Chaucer: Canterbury Tales

In 1170, King Henry II was in conflict with Thomas à Becket, the 52-year-old Archbishop of Canterbury, over the relative powers of Church and State, and exclaimed: "Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?" Four knights, convinced they were carrying out the king's wishes, went to the cathedral and killed the archbishop [the spot is still marked on the floor of the cathedral]. Henry denied having instigated the murder, and Thomas was canonized in 1172. His reliquary, until it was destroyed in 1538 by Henry VIII, became the object of pilgrimages.

In Chaucer's work (written in about 1387), 29 pilgrims while away the time on their slow journey from London to Canterbury (about 100 km) telling stories. In the General Prologue, the pilgrims are gathering in the Tabbard tavern in Southwark (London), and are decribed by the author.

The following excerpt is part of the description of the Prioress:

And she was cleped madame Eglentyne. And she was called Madame Eglentyne.
Full weel she soong the service dyvyne, She sang the divine service very well
Entuned in hir nose ful semely, Intoned in her nose in a very seemly manner
And Frenssh she spak full faire and fetisly, And she spoke French very well and elegantly
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe, After the school of Stratford-Bow [her convent]
For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe. For she did not know the French [accent] of Paris.
At mete wel ytaught was she with alle: Moreover, her table-manners were good
She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, She let no morsel fall from her lips
Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe; Nor dipped her fingers deeply in her sauce;
Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe She could lift a morsel delicately, taking good care
That no drope ne fille upon hire brest. That not a drop should fall down her front.
In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest. She took great pleasure in polite manners.
Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene She wiped her upper lip so clean
That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene That no grease-spot was to be found in her cup
Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte. After she had drunk her draught.
Ful semely after hir mete she raughte. She reached for her food in a seemly fashion.
And sikerly she was of greet desport, And certainly she was a very cheerful person,
And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port, And very pleasant and of amiable disposition
And peyned hire to countrefete cheere She took pains to imitate courtly behaviour
Of court, and to been estatlich of manere, And to be dignified in her bearing,
And to ben holden digne of reverence. And to be held worthy of esteem.

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And she was cleped madame Eglentyne.	And she was called Madame Eglentyne.
Full weel she soong the service dyvyne,	She sang the divine service very well
Entuned in hir nose ful semely,	Intoned in her nose in a very seemly manner
And Frenssh she spak full faire and fetisly,	And she spoke French very well and elegantly
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,	After the school of Stratford-Bow [her convent]
For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe.	For she did not know the French [accent] of Paris.
At mete wel ytaught was she with alle:	Moreover, her table-manners were good
She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle,	She let no morsel fall from her lips
Ne wette hir fyngres in hir sauce depe;	Nor dipped her fingers deeply in her sauce;
Wel koude she carie a morsel and wel kepe	She could lift a morsel delicately, taking good care
That no drope ne fille upon hire brest.	That not a drop should fall down her front.
In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest.	She took great pleasure in polite manners.
Hir over-lippe wyped she so clene	She wiped her upper lip so clean
That in hir coppe ther was no ferthyng sene	That no grease-spot was to be found in her cup
Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte.	After she had drunk her draught.
Ful semely after hir mete she raughte.	She reached for her food in a seemly fashion.
And sikerly she was of greet desport,	And certainly she was a very cheerful person,
And ful plesaunt, and amyable of port,	And very pleasant and of amiable disposition
And peyned hire to countrefete cheere	She took pains to imitate courtly behaviour
Of court, and to been estatlich of manere,	And to be dignified in her bearing,
And to ben holden digne of reverence.	And to be held worthy of esteem.