(3) THE YEOMAN
101- A yeman (yeoman) hadde he and servantz namo (no more)
He (the Knight) had A YEOMAN and no more servants
102- At that tyme, for hym liste (it pleased him) ride so,
At that time, for it pleased him so to travel,
103- And he was clad (dressed) in cote (coat) and hood of grene.
And he (the yeoman) was clad in coat and hood of green.
104- A sheef (sheaf- bundle) of pecok arwes (arrows with peacock feathers), bright and kene (keen or sharp),
A sheaf of peacock arrows, bright and keen,
105- Under his belt he bar (carried) ful thriftily (efficiently- carefully),
He carried under his belt very properly
106- [wel koude he dresse (arrange) his takel (tackle- nequipment) yemanly:
(He well knew how to care for his equipment as a yeoman should;
107- His arwes (arrows) drouped noght with fetheres lowe (bending downward)]
His arrows did not fall short because of their trailing peacock feathers.
108- And in his hand he baar (carried) a myghty bowe.
And in his hand, he carried a mighty bow.
109- A not heed (close-cropped head- nearly bald head) hadde he, with a broun visage (face).
He had a close-cropped head with a brown face.
110- Of wodecraft wel koude he al the usage (practices, methods)
He well knew all the practices of woodcraft.
111- Upon his arm he baar (carried) a gay bracer (arm guard),
He wore an elegant archer’s wrist-guard upon his arm,
112- And by his syde a swerd (sword) and a bokeler (small shield used to parry blows or thursts),
And by his side, a sword and a small shield,
113- And on that oother syde a gay daggere (large knife)
And on that other side, an elegant dagger
114- Harneised (decorated) wel and sharp as point of spere (spear);
Well ornamented and sharp as the point of a spear;
115- A Cristopher (St. Christopher- a Christian martyr and patron saint of travellers) medal on his brest of silver sheene (brightness).
A Christopher medal of bright silver on his breast.
116- An horn (musical instrument) he bar (carried), the bawdryk ( shoulder strap) was of grene;
He carried a horn, the shoulder strap was green;
117- A forster (forester, gamekeeper- a person who cares and breeds wild animals and birds that are kept on private land to be hunted) was he, soothly (truly), as I gesse.
He was a forester, truly, as I guess.
(4) THE PRIORESS
118- Ther was also a nonne (nun- a female member of the religious order), a prioresse
There was also a Nun, a PRIORESS (a woman below an abbess , head of a priory for nuns),
119- That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy (shy, bashful);
Who was very simple and modest in her smiling;
120- Hire (her) gretteste (greatest) ooth was but by Seinte Loy;
Her greatest oath was but by Saint Loy (St. Eloi- the patron saint of goldsmiths);
121- And she was cleped (called, named) Madame Eglentyne.
And she was called Madam Eglantine.
122- Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
She sang the divine service very well,
123- Entuned in hir nose ful semely (in a seemly-appropriate manner),
Intoned in her nose in a very polite manner;
124- And Frenssh (French) she spak (spoke) ful faire and fetisly (stylishly),
And she spoke French very well and elegantly,
125- After the scole (school), fashion of Stratford atte Bowe,
In the manner of Stratford at the Bow ( a place 2-3 miles away from London to the east of Aldgate where Chaucer had lived 12 years),
126- For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe (unknown).
For French of Paris was to her unknown.
127- At mete (meat-mealtime) wel ytaught was she with alle (completely):
At meals she was well taught indeed;
128- She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,
She let no morsel fall from her lips,
129- Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe
Nor wet her fingers deep in her sauce;
130- Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe
She knew how to carry a morsel (to her mouth) and take good care
131- That no drope ne fille upon hire brest.
That no drop fell upon her breast.
132- In curteisie (etiquette) was set ful (very) muchel (much) hir lest ( pleasure, interest).
Her greatest pleasure was in good manners.
133- Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene
She wiped her upper lip clean
134- That in hir coppe (cup) ther was no ferthyng ( farthing or the smallest part) sene (seen)
That in her cup, there was seen no tiny bit
135- Of grece (grease-fat), whan she dronken hadde hir draughte
Of grease, when she had drunk her drink.
