(9) THE SERGEANT OF THE LAW
311- A sergeant of the lawe, war (wary-cautious) and wys,
A SERGEANT OF THE LAW (high-ranking attorney), prudent and wise,
312- That often hadde been at the Parvys (porch of St Paul Cathedral),
Who often had been at the Porch of St. Paul’s (where lawyers gather)
313- Ther was also, ful riche of excellence.
Was also there, very rich in superior qualities.
314- Discreet (judicious) he was and of greet reverence (dignity) –
He was judicious and of great dignity —
315- He semed swich (such), his wordes weren so wise.
He seemed such, his words were so wise.
316- Justice he was ful often in assise, (the assizes-county court)
He was very often a judge in the court of assizes,
317- By patente (letter of appointment) and by pleyn (fully/completely) commissioun.
By royal appointment and with full jurisdiction.
318- For his science (knowledge) and for his heigh renoun (reputation),
For his knowledge and for his excellent reputation,
319- Of fees and robes hadde he many oon (a one)
He had many grants of yearly income.
320- So greet a purchas (land buyer) was nowher noon:
There was nowhere so great a land-buyer:
321- Al was fee symple (a legal term means private ownership of real estate in which he can transfer and use the property at will) to hym in effect (in fact);
In fact, all was unrestricted possession to him;
322- His purchasyng myghte nat been infect.
His purchasing could not be invalidated.
323- Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas,
There was nowhere so busy a man as he,
324- And yet he semed bisier than he was.
And yet he seemed busier than he was.
325- In termes (legal yearbooks) hadde he caas and doomes (judgments) alle
He had in Year Books all the cases and decisions
326- That from the tyme of Kyng William were falle (had happened).
That from the time of King William have occurred.
327- Therto he koude endite, (compose) and make a thyng, (draw up a document)
Furthermore, he knew how to compose and draw up a legal document,
328- Ther koude no wight pynche (criticize-find fault) at his writyng;
So that no one could find a flaw in his writing;
329- And every statut koude (knew) he pleyn (completely) by rote (memory).
And he knew every statute completely by heart.
330- He rood (rode) but hoomly (simply) in a medlee (multicolored) cote.
He rode but simply in a parti-colored coat,
331- Girt (Girded) with a ceint (belt of silk), with barres (stripes) smale;
Girded with a belt of silk, with small stripes;
332- Of his array(dress) telle I no lenger (no longer) tale.
I tell no longer tale of his clothing.
(10) THE FRANKLIN
333- A frankelyn (a substantial landowner of 14th and 15th century England who is of free but not noble birth) was in his compaignye.
A FRANKLIN was in his company.
334- Whit was his berd as is the dayesye (daisy flower);
His beard was white as a daisy;
335- Of his complexioun (temperament) he was sangwyn (sanguine- having blood as the dominant humour, signifying that such a man was cheerful).
As to his temperament, he was dominated by the humor blood.
336- Wel loved he by the morwe (every morning) a sop (piece) bread dipped in wyn;
He well loved a bit of bread dipped in wine in the morning;
337- To lyven (live) in delit (delight) was evere his wone (custom),
His custom was always to live in delight,
338- For he was Epicurus (Greek philosopher who founded his influential school of thought that ‘Epicureanism’ in Athens that considered happiness and avoidance of pain and emotional disturbance, to be the highest good) owene sone,-
For he was Epicurus’ own son,
339- That heeld (held) opinioun that pleyn (full/pure) delit (pleasure)
Who held the opinion that pure pleasure
340- Was verray (true) felicitee (happiness) parfit (perfect)
Was truly perfect happiness.
341- An housholdere (he daily entertained many guest), and that a greet, was he;
He was a householder, and a great one at that;
342- Seint Julian (symbol of hospitality) he was in his contree (region).
He was Saint Julian (patron of hospitality) in his country.
343- His breed (bread), his ale, was alweys after oon; (of uniform quality)
His bread, his ale, was always of the same (good) quality;
344- A bettre envyned (stocked with wine) man was nowher noon.
Nowhere was there any man better stocked with wine.
