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The Canterbury Tales

Page 155

by Geoffrey Chaucer


  1125 Wher seystow (= seyest thow) do you say this

  1127 me list ful ivele pleye I have no inclination to joke

  1129 It nere to thee… no greet honour it would not be very honourable for you

  1132 til to

  1133 for to dien in the peine even if we were tortured to death

  1134 departe separate

  1136 in noon other caas in any other situation leeve dear

  1137 forthre assist

  1140 withseyn gainsay

  1141 of my counseil my confidant

  1142 been aboute be intent on

  1144 sterve dies

  1147 counseil counsellor

  1150 might power

  1152 agein in answer

  1154 outrely plainly

  1155 par amour as a lover

  1156 wistest nat did not know

  1158 affeccioun of holinesse religious devotion

  1160 min aventure what happened to me

  1162 pose put the case

  1163 Do you not know well the old saying of learned men

  1165 pan head

  1166 yeve given

  1167 positif lawe the law specific to an individual society, as distinguished from the ‘natural law’ which governs human kind as a whole

  1168 al day all the time

  1169 moot nedes must of necessity maugree his heed in spite of himself

  1171 Al be she whether she is

  1174 verraily truly

  1175 dampned condemned

  1176 us gaineth no raunsoun no ransom is of any use to us

  1178 noon nothing (lit. none)

  1179 wrothe angry

  1182 noon oother nothing else for it

  1183 if thee list if it pleases you ay always

  1185 moote must

  1186 everich each take his aventure take his chance

  1188 leiser for to seye leisure to relate (it)

  1189 to th’effect to get to the point

  1191 Perotheus Pirithous

  1193 Sin thilke day since the time

  1195 pleye amuse himself wont accustomed

  1199 that oon one

  1201 list me nat to write I do not want to write

  1203 yeer by yere for years on end

  1206 leet let

  1207 wher that him liste overal anywhere he pleased

  1208 gise manner

  1209 forward agreement endite write

  1212 o stounde for an instant

  1214 acorded agreed

  1215 lese lose

  1216 reed course of action

  1217 him spedde (= spedede) hastened

  1218 lith to wedde is a pledge (for his behaviour)

  1222 sleen kill waiteth prively secretly looks for a chance

  1225 is me shape I am destined

  1228 elles otherwise

  1229 Yfetered fettered

  1230 hadde I been I would have been

  1235 aventure chance event

  1236 dure remain

  1238 yturned thee the dis thrown the dice for you

  1240 sin since

  1242 caas chance

  1244 bareine destitute

  1246 nis (= ne is) is neither

  1249 sterve to die wanhope despair

  1250 lust source of joy

  1251–2 pleinen… On complain about in comune in general

  1253 gise fashion

  1254 devise conceive

  1256 moerdre murder

  1257 wolde… fain would gladly (be)

  1258 of his meinee by his household

  1260 witen know

  1261 fare behave

  1263 noot (= ne woot) does not know

  1264 slider slippery

  1266 seken fast after search earnestly for

  1268 nameliche especially

  1269 wende imagined

  1271 parfit heele perfect happiness

  1272 Ther whereas

  1274 I nam but deed I am as good as dead

  1275 that oother the other

  1278 Resouneth of echoes with yowling wailing

  1279 pure fettres very fetters

  1283 at thy large at liberty

  1284 And you care little about my sorrow

  1285 manhede valour

  1287 werre war

  1288 aventure chance event tretee negotiation

  1289 to as

  1290 moste nedes lese my lif must inevitably lose my life

  1294 sterve die

  1295 moot must

  1299 up sterte sprang up

  1300 hente (= hentede) seized

  1301–2 So furiously that to look at he was like the box-tree, or like dead, cold ashes

  1305 atthamaunt adamant (a mythical rock of great hardness)

  1306 parlement decision graunt decree

  1307 In what way is mankind more obligated to you

  1308 rowketh huddles, cowers

  1310 areest confinement

  1313 What (kind of) government exists in this (divine) foresight

  1315 penaunce suffering, distress

  1316 observaunce duty

  1317 letten of refrain from

  1318 Theras whereas lust pleasure

  1320 pleine lament

  1323 lete I to divinis I leave to theologians

  1326 Who has done harm to many an honest man

  1328 thurgh through the agency of

  1329 eek wood also furious

  1330 wel ny very nearly

  1331 waste ruined

  1332 sleeth slays

  1334 stinte of cease speaking about

  1335 stille quietly

  1340 mister plight

  1343 to been deed until death

  1344 upon his heed on pain of death

  1347 axe ask

  1349 That oon the one

  1350 moot must

  1353 demeth as yow liste judge as it pleases you

  1356 Ful ofte a day many times in a day swelte (= sweltede) fainted

  1358 concluden sum up

  1360 shal shall be dure last

  1362 That so that wex grew shaft shaft (of an arrow or spear)

  1364 falow sallow

  1366 mone lamentation

  1368 stent stopped

  1372 gere behaviour ferde acted

  1374 hereos lovesickness (n.) manye mania

  1375 humour malencolik melancholic humour (see n. to GP 333)

  1376 Biforen in front celle fantastik part of the brain controlling ideas and the imagination

  1377 up-so-doun upside-down

  1378 habit bodily condition

  1379 daun sir

  1380 What why endite write

  1387 slepy yerde sleep-inducing staff (n.)

