The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer - HTML preview

Were it by a venture, or sort*, or cas**,                  *lot **chance

The sooth is this, the cut fell to the Knight,

Of which full blithe and glad was every wight;

And tell he must his tale as was reason,

By forword, and by composition,

As ye have heard; what needeth wordes mo'?

And when this good man saw that it was so,

As he that wise was and obedient

To keep his forword by his free assent,

He said; "Sithen* I shall begin this game,                       *since

Why, welcome be the cut in Godde's name.

Now let us ride, and hearken what I say.”

And with that word we ridden forth our way;

And he began with right a merry cheer

His tale anon, and said as ye shall hear.