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1. Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales . This too comprises many...
Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. This too comprises many shorter tales told by a group
of pilgrims, this time en route to a religious shrine at Canterbury, and Chaucer was probably
influenced by The Decameron. Each character gets a brief introduction and prologue before
they share their story.
1) What sort of character does the Man of Law seem to be? How does the host introduce
him? Think about the topics they touch upon.
2) Does the Man of Law have any opinions on storytelling and judgments?
Do you notice any recurrent themes in his narration? If you chose to read his full tale, what
do you make of it? Does its subject matter surprise you?
Reference:
Geoffrey Chaucer - Excerpt from The Canterbury Tales The Man of Law's Introduction,
Prologue, Tale, and Epilogue The Introduction to The Man of Law's Tale The wordes of the
Hoost to the compaignye. 1 Oure Hooste saugh wel that the brighte sonne Our Host saw well
that the bright sun 2 The ark of his artificial day hath ronne The arc of his twelve-hour day
has run 3 The ferthe part, and half an houre and moore, One fourth, and half an hour and
more, 4 And though he were not depe ystert in loore, And though he was not far advanced
in learning, 5 He wiste it was the eightetethe day He knew it was the eighteenth day 6 Of
Aprill, that is messager to May; Of April, that is messenger to May; 7 And saugh wel that the
shadwe of every tree And saw well that the shadow of every tree 8 Was in lengthe the same
quantitee Was in length the same quantity 9 That was the body erect that caused it. As was
the erect body that caused it. 10 And therefore by the shadwe he took his wit And therefore
by the shadow he judged 11 That Phebus, which that shoon so clere and brighte, That
Phoebus, which shone so clear and bright, 12 Degrees was fyve and fourty clombe on highte,
Five and forty degrees had climbed on height, 13 And for that day, as in that latitude, And
for that day, in that latitude, 14 It was ten of the clokke, he gan conclude, It was ten o'clock,
he did conclude, 15 And sodeynly he plighte his horse aboute. And suddenly he pulled his
horse about. 16 "Lordynges," quod he, "I warne yow, al this route, "Gentlemen," said he, "I
warn you, all this company, 17 The fourthe party of this day is gon. One fourth of this day is
gone. 18 Now for the love of God and of Seint John, Now for the love of God and of Saint
John, 19 Leseth no tyme, as ferforth as ye may. Lose no time, insofar as you can. 20
Lordynges, the tyme wasteth nyght and day, Gentlemen, the time wastes away night and
day, 21 And steleth from us, what pryvely slepynge, And steals from us, in part
imperceptibly when sleeping, 22 And what thurgh necligence in oure wakynge, And in part

2. through negligence when we are awake, 23 As dooth the streem that turneth nevere agayn,
As does the stream that never turns back, 24 Descendynge from the mountaigne into playn.
Descending from the mountain into the plain. 25 Wel kan Senec and many a philosophre
Well can Seneca and many a philosopher 26 Biwaillen tyme moore than gold in cofre;
Bewail time more than gold in coffer; 27 For `Los of catel may recovered be, For `Loss of
property may be recovered, 28 But los of tyme shendeth us,' quod he. But loss of time ruins
us,' said he. 29 It wol nat come agayn, withouten drede, It will not come again, without
doubt, 30 Nomoore than wole Malkynes maydenhede, No more than will Malkin's
maidenhead, 31 Whan she hath lost it in hir wantownesse. When she has lost it in her
wantonness. 32 Lat us nat mowlen thus in ydelnesse. Let us not grow moldy thus in
idleness. 33 "Sire Man of Lawe," quod he, "so have ye blis, "Sir Man of Law," said he, "as you
may have bliss, 34 Telle us a tale anon, as forward is. Tell us a tale now, as was agreed. 35 Ye
been submytted, thurgh youre free assent, You have submitted, through your free assent, 36
To stonden in this cas at my juggement. To stand in this case at my judgment. 37 Acquiteth
yow now of youre biheeste; Now fulfill your promise; 38 Thanne have ye do youre devoir
atte leeste." Then have you done your duty at the least." 39 "Hooste," quod he, "depardieux,
ich assente; "Host," said he, "in God's name, I assent; 40 To breke forward is nat myn
entente. To break our agreement is not my intent. 41 Biheste is dette, and I wole holde fayn
Promise is debt, and I will eagerly keep 42 Al my biheste, I kan no bettre sayn. All my
promise, I can say no better. 43 For swich lawe as a man yeveth another wight, For such law
as a man gives another person, 44 He sholde hymselven usen it, by right; He should himself
use it, by right; 45 Thus wole oure text. But nathelees, certeyn, Thus our text will have it. But
nonetheless, certainly, 46 I kan right now no thrifty tale seyn Right now I can tell no suitable
