Quotes from bookThe Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of 24 stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. In 1386, Chaucer became Controller of Customs and Justice of Peace and, in 1389, Clerk of the King's work. It was during these years that Chaucer began working on his most famous text, The Canterbury Tales. The tales are presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together from London to Canterbury to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The prize for this contest is a free meal at the Tabard Inn at Southwark on their return.
“This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf, —
That first he wrought, and afterwards he taught.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
General Prologue, l. 498
The Canterbury Tales
“And of his port as meke as is a mayde.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
General Prologue, l. 69
The Canterbury Tales
“But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve,
He taught; but first he folwed it himselve.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
General Prologue, l. 529
The Canterbury Tales
“Yet in our ashen cold is fire yreken.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Reeve's Tale, l. 388
The Canterbury Tales
“Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Nun's Priest's Tale, l. 232
The Canterbury Tales
“For gold in phisike is a cordial;
Therefore he loved gold in special.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
General Prologue, l. 445
The Canterbury Tales
“They demen gladly to the badder end.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Squire's Tale, l. 10538
The Canterbury Tales
“To maken vertue of necessite.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Knight's Tale, l. 3044
The Canterbury Tales
“For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay fleeth the tyme; it nyl no man abyde.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Clerk's Tale, l. 62-63
The Canterbury Tales
“But all thing which that shineth as the gold
Ne is no gold, as I have herd it told.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Chanones Yemannes Tale, l. 16430
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919), Canterbury Tales
“Min be the travaille, and thin be the glorie.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Knight's Tale, l. 2408
The Canterbury Tales
“And brought of mighty ale a large quart.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Miller's Tale, l. 3497
The Canterbury Tales
“That field hath eyen, and the wood hath ears.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Knight's Tale, l. 1524
The Canterbury Tales
“Wide was his parish, and houses fer asonder.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
General Prologue, l. 493
The Canterbury Tales
“Fie on possession,
But if a man be vertuous withal.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Franklin's Tale, l. 10998
The Canterbury Tales
“The firste vertue, sone, if thou wilt lere,
Is to restreine and kepen wel thy tonge.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
The Manciples Tale, l. 17281
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919), Canterbury Tales
“He coude songes make, and wel endite.”
Geoffrey Chaucer book The Canterbury Tales
General Prologue, l. 95
The Canterbury Tales
