In felaweshipe and pilgrymes weere they alle That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde The chambres and the stables weeren wyde And wel we weeren esed at the beste And shortly whan the sonne was to reste So hadde I spoken with hem euerichoon That I was of hir felaweshipe anon And maade forward erly for to ryse To take oure wey ther as I yow deuyse But nathelees while I haue tyme and space Er that I ferther in this tale pace Me thynketh it acordant to resoun To telle yow al the condicioun Of eech of hem so as it seemed me And whiche they weere and of what degree And eek in what array that they weere inne And at a knyght thanne wol I first bigynne A Knyght ther was and that a worthy man That fro the tyme that he first bigan To ryden out he loued chiualrye Trouthe and honour fredom and curteisye Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre And therto hadde he ryden no man ferre As wel in cristendom as hethenesse And euere honured for his worthynesse At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne Abouen alle nacions in Pruce In Lectow hadde he reysed and in Ruce No cristen man so ofte of his degree