  1388 wered wore

  1389 as he took keep as he (Arcite) took note

  1391 wende go

  1392 thee shapen ordained for you

  1394 how sore that me smerte however severely it pains me

  1395 fare go

  1398 I recche nat to sterve I do not care if I die

  1403 sith since

  1404 Of by

  1405 bar him lowe lived in a humble fashion

  1407 wel ny almost

  1409 cladde him clothed himself

  1411 privetee private affairs

  1413 nexte way quickest way

  1415 profreth offers

  1416 drugge and drawe labour and draw water devise direct

  1418 fil in office got employment

  1420–21 espye Of find out about

  1424 long tall big strong

  1430 degree rank

  1431 gentil noble condicioun character

  1433 were would be

  1435 worshipful honourable

  1436 his vertu excercise put his ability to good use

  1437 is spronge has spread abroad

  1439 taken him so ner placed him in a position of such intimacy

  1443 rente income

  1444 honestly suitably sleighly secretly

  1447 bar him behaved

 
1448 hath derre holds dearer

  1452 seten sat

  1453 Forpined wasted away

  1455 destreineth torments

  1456 wood mad

  1461 passe proceed

  1462 fil happened

  1465 aventure chance

  1466 shapen destined

  1468 brak broke out of

  1471 clarree spiced and sweetened wine

  1472 nercotikes narcotics opie opium

  1473 wolde were to

  1474 sleep slept

  1476 faste by close at hand

  1477 nedes-cost of necessity moste had to

  1479 dreedful fearful stalketh steals

  1483 To Thebesward towards Thebes

  1484 werreye make war

  1485 outher either

  1487 entente plein whole purpose

  1489 neigh near care misfortune

  1493 Phebus Phoebus, the sun

  1494 orient east

  1495 greves bushes

  1499 murye beautiful

  1500 doon his observaunce to pay tribute to

  1501 point object

  1502 startlinge prancing

  1506 By aventure by chance gan to holde held

  1507 gerland garland

  1508 wodebinde woodbine, honeysuckle

  1509 ayein the sonne in the sun

  1512 I som grene gete may I may get some greenery

  1513 lusty cheerful

  1514 sterte plunged

  1519 Nothing Not at all

  1520 trowed believed lite little

  1521 go sithen many yeres for many a year

  1523 It is a good thing for a man to conduct himself with equanimity

  1524 unset stevene unarranged rendezvous

  1526 sawe speech

  1529 roundel rondeau (n.) lustily gaily

  1530 studye reverie

  1531 hir queinte geres their strange moods

  1532 croppe tree-top breres briars

  1533 boket bucket

  1535 reineth rains

  1536 gery capricious, changeable

  1538 gerful changeable array her state

  1539 Friday is seldom like the rest of the week

  1540 sike sigh

  1544 Woltow will you werreyen make war on

  1548 bulte built or before

  1551 verray ligne true line of descent stok stock

  1552 caitif enslaved

  1556 biknowe acknowledge

  1559 felle cruel

  1560 fordo destroyed

  1562 martyreth torments

  1563 outrely utterly

  1564 brenningly burningly

  1565 Ystiked thrust careful sorrowful

  1566 shapen determined erst than my sherte before my shirt (i.e. before I was born)

  1568 wherfore for which

  1570 mountaunce of a tare value of a tare (i.e. not a jot)

  1571 So that provided that to youre plesaunce to please you

  1573 up sterte sprang up

  1576 quook trembled

  1577 tale words

  1578 As he were wood as if he were mad

  1579 buskes bushes

  1580 wikke wicked

  1581 hent caught

  1583 to my counseil sworn sworn to be my supporter

  1585 bijaped tricked

  1589 namo no one else

  1591 wepne weapon

  1592 am astert have escaped by grace by good fortune

  1593 drede doubt

  1595 Chees choose asterte escape

  1596 despitous scornful

  1599 sit (= sitteth) sits

  1600 Nere it were it not

  1603 of by

  1604 diffye reject seuretee pledge

  1606 verray fool fool that you are

  1607 maugree al thy might in spite of everything you can do

  1609 wilnest to darreine hire wish to lay claim to her

  1610 trouthe word

  1611 witing knowledge wight person

  1613 harneis armour

  1615 mete food

  1618 slee slay ther where

  1622 leid his feith to borwe pledged his word

  1623 out of alle charitee lacking all brotherly love

  1624 regne power

  1626 his thankes willingly

  1630 dight prepared

  1631–2 mete to darreine The bataille fit to engage in combat

  1635 yset arranged

  1638 regne of Trace kingdom of Thrace

  1639 stondeth stand gappe gap, opening in the forest

  1641 greves thicket

  1646 me mishappe I should meet with misfortune

  1647 ferden acted hewe complexion

  1648–9 Since they both knew each other, there was no ‘Good day’ nor salutation

  1650 rehersinge repetition (of what had been said before)

  1651 heelp helped

  1654 foinen thrust wonder longe for an amazingly long time

  1655 wene think

  1656 wood furious

  1659 frothen foam at the mouth

  1660 anclee ankle

  1661 lete hem… dwelle leave them to continue

  1663–9 see n.

