Second Middle English Primer: Extracts from Chaucer : with Grammar and Glossary

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Clarendon Press, 1892 - English language - 115 pages

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Page 90 - And if ther dide, certeyn, so wrooth was she, That she was out of alle charitee. Hir coverchiefs ful fyne were of ground; I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound That on a Sonday were upon hir heed.
Page 94 - Or lyve as scarsly as hym list desire; And able for to helpen al a shire In any caas that myghte falle or happe; And yet this Manciple sette hir aller cappe.
Page 85 - But al be that he was a philosophre, Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre...
Page 76 - In al his lyf unto no maner wight. He was a verray, parfit, gentil knyght. But, for to tellen yow of his array, His hors were goode, but he was nat gay.
Page 83 - For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt, He wiste that a man was repentaunt. For many a man so hard is of his herte, He may nat wepe al-thogh him sore smerte. 230 Therfore, in stede of weping and preyeres, Men moot yeve silver to the povre freres.
Page 89 - And yet he was but esy of dispence ; He kepte that he wan in pestilence. For gold in phisik is a cordial ; Therfore he lovede gold in special.
Page 81 - The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit, By-cause that it was old and som-del streit, This ilke monk leet olde thinges pace, And held after the newe world the space. He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen, That seith, that hunters been nat holy men...
Page 95 - Thanne wolde he speke, and crie as he were wood. And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn, Than wolde he speke no word but Latyn. A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre, That he had lerned out of som decree, — 640 No wonder is, he herde it al the day, And eek ye knowen wel how that a jay Kan clepen Watte as wel as kan the pope.
Page 91 - For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, No wonder is a lewed man to ruste; And shame it is, if a preest take keep, A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep.

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