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

 



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**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.