345- Withoute bake (baked/cooked) mete (meat) was nevere his hous
His house was never without baked pies
346- Of fissh and flessh (meat), and that so plentevous (plentiful),
Of fish and meat, and that so plentiful
347- It snewed (snowed) in his hous of mete and drynke (wine),
That in his house it snowed with food and drink;
348- Of alle deyntees (dainty/delicate dishes) that men koude thynke.
Of all the dainties that men could imagine,
349- After According to the sondry (different) sesons of the yeer,
In accord with the various seasons of the year,
350- So chaunged he his mete and his soper (supper).
So he varied his midday meal and his supper.
351- Ful many a fat partrich (partridges) hadde he in muwe (coop/cage),
He had very many fat partridges in pens,
352- And many a breem (bream-fish) and many a luce (pike-fish) in stuwe (fish pond).
And many a bream and many a pike in his fish pond.
353- Wo (woe) was his cook but if (unless) his sauce were
Woe was his cook unless his sauce was
354- Poynaunt (poignant[pɔɪnjənt]- sharp and pungent in taste/spicy) and sharp, and redy al his geere (gear- cooking equipment).
Hotly spiced and sharp, and ready all his cooking equipment.
355- His table dormant(fixed) in his halle (dining hall) alway
In his hall his dining table always
356- Stood redy covered al the longe day.
Stood covered (with table cloth) and ready all the long day.
357- At sessiouns (session/meeting of the justice of peace) ther was he lord and sire(chief);
He presided as lord and sire at court sessions;
358- Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire (administrative division).
He was a member of parliament many times.
359- An anlaas(anlace-dagger) and a gipser (purse/ pouch all of silk)
A dagger and a purse all of silk
360- Heeng (Hung) at his girdel (girdle-belt or thick string fastened to the waist), whit as morne (morning) milk.
Hung at his belt, white as morning milk.
361- A shirreve (sheriff) hadde he been, and a contour (accountant/auditor).
He had been a sheriff, and an auditor of taxes.
362- Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour (landowner).
There was nowhere such a worthy landowner.
(11) THE GUILDSMEN
363- An haberdasshere (dealer in hats and other items like ribbon, tapes, needles, button etc) and a carpenter,
A HABERDASHER and a CARPENTER,
364- A webbe (weaver), a dyere(cloth dyer), and a tapycer (tapestry and carpet maker),
A WEAVER, a DYER, and a TAPESTRY-MAKER —
365- And they were clothed alle in o lyveree (livery-the same guild uniform)
And they were all clothed in one livery
366- Of a solempne (solemn-serious) and a greet fraternitee (brotherhood).
Of a solemn and a great parish guild.
367- Ful (very) fressh and newe hir geere (gear-equipment) apiked (trimmed/adorned) was;
Their equipment was adorned all freshly and new;
368- Hir knyves were chaped (capped/tipped) noght with bras
Their knives were not mounted with brass
369- But al with silver; wroght (wrought-is an old form of the past tense of work) ful clene and weel
But entirely with silver, wrought very neatly and well,
370- Hire girdles (waist belt) and hir pouches everydee (every bit/completely)
Their belts and their purses every bit.
371- Wel semed ech of hem (each of them) a fair burgeys (burgess- a member of the privileged class)
Each of them well seemed a solid citizen
372- To sitten in a yeldehall (guildhall- a building in which members of the guild use to meet) on a deys (dais-raised platform)
To sit on a dais in a city hall.
373- Everich (Each of them), for the wisdom that he kan (knew),
Every one of them, for the wisdom that he knows,
374- Was shaply (suitable) for to been an alderman (governor of the shire/district).
Was suitable to be an alderman.
375- For catel (property) hadde they ynogh (enough) and rente (income),
For they had enough possessions and income,
376- And eek (also) hir (their) wyves wolde it wel assente (agree to);
And also their wives would well assent to it;
377- And elles (else/otherwise) certeyn were they to blame.
And otherwise certainly they would be to blame.
378- It is ful fair to been ycleped (called) Madame,
It is very fine to be called “my lady,”
379- And goon to vigilies (vigils-watch on the eve of the religious festival/ church feasts ), al biforein (right in front),
And go to feasts on holiday eves heading the procession,
380- And have a mantel (mantle- cloak/loose garment) roialliche ybore (carried).
