Canterbury Tales: Prologue

how many people came in the tavern that night

29 travelers and the guide

"with them who stood alone for boiling chicken with marrow-bone, sharp flavoring-powder and spice for savor, he could distinguish London ale by flavor, and he could roast and seethe and broil and fry, make good thick soup and bake a tasty pie"

Cook

"a prioress, her way of smiling very simple and coy. Her greatest oath was only "By St Loy" and she was known as Madam Eglantyne. And well she sang a service, with a fine intoning through her nose, as was most seemly and spoke daintily in French extremely, for courtliness she had a special zest

Nun

"still a student though, one who had taken logic long ago, was there; his horse was thinner than a rake, and he was not too fat, I undertake, but he had a hollow look, a sober stare; he found no preferment in the Church and he too unworldly to make search for secular employment, he preferred having twenty books in red and black, Aristotle's philosophy, whatever money he took from friends he spent on learning from another book his only care was study"

Oxford Cleric

"a bird from Charing Cross of the same feather, just back from visiting the court of Rome, The Summoner sang deep seconds to this song "come hither love come here" no trumpet ever sounded half so strong, this person hair yellow as wax, he wore no hood and his hair fell thin to his shoulders, in church he was the noble ecclesiast"

Pardoner

"who paid his calls, wary and wise, for clients at St. Paul's there also was, of noted excellence discreet he was, a man to reverence, or so he seemed, his sayings were so wise, he often had been Justice of Assize by letters patent and in full commission, he knew every judgement, case and crime ever recorded since King William's time."

Serjant at the Law

"his face on fire, like a cherubin, for he had carbuncles, his eyes were narrow he was as hot and lecherous as a sparrow, black scabby brows he had and a thin beard, children were afraid when he appeared, no quicksilver, lead ointment, tarter creams, nothing could clean up his whelks of white or his zits, he would get drunk and speak Latin, he knew their secrets they did what he said, he wore a garland set upon his head"

Summoner

"was with us, somewhat deaf, which was a pity, in making cloth she showed so great a bent, she bettered those of other places, in all the parish not a dame dared stir towards the altar steps in front of her, and if indeed they did, so wrath was she as to be quite put out of charity"

woman from Bath

What month is it when he enters the inn

April

"too emerged as we proceeded; no one alive could talk as well as he did on points of medicine and of surgery, for, being grounded in astronomy, he watched his patient closely for hours when, by his horoscope, he knew the powers of favorable planets...the cause of every malady you'd got he knew and could cure, all his apothecaries in a tribe were ready for the drugs he would prescribe, he had a special love of gold"

Doctor

"with him it appeared; white as a daisy-petal with his beard. a sanguine man, high-colored and benign, he loved a morning sop of cake in wine. He lived for pleasure and he had always done, for he was Epicurus' very son, in whose opinion sensual delight was the one true felicity in sight. He made his household free to all the County as Sheriff he checked every audit, every entry, he was a model among landed gentry

Franklin

"a wanton one and merry, a limiter, a very festive fellow. In all Four Orders there was none so mellow, so glib with gallant phrase and well-turned speech. He'd fixed up many a marriage, giving each of his young women what he could afford her. He was a noble pillar to his Order. Highly beloved and intimate was he with country folk within his boundary and city dames of honor and possessions; for he was qualified to hear confessions he had special license from the Pope" name is Hubert

Friar

"came from the Inner Temple; all caterers might follow his example in buying victuals, he was never rash whether he bought on credit or cash, he used to watch the market most precisely, and got in first and so he did quite nicely. Now isn't it a marvel of God's grace that an illiterate fellow can outpace the wisdom of a heap of learned men"

Manciple

" with forking beard and motley dress; high on his horse he sat, upon his head a Flemish beaver hat and on his feet daintily buckled boots. He told his opinions and pursuits in solemn tones, he harped on his increase of capital, he was an excellent fellow all the same to tell the truth I do not know his name"

Merchant

"chap of sixteen stone a great stout fellow big in brawn and bone, he did well out of them, for he could go and win the ram at any wrestling show, broad knotty and short-shouldered he would boast he could heave any door off a hinge and post, this guy was very strong, he liked to play the bagpipes and wore a hood of blue and white"

Miller

"there was one of the finest sort who rode the country; hunting was his sport. A manly man, to be an Abbot able; many a dainty horse he had in stable. HIs bridle, when he rode, a man might hear jingling in a whistling wind as clear. took the modern world's more spacious way, a good man to horse and he had greyhounds"

Monk

"a holy minded man of good renown there was and poor. yet he was rich in holy thought and work, he was also a learned man, a clerk, who truly knew Christ's gospel and would preach it devoutly to the parishioners and teach it. Benign and wonderfully diligent and patient when adversity was sent he hated cursing to extort a fee, preferred giving to the neglected and poor, he taught and followed the Apostles"

Parson

"with him there, his brother, many a load of dung one time or other he must have carted through the morning dew, he was an honest worker, good and true, living in peace and perfect charity, and as the gospel bade him, so did he, loving God best with all his heart and mind, he went about his work for the rest of the day, thrash corn and dig to manure, he would help the poor"

Plowman

"was old and choleric and thin; his beard was shaven close to the skin, his shorn hair came abruptly to a stop above his ears and he was docked on top just like a priest in the front, his legs were lean like sticks they were no calves to be seen a better hand at bargains than his lord, he had grown rich and had a store of treasure"

Reeve

"hailing from far west; he came from Dartmouth so I understood. He rode a farmer's horse as best he could, in a woolen gown that reached his knee. A dagger on a lanyard falling free, hung from his neck under his arm and down. The summer heat had tanned his color brown if, when he fought, the enemy vessel sank, he sent his prisoners home, they walked the plank, he was great at sailing, no one matched him, his ship was called the Maudelayne

Skipper

"a lover and cadet, a lad of fire with locks as curly as if they had been pressed. He was some twenty years of age, I guessed. In stature he was of moderate length, with wonderful agility and strength. He was embroidered like a meadow bright and full of freshest flowers, red and white, singing he was or fluting all the day, he was fresh as is the month of May."

Squire

who are they going to go see in Canterbury

St. Thomas à Becket

Where was the narrator staying

The Tabard

"No other servant; so he chose to ride. This person wore a coat and hood of greem, and peacock-feathered arrows, bright and keen and neatly sheathed, hung at his belt the while and in his hands he bore a mighty bow, a medal of St. Christopher he wore of shining sliver on his breast and bore a hunting-horn, well slung and burnished clean."

Yeoman

"A most distinguished man, who from the day on which he first began to ride abroad had followed chivalry, truth, honor, generousness and courtesy. He had done nobly in his sovereign's war and ridden into battle, no man more, as well in Christian as in heathen places and ever honored for his noble graces. In fifteen moral battles had he been and jousted for out faith at Tramissene. Thrice in the lists and always killed his man." has a son, the squire

knight