THE PROLOGUE.<1>
WHEN said was this miracle, every manAs sober* was, that wonder was to see, *seriousTill that our Host to japen* he began, *talk lightlyAnd then *at erst* he looked upon me, *for the first time*And saide thus; “What man art thou?” quoth he;“Thou lookest as thou wouldest find an hare,For ever on the ground I see thee stare.
“Approache near, and look up merrily.Now ware you, Sirs, and let this man have place.He in the waist is shapen as well as I; <2>This were a puppet in an arm t’embraceFor any woman small and fair of face.He seemeth elvish* by his countenance, *surly, moroseFor unto no wight doth he dalliance.
“Say now somewhat, since other folk have said;Tell us a tale of mirth, and that anon.”“Hoste,” quoth I, “be not evil apaid,* *dissatisfiedFor other tale certes can* I none, *knowEut of a rhyme I learned yore* agone.” *long“Yea, that is good,” quoth he; “now shall we hearSome dainty thing, me thinketh by thy cheer.”* *expression, mien
Notes to the Prologue to Chaucer’s Tale of Sir Thopas
1. This prologue is interesting, for the picture which it gives ofChaucer himself; riding apart from and indifferent to the rest ofthe pilgrims, with eyes fixed on the ground, and an “elvish”,morose, or rather self-absorbed air; portly, if not actually stout,in body; and evidently a man out of the common, as the closingwords of the Host imply.
- Referring to the poet’s corpulency.
THE TALE <1>
The First Fit* *part
Listen, lordings, in good intent,And I will tell you verrament* *trulyOf mirth and of solas,* *delight, solaceAll of a knight was fair and gent,* *gentleIn battle and in tournament,His name was Sir Thopas.
Y-born he was in far country,In Flanders, all beyond the sea,At Popering <2> in the place;His father was a man full free,And lord he was of that country,As it was Godde’s grace. <3>
Sir Thopas was a doughty swain,White was his face as paindemain, <4>His lippes red as rose.His rode* is like scarlet in grain, *complexionAnd I you tell in good certainHe had a seemly nose.
His hair, his beard, was like saffroun,That to his girdle reach’d adown,His shoes of cordewane:<5>Of Bruges were his hosen brown;His robe was of ciclatoun,<6>That coste many a jane.<7>
He coulde hunt at the wild deer,And ride on hawking *for rivere* *by the river*With gray goshawk on hand: <8>Thereto he was a good archere,Of wrestling was there none his peer,Where any ram <9> should stand.
Full many a maiden bright in bow’rThey mourned for him par amour,When them were better sleep;But he was chaste, and no lechour,And sweet as is the bramble flow’rThat beareth the red heep.* *hip
And so it fell upon a day,For sooth as I you telle may,Sir Thopas would out ride;He worth* upon his steede gray, *mountedAnd in his hand a launcegay,* *spear <10>A long sword by his side.
He pricked through a fair forest,Wherein is many a wilde beast,Yea, bothe buck and hare;And as he pricked north and east,I tell it you, him had almest *almostBetid* a sorry care. *befallen
There sprange herbes great and small,The liquorice and the setewall,* *valerianAnd many a clove-gilofre, <12>And nutemeg to put in ale,Whether it be moist* or stale, *newOr for to lay in coffer.
The birdes sang, it is no nay,The sperhawk* and the popinjay,** *sparrowhawk **parrot <13>That joy it was to hear;The throstle-cock made eke his lay,The woode-dove upon the sprayShe sang full loud and clear.
Sir Thopas fell in love-longingAll when he heard the throstle sing,And *prick’d as he were wood;* *rode as if heHis faire steed in his pricking were mad*So sweated, that men might him wring,His sides were all blood.
Sir Thopas eke so weary wasFor pricking on the softe grass,So fierce was his corage,* *inclination, spiritThat down he laid him in that place,To make his steed some solace,And gave him good forage.