And have a gown with a train royally carried.
(12) THE COOK
381- A cook they hadde with hem for the nones (occasion)
A COOK they had with them for the occasion
382- To boille the chiknes with the marybones (marrow bones),
To boil the chickens with the marrow bones,
383- And poudre-marchanta (spicy flavour) tart (sharp) and galyngale (galingale. a root used for spice and aroma)
And tart poudre-marchant and galingale (spices).
384- Wel koude he knowe a draughte (sip) of Londoun ale (wine).
He well knew how to judge a draft of London ale.
385- He koude rooste (roast), and sethe (boil), and broille (broil-to cook over hot coals), and frye,
He knew how to roast, and boil, and broil, and fry,
386- Maken mortreux (meat stews), and wel bake a pye (fruit backed in a dish with pastry on the bottom, sides and top).
Make stews, and well bake a pie.
387- But greet harm (matter of regret ) was it, as it thoughte me (as I thought),
But it was a great harm, as it seemed to me,
388- That on his shyne (shin- the forepart of the leg below the knee) a mormal (open sore) hadde he.
That he had an open sore on his shin.
389- For blankmangera (thick chicken/fish rice soup), that made he with the beste.
As for white pudding, he made that of the best quality.
(13) THE SHIPMAN
390- A shipman was ther, wonynge (living/dwelling) fer (far) by weste (to the West);
A SHIPMAN was there, dwelling far in the west;
391- For aught (as far as) I woot (know), he was of Dertemouthe (from Dartmouth).
For all I know, he was from Dartmouth.
392- He rood (rode) upon a rounce (packhorse-strong riding horse), as he kouthe (could),
He rode upon a cart horse, insofar as he knew how,
393- In a gowne of faldyng (coarse woolen cloth) to the knee.
In a gown of woolen cloth (that reached) to the knee.
394- A daggere hangynge on a laas (cord-lace) hadde he
He had a dagger hanging on a cord
395- Aboute his nekke, under his arm adoun (down).
About his neck, down under his arm.
396- The hoote somer hadde maad (made) his hewe (hue-color) al broun;
The hot summer had made his hue all brown;
397- And certeinly he was a good felawe.
And certainly he was a boon companion.
398- Ful (very) many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe (drawn)
He had drawn very many a draft of wine
399- Fro (from) Burdeux (Bordeaux- city in France) ward, whil that the Chapmen (merchants/dealer) sleep.
While coming from Bordeaux, while the merchant slept (he committed this theft).
400- Of nyce (nice/careful) conscience took he no keepe (notice).
He had no concern for a scrupulous conscience.
401- If that he faught (fought), and hadde the hyer hond (higher hand),
If he fought and had the upper hand,
402- By water he sente hem (them) hoom (home) to every lond (land).
He sent them home by water to every land (they walked the plank).
403- But of his craft to rekene (reckon ) wel his tydes (tides-ebb and flow),
But of his skill to reckon well his tides,
404- His stremes (streams of currents), and his daungers hym bisides (around him),
His currents, and his perils near at hand,
405- His herberwe (harbour), and his moone (moon), his lodemenage (piloting-a pilot’s fee payable for the hiring of a pilot),
His harbors, and positions of his moon, his navigation,
406- Ther nas (was not) noon swich (such) from Hulle to Cartage (Carthage -North Africa)
There was none other such from Hull to Cartagena (Spain).
407- Hardy (brave) he was and wys to undertake (to launch an expedition);
He was bold and prudent in his undertakings;
408- With many a tempest hadde his berd (beard ) been shake.
His beard had been shaken by many a tempest.
409- He knew alle the havenes (harbors), as they were,
He knew all the harbors, how they were,
410- Fro (from ) Gootland (Gotland-Baltic Sea) to the Cape of Fynystere (Finisterre-Spain) ,
From Gotland to the Cape of Finisterre,
411- And every cryke (creek) in Britaigne (Britain) and in Spayne.
And every inlet in Brittany and in Spain.
412- His barge (ship) ycleped (called) was the Maudelayne.
His ship was called the Maudelayne.
