yshent p ppl of shende v
yshette p ppl of shette v shut ML 560+
yshorn p ppl of shere v
yshrive(n) p ppl of shrive v
yslawe p ppl of sle(e) v slain, killed Kn 943+
ysonge p ppl of singe v
yspoken p ppl of speke v
ysprad, yspred p ppl of sprede v
yspreind p ppl of springe v (2)
ystorve p ppl of sterve v dead
yswonke p ppl of swinke v
yswore, ysworn p ppl of swere v sworn Kn 1132+
ytake(n) p ppl of take v
yto(o)ld p ppl of telle v
ytukked p ppl (see also tukked) with gown tucked up Sum 1737
ywonne p ppl of winne v
ywoxen p ppl of wexe v
ywrite(n) p ppl of write v
ywroght p ppl of werke v (1) made WB 117; worked GP 196, Th 864; created Mch 1324
1 his shoures soote its sweet showers
3 veine sap-vessel licour liquid, sap
4 Of which vertu by whose power
5 Zephirus the West Wind eek also
6 Inspired blown on, breathed life into holt and heeth wood and field
7 croppes buds, shoots yonge sonne new sun (n.)
8 Has completed its half course in Aries (n.)
9 foweles birds
11 corages hearts, spirits
13 palmeres pilgrims (n.) strondes shores, countries
14 ferne halwes distant shrines kouthe renowned, famous
17 blisful martyr blessed martyr (St Thomas Becket) (n.)
18 holpen helped seeke ill
21 wenden go
22 corage spirit
25 by aventure by chance yfalle fallen
27 wolden intended to
29 esed atte beste accommodated to our heart’s content
31 everychon every one
32 anon immediately
33 made forward made an agreement
34 theras where devise tell
35 nathelees nevertheless
36 pace proceed
37 It seems reasonable to me
40 degree rank
41 array clothing
44 fro from
46 Trouthe loyalty, fidelity fredom magnanimity, generosity curteisye courtly behaviour
47 werre war
48 ferre further
49 hethenesse heathen countries
51 Alisaundre Alexandria (n.)
52 the bord bigonne sat in the place of honour at the head of the table (n.)
54 reised campaigned (n.)
56 be been
59 the Grete See the Mediterranean
60 armee military expedition
62 foghten fought
63 listes jousts (n.) ay always
66 Again against
67 everemoore at all times soverein pris outstanding reputation
68 though that he were worthy though he was doughty
69 port bearing, manner
70 vileinye discourtesy
71 no maner wight any kind of person
72 gentil noble
75 fustian fustian, a kind of cloth (not necessarily coarse or poor) gipoun padded tunic worn under a coat of chain-mail (n.)
76 bismotered stained habergeoun mail-coat (n.)
77 was late ycome had recently come
79 SQUIER squire (n.)
80 lusty lively bacheler young man in knightly service
81 crulle curly as they were leid in presse as if they had been put in a curling-press
83 stature height of evene lengthe of moderate height
84 wonderly wonderfully delivere agile, athletic
85 chivachye cavalry expedition
87 as of so litel space in so brief a period of time
88 his lady grace his lady’s favour
89 Embrouded embroidered meede meadow
91 floitinge playing the flute
95 endite write, compose
96 Juste joust purtreye draw
97 by nightertale at night
100 carf carved
101 YEMAN yeoman (n.)
102 him liste (= listede) it pleased him
103 coote tunic
104 sheef sheaf pecok arwes peacock arrows kene sharp
105 thriftily properly
106 dresse prepare takel equipment yemanly as a yeoman does
107 lowe trailing
108 bar bore
109 not-heed close-cropped head
110 koude knew
111 bracer arm guard used by archers
112 bokeler small shield
114 Harneised ornamented
115 Cristofre an image of St Christopher shene bright
116 bawdrik baldric, sash worn over the shoulder for carrying a horn
117 forster forester (n.)
119 simple and coy ingenuous and demure
120 but only
121 cleped called
123 Entuned intoned
124 fetisly elegantly
125 After according to
126 unknowe unknown
127 At mete at meals withalle besides
129 wette (= wetede) wetted, wet
130 kepe take care
131 fille fell
132 lest pleasure, enjoyment
133 over-lippe upper lip
134 ferthing particle
135 grece grease
136 after hir mete she raughte she reached for her food
137 desport pleasant behaviour, fun
138 port manner
139–40 And tried to imitate courtly behaviour, and to be dignified in manner
141 holden digne of reverence considered worthy of respect
147 rosted flessh roast meat wastel breed fine white bread
148 soore bitterly
149 yerde switch smerte severely
150 conscience feeling
151 wimpel wimple, headcloth covering the chin and sides of face pinched pleated
152 tretis well-shaped, long
154 sikerly assuredly
155 spanne hand’s breadth
156 undergrowe undergrown, short
157 fetis elegant
158 smal fine
159 A set of beads (i.e. a rosary), adorned with large green ornamental beads (n.)
161 crowned surmounted by the figure of a crown
162 Amor vincit omnia Love conquers all (n.)
164 chapeleine chaplain (n.)