“Ah, Saint Mary, ben’dicite,What aileth thilke* love at me *thisTo binde me so sore?Me dreamed all this night, pardie,An elf-queen shall my leman* be, *mistressAnd sleep under my gore.* *shirt
An elf-queen will I love, y-wis,* *assuredlyFor in this world no woman isWorthy to be my make* *mateIn town;All other women I forsake,And to an elf-queen I me takeBy dale and eke by down.” <14>
Into his saddle he clomb anon,And pricked over stile and stoneAn elf-queen for to spy,Till he so long had ridden and gone,That he found in a privy wonne* *hauntThe country of Faery,So wild;For in that country was there noneThat to him durste ride or gon,Neither wife nor child.
Till that there came a great giaunt,His name was Sir Oliphaunt,<15>A perilous man of deed;He saide, “Child,* by Termagaunt, <16> *young man*But if* thou prick out of mine haunt, *unlessAnon I slay thy steedWith mace.Here is the Queen of Faery,With harp, and pipe, and symphony,Dwelling in this place.”
The Child said, “All so may I the,* *thriveTo-morrow will I meete thee,When I have mine armor;And yet I hope, *par ma fay,* *by my faith*That thou shalt with this launcegayAbyen* it full sore; *suffer forThy maw* *bellyShall I pierce, if I may,Ere it be fully prime of day,For here thou shalt be slaw.”* *slain
Sir Thopas drew aback full fast;This giant at him stones castOut of a fell staff sling:But fair escaped Child Thopas,And all it was through Godde’s grace,And through his fair bearing. <17>
Yet listen, lordings, to my tale,Merrier than the nightingale,For now I will you rown,* *whisperHow Sir Thopas, with sides smale,* *small <18>Pricking over hill and dale,Is come again to town.
His merry men commanded heTo make him both game and glee;For needes must he fightWith a giant with heades three,For paramour and jollityOf one that shone full bright.
“*Do come,*” he saide, “my minstrales *summon*And gestours* for to telle tales. *story-tellersAnon in mine arming,Of romances that be royales, <19>Of popes and of cardinales,And eke of love-longing.”
They fetch’d him first the sweete wine,And mead eke in a maseline,* *drinking-bowlAnd royal spicery; of maple wood <20>Of ginger-bread that was full fine,And liquorice and eke cumin,With sugar that is trie.* *refined
He didde,* next his white lere,** *put on **skinOf cloth of lake* fine and clear, *fine linenA breech and eke a shirt;And next his shirt an haketon,* *cassockAnd over that an habergeon,* *coat of mailFor piercing of his heart;
And over that a fine hauberk,* *plate-armourWas all y-wrought of Jewes’* werk, *magicians’Full strong it was of plate;And over that his coat-armour,* *knight’s surcoatAs white as is the lily flow’r, <21>In which he would debate.* *fight
His shield was all of gold so redAnd therein was a boare’s head,A charboucle* beside; *carbuncle <22>And there he swore on ale and bread,How that the giant should be dead,Betide whatso betide.
His jambeaux* were of cuirbouly, <23> *bootsHis sworde’s sheath of ivory,His helm of latoun* bright, *brassHis saddle was of rewel <24> bone,His bridle as the sunne shone,Or as the moonelight.
His speare was of fine cypress,That bodeth war, and nothing peace;The head full sharp y-ground.His steede was all dapple gray,It went an amble in the wayFull softely and roundIn land.
Lo, Lordes mine, here is a fytt;If ye will any more of it,To tell it will I fand.* *try
The Second Fit
Now hold your mouth for charity,Bothe knight and lady free,And hearken to my spell;* *tale <25>Of battle and of chivalry,Of ladies’ love and druerie,* *gallantryAnon I will you tell.
Men speak of romances of price* * worth, esteemOf Horn Child, and of Ipotis,Of Bevis, and Sir Guy, <26>Of Sir Libeux, <27> and Pleindamour,But Sir Thopas, he bears the flow’rOf royal chivalry.
His goode steed he all bestrode,And forth upon his way he glode,* *shoneAs sparkle out of brand;* *torchUpon his crest he bare a tow’r,And therein stick’d a lily flow’r; <28>God shield his corse* from shand!** *body **harm
And, for he was a knight auntrous,* *adventurousHe woulde sleepen in none house,But liggen* in his hood, *lieHis brighte helm was his wanger,* *pillow <29>And by him baited* his destrer** *fed **horse <30>Of herbes fine and good.
