The Canterbury Tales

by Geoffrey Chaucer

  1027 Annual communion, preceded by confession, was prescribed by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215.

  1031 This list clearly alludes to the conventional ‘seven works of mercy’ (based on Matthew 25:35–40): (1) feeding the hungry; (2) giving drink to the thirsty; (3) clothing the naked; (4) harbouring the stranger; (5) visiting the sick; (6) ministering to prisoners; (7) burying the dead.

  1033 day of doome: An allusion to Matthew 25:31–46.

  1036–7 Matthew 5:14–16.

  ]1039 Matthew 6:9–13.

  1040–44 The three virtues of the Lord’s Prayer are a commonplace in medieval religious manuals (see Petersen, Sources of Parson’s Tale, p. 28, n. 1, and Wenzel, ChauR, 16 (1982), 238–9).

  1047 Ps. Jerome, Commentarius in Marcum IX (PL 30, col. 616); incorporated into the Glossa ordinaria, Mark 9:28 (PL 114, cols. 214–15); ps. Jerome, Regula monachorum XIII (PL 30, col. 353).

  1048 Matthew 26:41.

  1052, 1055 For the twofold meaning of ‘discipline’ as ‘teaching’ and ‘mortification of the flesh’, see Wenzel, ChauR, 16 (1982), 239.

  1054 Colossians 3:12.

  1068 as a shadwe on the wal: Cf. Mch 1315 and n., Sh 9.

  1069 Gregory, Moralia in Job XXXIV.xix.36 (CCSL 143B, p. 1759); Dialogi IV.44 (PL 77, col. 404).

  1073 the seconde wanhope: The reference to ‘the mercy of Crist’ shows that it is still the first kind of despair that is under discussion; the second appears only at 1074.

  CHAUCER’S RETRACTIONS

  This concluding section, usually referred to as Chaucer’s Retractions or Retractations, has been variously interpreted, as evidence of a death-bed repentance on Chaucer’s part (D. Wurtele, Viator, 11 (1980), 335–59), as a literary convention (see O. Sayce, MÆ, 40 (1971), 230–48, and the examples collected in SA2), or as a literary fiction which represents the culmination of the move away from ‘fable’ initiated in the Manciple’s Tale (see Headnote to McpT). For a balanced summary of older views, see J. D. Gordon, in Studies in Medieval Literature in Honor of Professor Albert Croll Baugh, ed. M. Leach (Philadelphia, PA, 1961), pp. 82–96.

  Yet another view has been proposed by C. A. Owen, Jr (MÆ, 63 (1994), 239–49) and M. F. Vaughan (in Rewriting Chaucer, ed. Prendergast and Kline, pp. 45–90). Drawing attention to the fact that in three manuscripts there is no dividing rubric between the end of the Parson’s Tale and the Retractions, they argue that the Retractions are simply the conclusion to a treatise on penitence which Chaucer composed as an independent work, and which was turned into the last tale in CT by scribal editors after his death. This hypothesis also addresses two problems created by the separation between the Parson’s Tale and the Retractions: (1) the reference to ‘this litel tretis’ (1081) implies a continuity of speaker, rather than the switch from the Parson to Chaucer indicated in the rubric; (2) the reference to CT in the Retractions (1086) is oddly self-referential if the latter are taken to be the conclusion to CT.

  Against this argument, it can be said that there are several other instances in CT where the boundaries of life and literature are blurred in a comparable fashion (see ML 45–89, Mch 1685–7 and the whole Thopas–Melibee sequence). Chaucer’s voice is in some sense blended with that of each pilgrim, so that the shift into his own persona in the Retractions is not necessarily felt as a decisive break. While it is quite possible that the treatise on penance was originally composed (or translated) as an independent project and later incorporated into CT (see Headnote to ParsT), it is equally possible that it was Chaucer himself who gave it its role as the Parson’s Tale. The Parson’s Prologue, which is unarguably Chaucerian, implies that a prose tale will follow, and it would be quixotic to suppose that it was a prose tale other than the one occupying that position in the manuscripts.

  1083 Romans 15:4; also quoted at NP 3441–2.

  1086 The Book of the xxv Ladies: This is evidently a reference to the Legend of Good Women, but this work contains only ten legends in the form in which we have it. MLPr suggests, however, that it once contained more (see n. to ML 61 ff.). This view is supported by later references to LGW in Lydgate’s Fall of Princes (I, 330–36; ed. H. Bergen, vol. I, EETS e.s. 121 (London, 1924)) and Stephen Hawes’s Pastime of Pleasure (lines 1326–7; ed. W. E. Mead, EETS o.s. 173 (London, 1928)), though in both cases the number of ladies is given as nineteen (as it is also in three MSS of CT).

