THE PRIORESSS TALE（第1页）

theprologue

"wellsaid，by*corpusdomini，"*quothourhost;*thelordsbody*

"nowlongemaystthousailebythecoast，

thougentlemaster，gentlemarinere.

godgivethenk*athousandlastquadyear!**eversomuchevil*

aha!fellows，bewareofsuchajape.**trick

thenk*putinthemanneshoodanape，**fooledhim*

andinhiswifeseke，bysaintaustin.

drawenonkesreintoyourinn.

butnowpassover，andletusseekabout，

whoshallnowtellefirstofallthisrou

anothertale;"andwiththatwordhesaid，

ascourteouslyasithadbeenamaid;

"myladyprioresse，byyourleave，

sothatiwistishouldeyounotgrieve，**offend

iwouldedeeme*thatyetelleshould*judge，decide

atalenext，ifsowerethatyewould.

nowwillyevouchesafe，myladydear?"

"gladly，"quothshe;andsaidasyeshallhear.

athousandlastquadyear:eversomuchevil."last"meansaload，"quad，"bad;andliterallywemayread"athousandweightofbadyears."theitaliansuse"malanno"inthesamesense.