THE NUNS PRIESTS TALE（第2页）

byheavensking，thatforusalledied，

ishoulderethishavefallendownforsleep，

althoughthesloughhadbeenneversodeep;

thenhadyourtalebeenalltoldinvain.

forcertainly，astheseclerkessayn，

whereasamanmayhavenoaudience，

noughthelpethittotellehissentence.

andwelliwotthesubstanceisinme，

ifanythingshallwellreportedbe.

sir，saysomewhatof混♂，

iyoupray."

"nay，"quoththenk，"ihave*no露sttoplay;**nofondnessfor

nowletanothertell，asihavetold."jes*

thenspakeourhostwithrudespeechandbold，

andsaiduntothenunnespriestanon，

"enear，thoupriest，ehither，thousirjohn，

tel露ssuchthingasmayourheartesglade.**gladden

beblithe，althoughthourideuponajade.

whatthoughthinehorsebebothefoulandlean?

ifhewillservethee，reckthounotabean;

lookthatthineheartbemerryever."

"yes，host，"quothhe，"somayirideorgo，

but*ibemerry，y-wisiwillbeblamed."*unless

andrightanonhistalehehathattamed**menced

andthushesaiduntouseveryone，

thissweetepriest，thisgoodlyman，sirjohn.

therequestisjustifiedbythedescriptionofnkintheprologueas"anout-rider，thatlovedvenery."

onthistyrwhittremarks;"iknownothowithashappened，thatintheprincipaldernlanguages，john，oritsequivalent，isanameofcontemptoratleastofslight.sotheitaliansusegianni，fromwhencezani;thespaniardsjuan，asbobojuan，afoolishjohn;thefrenchjean，withvariousadditions;andinenglish，whenwecallamanajohn，wedonotmeanitasatitleofhonour."thetitleof"sir"wasusuallygivenbycourtesytopriests.

attamed:menced，broached.parefrench，"entamer"，tocutthefirstpieceoffajoint;thencetobegin.