Therefore he was a pricasour aright,
Grehoundes he hadde, as swifte as fowel in flight
Of priking and of hunting for the hare
Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.
I seigh his sieves purfiled at the hond
It was almost a span broad, I believe—
For in no way was she undersized.
Full elegant was her cloak, as I was aware.
About her arm she bore a coral rosary,
The beads set off with stones green;
And thereon hung a broach, of shining gold,
On which there was first written a crowned A,
And after, Amor vincit omnia.7

Another NUN with her had she,
Who was her chaplain, and PRIESTS THREE.

A MONK there was, and a good one too,
An estate manager, who also loved to hunt:
A manly man, and an abbot able.
Full many a fine horse had he in stable,
And when he rode men might his bridle hear
Jingling in a whistling wind as clear
And loud as doth the chapel bell,
There where this lord ran a priory.
The rule of Saint Maurus or of Saint Benedict, 8
Because it was old and somewhat strict,
This same monk let slide,
And held after the new world for his guide.
He gave not for that text a plucked hen,
That said hunters should not be holy men,
Nor that a monk when he neglects his vows,
Is like a fish out of water
(That is to say a monk out of his cloister);
But that doctrine held he not worth an oyster.
And I said his opinion was good:
Why should he study, and make himself a nut,
Upon a book in cloister always to pore,
Or work with his hands and labor,
As Augustine9 bid? How shall the world be served?
Let Augustine have his work for him reserved!
So he rode energetically all right:
Greyhounds he had, as swift as birds in flight;
Of riding and of hunting for the hare
Was all his lust, for it no cost would he spare.
I saw his sleeves trimmed at the cuff
With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;
And, for to festne his hood under his chin
He hadde of gold y-wroght a curious pin:
A love-knotte in the gretter end ther was.
His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,
And eek his face, as he had been anoint.
He was a lord ful fat and in good point;
His eyen stepe, and rollinge in his heed,
That stemed as a forneys of a leed;
His botes souple, his hors in greet estat.
Now certeinly he was a fair prelat;
He was nat pale as a for-pyned goost.
A fat swan loved he best of any roost.
His palfrey was as broun as is a berye.

A FRERE ther was, a wantown and a merye,
A limitour, a ful solempne man.
In alle the ordres foure is noon that can
So muche of daliaunce and fair langage.
He hadde maad ful many a mariage
Of yonge wommen, at his owne cost.
Un-to his ordre he was a noble post.
Ful wel biloved and famulier was he
With frankeleyns over-al in his contree,
And eek with worthy wommen of the toun:
For he had power of confessioun,
As seyde him-self, more than a curat,
For of his ordre he was licentiat.
Ful swetely herde he confessioun,
And plesaunt was his absolucion;
He was an esy man to yeve penaunce
Ther as he wiste to han a good pitaunce;
For unto a povre ordre for to yive
Is signe that a man is wel y-shrive.
For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,
He wiste that a man was repentaunt.
For many a man so hard is of his herte,
He may nat wepe al-thogh him sore smerte.
Therfore, in stede of weping and preyeres,
Men moot yeve silver to the povre freres.
With gray fur and that the finest in the land;
And to fasten his hood under his chin,
He had of gold crafted a full curious pin:
A love-knot in the larger end there was.
His head was bald, and shone like glass,
And his face as well, as if anointed.
He was a lord full fat and yet his muscles fit:
His eyes protruding, and rolling in his head,
That glowed like the fire under a cauldron;
His boots supple, his horse in great condition—
Now certainly he was a fair prelate.
He was not pale as a tortured ghost;
A fat swan loved he best of any roast.
And brown as a berry was his horse.

A FRIAR10 there was, a lecher and a merry,
A licensed beggar, with his own territory.
Among the orders four was none who knew
So much of dalliance and fair language.
He had arranged full many a marriage
Of young women, at his own cost.
Unto his order he was a noble post.