136- Ful (very) semely (seemly-suitable) after hir mete (for her food) she raughte (reached-belched).
She reached (belched for her food in a very seemly manner.
Mete is an interesting word. It is the Middle English antecedent to modern meat, but also meant meal as in:
at mete well ytaught was she with alle.
What makes this passage interesting is the phrase:
Ful semely after her mete she raughte.
Now raughte means reached, and so the reader is likely to read the phrase as something like: Politely, for her food she reached. Which actually seems rather odd for its triviality.
Politely, after her meal, she belched. This meaning is derived from the onomatopoeic implications of the pronunciation of raughte, which possesses a rather guttural sound, especially with a rolled.
137- And sikerly (surely, certainly) she was of greet desport,(cheerfulness)
And surely she was of excellent deportment,
138- And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port, (manner, bearing)
And very pleasant and amiable in demeanor,
139- And peyned hire (she took pains) to countrefete (imitate) cheere (manners- behavior)
And she took pains to imitate the manners
140- Of court, and to been (be) estatlich (stately, dignified) of manere,
Of court, and to be dignified in behavior,
141- And to ben (be) holden (valued) digne (worthy) of reverence.
And to be considered worthy of reverence.
142- But, for to speken of hire conscience (the sense of moral correctness),
But to speak of her moral sense,
143- She was so charitable and so pitous (compassionate-tender hearted)
She was so charitable and so compassionate
144- She wolde wepe, if that she saugh (saw) a mous
She would weep, if she saw a mouse
145- Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.
Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bled.
146- Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde
She had some small hounds that she fed
147- With rosted flesshmeat, or milk and wastel-breed (a high quality
white bread).
With roasted meat or milk and fine white bread.
148- But soore (sorely-seriously, very much) wepte she if oon of hem (one of them) were deed,
But sorely, she wept if one of them were dead,
149- Or if men smoot (smote-to beat, hit) it with a yerde (stick) smerte (smartly);
Or if someone smote it smartly with a stick;
150- And al was conscience and tendre herte.
And all was feeling and tender heart.
151- Ful semyly hir wympula (wimple- headdress) pynched (pleated- folded) was,
Her wimple was pleated in a very seemly manner,
152- Hir nose tretys (nicely shaped), hir eyen greye (gray) as glas,
Her nose well formed, her eyes gray as glass,
153- Hir mouth ful (very) smal, and therto (moreover) softe and reed;
Her mouth very small, and soft and red.
154- But sikerly (surely) she hadde a fair forheed;
But surely she had a fair forehead;
155- It was almoost a spanne (about 9 inche-distance between the little finger and thumb) brood (broad), I trowe (believe);
It was almost nine inches broad, I believe;
156- For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe (under sized).
For, certainly, she was not undergrown.
157- Ful fetys (stylish) was hir cloke, as I was war (aware).
Her cloak was very well made , as I was aware.
158- Of smal coral aboute hire arm she bar
About her arm, she bore of small coral (the hard substance that is red, pink or white, and that forms on the bottom of the sea from the bones of very small creatures. It is often used in jewellery)
159- A peire (set or rosary) of bedes, gauded (decorated) al with grene,
A set of beads adorned with large green beads,
160- And theron (on it) heng (hung) a brooch (broʊtʃ -an ornamental pin) of gold ful sheene (shining),
And thereon hung a brooch of very bright gold,
161- On which ther was first write a crowned A,
On which there was first written an A with a crown,
162- And after Amor Vincit Omnia.
And after “Love conquers all.”
163- Another nonne with hire hadde she,
She had another NUN (Chaucer does not describe this second nun either here in the prologue or in the Canterbury Tales) with her,
164- That was hir chapeleyne (chaplain), and preestes (male priests) thre.
Who was her secretary, and three priests.
(5) THE MONK
165- A monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie, (excellence in his ecclesiastical work)
There was a MONK, an extremely fine one,
166- An outridere, (one who rides his horse faster than others) that lovede venerie (hunting),
An outrider (a monk with business outside the monastery), who loved hunting,
167- A manly man, to been an abbot able.
A virile man, qualified to be an abbot.
