Glosses for Quiz #4 on the General Prologue (Lines I.669-858)

Compare your translations with the glossed text:

676 But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex;
         strike: clump, hank flex: flax

679 But thynne it lay, by colpons oon and oon.
         colpons: strands oon and oon: one by one

682 Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet;
         Hym thoughte: it seemed to him newe jet: latest fashion

687 Bretful of pardoun comen from Rome al hoot.
         Bretful: brimful pardoun: papal indulgences

696 He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl
         gobet of the seyl: piece of the sail

704 Than that the person gat in monthes tweye;
         tweye: two

710 But alderbest he song an offertorie;
         alderbest: best of all offertorie: Offertory

721 How that we baren us that ilke nyght,
         baren us: behaved ilke: same

730 For this ye knowen al so wel as I:
         al so: as

735 Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe,
         moot: must untrewe: inaccurately

741 Eek Plato seith, whoso kan hym rede,
         kan hym rede: knows how to interpret him

749 He served us with vitaille at the beste;
         vitaille: victuals, provisions at the beste: of the best sort

754 A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe --
         burgeys: citizen of a city (tradesman) 

764 I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye
         saugh: saw

769 "Ye goon to Caunterbury -- God yow speede,
         yow speede: give you success

779 And for to werken as I shal yow seye,
         werken: do

786 And graunted hym withouten moore avys,
         avys: discussion

792 In this viage shal telle tales tweye
         shal: must

798 Tales of best sentence and moost solaas --
       sentence: meaning, significance solaas: pleasure

799 Shal have a soper at oure aller cost
         at oure aller cost: at the cost of all of us

807 And if ye vouche sauf that it be so,
         vouche sauf: grant, agree

823 Up roos oure Hoost, and was oure aller cok,
         oure aller cok: rooster of us all (awakened us all)

830 If even-song and morwe-song accorde,
         That is, if you still agree this morning with what you said last night

840 And ye, sire Clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse,
         lat be: leave off shamefastnesse: modesty

853 He seyde, "Syn I shal bigynne the game,
         Syn: since shal: must

857 And he bigan with right a myrie cheere
         cheere: expression

 

Four points for each correct answer: if you scored less than 76 you should restudy this part of the General Prologue. If you scored 80 or more, congratulations.