  1669 eft afterwards

  1671 Be it whether they are

  1673 by concerning

  1675 hert stag

  1676 daweth dawns

  1678 hunte huntsman

  1681 bane slayer

  1682 Mars god of war Diane Diana, goddess of hunting

  1683 er before

  1688 ful faste by very near

  1690 the streighte wey hath holde has taken the direct route

  1691 launde clearing

  1692 wont have accustomed to take

  1694 han a cours at hunt

  1697 Under the sonne all around (n.)

  1699 breme fiercely boles bulls

  1702 ook oak

  1703 nothing not at all

  1704 smoot struck

  1705 at a stert at a bound

  1706 Ho stop

  1707 lesing loss

  1710 what mister men what kind of men

  1715 what nedeth what need is there of mo more

  1717 caitives captives

  1718 encombred of burdened by

  1720 refuge protection

  1721 seinte holy

  1723 thow knowe it lite you don’t know it

  1725 on his heed on pain of death

  1729 japed tricked

  1735 broken broken out of

  1737 hoote passionately

  1739 axe ask juwise punishment

  1743 conclusioun decision

  1745 dampned condemned recorde confirm

  1746 There is no need to torture you with a cord

  1748 wommanhede womanliness

  1752 falle befall

  1753 gentil noble

  1754 nothing but for love only for love

  1756 bothe lasse and moore both the greater and the less (i.e. of all ranks)

  1759 theras where

  1760 aslaked grown calm

  1761 renneth soone is quick to arise

  1762 quook trembled sterte quivered

  1763 in a clause briefly

  1764 trespas offence

  1771 wepen evere in oon wept constantly

  1773 softe quietly

  1777 despitous haughty

  1778 maintene persist in

  1780 kan no divisioun recognizes no distinction

  1781 weyeth weighs after oon equally

  1784 on highte aloud

  1785 a ah

  1787 No obstacles are effective against his power

  1788 cleped called

  1789 at his owene gise as he pleases

  1790 as that him list devise as he is pleased to direct

  1792 quitly at liberty

  1794 witen know

  1795 lith lies

  1796 maugree hir eyen two in spite of themselves

  1799 but if he love unless he loves

  1800 sit (= sitteth) sits

  1801 Be they noght wel
arrayed are they not in a fine condition

  1804 wenen for to be think they are

  1805 for aught that may bifalle whatever happens

  1806 game joke

  1807 jolitee sport

  1808 Kan… thank owes… thanks

  1809 woot knows this hoote fare these passionate goings-on

  1810 cokkow cuckoo

  1811 assayed tried out

  1812 or… or either… or

  1813 I know it from my own experience, long ago

  1816 distreine torment

  1817 laas net

  1818 trespaas offence

  1821 And if

  1822 dere harm

  1825 everydel completely

  1826 axing request faire willingly

  1827 of lordshipe for patronage

  1829 To speke of in terms of

  1836 Atones at once

  1837 al be him looth or lief whether he likes it or not

  1838 pipen in an ivy-leef ‘jump in the lake’ (lit. whistle in an ivy leaf)

  1840 However jealous or angry you are

  1841 forthy therefore

  1841 degree condition

  1843 him is shape it is ordained for him

  1844 devise contrive

  1845 for plat conclusioun with finality, definitely

  1846 Without protest

  1847 take it for the beste adopt it as the best course

  1848 wher that him leste where he pleases

  1849 daunger resistance

  1850 fer ne ner neither later nor sooner

  1851 Everich each

  1852 listes (jousting in) the lists (n.) up at alle rightes in every respect

  1853 darreine lay claim to

  1854 bihote promise

  1856 wheither whichever

  1858 spak spoke

  1859 Sleen slay contrarye opponent

  1860 to wive as a wife

  1861 grace stroke of luck

  1863 rewe have mercy

  1864 evene impartial

  1866 taken captured

  1868 avis opinion holdeth yow apaid be content

  1869 conclusioun fate

  1870 lightly cheerfully

  1874 doon so fair a grace granted such a favour

  1877 namely especially ofte sithe often

  1880 hise its

  1881 trowe believe deme think

  1882 dispence expenditure

  1884 maken up build

  1887 circuit circumference

 

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