Who is chaucer for kids

Chaucer did most of his writing between and He is famous for his collection of stories in verse called the Canterbury Tales. KidzSearch Safe Wikipedia for Kids. Jump to: navigation , search. Retrieved Categories : s births deaths People buried in Westminster Abbey English writers English poets Medieval poets British poets laureate.

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Namespaces Page Talk. Views Read View source View history. This page was last changed on 9 September , at By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use Privacy Policy. Some content of the original page may have been edited to make it more suitable for younger readers, unless otherwise noted. At the same time Chaucer seems t Thomas Chaucer was born in or about , and to have been no uncommon name. Elizabeth Chaucer's novitiate was paid for Chaucer's exceptional notice of his little son Lewis who by ohnof Gauntin 38I.

If Elizabeth Chaucer was about must have been born in , the year of Elizabeth's x6 in she would have been born about ; and, novitiate, since Chaucer describes him as being ten years therefore, as far as dates are concerned, either Thomas old in his treatise on the astrolabe in , may have or Elizabeth may well have been elder children of the been due to the appearance of a Benjamin' rather late poet: the chances being that he married in But I think people can be just as good living at home with their friends, without shutting themselves in a nunnery.

Now I must leave off telling you about Chaucer's wife and children, and go on to Chaucer himself. Not the eldest son, who was, as you know, Edward the Black Prince, the great warrior, nor Lionel, the second son, whom he had served when a boy, but the third son, John of Gaunt, who had a great deal of power with the King.

John of Gaunt was the same age as Chaucer. When John of Gaunt was only 19 the year that Chaucer went with the army to France , he married a lady called Blanche of Lancaster, and there were famous joustings and great festivities of every kind.

In this year, it has been supposed, Chaucer wrote a poem, The Parliament of Birds,' to celebrate the wedding. Another long poem, called 'The Court of Love,' is said to have been written by him about this time-at any rate, in very early life. When Chaucer came back to England, and got married himself, he was still more constantly at Court, and there are many instances recorded of John's attachment to both Chaucer and Philippa all his life.

Among others we may notice his gifts to Philippa of certain 'silver-gilt cups with covers,' on the Ist of January in, , and John of Gaunt. It is touching to see how faithful these two friends were to each other, and how long their friend- ship lasted. The first we hear of it was about , the year when John married Blanche, and forforty years it remained unbroken.

Nay, it grew closer and closer, for in , when John of Gaunt and Chaucer were both middle-aged men, John married Philippa's sister Sir Paon Roet's elder daughter , so that Chaucer became John of Gaunt's brother. When he became unpopular it was Chaucer's turn to be faithful to him; and faithful he was, whatever he suffered, and he did suffer for it severely, and became quite poor at times, as you will see.

Directly John came into power again up went Chaucer too, and his circumstances improved. There are few friendships so long and so faithful on both sides as this was.

Chaucer was employed by Edward III. It can only be given to a very wise and shrewd man. This proves the great ability of Chaucer in other things besides making songs and telling stories. He had to go abroad, to France, Italy, and elsewhere, on the King's private missions; and the King gave him money for his services, and promoted him to great honour. On one occason when he was sent to Florence, on an embassy, he is supposed to have seen On the hypothesis, of course, that Chaucer married a Roet.

Petrarch, a great Italian poet and patriot; whose name you must not forget. Petrarch was then living at Arqua, two miles from Padua, a beautiful town in Italy; and though Petrarch was a much older man than Chaucer-more than twenty years older-it seems only natural that these two great men should have tried to see each other; for they had much in common. Both were far-famed poets, and both, in a measure, representatives of the politics, poetry, and culture of their respective countries. Still, some people think they could never have met, because the journey from Florence to Padua was a most difficult one.

Travelling was hard work, and sometimes dangerous, guides being always necessary : you could not get a carriage at any price, for carriages were not invented. In some places there was no means of going direct from city to city at all-not even on horseback-there being actually no roads.