165 for the maistrye in the highest degree
166 outridere agent of a monastery who rides out to administer its affairs (n.) venerye hunting
168 deintee excellent
170 Ginglen jingle cleere clearly
172 Theras where kepere of the celle monk in charge of a monastic cell which is dependent on a larger monastery
173 The Rule of St Maurus or of St Benedict (n.)
174 somdel streit rather strict
175 leet… pace allowed to go by
176 And followed the custom of the modern world
177 pulled plucked
179 recchelees negligent
180 til to waterlees without water
182 thilke that
184 What why wood mad
185 Upon a book… to poure to pore over a book
186 swinken labour
187 Austin Augustine (n.) bit (= biddeth) bids
189 prikasour huntsman
190 Grehoundes greyhounds
191 priking tracking
192 lust pleasure
193 seigh saw purfiled trimmed at the edge
194 gris grey fur fineste of a lond finest in the country
195 festne fasten
196 curious elaborate
197 love-knotte knot-shaped ornament gretter larger
199 as as if
200 in good point in good condition
201 stepe prominent
202 stemed glowed forneis of a leed furnace under a cauldron
203 souple supple in greet estat in excellent condition
204 prelat chu
rch dignitary
205 forpined goost tormented soul (of dead person)
206 roost roast
207 palfrey saddle-horse
208 FRERE friar wantowne jovial (with pun on ‘wanton’)
209 limitour friar who begs within territorial limits (n.) solempne cheerful/dignified (punning)
210 ordres foure four orders of friars (n.) kan knows
211 daliaunce conversation
216 frankeleins franklins, landowners overal everywhere
219 curat parish priest
220 was licenciat had an official licence from the bishop to preach or hear confession
224 Theras he wiste to have where he knew he would have pitaunce donation, alms (n.)
225 povre poor
226 yshrive confessed
227 make avaunt boast
230 him soore smerte he may suffer greatly
232 moote may
233 tipet hanging part of a sleeve farsed stuffed
234 yeven give
235 murye sweet-sounding
236 rote zither (n.)
237 yeddinges songs bar outrely the pris surpassed everyone
238 flour-de-lis fleur-de-lis, lily
241 tappestere barmaid
242 Bet better lazar leper beggestere beggar
244 Acorded nat it was not fitting facultee profession
247 deelen have dealings poraille poor people
248 vitaille food
249 overal everywhere
251 vertuous virtuous
252a ferme payment, rent
252b haunt territory
253 sho shoe
256 His ‘perks’ were worth more than his regular income (n.)
257 rage play, frolic whelpe puppy
258 love-dayes meetings to settle disputes out of court (n.)
261 maister MA (n.)
262 double worstede heavy worsted cloth semicope short cloak
263 rounded swelled out presse cupboard, closet
264 lipsed lisped
265 wantownesse affectation, conscious charm
268 sterres stars
269 cleped called
271 mottelee cloth of mixed colour (n.)
272 bevere of beaver fur
273 fetisly neatly
274 resons remarks, statements
275 Constantly harping on the growth of his profits
276 were kept should be protected (n.) for any thing at all costs
278 eschaunge money-changing sheeldes écus (n.)
279 his wit bisette used his head
281 governaunce demeanour
282 chevisaunce borrowing or lending money at interest, wheeler-dealing
284 noot (= ne woot) do not know
285 CLERK university student
286 Who had long devoted himself to logic (n.)
287 leene lean
289 therto as well
290 overeste uppermost courtepy short woollen jacket
291 gete got benefice ecclesiastical living (n.)
292 office secular employment (n.)
293 him was levere have he preferred to have
296 fithele fiddle sautrye psaltery (n.)
298 cofre coffer, chest
299 of… hente acquire from
301 gan… preye prayed
302 scoleye study
303 moost cure greatest concern
304 oo one
305 in forme properly, with decorum
306 quik pithy heigh sentence great wisdom
307 Sowninge in consonant with
309 SERGEANT OF THE LAWE serjeant at law, member of a superior order of barristers (n.)
310 Parvis porch? of St Paul’s Cathedral in London (n.)
314 assise assize court (n.)
315 patente letters patent (n.) plein commissioun full authority (invested in an officer) (n.)
316 For because of
318 purchasour conveyancer, buyer of land
319 fee simple unrestricted ownership (n.) in effect in fact, actually
320 purchasing conveyancing infect invalidated, brought into question
323 In termes in the correct jargon caas and doomes legal cases and judgments
324 King William William the Conqueror (n.)
325 endite draft, draw up thing legal document
326 pinche at find fault with
327 plein completely by roote by heart
328 hoomly simply, plainly medlee coote a striped robe (n.)
