THE PARSONS TALE（第3页）

andifyevouchesafe，anonishall

beginuponmytale，forwhichipray

tellyouradvice，*icannobettersay.*opinion

butnathelessthismeditation

iputitayeundercorrection

ofclerkes，*foriamnottextuel;*scholars

itakebutthesentence，*trustmewell.*meaning，sense

thereforeimakeaprotestation，

thatiwillstandetocorrection."

uponthiswordwehaveassentedsoon;

for，asusseemed，itwas*fortodon，**athingworthdoing*

toendeninsomevirtuoussentence，**discourse

andfortogivehimspaceandaudience;

andbadeourhostheshouldetohimsay

thatallewetotellhistalehimpray.

ourhostehad.thewordesforusall:

"sirpriest，"quothhe，"nowfaireyoubefall;

saywhatyoulist，andweshallgladlyhear."

andwiththatwordhesaidinthismannere;

"telle，"quothhe，"yourmeditatioun，

buthastenyou，thesunnewilladown.

befructuous，*andthatinlittlespace;*fruitful;profitabl

andtodowellgodsendeyouhisgrace."

rom，ram，ruf:acontemptuousreferencetothealliterativepoetrywhichwasatthattimeverypopular，inpreferenceeven，itwouldseem，torhyme，inthenorthernpartsofthecountry，wherethelanguagewasmuchrebarbarousandunpolishedthaninthesouth.

perfectgloriouspilgrimage:thewordisusedheretosignifytheshrine，ordestination，towhichpilgrimageismade.