So that people had to go on foot or not at all. If they went, there were rocks and rivers to cross, which often delayed travellers a long time. Chaucer, as the King's envoy, must have had attendants, even for safety's sake, with him, and much luggage, and that would of course make travelling more difficult and expensive. He most likely went a great part of the way by sea, in a vessel coasting along the Mediterranean to Genoa and Leghorn, and so by Pisa to Florence: you may trace his route in a map.

Doubtless, he had neither the means nor the will to go all the way to Padua on his own account. So you see people hold different opinions about this journey, and no one can be quite sure whether Chaucer did see Petrarch or not. In Chaucer wrote his 'Life of St. I am not going to tell you everything that the King and John of Gaunt did for Chaucer.

You would get tired of hearing about it. I will only say that Chaucer was holden in great credyt,' and probably had a real influence in England; for, connected as he was with John of Gaunt, I dare say he gave him advice and counsel, and John showed the King how shrewd and trustworthy Chaucer was, and persuaded him to give him benefits and money.

John's wife, Blanche of Lancaster, died in , and so did his mother, Queen Philippa. John married another wife in the next year, and got still more powerful, and was called King of Castile, in Spain, because his new wife was the daughter of a King of Castile.

But all this made no difference in his affection for Chaucer. He always did what he could for Chaucer. I will give you some instances of this. Soon after Chaucer's return from his journey to Florence, he received a grant of a pitcher of wine' every day 'from the hands of the King's butler. Less than two months afterwards he received, through John of Gaunt's goodwill, a place under Government called 'Comptrollership of the Customs' of the Port of London.

Only three days after this, John of Gaunt himself made Chaucer a grant of io a year for life, in reward for all the good service rendered by 'nostre bien ame Geffray Chaucer,' and 'nostre bien ame Philippa sa femme,' to himself, his duchess, and to his mother, Queen Philippa, who was dead.

This sum of money does not sound much; but it was a great deal in those days, and was fully equal to Lioo now. So you see it seemed as if John of Gaunt could never do enough for him because all these things, if not done by John himself, were probably due to his influence with the King.

He died in Then the Black Prince's little son, Richard, who was only eleven years old, became King of England; but as he was too young to reign over the country, his three uncles governed for him.

And all this time Chaucer was very well looked after, you may be sure, for John of Gaunt was then more powerful than the King. Chaucer was still Comptroller of the Customs; and, before long, John gave him a second post of a similar kind, called Comptroller of the Petty Customs. The people were not so fond of John of Gaunt as Chaucer was, because, in governing them, he was very ambitious and severe.

They got angry with everything he did, and with everybody who remained his friend. So, of course, they did not like Chaucer.

This was a very troublous time. The Crown represented by the King's uncles wanted one thing, and the great barons wanted another, and the people or lower classes wanted another These were called the three great opposing parties, and each wanted to have all the power. At last some of the barons sided with the King's party, and others sided with the people; so there were then Iwo opposing parties quarrelling and hating each other. John of Gaunt would have liked to be King himself; but the people were unhappy, and very discontented with his government, and he began to have much less power in the kingdom.

The people knew that John of Gaunt was obliged to go with an army into Portugal, and they began to make plans to get their own way when his back was turned. When he was gone, they said that John of Gaunt did not govern them well, and had given government posts to men who did not do their duty, and neglected their work, and Chaucer was one of them.

Then there was what was called a Commission of Inquiry' appointed, which means a body of men who were free to examine and reform everything they chose in the country.

Their power was to last a whole year; and these men looked into all that Chaucer had done in the Customs' offices. They did not find anything wrong, as far as we know, but still they sent away Chaucer in disgrace, just as if they had. And this made him very poor.

It was a harsh thing to do, and unjust, if they were not certain he had been neglecting his work; and John of Gaunt was out of the country, and could not help him now. This was in the year A great deal has been said and written about this matter. But such people forget that these conditions were formally done away with in , when Chaucer was finally released from personal drudgery at the Customs, and allowed to have a deputy, or person under him to do his work.

