Background Notes
The pilgrims in Canterbury Tales are visiting this man's grave.
Who is Thomas Beckett.
Wel koude he knowe a draughte of Londoun ale.
He koude rooste, and sethe, and broille, and frye,
Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye.
Who is the Cook.
For hym was levere have at his beddes heed
Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed,
Of Aristotle and his philosophie
Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie.
Who is the Oxford Cleric
Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground;
I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound
That on a Sonday weren upon hir heed.
Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed,
Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe.
Who is the Wife of Bath.
What is April.
Chaucer was accused of this crime (but it was likely "swept under the rug" by his connections at Court).
What is "raptus" (rape, assault)
She was so charitable and so pitous
She wolde wepe, if that she saugh a mous
Kaught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde.
Of smale houndes hadde she that she fedde
With rosted flessh, or milk and wastel-breed.
Who is the Prioresse.
Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,
And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,
As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,
And evere honoured for his worthynesse;
Who is the Knight.
Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable,
And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere
Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere
And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle
Ther as this lord was kepere of the celle.
Who is the Monk.
The Host has the pilgrims decide the order of telling tales by doing this.
These are the female estates seen in "The General Prologue."
What are virgins, wives, and widows.
He wolde the see were kept for any thyng
Bitwixe Middelburgh (Holland) and Orewelle (England).
Wel koude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle.
This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette:
Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette,
Who is the Merchant.
His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves
And pynnes, for to yeven faire wyves.
And certeinly he hadde a murye note:
Wel koude he synge and pleyen on a rote;
Who is the Friar.
Benygne he was, and wonder diligent,
And in adversitee ful pacient,
And swich he was ypreved ofte sithes.
Ful looth were hym to cursen for his tithes,
But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute,
Unto his povre parisshens aboute
Of his offryng and eek of his substaunce.
Who is the Parson.
This is the number of pilgrims (not including the narrator or the Host) going on the pilgrimage.
What is 29.
The four bodily humours included blood, yellow bile, black bile, and this.
What is phlegm.
A voys he hadde as smal as hath a goot (goat).
No berd hadde he, ne nevere sholde have;
As smothe it was as it were late shave.
I trowe (believe) he were a geldyng or a mare.
Who is the Pardoner.
Children were afraid of his face.
Ther nas quyk-silver (mercury), lytarge, ne brymstoon,
Boras (Borax), ceruce (white lead), ne oille of tartre noon,
Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte,
That hym myghte helpen of his whelkes (pustules) white,
Nor of the knobbes sittynge on his chekes.
Who is the Summoner.
Wo was his cook but if his sauce were
Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geere.
His table dormant in his halle alway
Stood redy covered al the longe day.
Who is the Franklin.
What is the Tabard Inn.
King Henry II may have said this that initiated four knights to murder the Archbishop of Canterbury.
What is "will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest."
Of his diete mesurable was he,
For it was of no superfluitee,
But of greet norissyng and digestible.
His studie was but litel on the Bible.
In sangwyn and in pers he clad was al,
Lyned with taffata and with sendal.
Who is the Doctour of Phisik
Upon the cop right of his nose he hade
A werte, and theron stood a toft of herys,
Reed as the brustles of a sowes erys;
His nosethirles blake were and wyde.
Who is the Miller.
He was a large man with prominent eyes --
A fairer burgeys (business man) was ther noon in Chepe (Cheapside, London) --
Boold of his speche, and wys, and wel ytaught,
And of manhod hym lakkede right naught.
Eek (also) therto he was right a myrie man;
And after soper pleyen (was merry) he bigan,
Who is the Host.
This is the prize for the winner of the contest regarding the Tales.
A meal paid for by the other pilgrims at the Host's bar (and the Host sets the price for the meal).