  1087 The Book of the Leoun: No work of Chaucer’s with this title survives. It might have been a translation or adaptation of Machaut’s Dit dou lyon, which is a symbolic love-poem (Oeuvres, ed. E. Hoepffner, vol. II (Paris, 1911), pp. 159–237), or (much less probably) of Deschamps’s Dit du lyon, a satirical beast-tale (Oeuvres, ed. G. Raynaud, vol. VIII (Paris, 1893), pp. 247–338).

  Rubric compiled: This word may be taken as a sign that Chaucer is stepping back into his fictional role as reporter of the narratives of his fellow-pilgrims. However, it could also reflect the late-medieval notion of compilatio as an organizing principle in book-making; see M. B. Parkes, in Medieval Learning and Literature: Essays Presented to R. W. Hunt, ed. J. J. G. Alexander and M. T. Gibson (Oxford, 1976), pp. 115–41.

  Glossary

  This glossary does not include words whose form is sufficiently close to modern English to make them easily recognizable, and whose meaning is unchanged (e.g. cat, grene, cloistre). Nor does it include words that occur only once (sometimes twice) in CT; these are glossed on the page at the point of their occurrence. Readers should note that the same word may appear under different parts of speech and that each of these usually has a separate entry; e.g. lite appears as a noun, adjective and adverb, each of which is separately glossed.

  To save tedious searches through the glossary, words which are spelled in more than one way are entered under each spelling, with cross-references to variant forms; glosses which are appropriate to only one of the variant spellings are not repeated under the entry or entries for the other(s). Anyone who wishes to see the full range of meanings for a word in CT will therefore have to consult all the different spelling versions. Where the variant forms are alphabetically contiguous and would thus immediately follow each other in the glossary, or would be so close to each other as to be easily identifiable, they have been conflated into a single entry, with the variation indicated by brackets (e.g. apai(e)d). Phrases are often entered under more than one head-word (e.g. make mury is under both make and mury), also with the aim of reducing the amount of searching necessary for the reader. In phrases quoted within entries, a tilde (~) represents the headword, except where an inflected form of it is given in full. Alternative versions of phrases are separated by a slash; optional words are placed within parentheses; alternative phrases with the same meaning are separated by a comma.

  Glosses are arranged in accordance with a broad intention to place the more important meanings of a word first, and to indicate by their sequence the links between one meaning and another. After each gloss, there is a reference which indicates the first occurrence of the word in that meaning in CT; additional occurrences are indicated by a plus sign (+).

  Regular verb inflections, noun plurals, etc, are not entered as a general rule, but any forms which are likely to cause difficulty in identification are recorded, both under their own form and under the head-word to which they belong; occasionally the form which is likely to give difficulty is listed even though the head-word is not (e.g. broght is entered though bringe v is not). Verbs are entered in the infinitive form (without final -n), unless that does not occur in CT, in which case the inflected form or forms are given, accompanied by a gloss. Otherwise inflected forms are followed by a reference to the infinitive form, where the glosses will be found. Verbal forms designated singular past (sg past) are those appropriate to the first and third persons; where second-person forms are given, they are identified by a ‘2’, and other forms by ‘1/3’. Verbal nouns ending in -ing are not usually given a separate entry if their meaning accords with that of the verb from which they are derived. Nouns and
adverbs (e.g. benignitee, benignely) are not always entered when their meaning clearly matches that of the corresponding adjective (e.g. benigne).

  Abbreviations

  absol absolute

  acc accusative

  adj adjective

  adv adverb, adverbial

  alch alchemy

  art article

  astr astrology, astronomy

  comp comparative

  conj conjunction

  contr contracted, contraction

  dat dative

  dem demonstrative

  esp especially

  fem feminine

  fig figurative(ly)

