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The Canterbury Tales

Page 167

by Geoffrey Chaucer


  2368 what eileth yow what is the matter with you

  2370 holpe helped

  2372 heele heal

  2373 bet better

  2376 algate nevertheless

  2377 yeve grant

  2378 swived fucked

  2379 hals neck

  2383 glimsinge blurred vision

  2387 maze are confused

  2388 for because

  2391 lief dear missaid spoken out of turn

  2392 ivele apaid sorry

  2393 wende have seyn thought I saw

  2400 adawed awakened

  2402 ise see

  2404 yseyn seen

  2405 ysatled settled

  2406 bigile deceive

  2410 misconceiveth perceives wrongly misdemeth misjudges

  2411 leep leapt

  2413 clippeth hugs

  2421 whiche sleightes what tricks subtilitees stratagems

  2423 sely innocent

  2424 And they will always deviate from the truth

  2425 preveth weel is very evident

  2428 labbing blabbing

  2430 no fors no matter

  2431 wite ye do you know in conseil in confidence

  2432 Me reweth soore I bitterly regret teid tied, bound

  2433 and I sholde if I were to

  2434 I were to nice I would be too foolish

  2436 of somme by some meinee company

  2438 konnen outen swich chaffare can display goods of this sort

  2439 therto for it

  2440 my tale is do I have said my piece

  3 Konnen theron know about it

  5 hertly sincere

  6 lust wish

  10 werreyed made war on

  11 doghty brave

  13 Which who

  16 longeth to befits

  17 As of as regards secte sect, faith

  18 lay law

  19 therto also hardy brave

  20 pietous merciful iliche unvaryingly

  21 Sooth truthful

  22 In temperament as stable as the centre of any circle

  23 in armes desirous keen in battle

  24 bachiler young knight

  26 kepte … royal estat maintained regal splendour

  30 highte was called

  31 cleped called

  35 lith lies konning ability

  38 moste been would have to be rethor rhetorician

  39 colours stylistic embellishments (see n. to Cl 16–18) longing for belonging to

  40 discriven describe

  43 born worn

  45–6 leet … Doon crien had proclaimed nativitee birthday

  47 The laste Idus of March March 15

  48 jolif gay cleer bright

  49 ny near exaltacioun position of greatest influence (n.)

  50 face … mansioun see n.

  51 colerik choleric (n.)

  52 lusty pleasant benigne mild

  53 again in shene bright

  54 grene greenery

  55 loude loudly

  56 geten hem got themselves 59sit (= sitteth) sits deis dais

  61 halt (= holdeth) holds solempne splendid

  62 liche like

  65 devise recount

  67 straunge sewes exotic concoctions

  68 heronsewes young herons

  70 ful deintee holde considered very delicious

  71 recche of it but smal think but little of it

  73 taryen delay prime 9 a.m. (g.)

  74 no fruit nothing essential

  75 firste first subject have my recours return

  77 nobleye splendour

  78 thinges compositions

  79 deliciously delightfully

  85 bord table

  88 bisily eagerly waiten watch

  91 Salueth greets

  92 seten sat

  94 contenaunce behaviour

  96 fairye fairyland

  97 amende excel

  100 After according to

  101 vice defect sylable syllable

  102 for in order that

  103 cheere expression

  104 leere learn

  105 sowne echo, imitate

  107 as to commune entente as far as the general meaning is concerned

  108 al that evere everything that

  111 lige liege solempne festive

  112 as he best kan and may to the best of his ability

  114 heste command

  116 o day naturel one 24-hour day

  118 Wherso yow list wherever pleases you

  120 wilneth wishes pace go

  121 wem harm thurgh foul or fair over rough and smooth

  122 flee fly

  123 soore soar

  124 everemoore all the time

  125 ther yow leste where you want to be

  127 turne again return writhing turning

  128 The man who made it knew many contrivances

  129 waited observed

  131 seel seal bond ?legal document (n.)

  133 a might power

  135 regne kingdom

  140 subtiltee treachery

  141 hide be hidden

  142 again this lusty someres tide at the approach of this fine summer

  146 vertu power

  147 hir list it it pleases her were wear

  148 bere carry

  149 fowel bird fleeth flies

  150 stevene tongue

  154 do boote heal

  157 what man so ye smite whatever man you strike

  158 kerve cut

  161 hool healed of grace as a favour

  162 platte flat side thilke the same

  166 withouten glose plainly, without word-spinning

  167 hold possession

  169 doun … lighte dismounted

  171 court courtyard stille silent

  173 to mete yset seated at dinner

  174 realliche royally yfet fetched

  177 therfore for that purpose

  178 bore carried

  179 Solempnely ceremoniously ther where

  181 remewed removed

  182 yglewed glued

  184 engin contrivance windas windlass polive pulley

  185 kan nat the craft don’t know the art

  188 voiden remove

  189 prees crowd

  190 gauren on stare at

  194 horsly horse-like quik lively

  195 gentil well-bred courser steed

  197 amende improve on

  198 In no degree in any way wende thought

  199 everemoore always mooste greatest

  200 goon move

  201 It was a magic contrivance, as it seemed to the people

  202 Diverse different demed thought

  203 wittes opinions

  204 been bees

  205 And invented arguments according to their own fancies

  206 Rehersynge repeating poetries poems

  209 the Grekes hors Sinoun the horse of the Greek Sinon (n.)

