#  Test Your Reading of the General Prologue (Lines 1-269) 

 



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Translate into clear Modern English each of the bold-faced words and phrases in the lines below:

27 That toward Caunterbury **wolden** ryde.

31 So hadde I spoken with hem **everichon**  
  
38 To telle yow al the **condicioun**  
  
49 As wel in cristendom as in **hethenesse**,  
  
54 In Lettow hadde he **reysed** and in Ruce,  
  
65 **Somtyme** with the lord of Palatye  
  
71 In al his lyf unto **no maner wight**.  
  
85 And he hadde been somtyme **in chyvachie**  
  
94 Wel **koude** he sitte on hors and faire ryde.  
  
101 A **YEMAN** hadde he and servantz **namo**  
  
114 **Harneised** wel and sharp as point of spere;  
  
121 And she was **cleped** madame Eglentyne.  
  
124 And Frenssh she spak ful faire and **fetisly**,  
  
132 **In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest**.  
  
152 Hir nose **tretys**, hir eyen greye as glas,  
  
155 It was almoost a **spanne brood**, I **trowe**;  
  
167 A **manly** man, to been an abbot able.  
  
189 Therfore he was a **prikasour** **aright**:  
  
192 Was al his **lust**, for no cost wolde he spare.  
  
205 He was nat pale as a **forpyned goost**.  
  
211 So **muchel** of **daliaunce** and fair langage.  
  
217 And **eek** with worthy wommen of the toun;  
  
224 Ther as he wiste to have a good **pitaunce**.  
  
227 **For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt**,  
  
232 Men **moote yeve** silver to the povre freres.  
  
267 His **eyen** twynkled in his heed aryght

**Compare your translations with the page** [**glosses**](/glosses-quiz-1-general-prologue-lines-i1-269) **for these lines.**