They forget, too, how Chaucer had plunged into political matters directly afterwards, at a time when party feeling was intensely strong, the people and John of Gaunt being violently opposed to each other; and how Chaucer took up the part of his friend warmly, and sat in the House of Commons as representative of Kent, one of the largest counties of England, on purpose to support the ministers who were on John of Gaunt's side.

This alone would be enough to make the opposing party hate Chaucer, and this doubtless was the reason of their dismissing him from both his offices in the Customs as soon as ever they were able, to punish him for his attachment to the Duke of Lancaster's John of Gaunt's cause. But Chaucer never wavered or changed. And his faithfulness to his friend deserves better than the unjust suspicion that his disgrace was warranted by neglect of his duties.

Chaucer was too good, and too pious, and too honourable a man to commit any such act. He submitted to his disgrace and his poverty unmoved; and after the death of his wife Philippa, which happened in the following summer, nothing is known of him for several years, except that he was in such distress that he was actually obliged to part with his two pensions for a sum of money in order to pay his debts.

During all the eventful years that followed Edward III. The Complaint of Mars,' 'Boece,' Troilus and Cressida,' the House of Fame,' and the 'Legend of Good Women,' all of which I hope you will read some day, were written in this period; also some reproachful words to his scrivener, who seems to have written out his poems for him very carelessly.

Some persons think that Chaucer's pathetic Good Counsel,' and his short Balade sent to King Richard,' reflect the disappointment and sadness at his changed lot, which he must have felt; and that, therefore, these poems were written at about the same time. In there was another great change in the government. John of Gaunt's son was made one of the new ministers.

Immediately Chaucer was thought of. He was at once appointed Clerk of the King's Works-an office of some importance-which he was permitted to hold by deputy; and his salary was two shillings-per day-that is 36 Ios. It seems that Chaucer kept this appointment only for two years. Why, we cannot tell. While he held this office viz. Some notorious thieves attacked him, near the foule Ok' foul Oak , and robbed him of 20 nearly present currency of the King's money, his horse, and other movables.

This was a mishap likely enough to overtake any traveller in those days of bad roads and lonely marshes, for there was no great protection by police or soldiery in ordinary cases. The King's writ, in which he forgives Chaucer this sum of 20, is still extant. What he did, or how he lived, for some time after his retirement from the King's Works in , is not known; but in , King Richard granted him a pension of 20 per annum for life. This was the year when John of Gaunt married Chaucer's sister-in-law; but, in spite of this rich alliance, I fear Chaucer was still in great distress, for we hear of many small loans which he obtained on this new pension during the next four years, which betray too clearly his difficulties.

In , the King granted him letters to protect him against arrest-that is, he wrote letters forbidding the people to whom Chaucer owed money to put him in prison, which they would otherwise have done. It is sad that during these latter years of his life, the great poet who had done so much, and lived so comfortably, should have grown so poor and harassed. He ought to have been beyond the reach of want.

Perhaps he wasted his money. Some men would have been too sad after so much disgrace and trouble, to be able to write stories and verses; but I think Chaucer must have felt at peace in his mind-he must have known that he did not deserve all the ill-treatment he got-and had faith that God would bring him through unstained. Chaucer's son, as there is no proof to the contrary, and t See Notes by the Way,' p. No one could have sung the 'ditties and songs glad' about birds in the medlar trees, and the soft rain on the 'small sweet grass,' and the 'lily on her stalk green,' and the sweet winds that blow over the country, whose mind was clouded by sordid thoughts, and narrow, selfish aims.

No one could have sung so blithely of 'fresh Emily,' and with such good-humoured lenity even of the vulgar, chattering 'Wife of Bath,' whose heart was full of angry feelings towards his fellow-creatures. And no one, who was not in his heart a religious man, could have breathed the words of patience with which Arcite tries to comfort his friend, in their gloomy prison-or the greater patience of poor persecuted Griselda-or the fervent love of truth and honourable dealing, and a good life, which fills so many of his poems-or a hundred other touching prayers and tender words of warning.