  211 gestes stories

  212 everemoore continually

  213 therinne inside

  214 shapen hem plan

  216 rowned whispered lowe softly

  218 apparence illusion

  219 jogelours conjurers

  220 jangle chatter trete discuss

  221 lewed ignorant

  223 lewednesse ignorance

  224 demen … to the badder ende adopt the worst interpretation

  226 maister tour principal tower

  229 composiciouns combinations

  230 anglis angles (of reflection) sly reflexiouns skilful reflections

  233 writen in hir lives wrote while they lived

  234 queinte ingenious perspectives optical lenses

  238 fille in speche of began talking about

  239 queinte curious

  240 dere harm

  243 harding hardening, tempering

  244 medicines transmuting agents

  245 yharded hardened

  246 algates at any rate

  249 nevere non none of th
em

  251 name of reputation for

  252 drawen hem apart move away

  254 fern-asshen ashes made by burning ferns (n.)

  256 for because so fern for so long a time

  257 cesseth ceases jangling chatter

  258 soore earnestly

  259 gossomer gossamer

  260 wist known

  261 demen express opinions devise talk

  263 angle meridional see n.

  264 yet still

  269 chambre of parementz state room (hung with tapestries)

  270 sownen play

  272 lusty pleasure-loving Venus children those born under Venus (n.)

  273 Fissh Pisces

  276 straunge stranger fet brought

  279 devise describe

  280 his its

  281 festlich convivial

  284 unkouthe unusual contenaunces faces

  285 dissimulinges dissimulations

  286 aperceivinges perceptions

  288 passe of pass over lustiheed gaiety

  289 jolynesse gaiety

  290 lete leave dresse turn their attention to

  291 biddeth orders hie be brought quickly

  293 usshers door-keepers

  296 as reson was as was right wende go

  297 soupen eat supper by day in daylight

  298 rehercen describe array splendour

  300 to for meeste greatest

  303 route company

  307 Theras where

  308 tho then

  310 vertu abilities

  311 his governaunce how to control him

  312 trippe frisk

  316 moten must trille turn stant (= standeth) which stands

  318 nempne name

  320 abide remain

  322 gin device

  325 yswore sworn

  326 ydrawe dragged bore carried

  329 every maner wight everybody

  331 clepen call

  332 gise manner

  334 namoore nothing more

  335 of by

  336 wit mind

  338 doghty excellent

  339 Repeireth returns

  340 yborn carried

  341 jewels precious artefacts, treasures leeve prized

  342 noot (= ne woot) do not know

  344 lete leave lust pleasure

  345 festeyinge feasting

  346 springe dawn

  347 norice nurse

  348 taken keep take note

  350 galping yawning keste kissed

  352 in his dominacioun dominant (n.)

  355 gan drawe him went

  356 bad urged

  358 fumositee vapour (g.)

  359 charge significance

  360 prime large fully 9 o’clock (g.)

  361 but it were except for

  362 mesurable temperate

  365 Hir liste nat she did not want appalled wan

  366 Nor to look jaded next day

  369 queinte curious

  371 impressioun the emotional effect

  373 gan up glide rose

  374 maistresse governess

  376 been gladly wise like to be wise

  382 route band

  385 rody ruddy

  386 the Ram Aries (n.)

  387 Noon hyer no higher

  388 esily a pas in a leisurely way

  389 lusty pleasant soote sweet

  392 trench path cut through a wood

  393 vapour mist glood rose

  396 lighte be lightened

  398 fowles birds

  400 entente meaning

  401 knotte nub (of story)

  402 taried delayed lust pleasure

  403 after herkned listened out for yoore for a long time

  405 fulsomnesse abundance

  406 thinketh me it seems to me

  407 condescende proceed

  409 for drye for dryness

  411 fawkon falcon

  412 gan to crye cried out

  413 resowned of echoed with

  416 endelong from top to bottom of

  417 shrighte shrieked

  418 beek beak prighte pricked, stabbed

  420 outher either

  421 nolde would not

  423 on live alive

  426 gentillesse elegance

  427 yrekened valued

  428 faukon peregrin peregrine falcon

  429 fremde foreign

  430 now and now from time to time

  433 baar wore queinte ingenious

  435 ledene language

  438 routhe pity

  440 pitously pityingly

  441 heeld hir lappe abrood stretched out her skirt

  442 twiste branch

  444 waiten hir watch her

  448 furial pine of helle hellish torment, like that of the Furies (see n. to Fkl 950)