Himself drank water of the well,As did the knight Sir Percivel, <31>So worthy under weed;Till on a day - . . .
Notes to Chaucer’s Tale of Sir Thopas
1. “The Rhyme of Sir Thopas,” as it is generally called, isintroduced by Chaucer as a satire on the dull, pompous, andprolix metrical romances then in vogue. It is full of phrasestaken from the popular rhymesters in the vein which he holds upto ridicule; if, indeed — though of that there is no evidence — itbe not actually part of an old romance which Chaucer selectedand reproduced to point his assault on the prevailing taste inliterature.Transcriber’s note: The Tale is full of incongruities of everykind, which Purves does not refer to; I point some of them outin the notes which follow - marked TN.
2. Poppering, or Poppeling, a parish in the marches of Calais ofwhich the famous antiquary Leland was once Rector. TN: Theinhabitants of Popering had a reputation for stupidity.
3. TN: The lord of Popering was the abbot of the localmonastery - who could, of course, have no legitimate children.
4. Paindemain: Either “pain de matin,” morning bread, or “painde Maine,” because it was made best in that province; a kind offine white bread.
5. Cordewane: Cordovan; fine Spanish leather, so called fromthe name of the city where it was prepared
6. Ciclatoun: A rich Oriental stuff of silk and gold, of which wasmade the circular robe of state called a “ciclaton,” from theLatin, “cyclas.” The word is French.
7. Jane: a Genoese coin, of small value; in our old statutescalled “gallihalpens,” or galley half-pence.
8. TN: In Mediaeval falconry the goshawk was not regarded asa fit bird for a knight. It was the yeoman’s bird.
9. A ram was the usual prize of wrestling contests. TN:Wrestling and archery were sports of the common people, notknightly accomplishments.
10. Launcegay: spear; “azagay” is the name of a Moorishweapon, and the identity of termination is singular.
- Clove-gilofre: clove-gilliflower; “Caryophyllus hortensis.”
13. TN: The sparrowhawk and parrot can only squawkunpleasantly.
14. TN: The sudden and pointless changes in the stanza formare of course part of Chaucer’s parody.
15. Sir Oliphaunt: literally, “Sir Elephant;” Sir John Mandevillecalls those animals “Olyfauntes.”
16. Termagaunt: A pagan or Saracen deity, otherwise namedTervagan, and often mentioned in Middle Age literature. Hisname has passed into our language, to denote a ranter orblusterer, as be was represented to be.
17. TN: His “fair bearing” would not have been much defenceagainst a sling-stone.
18. TN: “Sides small”: a conventional description for a woman,not a man.
19. Romances that be royal: so called because they related toCharlemagne and his family.
20. TN: A knight would be expected to have a gold or silverdrinking vessel.
21. TN: The coat-armour or coat of arms should have had hisheraldic emblems on it, not been pure white
22. Charboucle: Carbuncle; French, “escarboucle;” a heraldicdevice resembling a jewel.
23. Cuirbouly: “Cuir boulli,” French, boiled or preparedleather; also used to cover shields, &c.
24. Rewel bone: No satisfactory explanation has been furnishedof this word, used to describe some material from which richsaddles were made. TN: The OED defines it as narwhal ivory.
25. Spell: Tale, discourse, from Anglo-Saxon, “spellian,” todeclare, tell a story.
26. Sir Bevis of Hampton, and Sir Guy of Warwick, twoknights of great renown.
27. Libeux: One of Arthur’s knights, called “Ly beaudesconus,” “the fair unknown.”
28. TN: The crest was a small emblem worn on top of a knight’shelmet. A tower with a lily stuck in it would have beenunwieldy and absurd.
29. Wanger: pillow; from Anglo-Saxon, “wangere,” becausethe “wanges;” or cheeks, rested on it.
30. Destrer: “destrier,” French, a war-horse; in Latin,“dextrarius,” as if led by the right hand.
31. Sir Percival de Galois, whose adventures were written inmore than 60,000 verses by Chretien de Troyes, one of theoldest and best French romancers, in 1191.