Proverbs of Chaucer
What should these clothes thus manifold,
Lo! this hot summer's day?
After great heate cometh cold;
No man cast his pilche away.
Of all this world the large
Will not in mine arms twain;
Who so muche will embrace,
Little thereof he shall distrain.
The world so wide, the air so remuable,
The silly man so little of stature;
The green of ground and clothing so mutable,
The fire so hot and subtile of nature;
The water never in one — what
That made is of these foure thus flitting,
May steadfast be, as here, in his living?
The more I go, the farther I am behind;
The farther behind, the nearer my war's end;
The more I seek, the worse can I find;
The lighter leave, the lother for to wend;
The better I live, the more out of mind;
Is this fortune, n'ot I, or infortune;
Though I go loose, tied am I with a loigne.
Geoffrey Chaucer
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Now welcome, somer, with thy sonne soft{ e}, That hast this wintr{ e}s wedr{ e}s overshak{
The Canterbury Tales THE PRIORESSES TALE
HE ES LE The prologe of the Prioresses tale Domine dominus noster
The Canterbury Tales THE MONKES TALE
UE TO HE ES LE The murye wordes of the Hoost to the Monk
Chaucers Words to His Scrivener
Adam Scrivener, if ever it thee Boece or Troilus for to write anew, Under thy long locks thou may'st have the But after my making thou write more true
