General Prologue
For [the Clerk] was levere have at his beddes heed Twenty bokes, clad in blak or reed, Of Aristotle and his philosophye Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrye. (General Prologue 293 –...
The Miller's Prologue
Whan that the Knight had thus his tale y-told, In al the route nas ther yong ne old That he ne seyde it was a noble storie, And worthy for to drawen to memorie, And namely the gentils everichoon. (...
The Reeve's Prologue
For leveful is with force force of-showve. (Reeve's Prologue 58)
Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale
That is so horrible a tale for to rede, Whan he hir threw upon the pavement. And therfore he, of ful avysement, Nolde nevere write in none of his sermons Of suche unkynde abhomynacions, Ne I wol no...
The Friar's Prologue
[. . .] Whan it comth to my lot, By God, I shal hym quiten every grot. (Friar's Prologue 77 – 78)
The Summoner's Prologue
I yow biseke that, of youre curteisye, Syn ye han herd this false frere lye, As suffreth me I may my tale telle. (Summoner's Prologue 5 – 7)
The Clerk's Prologue
Telle us som murie thyng of aventures. Youre termes, youre colours, and youre figures, Keepe hem in stoor til so be ye endite Heigh style, as whan that men to kynges write. Speketh so pleyn at this...
The Merchant's Epilogue
Lo, whiche sleightes and subtilitees In wommen been! For ay as bisy as bees Been they, us sely men for to deceyve, And from the soothe evere wol they weyve; By this Marchauntes tale it preveth weel...
The Franklin's Interruption
For he to vertue listeth nat entende; But for to pleye at dees, and to despende And lese al that he hath is his usage. (Squire's Tale / Franklin's Interruption 689 - 691)
The Pardoner's Introduction
By Corpus bones! But I have triacle, Or elles a draughte of moyste and corny ale, Or but I heere anon a myrie tale, Myn herte is lost for pitee of this mayde. (Pardoner's Introduction 28 – 31)
Prologue to Sir Thopas
Myn eres aken of thy drasty speche! Now swich a rym the devel I biteche! This may wel be rym dogerel, quod he. [...] Thy drasty rymyng is nat worth a toord! Thou dost not elles but despendest tyme....
Prologue to the Monk's Tale
I hadde levere than a barel ale That Goodelief, my wyf, hadde herde this tale! (Monk's Prologue 5 – 6)
Prologue to the Nun's Priest's Tale
I seye for me, it is a greet disese, whereas men han been in greet welthe and ese To heeren of hire sodeyn fal, allas! And the contrarie is joye and greet solas, As whan a man hath been in povre es...
The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
"I seye, my lord kan swich subtilitee – [...] That al this ground on which we been ridyng Til that we come to Caunterbury toun, He koude al clene turnen up-so-doun And pave it al of silver a...
The Manciple's Prologue
"By cause drynke hath dominacioun Upon this man, by my savacioun, I trowe he lewedly wolde telle his tale." (Manciple's Prologue 57 – 59)
The Parson's Prologue
"Thou getest fable noon ytoold for me, For Paul that writeth unto Thymothee, Repreveth hem that weyven soothfastnesse And tellen fables and swich wrecchednesse." (Parson's Prologue 31 – 34)