Each book in the Frevisse series is preceded by a quote drawn from Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. (The titling of each book in the series as a separate Tale is also inspired by Chaucer’s work.) Presented in the original Middle English, this page provides Modern English translations for each quote.
THE NOVICE’S TALE
From The Miller’s Tale
Help us, Seinte Frideswyde!
A man woot litel what him shal bityde.
Help us, Seinte Frideswyde!
A man knows little what shall him befall.
THE SERVANT’S TALE
From The Wife of Bath’s Tale
For, be we never so vicious withinne,
We wol been holden wise and clene of synne.
For, be we never so vicious within,
We would be held wise and clean of sin.
THE OUTLAW’S TALE
From The Man of Law’s Prologue
O hateful harm, condicion of poverte!
With thurst, with coold, with hunger so confoundid!
To asken help thee shameth in thyn herte;
If thou noon aske, with nede artow so woundid
That verray nede unwrappeth al thy wounde hid!
Maugree thyn heed, thou most for indigence
Or stele, or begge, or borwe by dispence!
O hateful harm, condition of poverty!
With thirst, with cold, with hunger so confounded!
To ask help shames you in your heart;
If you none ask, with need are you so wounded
That very need unwraps all your wounds hidden!
In spite of your head, you must for indigence
Either steal, or beg, or borrow to live.
THE BISHOP’S TALE
From The Pardoner’s Tale
And whan that this was doon, thus spak that oon:
“Now lat us sitte and drynke, and make us merie,
And afterward we wol his body berie.”
And when that this was done, thus spoke that one:
“Now let us sit and drink, and make us merry,
And afterward we will his body bury.
THE BOY’S TALE
From The Prioress’ Tale
Is this to yow a thyng that is honest,
That swich a boy shal walken as hym lest
In your despit…?
Is this to you a thing that is honest,
That such a boy shall walk as he list
In contempt of you…?
THE MURDERER’S TALE
From The Pardoner’s Tale
For this was outrely his fulle entente,
To sleen hem bothe, and nevere to repente.
For this was beyond bounds his full intent,
To slay them both, and never to repent.
THE PRIORESS’ TALE
From The Knight’s Tale
Cosyn myn, why eyleth thee,
That art so pale and deedly on to see?
Cousin mine, what ails you,
That you’re so deadly pale to see?
THE MAIDEN’S TALE
From The Clerk’s Tale
But thogh this mayde tendre were of age,
Yet in the brest of hir virginitee
Ther was enclosed rype and sad corage…
But although this maid tender were of age
Yet in the breast of her virginity
There was enclosed ripe and wise courage…
THE REEVE’S TALE
From The Parson’s Tale
Soothly synnes been the weyes that leden folk to helle.
Truly, sins are the ways that lead folk to hell.
THE CLERK’S TALE
From The Nun Priest’s Tale
But God yeve hym meschaunce,
That is so undiscreet of governaunce
That jangleth whan he shoulde holde his pees.
But God gave him mischance
That is so indiscreet at self-governing
That [his tongue] jangles when he should hold his peace.
THE BASTARD’S TALE
From The Clerk’s Tale
To be a mordere is an hateful name.
To be a murderer is a hateful thing.
THE HUNTER’S TALE
From The Knight’s Tale
For in his huntyng hath he swich delit
That it is al his joye and appetit
To been hymself the grete hertes bane…
For in his hunting he has such delight
That it is all his joy and desire
To be himself the great deer’s doom…
THE WIDOW’S TALE
From The Clerk’s Tale
But wel he knew that next hymself, certayn,
She loved hir children best in every wyse…
What koude a sturdy housbounde moore devyse
To preeve hir wyfhod and hir stedfastnesse…
But well he knew that next to himself, certainly,
She loved her children best in every way…
What could a stern husband better find
To prove her [obedient] wifehood and her steadfastness…
THE SEMPSTER’S TALE
From The Prioress’ Tale
Mordre wol out, certeyn, it wol not faille…
The blood out crieth on youre cursed dede.
Murder will out, certainly, it will not fail…
The blood cries out on your cursed deed.
THE TRAITOR’S TALE
From The Knight’s Tale
“It nere,” quod he, “to thee no greet honour
For to be fals, ne for to be traitour…”
“It is never,” said he, “to thee any great honour,
For to be false nor for to be traitor.”
THE APOSTATE’S TALE
From The Physician’s Tale
… for ye han falle in freletee,
And knowen wel ynough the olde daunce,
And han forsaken fully swich meschaunce
For everemo…
… for you have fallen in frailty,
And knowing well enough the old dance,
And have forsaken fully such mischance
For evermore…
A PLAY OF DUX MORAUD
From Dux Moraud
Maydyn so louely and komly of syte,
I prey thee for loue thou wyl lystyn to me;
To here my resun I prey thee wel tythe,
Love so deryn me most schewe to thee…
Maiden so lovely and comely to see,
I pray you for love you will listen to me;
To hear my reason I pray you will quickly,
Love so secret I must show to you…
