The Canterbury Tales

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The Canterbury Tales Page 164

by Geoffrey Chaucer


  2139 lak failure

  2143 privetee secret

  2145 launcheth thrusts clifte cleft between the buttocks

  2148 tuwel anus

  2149 leet let out

  2150 capul horse

  2151 late let out

  2152 up stirte leapt up

  2155 abye pay for

  2156 meinee servants affray commotion

  2158 cheere face

  2159 And fetched his companion from where his hoard (of goods) was

  2161 grinte (= grindede) with ground wrooth angry

  2162 A sturdy paas with determined strides, at a great rate court manor-house

  2163 woned lived

  2167 bord table

  2168 Unnethes hardly

  2169 God yow see may God protect you

  2171 what maner world is this what is going on

  2174 grief trouble

  2176 had a despit been insulted

  2179 abhominacioun disgust

  2180 that that which

  2182 lokkes hoore white hair

  2185 servitour servant

  2186 in scole at university

  2187 Raby Rabbi, master (n.)

  2189 No force no matter

  2190 meschief calamity

  2191 bitid is has befallen

  2192 per consequens in consequence

  2194 to doone to be done

  2195 Distempre yow noght do not upset yourself

  2200 stille silent

  2204 therby about it

  2205 So God me spede as God may prosper me

  2206 cherl boor

  2207 thee prosper

  2209 I consider him to be in some kind of frenzy

  2211 If I cannot be avenged on him in any other way

  2212 diffame slander overal wher everywhere that

  2214 parte share

  2215 iliche alike with meschaunce curse it

  2218 imaginacioun ingenuity

  2220 erst er now before now

  2222 ars-metrik arithmetic (n.)

  2224 make a demonstracioun demonstrate by logical reasoning

  2225 ilike his part an equal share

  2227 nice foolish shrewe curse

  2228 with harde grace bad luck to him

  2231 inpossible impossibility (n.)

  2234 eir air

  2235 evere continually lite and lite little by little

  2236 demen judge

  2238 shrewedly maliciously

  2240 demoniak madman

  2241 pleye joke

  2242 a devel weye in the devil’s name

  2244 carf carved

  2246 ivele apaid displeased

  2247 gowne-clooth length of cloth sufficient to make a gown

  2248 so provided that

  2249 evene ydeled divided equally

  2250 if it liked me if I wanted to

  2253 weder weather

  2254 parturbinge disturbance

  2255 Lat bringe have brought

  2259 thrittene thirteen covent convent (n.)

  2261 perfourne up make up

  2264 sadly firmly

  2266 nave hub

  2267 baly belly toght taut

  2268 tabour drum

  2272 preeve… demonstratif proof based on logic, conclusive proof

  2273 wende travel

  2277 as reson is as is right

  2278 usage custom

  2282 ther where

  2283 vouchesauf grant

  2284 hadde should have

  2285 hardily to be sure

  2286 bereth him behaves

  2290 subtiltee cleverness

  2291 heigh wit deep intelligence

  2 coy quiet stille silent

  3 Were newe spoused who had just been married bord table

  5 sophime sophism, question of logic

  7 as beth of bettre cheere be in a better mood, cheer up

  10 pley game

  11 nedes moot must of necessity

  15 murye thing of aventures entertaining tale of notable events

  16 termes technical terms colours rhetorical embellishments (n.) figures figures of speech

  17–18 in stoor stored away endite Heigh style write in elevated style (n.)