  fut future

  gen genitive

  imp imperative

  impers impersonal

  indef indefinite

  inf infinitive

  interj interjection

  interrog interrogative

  introd introducing

  leg legal

  lit literally

  masc masculine

  med medicine

  modE modern English

  n noun

  nom nominative

  num numeral

  obj object

  ord ordinal

  o’s one’s

  o.s. oneself

  p ppl past participle

  past past tense

  pers person

  phil philosophy

  phr phrase

  pl plural

  poss possessive

  prep preposition

  pres present tense

  pres ppl present participle

  pron pronoun

  provbl proverbial

  refl reflexive

  rel relative

  sg singular

  s.o., s.o’s someone, someone’s

  s.th. something

  subj subjunctive

  superl superlative

  v verb

  vbl n verbal noun

  a prep on Mil 3430, 3516, Sh 180+; in Kn 2934+; ~ Goddes half, ~ Goddes name in God’s name GP 854, WB 50+

  a interj ah! Kn 1785, WB 280+

  aas (French) n (see also ambes as) the one-spot on a die; lowest possible throw (hence an emblem of bad luck) Mk 2661

  abaised, abaist p ppl (see also abasshed) perplexed, afraid Cl 317; confused Cl 1108; embarrassed Cl 1011

  abak adv back Mil 3736, Th 827

  abandone v refl (see also abaun-done, abawndone) devote o.s. Mel 1577

  abashed p ppl (see also abaised, abaist) perplexed, disturbed ML 568

  abate v weaken Pars 730; degrade Pars 191; destroy Mk 2590

  abaundone, abawndone v (see also abandone) give up Pars 694; give Pars 874; refl devote o.s. Pars 713

  abegge, abeye v (see also abye) pay for Rv 3938, Phys 100

  abhominable adj detestable, odious, cursed Sum 2006, Pard 471+

  abhominacio(u)n n disgust Sum 2179, Pars 687; pl loathsome practices ML 88

  abide v wait (for) Kn 927, Mil 3123+; stay, remain Kn 2554+; settle Mch 1588+; last Pard 747; endure Mel 985; abstain Fkl 1522; 3 sg contr pres abit; p ppl abiden

  aboght p ppl of abye v

  abo(u)ghte pastof abye v

  aboute adv about Kn 2133, WB 653+; around Kn 2493, ML 15+; in turn Kn 890; all round GP 621, Mil 3239; round about GP 488+; be ~ be intent on, strive Kn 1142+; go ~ be intent on, set o.s. to Phys 158

  aboute prep round, around GP 158+; about Kn 2189+; engaged in Fri 1449, Sh 303; in attendance on Mch 1495; go ~ be busy in, occupy o.s. with Fri 1530, 1569

  abraide v (see also abreide) start up, wake suddenly Rv 4190, NP 3008

  abregge v shorten, reduce, curtail Kn 2999+

  abreide v (see also abraide) come to, recover consciousness Cl 1061+

  abusioun n deception ML 214; perversion, abuse Pars 445

  abye v (see also abegge, abeye) pay for, suffer for Kn 2303, Co 4393, Sum 2155+; past abo(u)ghte; p ppl aboght

  accident n non-essential characteristic, variable attribute (phil) Pard 539; outward sign Cl 607

  accidie n sloth Pars 388+

  ac(c)omplice v accomplish Mel 1132+; perform Kn 2864; fulfil Mel 1068+; complete Mel 1336; satisfy Pars 943

  ac(c)ord n agreement GP 838, ML 244+; reconciliation Pars 992; concord, harmony Fkl 791, Mel 1289+, (also with sense of musical harmony) NP 2879; by oon ~ unanimously Mel 1296; be of oon ~ be in harmony Phys 25; falle of (s.o’s) ~ come to an agreement with (s.o.) Fkl 741

  ac(c)orde v agree GP 818, Kn 1214+; agree, match GP 830, CY 638, Mcp 208; be fitting GP 244; correspond, harmonize Pri 547; be reconciled Mel 1675, (refl) Mel 1782; ~ to be in harmony with, be compatible with Fkl 798, Mel 1205+; be acorded come to an agreement Mil 3301+; be reconciled Pars 623; falle acorded come to an agreement WB 812

  acorda(u)nt adj: ~ to in keeping with GP 37, Sq 103+; in harmony with Mil 3363; in accordance with Fkl 1290

  acquitaunce n (see also aquitaunce) discharge Co 4411

  acquite v acquit, release from a charge Fri 1599+; refl behave Cl 936; acquiteth yow of fulfil ML 37

  act n act WB 114+; pl recorded deeds, chronicles NP 3136

  adoun adv down GP 393+; beneath, below Kn 2753, 2995, Mk 2464, Mcp 105; underneath Kn 2023; at the bottom CY 779

