more of this!   That ye han seyd is right ynough, ywis,                    What you have said is quite enough,      And muchel moore; for litel hevynesse                    And much more; for a little sadness      Is right ynough to muche folk, I gesse.                    Is quite enough for many people, I guess.      I seye for me, it is a greet disese,                    I say for myself, it is a great distress,      Whereas men han been in greet welthe and ese,                    When men have been in great wealth and ease,         To heeren of hire sodeyn fal, allas!                    To hear of their sudden fall, alas!        And the contrarie is joye and greet solas,                    And the contrary is joy and great comfort,        As whan a man hath been in povre estaat,                    As when a man has been in a poor condition,        And clymbeth up and wexeth fortunat,                    And climbs up and becomes fortunate,       And there abideth in prosperitee.

6

	A povre wydwe, somdel stape in age,
	Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage
	Biside a greve, stondynge in a dale.
	This wydwe, of which I telle yow my tale, 7 As Chauntecleer, among hise wyves alle, Sat on his perche, that was in the halle, And next hym sat this faire Pertelote,