There was a large-heartedness and liberality about Chaucer's mind, as of one who had mixed cheerfully with all'classes, and saw good in all. His tastes were with the noble ranks among whom he had lived; but he had deep sympathy with the poor and oppressed, and could feel kindly even to the coarse and the wicked.

He hated none but hypo- crites; and he was never tired of praising piety and virtue. Chaucer wrote a great many short poems, which I have not told you of. Many have been lost or forgotten. Some may come back to us in the course of time and search. We got as far as , when the King gave Chaucer letters of protection from his creditors. About this time another grant of wine was bestowed on him, equal to about 4 a year, or 40 of our money. In the next year, King Richard, who had not gained the love of his subjects, nor tried to be a good King, was deposed-that is, the people were so angry with him that they said, "You shall not be our King any more;" and they shut him up in a tower, and made his cousin, Henry, King of England.

Now this Henry was the son of John of Gaunt, by his first wife, Blanche, and had been very badly treated by his cousin, the King. He was a much better man than Richard, and the people loved him. Still it is pleasant to find that Henry of Lancaster shared his father's friendship for Chaucer.

I dare say he had been rocked on Chaucer's knee when a little child, and had played with Chaucer's children. He came back from France, after John of Gaunt's death, and the people made him King, and sent King Richard to the castle of Pomfret where I am sorry to say he was afterwards murdered.

The new King had not been on the throne four days before he helped Chaucer. John of Gaunt himself could not have done it quicker. He granted him an annuity of 26 13s. The royal bounty was only just in time, for poor old Chaucer did not long survive his old friend, Remembering the discussion raised as to the year of at sixty than now. The average duration of life was Chaucer's birth, coupled with the tradition of his venerable shorter, and the paucity of comforts probably told on looks, we may suggest that in those days men were older appearance.

He died about a year after him, when Henry had been King thirteen months. John of Gaunt was buried in St. Paul's, by the side of his first and best-loved wife, Blanche; Geoffrey Chaucer was buried in Westminster Abbey. So ended the first, and almost the greatest, English writer, of whom no one has spoken an ill word, and who himself spoke no ill words. Poet, soldier, statesman, and scholar, 'truly his better ne his pere, in school of my rules could I never find.

In goodness of gentle, manly speech he passeth all other makers. And now for Chaucer's speech. Wait a bit. You will soon understand it all, if you take pains at the first beginning. Do not be afraid of the funny spelling, for you must remember that it is not so much that Chaucer spells differently from us, as that we have begun to spell differently from Chaucer. He would think our English quite as funny, and not half so pretty as his own; for the old English, when spoken, sounded very pretty and stately, and not so much like a 'gabble' as ours.

I told you a little while ago, you know, that our talking is much faster than talking was in Chaucer's time; it seems very curious that a language can be so changed in a few hundred years, without people really meaning to change it.

But it has changed gradually. Little by little new words have come into use, and others have got 'old-fashioned. But the English of five hundred years ago was, of course, still more unlike. Now, I have put, as I told you, two versions of Chaucer's poetry on the page, side by side. First, the lines as Chaucer made them, and then the same lines in English such as we speak. You can thus look at both, and compare them. I will also read you the verses in the two ways of pronouncing them, Chaucer's way and our way: but when you have grown a little used to the old-fashioned English, you will soon see how much prettier and more musical it sounds than our modern tongue, and I think you will like it very much.

Besides, it is nice to be able to see the words as Chaucer put them, so as to know exactly how he talked. In Chaucer's time a great deal of French was spoken in England, and it was mixed up with English more than it is now. The sound of old French and old English were something the same, both spoken very slowly, with a kind of drawl, as much as to say-" I am in no hurry.

I have all day before me, and if you want to hear what I have got to say, you must wait till I get my words out. Chaucer himself was very anxious that people should read his words properly, and says in his verses, as if he were speaking to a human being- GLOSSARY.

To mis-metre is to read the metre wrong; and the metre is the length of the line. If you read the length all wrong, it sounds very ugly. Now, suppose those lines were read in modern English, they would run thus:- And because there is so great a diversity In English, and in writing our tongue, So I pray God that none miswrite thee Nor mismetre thee through defect of tongue.

