Page:The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer.djvu/28

 well shriven, for if a man gave, he avowed he wist that he was repentant; for many a man is so hard of heart that he may not weep, although he be sore in pain; therefore instead of prayers and weeping, men may give silver to the poor friars. His tippet was aye stuffed full of knives and pins, to give unto fair dames ; and he had in sooth a merry voice; he could sing well and play on the harp. At singing ballads he gained the palm utterly. His neck was as white as the flower-de-luce, and eke he was as strong as a champion. He knew the taverns in every town and the innkeepers and tapsters better than the lepers and beggars. For it accorded not with the dignity of such a worthy man to have acquaintance with sick lepers. It is not seemly, it doth not profit, to deal with such poor rubbish, but rather with rich folk and victuallers. And whereso profit might arise, he was courteous and lowly in serving. Nowhere was there a man so efficacious; he was the best beggar of his order ; for though a widow had never a shoe, yet was his "In principio" so pleasant, that ere he went he would have a farthing. The proceeds of his begging were better far than his rents. And he could romp like a whelp. On love-days he could effect much ; for there he was not like a cloistral monk, or a poor scholar with threadbare cloak, but he was like a doctor or pope. His semicope was of double worsted and fresh from the press stood out round like a bell. For his wantonness somewhat lie lisped, to make his English sweet on his tongue and in his harping, when he had done singing, his eyes twinkled in his head right as the stars in the frosty night. This worthy limiter was called Huberd.

A Merchant with a forked beard there was, in motley, and he sat high on horse, a Flandrish beaver-hat on his head, his boots clasped neat and fair. His opinions he spake full grandly,