  22 under youre yerde under your authority

  24 do yow obeisaunce obey you

  25 hardily certainly

  32 Highte was called

  33 Enlumined made illustrious

  35 art particuler specialized area of university study

  36 suffre allow

  43 prohemie preface discriveth describes

  46 boundes boundaries

  47 in special in particular

  48 welle spring

  49 his firste springing its source

  51 To Emeleward towards Emilia

  52 Which would be a lengthy matter to relate

  54 inpartinent irrelevant

  55 Save except wole conveyen wishes to introduce

  58 roote foot

  59 lusty delightful of vitaille in agricultural produce

  61 fadres olde ancestors

  64 markis marquis whilom in earlier days

  66 obeisant obedient ay always

  67 liges subjects bothe lasse and moore of greater or lesser rank

  68 yoore for a long time

  69 drad feared

  70 of by commune people

  72 gentileste noblest

  75 gye govern

  79 bitide befall

  80 lust present immediate pleasure

  82 cures cares

  83 nolde was not willing to

  85 bar bore soore ill

  86 flokmele in a flock

  87 loore wisdom

  90 shewe explain

  93 Assureth us makes us confident

  95 hevinesse sorrow

  96 gentillesse graciousness

  97 pitous sorrowful pleine express our unhappiness

  99 Although I have no (personal) interest in this matter

  103 space interval

  105 as yow leste as it may please you

  106 us liketh yow you please us

  107 werk actions

  108 devisen imagine

  110 o one

  111 yow leste it might please you

  112 soverein complete

  113 yok yoke

  115 spousaille marriage

  117 sondry wise different ways

  118 rome walk about

  119 Ay fleeth always flies abide wait for

  120 as yit still

  121 stille quietly

  122 manaceth threatens smit (= smiteth) strikes

  123 estat social condition

  125 uncertein uncertain

  127 trewe entente loyal intention

  128 heste command

  130 Chese choose

  131 meeste greatest

  133 deme judge

  134 bisy drede anxious fear

  137 slake fail

  139 wo were us alive how wretched our life would be

  140 wive take a wife

  141 pitous cheere pitiable looks

  143 wol wish

  144 erst before thoghte intended streine to constrain

  145 me rejoised of delighted in

  146 selde time seldom

  147 Ther where

  149 wit understanding

  152 profred offered

  153 relesse discharge from

  154 cesse cease

  157 Bountee goodness stren lineage

  161 him bitake entrust to him

  166 worshipe honour dure last

  167 werk deed

  170 grucche grumble

  171 sith since

  172 as evere mote I thrive as I prosper

  173 Theras where

  174 but unless

  176 hertly heartfelt

  178 Bisekinge beseeching

  181 dredde (= dredede) feared

  184 sikerly of a certainty

  186 buxomly obediently

  188–9 they han an ende Of hir entente their pur
pose is fulfilled

  190 herupon thereupon officers servants

  191 purveye provide

  192 his privee knightes and squiers the knights and squires who were his personal servants

  193 Gave such duties as he wished to assign them

  198 shoop prepared

  199 throop village site situation

  201 herbergage home

  202 sustenance food

  203 After that according as

  205 holden considered to be povrest poorest

  209 fair inogh to sighte very beautiful to behold

  212 She was the most beautiful in the world

  213 povreliche yfostred brought up in poverty

  214 likerous lust luxurious pleasure

  215 tonne (wine-)barrel

  216 for because plese satisfy the demands of

  220 ripe and sad corage mature and serious spirit

  222 fostred looked after

  223 spinninge while she span

  226 Wortes greens

  227 shredde cut up seeth boiled

  228 nothing not at all

  229 on-lofte flourishing

  233 ofte sithe often

  235 fil chanced espye observe

  236 wantowne lascivious

  237 sad wise sober manner

  238 cheere face him… avise ponder

  240 passing surpassing wight creature

  244 bountee virtue disposed resolved

  249 privetee private

  250 vanitee folly

  251 allas the while alas the day

  252 bigile trick

  253 hath doon make has had made

  254 asure lapis lazuli

  257 stature build

  259 unto… sholde falle might be appropriate to

  260 undren mid-morning (g.)

