General Sayings
162 sayings found from the Medieval era from 13 authors
Category
Holiday
'For shame,' she said, 'you timorous poltroon! Alas, what cowardice!'
He was a verray parfit gentil knyght. But for to speken of his array, his hors were goode, but he was nat gay.
And certeinly he was a good felawe; Ful many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe.
He was a Reve, a sly and a trechour, And by his maister knew he every flour.
A gentil Maunciple was ther of a temple, Of which achatours myghte take exemple For to be wise in byynge of vitaille.
This somnour was a gentil harlot and a kynde; A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde.
Ther was also a Nonne, a Prioresse, That of hir smylyng was ful symple and coy.
And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly, After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe, For Frenssh of Parys was to hir unknowe.
And yet he was but of litel stature; But al he hadde, it was as he were wood.
His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys.
He was a maister-hand at stelen corn, And that he gat, he wolde it wel defende.
He knew hir conseil, and hir pryvetee, And for to been a maister of his craft, Ful ofte hadde this man bigiled his maister.
And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route.
He coude songes make and wel endite, Juste and eek daunce, and wel purtreye and write.
He was a Reve, and a sclendre colerik man. His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan.
Upon the cop right of his nose he hade A werte, and theron stood a tuft of heres rede, As bristles of a sowes eerys olde.
His eyen twinkled in his heed aright As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.
The Friar was very fond of playing and played so madly as if he were a puppy-dog in spite of this his eyes twinkled in his head in the same way as the stars do in the frosty night, while playing the harp.
His curly hair looked as if they were pressed in a machine and his clothes were embellished with red and white, as if it were a meadow full of fresh flowers.
For she was so charitable and so pitous She wolde wepe, if that she sawe a mous Caught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. Of smale houndes hadde she, that she fedde With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.