#  Glosses for quiz #1 on the General Prologue (Lines I.1-269) 

 



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### **Compare your translations with the glossed text:**

### 27 That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.

 **wolden**: desired, intended to  
  
31 So hadde I spoken with hem everichon  
 **everichon**: every one  
  
38 To telle yow al the condicioun  
 **condicioun**: state, circumstances  
  
49 As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,  
 **hethenesse**: heathen lands  
  
54 In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce,  
 **reysed**: ridden on raids  
  
65 Somtyme with the lord of Palatye  
 **Somtyme**: once, at one time   
  
71 In al his lyf unto no maner wight.  
 **no maner wight**: any sort of person  
  
85 And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie  
 **in chyvachie**: on a cavalry expedition  
  
94 Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.  
 **koude**: knew how to  
  
101 A YEMAN hadde he and servantz namo  
 **Yeman**: yeoman: freeborn servant; **namo**: no other  
  
114 Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere;  
 **Harneised**: ornamented  
  
121 And she was cleped madame Eglentyne.  
 **cleped**: called  
  
124 And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,  
 **fetisly**: elegantly  
  
132 In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest.  
 *Her greatest pleasure* (**lest**) *was in good manners* (**curteisie**).  
  
152 Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,  
 **tretys**: well formed  
  
155 It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;  
 **spanne brood**: about seven to nine inches wide; **trowe**: believe   
  
167 A manly man, to been an abbot able.  
 **manly**: generous, virile  
  
189 Therfore he was a prikasour aright:  
 **prikasour**: horseman, hunter on horseback; **aright**: certainly  
  
192 Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.  
 **lust**: pleasure  
  
205 He was nat pale as a forpyned goost.  
 **forpyned goost**: tormented spirit  
  
211 So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage.  
 **muchel**: much; **daliaunce**: sociability  
  
217 And eek with worthy wommen of the toun;  
 **eek**: also  
  
224 Ther as he wiste to have a good pitaunce.  
 **pitaunce**: gift  
  
227 For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,  
 *For if a man gave, he (the Friar) dared to assert*   
  
232 Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres.  
 **moote yeve**: must give  
  
267 His eyen twynkled in his heed aryght  
 **eyen**: eyes

Award yourself 4 points for each correct answer; if you did well (got 80 or better), go on with your reading of The General Prologue. If you had a bit of trouble (got 79 or less), you should go back and again read carefully through this part (lines 1-269 of the General Prologue).