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Notes to the Prologue to the Nun’s Priest’s Tale

1. The request is justified by the description of Monk in the Prologue as “an out-rider, that loved venery.”

2. On this Tyrwhitt remarks; “I know not how it has happened, that in the principal modern languages, John, or its equivalent, is a name of contempt or at least of slight. So the Italians use ‘Gianni,’ from whence ‘Zani;’ the Spaniards ‘Juan,’ as ‘Bobo Juan,’ a foolish John; the French ‘Jean,’ with various additions; and in English, when we call a man ‘a John,’ we do not mean it as a title of honour.” The title of “Sir” was usually given by courtesy to priests.

3. Attamed: commenced, broached. Compare French, “entamer”, to cut the first piece off a joint; thence to begin.

THE TALE
<1>

 

 A poor widow, *somedeal y-stept* in age,   *somewhat advanced*
 

 Was whilom dwelling in a poor cottage,
 

 Beside a grove, standing in a dale.
 

 This widow, of which I telle you my tale,
 

 Since thilke day that she was last a wife,
 

 In patience led a full simple life,
 

 For little was *her chattel and her rent.*  *her goods & her income*
 

 By husbandry* of such as God her sent,    *thrifty management
 

 She found* herself, and eke her daughters two. *maintained
 

 Three large sowes had she, and no mo';
 

 Three kine, and eke a sheep that highte Mall.
 

 Full sooty was her bow'r,* and eke her hall,  *chamber
 

 In which she ate full many a slender meal.
 

 Of poignant sauce knew she never a deal.*    *whit
 

 No dainty morsel passed through her throat;
 

 Her diet was *accordant to her cote.*  *in keeping with her cottage*
 

 Repletion her made never sick;
 

 Attemper* diet was all her physic,       *moderate
 

 And exercise, and *hearte's suffisance.*    *contentment of heart*
 

 The goute *let her nothing for to dance,*    *did not prevent her
 

 Nor apoplexy shente* not her head.       from dancing*  *hurt
 

 No wine drank she, neither white nor red:
 

 Her board was served most with white and black,
 

 Milk and brown bread, in which she found no lack,
 

 Seind* bacon, and sometimes an egg or tway;        *singed
 

 For she was as it were *a manner dey.*    *kind of day labourer* <2>
 

 A yard she had, enclosed all about
 

 With stickes, and a drye ditch without,
 

 In which she had a cock, hight Chanticleer;
 

 In all the land of crowing *n'as his peer.*   *was not his equal*
 

 His voice was merrier than the merry orgon,*  *organ <3>
 

 On masse days that in the churches gon.
 

 Well sickerer* was his crowing in his lodge,  *more punctual*
 

 Than is a clock, or an abbay horloge.*     *clock <4>
 

 By nature he knew each ascension
 

 Of th' equinoctial in thilke town;
 

 For when degrees fiftene were ascended,
 

 Then crew he, that it might not be amended.
 

 His comb was redder than the fine coral,
 

 Embattell'd <5> as it were a castle wall.
 

 His bill was black, and as the jet it shone;
 

 Like azure were his legges and his tone;*    *toes
 

 His nailes whiter than the lily flow'r,
 

 And like the burnish'd gold was his colour,
 

 This gentle cock had in his governance
 

 Sev'n hennes, for to do all his pleasance,
 

 Which were his sisters and his paramours,
 

 And wondrous like to him as of colours.
 

 Of which the fairest-hued in the throat
 

 Was called Damoselle Partelote,
 

 Courteous she was, discreet, and debonair,
 

 And companiable,* and bare herself so fair,     *sociable
 

 Since the day that she sev'n night was old,
 

 That truely she had the heart in hold
 

 Of Chanticleer, locked in every lith;*       *limb
 

 He lov'd her so, that well was him therewith,
 

 But such a joy it was to hear them sing,
 

 When that the brighte sunne gan to spring,
 

 In sweet accord, *"My lefe is fare in land."* <6>  *my love is
 

 For, at that time, as I have understand,       gone abroad*
 

 Beastes and birdes coulde speak and sing.