How broken and ragged it all sounds! It sounds much better to read it properly. You will find that when Chaucer's words are rightly pronounced, all his lines are of an even length and sound pretty. I don't think he ever fails in this. This is called having a musical ear.

Chaucer had a musical ear. Some people who write poetry have not, and their poetry is good for nothing. They might as well try to play the piano without a musical ear; and a pretty mess they would make of that! When you find any very hard word in Chaucer's verses which you cannot understand, look in the glossary and the modern version beside them; and you will see what is the word for it nowadays. A few words which cannot be translated within the metre you will find at the bottom of the page; but think for yourself before you look.

There is nothing like thinking for one's self. Many of the words are like French or German words : so if you have learnt these languages you will be able often to guess what the word means. For instance, you know how, in French, when you wish to say, I will not go or I am not sure, two no's are used, ne and pas Je n'iraipas, or je ne suispas stir. Well, in Chaucer's time two no's were used in English.

Sometimes, however, ne is used by itself, without not or nat to follow. As "it n'is good," I n'ill say-or sain," instead of it is not good-I will not say.

As, I shall nat lien" this means lie. I wol nat gon go : "withouten doubt without. I shall you tellen tell. And I think you will also be able to see how much better some old words are for expressing the meaning, than our words. For instance, how much nicer 'flittermouse' is than 'bat.

When you see a little bat flying about, you know it is a bat because you have been told: but 'flitter-mouse' is better than bat, because it means 'floating mouse. The word expresses the movement and the form of the creature. Again-the old word 'herteles' heartless , instead of without courage, how well it expresses the want of courage or spirit: we often say people have no heart for work, or no heart for singing, when they are sad, or ill, or weak. Heartless does not always mean cowardly; it means that the person is dejected, or tired, or out of spirits.

We have left off using the word heartless in that sense, how- ever, and we have no word to express it. When we say heartless we mean cruel or unkind, which is a perfectly different meaning.

One more instance. The word 'fret' was used for devouring. This just describes what we call 'nibbling' now. The moth fretting a garment-means the moth devouring or nibbling a garment. This is a word we have lost sight of now in the sense of eating; we only use it for complain- ing' or 'pining. So you must not be impatient with the old words, which are sometimes much better for their purpose than the words, we use nowadays. OME of Chaucer's best tales are not told by himself.

They are put into the mouths of other people. In those days there were no newspapers-indeed there was not much news-so that when strangers who had little in common were thrown together, as they often were in inns, or in long journeys, they had few topics of conversation: and so they used to entertain each other by singing songs, or quite as often by telling their own adventures, or long stories such as Chaucer has written down and called the Canterbury Tales.

But I shall now let Chaucer tell you about his interesting company in his own way. He begins with a beautiful description of the spring-the time usually chosen for long journeys, or for any new undertaking, in those days.

When you go out into the gardens or the fields, and see the fresh green of the hedges and the white May blossoms and the blue sky, think of Chaucer and his Canterbury Pilgrims! When, T HAN that Aprille with his schowres WhenApril hath his sweetest showers brought sweet sWoote The drought of Marche hath perced To pierce the heart of March and banish root to the roote, drought, such liquor And bathud every veyne in swich licour, Then every vein is bathed by his power, flower Of which vertue engendred is the flour; With fruitful juice engendering the flower; also, breath Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth When the light zephyr, with its scented breath, grove Enspirud hath in.

It is murdered by servants of the King in He was become a name for the wind of summer. It was used much as savoir is in French saint who was supposed to be able to help people by inter- -to be able to do, to know how to do a thing. The verse ceding with God, when pilgrims prayed him to.

Erasmus means 'To serve the saints they could, or they knew of, or alludes to the quantities of offerings on Thomas Beket's knew how to serve. He was or helped them. And shortly, after sunset, I had made friends with them all, and soon became one of their party. We all agreed to rise up early, to pursue our journey together. For as colours than engraved in dark steel.