168- Ful many a deyntee (valuable-fine) hors hadde he in stable,
He had very many fine horses in his stable,
169- And whan he rood, men myghte his bryde (bridle of the horse) l heere
And when he rode, one could hear the little bells of his bridle
170- Gynglen (Jingle) in a whistlynge wynd als (as) cleere
Jingle in a whistling wind as clear
171- And eek (also) as loude as dooth the chapel (a place of christian worship) belle.
And also as loud as the chapel bell
172- Ther as (at the place Where) this lord was kepere of the celle,
Where this lord was prior to the subordinate monastery.
173- The reule (rule) of Seint Maure (Maurus) or of Seint Beneit (Benedict),
The rule of Saint Maurus or of Saint Benedict –
174- By cause (because) that it was old and somdel (somewhat) streit (strict)
Because it was old and somewhat strict
175- This ilke (same) monk leet olde thynges pace (pass),
This same Monk let old things pass away,
176- And heeld (follow the way of) after the newe world the space (meanwhile).
And followed the broader customs of modern times.
177- He yaf (gave) nat of that text (text of the Bible) a pulled hen (plucked hen- feathers plucked so unable to lay eggs-worthless),
He paid no attention to that part of the text, which says the hunters are not holy men.
178- That seith that hunters ben nat hooly men,
That says that hunters are not holy men,
179- Ne (Nor) that a monk, whan he is recchelees (unregulated-reckless or careless of his monastic duties),
Nor that a monk, when he is heedless of rules,
180- Is likned til (to) a fissh that is waterlees, —
Is like a fish that is out of water —
181- This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre (cloister or monastery).
This is to say, a monk out of his cloister.
182- But thilkethe (same) text heeld (considered) he nat worth an oystre;
But he considered that same text not worth an oyster;
183- And I seyde his opinion was good
And I said his opinion was good.
184- What (Why) sholde (should) he studie and make hymselven wood (mad),
Why should he study and make himself mad,
185- Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure (pore, to study very carefully),
Always to pore upon a book in the cloister,
186- Or swynken (swink-to work) with his handes, and laboure,
Or work with his hands and labor,
187- As Austyn bit (Augustine commanded)? How shal the world be served?
As Augustine commands? How shall the world be served?
188- Lat (let) Austyn have his swynk to hym reserved!
Let Augustine have his work reserved to him!
189- Therfore he was a prikasour (horseman for hunting hares) aright (truly):
Therefore he was indeed a vigorous horseman:
190- Grehoundes he hadde as swift as fowel in flight;
He had greyhounds as swift as fowl in flight;
191- Of prikyng (spurring-to encourage a horse to go faster) and of huntyng for the hare
Of tracking and of hunting for the hare
192- Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.
Was all his pleasure, by no means would he refrain from it.
193- I seigh (saw) his sleves purfiled (bordered) at the hand
I saw his sleeves lined at the hand
194- With grys (fine fur), and that the fyneste of a lond;
With squirrel fur, and that the finest in the land;
195- And for to festne (to fasten) his hood under his chyn,
And to fasten his hood under his chin,
196- He hadde of gold ywroght (made) a ful (very) curious (wonderful) pyn;
He had a very skillfully made pin of gold;
197- A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.
There was an elaborate knot in the larger end.
198- His heed was balled (bald), that shoon (shone) as any glas,
His head was bald, which shone like any glass,
199- And eek his face, as if he hadde been enoynt (annointed).
And his face did too, as if he had been rubbed with oil.
200- He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt; (fine form)
He was a very plump lord and in good condition;
201- His eyen stepe (bright), and rollynge in his heed,
His eyes were prominent and rolling in his head,
202- That stemed (gleamed) as a forneys (furnace) of a leed;
Which gleamed like a furnace under a cauldron;
203- His bootes souple (supple-soft), his hors in greet estaat.
His boots were supple, his horse in excellent condition.
204- Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat; prelate, (a high-ranking church official)
Now certainly he was a handsome ecclesiastical dignitary;
205- He was nat pale as a forpyned (tormented) goost.
He was not pale as a tormented spirit.
206- A fat swan loved he best of any roost.
A fat swan loved he best of any roast.
207- His palfreyan ( easy-gaited saddle horse) was as broun (brown) as is a berye.
His saddle horse was as brown as a berry.