  452 a gentil herte wo distress to a noble heart

  454 yow wreke take vengeance

  456 encheson cause

  457 chace harass

  458 as dooth yourselven grace have pity on yourself

  461 ferde with himself behaved toward itself

  462 sleen slay

  467 disese suffering

  468 amende remedy

  469 kinde nature

  470 right inowe in plenty

  472 pitously pitiably

  474 lith aswowne lies in a swoon

  476 swow swoon

  477 gan breide awoke

  480 Recognizing its likeness in bitter sufferings

  481 alday constantly

  482 by werk in practice auctoritee written testimony

  483 kitheth gentillesse displays noble behaviour

  486 benignitee kindness

  488 the bet better

  489 free gracious

  490 be war take warning

  491 As the lion learns from the dog’s punishment (n.)

  492 conclusioun purpose

  493 a leiser time a space opportunity

  494 pace die

  495 that oon the one

  496 The other wept, as if she would turn to water

  497 stille silent

  498 sik sigh

  499 Ther where

  500 roche rock

  501 eiled ailed

  502 niste nat did not know

  503 fle fly

  504 tercelet male falcon

  505 welle source

  507 cheere behaviour

  508 hewe appearance

  509 bisy peine diligent endeavour

  510 wend believed feine dissemble

  511 So fast did he dye his colours (n.)

  512 hit (= hideth) him hides

  515–16 Performs so well his polite formalities and respectful attentions, and in appearance pays all the attentions

  517 sownen into are consistent with

  518 faire beauty

  521 served his entente furthered his purpose

  522 feend devil

  523 wopen wept compleined lamented

  525 nice foolish

  526 corouned consummate

  527 Forfered afraid

  528 seuretee pledge

  530 everemo always

  531 privee and apert in private and in public

  532 after according to

  535 chaunge of exchange for

  536 goon sithen many a day long ago

  537 wight person

  540 gise manner

  541 fre freely

  545 heigh solemn cheere demeanour

  547 ravisshed enraptured

  550 alderfirst first of all

  551 writen wrote biforn earlier

  553 by twenty thousand part multiplied twenty thousand times

  554 Countrefete imitate sophimes sophistries

  555 unbokele to unbuckle galoche shoe

  556 approche be involved

  559 Til to

  560 kembde polished (lit. combed) at point devis to perfection

  562 obeisaunce obedience

  563 demed believed to be

 
564 him smerte (= smertede) caused him pain

  565 Al were it never so lite however little it was

  566 twiste squeeze

  567 so ferforth so far is went went

  570 as fer as reson fil as far as was reasonable

  571 worship honour

  572 lief dear levere dearer

  573 namo anyone else

  574 laste (= lastede) lasted

  577 moste twinne had to depart

  579 Wher me was wo whether I was unhappy

  580 discripcioun description

  581 o one

  582 therby by it

  583 for he ne mighte bileve because he could not remain

  585 verraily truly

  587 hewe facial colour

  589 repeire return

  591 wolde required

  592 happeth so is the case

  593 made vertu of necessitee bore cheerfully what was unavoidable

  594 moste had to

  595 mighte could

  596 Seint John to borwe under the protection of St John (expression used in saying farewell)

  599 it nedeth nat reherse there is no need to repeat

  600 doon act

  602 bihoveth hire she needs

  604 moste forth his weye had to go on his way

  605 ther him leste where it pleased him

  606 it cam him to purpos he decided

  608 repeiring to his kinde reverting to its nature

  609 Gladeth himself rejoices

  610 of propre kinde by their very nature newfangelnesse novelty

  613 strawe cover the floor of

  614 sugre sugar

  615 right anon as as soon as uppe open (outwards)

  616 sporne spurn, kick

  617 wole will go

  618 mete food

  619 novelries novelties

  620 gentilesse nobility

  621 ferde behaved

  622 gentil born of noble birth gay handsome

  623 goodlich handsome free generous

  624 flee fly

  626 clene completely ago gone

  627 his trouthe falsed broken his word

  629 lorn lost

  630 gan to crye cried out

  631 eft again barm lap

  634 niste did not know glade cheer up

  636 plastres bandages

  637 Theras in the place where

  638 but anything other than delve dig

  639 saves decoctions of herbs

  642 She tries hard and does all she can

  643 mewe cage

 

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