  adrad p ppl afraid GP 605+

  afer(e)d p ppl afraid, frightened GP 628, Kn 1518+; suspicious Rv 4095

  affeccio(u)n n desire, inclination Kn 1158, ML 568, Mel 1173+; emotion, emotional disturbance Mil 3611; affection, fondness Sh 336, Pars 786; movement of the spirit Pars 728; feeling Sq 55

  afferme v establish, fix Kn 2349, Mel 1056+; confirm Mel 1050; support the validity of NP 3125

  affray n commotion Sum 2156, Mk 2083; disturbance ML 1137

  affraye v harass Cl 455; frighten, alarm ML 563, Sh 400+

  afire adv and predicative adj on fire WB 726+

  after adv afterwards GP 162, Kn 989+

  after prep according to, in accordance with GP 125+; alike Kn 1781; in proportion to Pri 657+; in conformity with Cl 327, Sq 389+; after Kn 1467+; ~ oon of the same standard GP 341; telle ~ repeat after GP 731; sende ~ send for Kn 2762; crye/calle ~ call for Pri 605, NP 3028

  after conj after Kn 2522+

  after-diner n afternoon, time following mid-day meal Fkl 918+

  after-soper n evening, time following supper Sq 302+

  again adv (see also agein, ayein) back GP 801, Mil 3496+; again Kn 991+; in return, in answer Kn 1092+; cacche (o’s) contenaunce ~ recover o’s composure Cl 1110; paye ~ pay back Sh 291; clappe ~ close up Sum 1699

  again(s) prep (see also agein(s), ayein(s)) against GP 66, Kn 1787+; towards Kn 2680; to meet ML 391, WB 1000+; in return for Rv 4186, Pard 154, Pars 110+; in the presence of Pard 743, Mk 2512; in front of Mch 2325; in anticipation of Mcp 301; with regard to Pars 186, 1060; ~ the sonne in the sun Sq 53+; ~ somer at the approach of summer Sq 142; ~ the day towards day NP 3078, CY 1342; ~ the even-tide towards evening NP 3072; ~ the fir under the effect of the fire CY 1279

  agaste v frighten Mk 2205, NP 3088; refl become afraid Kn 2424; p ppl agast afraid Kn 2341+

  agein adv (see also again, ayein) in return, back, Kn 1197+; in answer Kn 1152+; again Kn 1488+; back Co 4380, Mch 2403+; quite ~ pay back CY 1025

  agein(s) prep (see also again(s), ayein(s)) against Mel 1586+

  aggregge v (see also agregge) aggravate Mel 1287

  agilte v offend, transgress (against) Mel 1818, Pars 131+; do wrong Pars 150+; be guilty WB 392; p ppl agilt

  ago, ago(o)n p ppl gone, departed Kn 1276+; ago Kn 1813+; past Kn 2784; extinguished Kn 2336; over Phys 246; vanished Fkl 1204; dead Cl 631

  agregge v (see also aggregge) increase, aggravate Pars 892+; ~ muchel of exaggerate Mel 1019

  agrief adv: take ~ (of) take amiss, be upset by WB 191+

  agrise v shudder Fri 1649; melt ML 614; ~ of revolt from Phys 280

  al adj and n all Mil 3636, ML 907+; everything GP 319+; ~ a a whole GP 584, CY 996; ~ and som the sum total, the long and the short of it Kn 2761, WB 91+; alle and some one
and all Kn 2187+; at ~ at all WB 1078+; entirely Fkl 936, Pard 633; in every respect Mch 1222; not at ~ in no way Sh 170

  al adv entirely, completely GP 683, Kn 1377+; ~ on highte aloud Kn 1784; ~ only only Mel 1472. Used to introduce a concessive clause, with subject-verb order inverted and verb in subjunctive form (if it has one): although, even if GP 734+; ~ be that although GP 297+

  al day, alday adv all day Kn 1178+; constantly, all the time, continually, always Kn 1168+

  alderfirst adv first of all Mch 1618+

  alenge adj (see also elenge) wretched, miserable WB 1199

  ale-stake n ‘a stake or post set up before an alehouse, to bear a garland, bush, or other sign, or as a sign itself’ (OED); an inn-sign GP 667+

  aleye n alley Pri 568; garden-walk Mch 2324+

  algate(s) adv at any rate Rv 3962, Sum 1811+; nevertheless ML 520, Mch 2376+; anyway, in any case Fri 1514, Sum 2037; in any/every way Fri 1431+; entirely SN 318; always, continually GP 571, WB 588+

  alighte v dismount, alight GP 722+; descend Cl 909, Pri 470; p ppl alight