  262 put was in array was made to look nice

  263 in his degree in order

  264 Houses of office kitchens and pantries

  265 deintevous vitaille delicious food

  266 as fer as last Itaille throughout all Italy

  269 yprayed invited

  270 bachelrye knights in attendance

  273 the righte wey the direct route

  275 shapen devised

  276 is went has gone

  280 fain gladly

  283 markisesse marchioness fonde try

  288 thresshfold threshold

  292 gan to falle fell

  293 sad serious stille in silence

  295 thoghtful pensive

  298 cheere manner

  300 lette delay

  301 fette fetched

  305 Lenger longer

  306 vouchesauf agree

  310 lige man vassal ybore born

  314 unto… drawe fall in with

  316 cas occurrence astoneyd amazed

  317 reed he wax he turned red abaist perplexed

  318 unnethe hardly

  319 willing desire

  320 wole wish ayeins against

  325 collacioun consultation

  327 rule hire after be guided by

  329 audience hearing

  331 tretis marriage treaty

  332 withoute outside

  333 wondred hem marvelled how honeste manere what a respectable manner

  334 tentifly attentively

  335 outrely in the extreme

  336 erst before

  337 astoned amazed

  338 place house

  339 woned accustomed

  341 forth… for to chace to pursue

  343 verray true

  346 so stonde be the case

  350 yow avise take further thought

  352 lust pleasure

  353 do yow laughe or smerte cause you to laugh or feel pain

  354 grucche grumble at

  358 upon at

  360 bede offer

  361 wol wish

  363 werk deed

  364 Were I to die I for it, though I would be reluctant to die

  372 gere clothes

  374 dispoilen undress

  376 wherinne in which

  377 bright of hewe of radiant complexion

  378 newe newly

  379 kembd combed untressed loose

  380 rudely untidily hir their smale slender

  381 hir her ydressed placed

  382 nowches jewels

  383 what why

  384 fairnesse beauty

  385 translated transformed

  388 wel ambling gentle-paced

  389 er he lenger lette without delaying further

  390 hir ladde and mette went before her and came to meet her

  392 gan descende went down

  393 for to chace to pursue

  396 by liklinesse according to the probabilities

  397 rudenesse rusticity

  398 cote cottage

  400 woxen is has become

  401 worshipful deserving of respect ther where

  403 trowed believed

  408 encressed improved

  409 thewes goode good qualities

  412 embrace have a hold on

  416 biside nearby

  418 spradde spread

  422 fortunat honestetee honour that augurs well

  424 inow plenty of

  427 selde seldom

  429 Koude knew feet practice, duties hoomlinesse domesticity

  431 redresse restore

  432 nas was no hevinesse sorrow

  433 apese alleviate

  437 bringen hem aton reconcile them

  438 ripe mature

  440 wende thought

  443 ybore given birth to

  444 Al had hir levere although she would rather

  447 unto… atteine succeed in having

  448 bareine barren

  449 times mo at other times too

  450 had souked but a throwe had been breast-feeding for only a short while

  452 sadnesse constancy

  454 assaye make trial of

  455 affraye harass

  456 inow enough

  457 fond found

  459 subtil wit clever strategy

  460 ivele it sit it is wrong

  461 it is no nede there is no need

  463 wroghte acted

  465 trouble cheere troubled expression

  468 noblesse nobility

  471 trowe believe

  474 As far as concerns any wealth that you can call your own

  480 gentils high-born vassals

  482 servage servitude

  484 namely especially

  488 recchelees unresponsive

  491 looth disagreeable

  492 witing knowledge

  495 wirking behaviour

  496 highte promised

  498 noght ameved did not change

  500 agreved distressed

  501 lith lies

  502 hertly sincere

  503 spille destroy

  504 after according to

  508 lese lose

  510 deface obliterate

  511 corage mind

  513 feined pretended

  516 a furlong wey or two about five minutes (g.)

  517 prively secretly al his entente everything he had in mind

  519 sergeant serving-man privee man confidant

  523 dradde feared

  525 stalked him stole stille quietly

  529 hestes commands yfeined evaded

  531 lust will

  535 Cruelly, and made a gesture

  537 moot has to

  540 diffame reputation

  541 Suspect suspicious

  544 wende believed slawen slain right tho at that very minute

  545 weep wept siked sighed

  546 Acquiescing in what pleased the marquis

  550 moste might

  551 barm lap

  552 sad unshaken gan… blisse made the sign of the cross over

  558 tree wood

  559 bitake entrust

  561 norice nurse

  562 routhe pitiful sight />
  564 sad constantly

  570 but unless

  572 to-race tear in pieces

  576 cheere behaviour

  577 point for point every detail

  579 routhe pity

  583 softe winde wrap up gently

  584 With alle circumstances with every care

  585 cofre cradle lappe fold of a garment

  586 swappe strike

  588 whennes whence

  591 shewe explain

  592 doon hir bisinesse do her best

  593 in al gentilesse in a manner suited to noble birth

  598 imagining wondering

  602 evere in oon ilike sad always unvaryingly steadfast

  604 wont accustomed

  607 accident outward sign

  608 doghter name daughter’s name

  609 nempned named game play

  613 gracious beautiful

  616 herie praise

  618 Departed weaned

  619 lest whim, fancy

  620 yet ofter even more often

  621 assay trial

  622 mesure moderation

  625 sikly berth resent

  627 age life

  628 sleeth destroys corage spirit

  629 vois rumour smerte painfully

  634 out of drede without a doubt

  636 sentence opinion

  637 audience hearing

  639 disposed outrely fully resolved

  640 servede dealt with

  643 Out of yourself… outraye lose control of yourself

  647 noght greveth me it does not displease me

  650 had no part of had no share in tweine two

  653 reed advice

  658 lust desire, will

  659 prescience foreknowledge

  663 I comply unswervingly with everything that pleases you

  664 wiste I if I knew

  667 say saw

  670 suffre endure array treatment

  675 devise imagine

  676 hent taken

  678 cheere appearance hevinesse sorrow

  679 gan it blesse made the sign of the cross over it

  681 grave bury

  682 delicat delightful

  683 foweles birds

  685 as him nothing ne roghte as if he did not care (about it)

  690 parfitly whole-heartedly

 

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