tale 47 That Chaucer, thogh he kan but lewedly That Chaucer, though he is ignorant 48 On
metres and on rymyng craftily, Of meters and of riming craftily, 49 Hath seyd hem in swich
Englissh as he kan Has (not already) said them in such English as he knows 50 Of olde tyme,
as knoweth many a man; Long ago, as knows many a man; 51 And if he have noght seyd
hem, leve brother, And if he has not said them, dear brother, 52 In o book, he hath seyd hem
in another. In one book, he has said them in another. 53 For he hath toold of loveris up and
doun For he has told of lovers up and down 54 Mo than Ovide made of mencioun More than
Ovid made mention of 55 In his Episteles, that been ful olde. In his Epistles, that are very
old. 56 What sholde I tellen hem, syn they been tolde? Why should I tell them, since they
have been told? 57 "In youthe he made of Ceys and Alcione, "In youth he wrote about Ceyx
and Alcion, 58 And sitthen hath he spoken of everichone, And since has he spoken of each
one, 59 Thise noble wyves and thise loveris eke. These noble wives and these lovers also. 60
Whoso that wole his large volume seke, Whoever will seek his large volume, 61 Cleped the
Seintes Legende of Cupide, Called the Saints' Legend of Cupid, 62 Ther may he seen the large
woundes wyde There may he see the large wounds wide 63 Of Lucresse, and of Babilan
Tesbee; Of Lucretia, and Thisbe of Babylon; 64 The swerd of Dido for the false Enee; The
sword of Dido (used) because of the false Aeneas; 65 The tree of Phillis for hire Demophon;
The tree of Phyllis for her Demophon; 66 The pleinte of Dianire and of Hermyon, The
complaint of Deianire and of Hermione, 67 Of Adriane, and of Isiphilee -- Of Ariadne, and of
Hypsipyle -- 68 The bareyne yle stondynge in the see -- The barren isle standing in the sea --

3. 69 The dreynte Leandre for his Erro; The drowned Leander for his Hero; 70 The teeris of
Eleyne, and eek the wo The tears of Helen, and also the woe 71 Of Brixseyde, and of the,
Ladomya; Of Briseis, and of thee, Laodamia; 72 The crueltee of the, queene Medea, The
cruelty of thee, queen Medea, 73 Thy litel children hangynge by the hals, Thy little children
hanging by the neck, 74 For thy Jason, that was of love so fals! Because of thy Jason, that was
in love so false! 75 O Ypermystra, Penelopee, Alceste, O Hypermnestra, Penelope, Alcestis,
76 Youre wifhod he comendeth with the beste! Your wifehood he commends with the best!
77 "But certeinly no word ne writeth he "But certainly no word writes he 78 Of thilke wikke
ensample of Canacee, Of that wicked example of Canace, 79 That loved hir owene brother
synfully -- Who loved her own brother sinfully -- 80 Of swiche cursed stories I sey fy! -- Of
such cursed stories I say fie! -- 81 Or ellis of Tyro Appollonius, Or else of Apollonius of Tyre,
82 How that the cursed kyng Antiochus How that the cursed king Antiochus 83 Birafte his
doghter of hir maydenhede, Deprived his daughter of her maidenhead, 84 That is so
horrible a tale for to rede, That is so horrible a tale to read, 85 Whan he hir threw upon the
pavement. When he threw her upon the pavement. 86 And therfore he, of ful avysement,
And therefore he, after careful consideration 87 Nolde nevere write in none of his sermons
Would never write in any of his compositions 88 Of swiche unkynde abhomynacions, Of
such unnatural abominations, 89 Ne I wol noon reherce, if that I may. Nor will I tell any
such, if that I may. 90 "But of my tale how shal I doon this day? "But of my tale what shall I
do this day? 91 Me were looth be likned, doutelees, I would hate to be likened, doubtless, 92
To Muses that men clepe Pierides -- To the Muses that men call Pierides -- 93
Methamorphosios woot what I mene; Metamorphoses shows what I mean; 94 But
nathelees, I recche noght a bene But nonetheless, I reckon it not worth a bean 95 Though I
come after hym with hawebake. Though I come after him with a humble dish. 96 I speke in
prose, and lat him rymes make." I speak in prose, and let him make rhymes." 97 And with
that word he, with a sobre cheere, And with that word he, with a solemn demeanor, 98
Bigan his tale, as ye shal after heere. Began his tale, as you shall after hear. The Prologue of
the Man of Law's Tale The Prologe of the Mannes Tale of Law 99 O hateful harm, condicion
of poverte! O hateful harm, condition of poverty! 100 With thurst, with coold, with hunger
so confoundid! By thirst, by cold, by hunger so distressed! 101 To asken help thee shameth
in thyn herte; To ask help thou art ashamed in thy heart; 102 If thou noon aske, with nede
artow so woundid If thou ask for none, thou art so wounded by need 103 That verray nede
unwrappeth al thy wounde hid! That true need reveals all thy hidden wound! 104 Maugree
thyn heed, thou most for indigence Despite all you can do, thou must for indigence 105 Or
stele, or begge, or borwe thy despence! Either steal, or beg, or borrow thy living expenses!
