Selections from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (Ellesmere Text)

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Page 1 - Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages. And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes. To feme halwes. kowthe in sondry londes; And specially from every shires ende Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende. The hooly blisful martir for to seke. That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.
Page 2 - Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre, And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre, As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse, And evere honoured for his worthynesse. At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne. Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne...
Page 105 - Lo, swich it is for to be recchelees, And necligent, and truste on flaterye. But ye that holden this tale a folye, As of a fox, or of a cok and hen, Taketh the moralitee, good men.
Page 2 - In felawshipe, and pilgrims were they alle, That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde; The chambres and the stables weren wyde, And wel we weren esed atte beste. And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, So hadde I spoken with hem everichon...
Page 3 - With lokkes crulle, as they were leyd in presse. Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse. Of his stature he was of evene lengthe, And wonderly deliver, and greet of strengthe.
Page 3 - In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo. This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also Somtyme with the lord of Palatye Agayn another hethen in Turkye. And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys; And though that he were worthy, he was wys, And of his port as meeke as is a mayde. He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde In al his lyf unto no maner wight. He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
Page 15 - To speke of phisik and of surgerye, For he was grounded in astronomye.
Page 6 - Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas, Hir mouth ful smal, and therto softe and reed; But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed; It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe; For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe.
Page 14 - Burdeuxward, whil that the chapman sleep. Of nyce conscience took he no keep; If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond, By water he sente hem hoom to every lond.
Page 3 - Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce, No Cristen man so ofte of his degree. In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye. At Lyeys was he and at Satalye, Whan they were wonne; and in the Crete See At many a noble armee hadde he be.

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