And bade him say his verdit, as him leste.'

"Lordinges (quod he), now herkeneth for the beste; But take it nat, I pray you, in disdain;

This is the point, to speke it plat and plain,

That eche of you to shorten with youre way,

In this viage, shal tellen tales tway,

To Canterbury ward, I mene it so,

And homeward he shall tellen other two,

Of aventures that whilom han befalle.

And which of you that bereth him best of alle,

That is to sayn, that telleth in this cas

Tales of best sentence and most solas,

Shal have a souper at youre aller cost

Here in this place sitting by this post,

Whan that ye comen agen from Canterbury.
And for to maken you the more mery,

I wol myselven gladly with you ride,
Right at min owen cost, and be your gide,
And who that wol my jugement withsay,
Shall pay for alle we spenden by the way.

And if ye vouchesauf that it be so,

Telle me anon withouten wordes mo,

And I wol erly shapen me therfore."

This thing was granted, and our othes swore
With ful glad herte, and praiden him also,
That he wold vouchesauf for to don so,

And that he wolde ben our governour,
And of our tales juge and reportour,

1 Pleased.

And sette a souper at a certain pris;

And we wold reuled ben at his devise,

In highe and lowe: and thus by on assent,
We ben accorded to his jugement.

And therupon the win was fette anon.

We dronken, and to reste wenten eche on,
Withouten any lenger tarying.

A-morwe whan the day began to spring,
Up rose our hoste, and was our aller cok,
And gaderd us togeder in a flok,

And forth we riden a litel more than pas,'
Unto the watering of Seint Thomas :
And ther our hoste began his hors arest,
And saide; "lordes, herkeneth if you lest.
Ye wete your forword, and I it record.
If even-song and morwe-song accord,
Let se now who shal telle the first tale.

As ever mote I drinken win or ale,
Who so is rebel to my jugement,

Shal pay for alle that by the way is spent.

Now draweth cutte, or that ye forther twinne.+

He which that hath the shortest shal beginne.
"Sire knight (quod he), my maister and my lord,

Now draweth cutte, for that is min accord.
Cometh nere (quod he), my lady prioresse,

And ye, sire clerk, let be your shamefastnesse,
Ne studieth nought, lay hand to, every man.”

1 Foot-pace.

2 Promise.

3 Draw lots.

4 Depart.