Page:The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer.djvu/25

 Picardy, and borne him well, for so little time, in hope to stand in his lady's grace. He was embroidered like a mead all full of fresh flowers red and white; all day long he was singing or piping on the flute; he was as fresh as the month of May. His gown was short, with sleeves wide and long. Well could he sit his horse and ride fairly. He could make songs and well endite a thing, joust and dance eke, and draw well and write. So hot he loved that by night he slept no more than the nightingale. He was courteous, lowly and diligent to serve, and carved before his father at table. A Yeoman had this knight, and no other servants at that time, for he list to ride so. This yeoman was clad in a coat and hood of green, and bore a sheaf of peacock-arrows bright and sharp full thriftily under his belt. He could dress his hunting-tackle like a true yeoman; his arrow-feathers were not draggled out of line. In his hand he bare a mighty bow; and well he knew all the practice of wood-craft. He had a head round like a nut, and a brown visage. On his arm he bare a gay bracer, and by his side a buckler and sword, and on the other side a gay dagger, well harnessed and sharp as a spear-point. On his breast was a medal of Saint Christopher, of bright silver. He bare a horn, with baldric of green. I deem in good sooth he was a forester.

There was eke a nun, a Prioress, that was of her smiling full simple and quiet. Her greatest oath was but by St. Loy. And she was called Madame Eglantine. Full well she sung divine service, full seemly intoned in her nose. And French she spake fair and prettily, after the school of Stratford-atte-Bow, for to her French of Paris was unknown. At meat she was well taught; she let no morsel fall from her lips, nor wet her fingers deep in her sauce. She could carry well a morsel, and take good heed