So, of course, the there was no regular army, when a war broke out every- pattern represented the arms used by him. And thus body who could bear arms engaged himself to fight under the tabard got to be called the coat of arms. Old some king or lord, anywhere, abroad or in England, and families still possess what they call their coat of arms, was paid for his services. That was how hundreds of representing the device chosen by their ancestors in nobly born men got their living-the only way they could the lists; but they do not wear it any more : it is only get it.

This is what the knight Arviragus does in the a copy of the pattern on paper. A crest was also fastened 'Franklin's Tale;' leaving his bride, to win honour and to the helmet for the same purpose of recognition, and money by fighting wherever he could.

It, or at least a the present day. The age served earl, knights, ladies. But very ancient inn on its site, was recently standing, and knight, squire, and page were all honourable titles, and known as the Talbot Inn, High Street, Borotfgh: Talbot borne by noblemen's sons. The page was often quite a being an evident corruption of Tabard.

We may notice here, boy, and when he grew older changed his duties for that the Ploughman, described later on, wears a tabard, those of squire, till he was permitted to enter the knight- which may have been a kind of blouse or smock-frock, hood. The present knight is described as being in a lord's but was probably similar in form to the knight's tabard.

Honour and frankness, truth and courtesy. And borne with honour many high commands. He had been at Alexandria when it was won: in Prussia he had gained great honours, and in many other lands. He had been in fifteen mortal battles, and had fought in the lists for our faith three times, and always slain his foe.

He had served in Turkey and in the Great Sea. Yet, though so great a soldier, he was wise in council; and in manner he was gentle as a woman.

Never did he use bad words in all his life, to any class of men: in fact He was a verray perfight, gentil knight. He was a very perfect, noble knight. As for his appearance, his horse was good, but not gay. With locks all curl'd as though laid in a press, guess Of twenty yeer he was of age I gesse. And about twenty years of age, I guess. And wonderfully nimble, and great of nimble, great strength.

All full of freshest flowers, red and white; playing ont Syngynge he was, or flowtynge al the day; Singing he was, or flute-playing all day, He was as fresh as is the month of May. He was as fresh as is the month of May.

Schort was his goune, with sleeves long and Short was his gown, his sleeves were long and wyde. Well he became his horse, and well could ride; relate He cowde songes wel make and endite, He could make songs, and ballads, and recite, also,draw Justne and eek daunce, and wel purtray and Joust and make pretty pictures, dance, and pictures write, write.

As for the young squire's manners-- Curteys he was, lowly, and servysable, Courteous he was, lowly, and serviceable, carved And carf byforn his fadur at the table.

And carved before his father at the table. And he was clad in coat and hood of green. Chivacie : military expeditions.

Bell considers that these two lines refer to the gorgeously flowered fabrics embroidered with the needle squire's complexion of red and white. Speght thinks it were peculiar to the period and in common use. But there is little doubt that the material As it was the custom for sons to do. And in his hand he held a mighty bow. A silver Christopher' on his breast was ing St. He was a thorough forester, I guess. It "t It was a sign of the yeoman's carefulness in his busi- was usual for serving men of noble families to carry ness that they stuck out from the shaft instead of drooping; swords and bucklers when in attendance on them.

Bo,,ccr-buckler: a small shield-used chiefly for a Oaths were only too common among ladies as well warder to catch the blow of an adversary. Some pictures as men. It was an exceptional refinement to use only a show the buckler to have been only the size of a plate, but small oath. Tyrwhitt erroneously prints the name of the it varied. And she was called Madame Eglantine. For French of Paris-that she did not know. To cultivate refinement was her taste.

And gracefully she reached forth for her food. And to be held as worthy reverence. Sche was so charitable and so pitous She was so charitable and piteous Sche wolde weepe if that sche sawe a mous That she would weep did she but see a mouse Caught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bled; smallhounds Of smale houndes hadde sche, that sche fedde And little dogs she had, which oft she fed With rostud fleissh, and mylk, and wastel With roasted meat, and milk, and finest bread; breed.

