| By that the Maunciple hadde his tale al ended, |
| The sonne fro the south lyne was descended |
| So lowe that he nas nat, to my sighte, |
| Degrees nyne and twenty as in highte. |
| 5 | Foure of the clokke it was tho, as I gesse, |
| For ellevene foot, or litel moore or lesse, |
| My shadwe was at thilke tyme, as there |
| Of swiche feet as my lengthe parted were |
| In sixe feet equal of proporcioun. |
| 10 | Therwith the moones exaltacioun -- |
| I meene Libra -- alwey gan ascende |
| As we were entryng at a thropes ende; |
| For which oure Hoost, as he was wont to gye, |
| As in this caas, oure joly compaignye, |
| 15 | Seyde in this wise: "Lordynges everichoon, |
| Now lakketh us no tales mo than oon. |
| Fulfilled is my sentence and my decree; |
| I trowe that we han herd of ech degree; |
| Almoost fulfild is al myn ordinaunce. |
| 20 | I pray to God, so yeve hym right good chaunce, |
| That telleth this tale to us lustily. |
| "Sire preest," quod he, "artow a vicary? |
| Or arte a person? Sey sooth, by thy fey! |
| Be what thou be, ne breke thou nat oure pley; |
| 25 | For every man, save thou, hath toold his tale. |
| Unbokele and shewe us what is in thy male; |
| For trewely, me thynketh by thy cheere |
| Thou sholdest knytte up wel a greet mateere. |
| Telle us a fable anon, for cokkes bones!" |
| 30 | This Persoun answerde, al atones, |
| "Thou getest fable noon ytoold for me, |
| For Paul, that writeth unto Thymothee, |
| Repreveth hem that weyven soothfastnesse |
| And tellen fables and swich wrecchednesse. |
| 35 | Why sholde I sowen draf out of my fest, |
| Whan I may sowen whete, if that me lest? |
| For which I seye, if that yow list to heere |
| Moralitee and vertuous mateere, |
| And thanne that ye wol yeve me audience, |
| 40 | I wol ful fayn, at Cristes reverence, |
| Do yow plesaunce leefful, as I kan. |
| But trusteth wel, I am a Southren man; |
| I kan nat geeste `rum, ram, ruf,' by lettre, |
| Ne, God woot, rym holde I but litel bettre; |
| 45 | And therfore, if yow list -- I wol nat glose -- |
| I wol yow telle a myrie tale in prose |
| To knytte up al this feeste and make an ende. |
| And Jhesu, for his grace, wit me sende |
| To shewe yow the wey, in this viage, |
| 50 | Of thilke parfit glorious pilgrymage |
| That highte Jerusalem celestial. |
| And if ye vouche sauf, anon I shal |
| Bigynne upon my tale, for which I preye |
| Telle youre avys; I kan no bettre seye. |
| 55 | "But nathelees, this meditacioun |
| I putte it ay under correccioun |
| Of clerkes, for I am nat textueel; |
| I take but the sentence, trusteth weel. |
| Therfore I make protestacioun |
| 60 | That I wol stonde to correccioun." |
| Upon this word we han assented soone, |
| For, as it seemed, it was for to doone -- |
| To enden in som vertuous sentence, |
| And for to yeve hym space and audience, |
| 65 | And bade oure Hoost he sholde to hym seye |
| That alle we to telle his tale hym preye. |
| Oure Hoost hadde the wordes for us alle; |
| "Sire preest," quod he, "now faire yow bifalle! |
| Telleth," quod he, "youre meditacioun. |
| 70 | But hasteth yow; the sonne wole adoun; |
| Beth fructuous, and that in litel space, |
| And to do wel God sende yow his grace! |
| Sey what yow list, and we wol gladly heere." |
| And with that word he seyde in this manere. |