Here The Host Stinteth Chaucer of His Tale of
SirThopas
Prologue to Melibeus
"No more of this, for Goddes dignitee," | |
Quod* oure hoste,"for thou makest me | said |
So wery* of thy verray lewednesse* | weary/ real ignorance |
That, also wisly* God my soule blesse, | as surly (may) |
Myn eres aken* of thy drasty speche;* | my ears ache/ worthless speech |
Now swiche* a ryn* the devel I biteche!* | such/ rhyme/ give to |
This may wel be rym dogerel,"quod he. | |
"Why so?" quod I, "why wiltow* lette* me | will you/ hinder |
More of my tale than another man, | |
Sin* that it is the bests rym I can?"* | since/ know |
"By God," quod he,"for pleynly,* at a word, | plainly |
Thy drasty ryming is nat* worth a tord;* | not/ turd |
Thou doost* nought elles* but despendest* tyme, | do/ nothing else/ waste |
Sir, at o* word, thou shalt no lenger* ryme. | one/ longer |
Lat* see wher* thou canst tellen aught* in geste,* | let (us)/ whether/ tell anything/ romance style |
Or telle in Prose somwhat* at the leste* | something/ least |
In which ther be som mirthe or some doctryne." | |
"Gladly," quod I,"by Goddes swete pyne,* | sweet suffering |
I wol yoe* telle a litel* thing in prose, | will you/ little |
That oghte lyken* yow, as I suppose, | ought (to) please |
Or elles, certes,* ye been to* daungerous.* | certainly/are too/hard to please |
It is a moral tale vertuous, | |
Al* be it told som-tyme* in sondry wyse* | although/sometimes/various ways |
Of sondry folk, as I shal yow devyse."* | tell |