Loy is the old spelling of St. Louis 'ignorance of the ways of the world,' which pervade of France, by whom the Prioress swore. It has not struck either of them that of court manners, Chaucer never once gives her credit for Chaucer is all the way through laughing at the fastidious very high or noble character, though he does not speak and rather over-attractive nun ill-naturedly.

I have ere now alluded to his dislike of the t Knives and forks were not in use-people had to use Church, friars, nuns, and all included: and here he shows their fingers ; but some used them more agreeably than others. She is extravagant to the last guest, instead of each having his own glass, as now. It degree in feeding her dogs, and weeping for dead mice; but was considered polite to wipe one's mouth well before nothing is said of charity to the poor, or any good works drinking, so that the next drinker should find no grease at all.

She is too intent on fascinating everybody, and in the wine. The great stress Chaucer lays on the pretty dressing smartly. There is sharp sarcasm in all this. And al was conscience and tendre herte. And all was conscience and tender heart! Besides, she had a very fine forehead, broadthink It was almost a spanne brood, I trowe: That measured nigh a span across, I trow!

For certainly her stature was not low. And very dainty was the cloak she wore; small Of smal coral about hire arme sche baar Around her arm a rosary she bore, set of beads A peire of bedes t gaudid al with grene; Of coral small, with little gauds of green, jewel, bright And theron heng a broch of gold ful scene, And thereon hung a golden locket sheen, written On which was first i-writen a crowned A, On which was graven first a crowned A, And after that, Amor vincit omnia..

And after, Amor vincit omnia. The Prioress was attended by another nun, who acted as her chaplain, and three priests. Where this good monk is keeper of the cell. This jolly monk cared for little else but hunting, though this has never been considered a proper pursuit for the clergy. He was indifferent to what was said of him, and spared no cost to keep the most splendid greyhounds and horses for hard riding and hare-hunting.

I saw his sleeves edged with the rare fur gris at the wrist, and that the finest in the land; his hood was fastened under his chin with a curious gold pin, which had a love-knot in the largest end.

His pate was bald and shiny, his eyes rolled in his head; his favourite roast dish was a fat swan. A limitour, a most important man, is able to do In alle the ordres foure is noon that can In the four orders there is none that can dalliance So moche of daliaunce and fair language. Outdo him in sweet talk and playfulness. See p. Ful sweetly herde he confession, So sweetly did he hear confession ay; And plesaunt was his absolucioun; In absolution pleasant was his way.

Shows that a man is free from sin, be sure, boast For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt, And if a man begrudged him not his dole, knew He wiste that a man was repentaunt. He knew he was repentant in his soul. Men can give money unto the poor friars.

He carried a number of pretty pins and knives about him that he made presents of to people; and he could sing well, and play on the rotta. Somwhat he lipsede for his wantownesse, Somewhat he lisped for his wantonness, tongue To make his Englissch swete upon his ttmge; To make his English sweet upon his tongue; and when he played and sang, his eyes twinkled like the stars on a frosty night.

And on his head a Flemish beaver hat. Who had applied his heart to learning long. But had a sober, rather hollow look; "shortcoak Ful thredbare was his overest courtepy. And very threadbare was his outer cloak. Worldly enough for office he-was not! Than rich attire, fiddle, or psaltery. Yet although the poor scholar was so wise and diligent, he had hardly any money, but all he could get from his friends he spent on books and on learning; and often he prayed for those who gave him the means to study.

He spoke little-never more than he was obliged-but what he did speak was always sensible and wise. And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach. The parson, for instance, spoken of In many Roman Catholic countries it was the custom till later, is said to be brother of the ploughman travelling very lately for poor scholars to ask and receive contribu- with him.

The poor scholar and the good parson are tions from the people for the expenses of their education. View all country worksheets. View all Seasonal worksheets. View all mammal worksheets. View all marine life worksheets. View all insect worksheets. View all Bird worksheets. View all natural world worksheets.

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