Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue 06, The Prioress - (A Minimalist Translation) Poem by Forrest Hainline

Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue 06, The Prioress - (A Minimalist Translation)

There was also a Nun, a Prioress,
That of her smiling was full simple and coy.
Her greatest oath was but by Saint Loy;
And she was called Madame Eglantine.
Full well she sang the service divine,
Intoned in her nose full seemly;
And French she spoke full fair and fetisely,
After the school of Stratford at the Bowe,
For French of Paris was to her unknow.
At meat well taught was she withal;
She let no morsel from her lips fall,
Nor wet her fingers in her sauce deep.
Well could she carry a morsel, and well keep,
That no drop would fall upon her breast.
In courtesy was set full much her lest.
Her over-lip wiped she so clean
That in her cup there was no farthing seen
Of grease, when she drunk had her draft.
Full seemly after her meat she raft,
And certainly she was of great disport,
And full pleasant, and amiable of port,
And pained her to counterfeit cheer
Of court, and be stately of manner
And to be held worthy of reverence.
But for to speak of her conscience,
She was so charitable and so piteous
She would weep, if that she saw a mouse
Caught in a trap, if it were dead or bled.
Of small hounds had she, that she fed
With roasted flesh, or milk and wastel-bread.
But sore wept she if one of them were dead,
Or if men smote it with a yard smart:
And all was conscience and tender heart.
Full seemly her wimple pinched was;
Her nose tretis, her eyes gray as glass;
Her mouth full small, and thereto soft and red.
But certainly she had a fair forehead;
It was almost a span broad, I trow;
For hardily, she was not under grow.
Full fetis was her cloak, as I was ware.
Of small coral about her arm she bare
A pair of beads, gauded all with green,
And thereon hung a brooch of gold full sheen,
On which there was first writ a crowned A,
And after, amor vincit omnia.

Another nun with her had she,
That was her chaplain, and priests three.

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Forrest Hainline