Somewhat he lisped, in affectation,
To make his English sweet upon his tongue;
And when he had played his harp and sung,
His eyes twinkled in his head aright
As do the stars on a frosty night.
This worthy friar was called Huberd.

A MARCHANT was ther with a forked berd,
In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat,
Up-on his heed a Flaundrish bever hat;
His botes clasped faire and fetisly.
His resons he spak ful solempnely,
Souninge alway th‘encrees of his winning.
He wolde the see were kept for any thing
Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle.
Wel coude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle.
This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette;
Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette,
So estatly was he of his governaunce,
With his bargaynes, and with his chevisaunce.
For sothe he was a worthy man with-alle,
But sooth to seyn, I noot how men him calle.

A CLERK ther was of Oxenford also,
That un-to logik hadde longe y-go.
As lene was his hors as is a rake,
And he nas nat right fat, I undertake;
But loked holwe, and ther-to soberly.
Ful thredbar was his overest courtepy;
For he had geten him yet no benefyce,
Ne was so worldly for to have offyce.
For him was lever have at his beddes heed
Twenty bokes, clad in blak or reed,
Of Aristotle and his philosophye,
Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrye.
But al be that he was a philosophre,
Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre;
But al that he mighte of his freendes hente,
On bokes and on lerninge he it spente,
And bisily gan for the soules preye
Of hem that yaf him wher-with to scoleye.
Of studie took he most cure and most hede.
Noght o word spak he more than was nede,
And that was seyd in forme and reverence,
And short and quik, and ful of hy sentence.
Souninge in moral vertu was his speche,
And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche.

A MERCHANT there was with forked beard,
In patterned cloth, and high on his horse he sat;
Upon his head a Flemish beaverfur hat,
His boots well tied and neat.
His opinions he pompously offered,
Proclaiming always the increase of his profit.
He wanted the pirates at any price expelled
Between Middleburgh and Orowelle.15
Well could he exchange French coins.
This worthy man full well his wit employed:
No one knew he was in debt,
So careful was he of his outward impression,
With his bargains and his (perhaps) shady lending.
He was a worthy man, all the same;
But in truth I do not know his name.

A SCHOLAR there was of Oxford also,
Who unto logic had himself devoted,
All lean was his horse as is a rake,
And he was not fat, I undertake,
But looked hollow and also soberly.
Full threadbare was his over cloak,
For he had received yet no benefice,
Nor did he worldly work for his daily bread;
For he would rather have at his bed’s head
Twenty books clad in black or red,
Of Aristotle and his philosophy,
Than robes rich, psaltery or harp.
Albeit that he was a philosopher,
Yet had he but little gold in his coffer;
And all that his friends might him lend,
On books and learning he it spent,
And busily did for the souls pray
Of those who for his tuition gave.
Of study took he most care and most heed.
Not one word spoke he more than was needed,
And that was said in correct form and respect,
And short and quick, and full of high intellect.
Resounding in moral virtue was his speech,
And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.

A SERGEANT OF THE LAWE, war and wys,
That often hadde been at the parvys,
Ther was also, ful riche of excellence.
Discreet he was, and of greet reverence:
He semed swich, his wordes weren so wyse.
Justyce he was ful often in assyse,
By patente, and by pleyn commissioun;
For his science, and for his heigh renoun
Of fees and robes hadde he many oon.
So greet a purchasour was no-wher noon.
Al was fee simple to him in effect,
His purchasing mighte nat been infect.
No-wher so bisy a man as he ther nas,
And yet he semed bisier than he was.
In termes hadde he caas and domes alle,
That from the tyme of king William were falle.
Therto he coude endyte, and make a thing,
Ther coude no wight pinche at his wryting;
And every statut coude he pleyn by rote.