Here bygynneth the Book of the tales of Caunterbury From Ch Here bigynneth the prolog of this book the which is namede the talis of Cauntur bury in the whiche pro log thautour openly declarith the names of alle the pilgremes there condicions and there array
From Ha2 Here begynneth the book . of tales of Caunterburye . compiled by Geffraie Chaucers . of Brytayne chef poete .From Ha3 ¶ O yee so noble and worthi pryncis and princesse
Oþer estatis or degrees · what euer yee beo þᵗat haue
Disposicione or plesaunce · to rede or here þe stories
Of olde tymis Passed to kepe yow frome ydelnesse
And slowþe · mescheuing oþer folies þat might
Be cause of more harome filowyng / vowcheth sauf
I be seche yowe to fynde yowe occupacioıı̄un in þe Reding
Here of þe tales / of Caunterburye wiche beon
Compilid / in þis boke filowing First foundid yma
Genid and made / boþe for disporte and leornyng
Of aƚƚlle þoo that beon gentile of birthe or of cōndicoıı̄uns
By þe laureal and moste famous poete þat euer /
Was to fore him as in þemvelisshing of oure rude
Moders englisshe tonge · clepid Chaucyer a Gavfrede
Of whos soule · god · for his mercy have pitee of his
Grace Amen
¶ Nowe here firste begynnyþe þe prologe of þe
kneytis tale
From Ch Incipit liber Galfridi Chaucer de gestis peregrinorum versus Cantuariam
Whan that Aueryll with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote
And bathed euery veyne in swich lycour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour
Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in euery holt and heeth
The tendre croppes and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne
And smale foweles maken melodye
That slepen al the nyght with open iye
So priketh hem nature in hir corages
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrymages
And palmeres for to seeken straunge strondes
To ferne halwes kouthe in sondry londes
And specially from euery shyres ende
Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende
The holy blisful martir for to seke
From HtTo seche the blisful marter that is meke
That hem hath holpen whan that they weere seeke
Bifel that in that sesoun on a day
In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay
Redy to weenden on my pilgrymage
To Caunterbury with ful deuout corage
At nyght was come into that hostelrye
Wel XXIX in a compaignye
Of sondry folk by auenture yfalle