CANON'S YEOMAN'S PROLOGUE
"Friend," then said our host, "God give thee good luck for thy warning, for it would seem, certes, thy lord is wise, and I may well think so. I dare lay my money also he is full jocund. Can he tell us ever a merry tale or two, with which he may gladden this company?"
"Who, sir? My lord? Yea, yea, without doubt; he knoweth enough and to spare of mirth and jollity; trust me, sir, also an ye knew him as well as I do, ye would marvel how craftily and well, he can work, and that eke in sundry ways. He hath taken many a great emprise upon him, which would be full hard for any that is here to carry out, unless they learn it of him. As homely as he rideth amongst you, yet if ye knew him, it would be for your advantage; ye would not forego his acquaintance for much wealth, I dare stake all that I possess. He is a man of high discretion ; I warn you, he is a passing man."
"Well," quoth our host, "I pray thee then tell me, is he a clerk, or no? Tell what he is."
"Nay, faith, he is greater than a clerk," said this yeoman, "and in few words, host, I will tell you somewhat of his craft. I say, my lord knoweth such subtlety (but ye may not learn from me all his craft and yet I help somewhat in his working) that all this ground on which we be riding till we come to Canterbury-town he could turn clean inside-out and pave it all of silver and gold."
And when this yeoman had thus spoken unto our host, he said, "Ben'cite! this thing to me is a wondrous marvel, sith thy lord is of so high discretion because of which men should reverence him, that he recketh so little of his worship. In truth I vow his cloak is not worth a mite; it is all dirty and torn also.
Why is thy lord so sluttish, I pray thee, and yet hath power to
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