329 ceint belt barres smale thin bars of metal
330 telle… tale give an account
331 FRANKELEIN franklin (n.)
332 daiesye daisy
333 His temperament was sanguine (n.)
334 by the morwe in the morning sop in win piece of bread dipped in wine (n.)
335 wone custom
336 Epicurus owene sone own son to Epicurus (n.)
337 plein delit unalloyed pleasure
340 Seint Julian patron saint of
339 hospitality
341 after oon of the same standard
342 envined stocked with wine
343 bake-mete pie, pastry dish
344 plentevous plentiful
345 snewed snowed
347 After according to
348 mete dinner soper supper
349 partrich partridge muwe coop (for fattening poultry)
350 breem bream luce pike stuwe fish-pond
351–2 It was the worse for his cook if his sauce was not pungent and tasty geere utensils
353 table dormaunt permanent, fixed-frame table (n.)
355 He presided over court sessions (n.)
356 knight of the shire Member of Parliament (n.)
357 anlaas two-edged dagger gipser ornamental purse
358 Heeng hung
359 shirreve sheriff countour lawyer, pleader in court (n.)
360 vavasour gentleman, landowner (n.)
362 WEBBE weaver TAPICER tapestry-maker
363 liveree uniform costume worn by members of a guild (n.)
364 solempne important fraternitee fraternity, guild
365 geere clothes apiked adorned
366 chaped mounted, trimmed
367 clene handsomely
368 everydel in every respect
369 burgeis citizen
370 yeldehalle guildhall deis dais
371 kan knows
372 shaply fit
373 catel property rente income
375 elles… were they otherwise they would be
377 vigilies vigil in church the night before an important religious occasion (n.)
378 royalliche ybore carried like royalty
379 for the nones for the occasion
380 chiknes chickens marybones marrow-bones
381 poudre-marchaunt tart tart flavouring powder galingale galingale (a spice)
383 sethe boil broille grill
384 mortreux thick soup, casserole dish
386 mormal inflamed sore
387 blankmanger dish of chopped chicken or fish boiled with rice, fricassee with the beste superbly
388 woning fer by weste living far in the west
389 For aught I woot for all I know Dertemouthe Dartmouth
390 rouncy hackney (a kind of horse) as he kouthe as best he could (n.)
391 falding coarse woollen cloth (g.)
392 laas cord
394 hewe complexion
397 Fro Burdeuxward from the direction of Bordeaux (n.) chapman merchant sleep slept
398 nice scrupulous took he no keep he did not bother about
400 i.e. he drowned his prisoners
401 craft to rekene skill in calculating
402 him bisides near to him
403 herberwe harbours moone position of the moon lodemenage navigational skills
408 From Gotland to Cape Finisterre (n.)
409 crike creek, inlet Britaigne Brittany
411 PHYSIK medicine
414 grounded learned
415 kepte watched over a f
ul greet deel to a great extent
416 houres hours of astrological significance (n.) magik natureel ‘white magic’ (g.)
417 fortunen the ascendent choose a favourable ascendant (n.)
418 images metal talismans (n.)
420 see n. to GP 333
421 humour bodily fluid (n.)
422 practisour practitioner
424 boote remedy
426 drogges drugs, medicines letuaries potions
427 to winne to profit
428 newe to biginne to be created for the first time
429–34 On these medical authorities, see n.
435 mesurable moderate
439 sangwin red (cloth) pers blue (cloth)
440 taffata taffeta, shiny silk sendal a thin rich silk
441 esy of dispence parsimonious
442 that he wan in pestilence what he gained in time of plague
443 cordial invigorating medicine
445 biside near
446 scathe a pity
447 hadde swich an haunt was so expert in
448 passed surpassed hem those
450 offringe Offertory (n.)
453 coverchiefs head cloths ground texture, material
454 dorste swere dare swear
456 hosen stockings
457 streite tightly yteyd tied
458 hewe complexion
460 chirche-dore church-door (n.)
461 Withouten besides compaignye relationships
462 nedeth nat it is not necessary as nouthe at the moment
464 straunge strem foreign river
466 Seint Jame Santiago de Compostela (n.)
467 koude muche of knew a lot about
468 Gat-tothed was she her teeth were set wide apart
469 amblere saddle-horse
470 Ywimpled wearing a wimple
471 bokeler small shield targe shield
472 foot-mantel over-skirt coming down to the feet (to protect the dress in riding) large broad
473 spores spurs
474 carpe talk, gossip
475 par chaunce as it happened
476 koude knew the olde daunce all the old tricks
477 of religioun in holy orders
478 PERSOUN parson
The Canterbury Tales Page 153