106 Thow blamest Crist and seist ful bitterly Thou blamest Christ and sayest full bitterly
107 He mysdeparteth richesse temporal; He wrongly allots temporal riches; 108 Thy
neighebor thou wytest synfully, Thy neighbor thou blamest sinfully, 109 And seist thou hast
to lite and he hath al. And sayest thou hast too little and he has all. 110 "Parfay," seistow,
"somtyme he rekene shal, "By my faith," sayest thou, "sometimes he shall pay for it, 111
Whan that his tayl shal brennen in the gleede, When his tail shall burn in the live coals, 112
For he noght helpeth needfulle in hir neede." For he helps not the needy in their need." 113
Herkne what is the sentence of the wise: Listen to what is the opinion of the wise: 114 "Bet

4. is to dyen than have indigence"; "Better it is to die than to have poverty"; 115 "Thy selve
neighebor wol thee despise." "Thy very neighbor will despise thee." 116 If thou be povre,
farwel thy reverence! If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence! 117 Yet of the wise man take
this sentence: Yet of the wise man take this advice: 118 "Alle the dayes of povre men been
wikke." "All the days of poor men are painful." 119 Be war, therfore, er thou come to that
prikke! Beware, therefore, before thou come to that point! 120 If thou be povre, thy brother
hateth thee, If thou be poor, thy brother hates thee, 121 And alle thy freendes fleen from
thee, allas! And all thy friends flee from thee, alas! 122 O riche marchauntz, ful of wele been
yee, O rich merchants, full of prosperity are you, 123 O noble, o prudent folk, as in this cas! O
noble, o prudent folk, in such a case as this! 124 Youre bagges been nat fild with ambes as,
Your bags are not filled with double aces (a losing throw in dice), 125 But with sys cynk,
that renneth for youre chaunce; But with six five, that is your winning number; 126 At
Cristemasse myrie may ye daunce! At Christmas merrily may you dance! 127 Ye seken lond
and see for yowre wynnynges; You seek land and sea for your winnings; 128 As wise folk ye
knowen al th' estaat As wise folk you know all the condition 129 Of regnes; ye been fadres
of tidynges Of (foreign) lands; you are fathers of tidings 130 And tales, bothe of pees and of
debaat. And tales, both of peace and of war. 131 I were right now of tales desolaat, I would
right now be without any tales, 132 Nere that a marchant, goon is many a yeere, Were it not
that a merchant, gone by is many a year, 133 Me taughte a tale, which that ye shal heere.
Taught me a tale, which you shall hear. If you would like to read the full tale, you can find it
(along with a translation and notes) here: https://chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/pages/man-
laws-introduction-prologuetale-and-epilogue Summary FRAGMENT II The Introduction to
the Man of Law's Tale: The Host sees that sun has run a quarter of its course and by a
complicated calculation demonstrates that it is ten o'clock in the morning on April 18, and
he warns the company that lost time can never be recovered. He asks the Man of Law to tell
the next Tale. The Man of Law says that Chaucer has told all the best tales -- tales of noble
women, whom he lists (almost all are in Chaucer's Legend of Good Women). But Chaucer,
the Man of Law says, will not tell stories of incest, the tale of Canacee and Apollonius of Tyre
(both of which appear in John Gower's Confessio amantis). And he tells the Tale of Custance
(which is also in Gower's Confessio). The Prologe of the Mannes Tale of Lawe is a literary
prologue having little to do with narrative frame-work (its relevance to the tale itself is not
very clear). The Epilogue of the Man of Law's Tale: The Host is delighted by the Man of
Law's Tale and turns next to the Parson, cursing ("for goddes bones") as he does so. The
Parson objects to such sinful cursing, and the Host replies, "I smell a Lollard (an heretic) in
the wind." This Lollard here, he says, will tell us a tale. No, shouts the Shipman, we will have
no preaching here. I'll tell the next tale, The Shipman says, and it will not be learned in any
way; "There is but little Latin in my maw." [There is reason to believe that this Epilogue was
cancelled; on this and problems about the "Shipman" as speaker, see the notes in The
Riverside Chaucer, pp. 862-63