Manuscript images © Cambridge University Library. Reproduction is strictly prohibited.
- You are now viewing the graphical version of the manuscript
1. The General Prologue
2. The Knight's Tale
3. The Miller's Prologue
4. The Miller's Tale
5. The Reeve's Prologue
6. The Reeve's Tale
7. The Cook's Prologue
8. The Cook's Tale
9. Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale
10. The Man of Law's Tale
11. The Wife of Bath's Prologue
12. The Wife of Bath's Tale
13. The Friar's Prologue
14. The Friar's Tale
15. The Summoner's Prologue
16. The Summoner's Tale
17. The Clerk's Tale
18. Lenvoye de Chaucer
19. Words of the Host
20. The Merchant's Prologue
21. The Merchant's Tale
22. Epilogue to the Merchant's Tale
23. The Squire's Tale
24. The Franklin's Tale
25. The Physician's Tale
26. Introduction to the Pardoner's Tale
27. The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
28. The Shipman's Tale
29. The Prioress' Tale
30. The Tale of Sir Thopas
31. Here the Host 'stynteth' Chaucer's Tale of Sir Thopas
32. The Tale of Melibeus
33. The Monk's Prologue
34. The Monk's Tale
35. The Nun's Priest's Prologue
36. The Nun's Priest's Tale
37. Epilogue to the Nun's Priest's Tale
38. The Second Nun's Tale
39. The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
40. The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
The Knight's Tale Folio 27r 5 of 35 folios
Th e Sowe F reetyng th e ch il d / rigħ t in th e Cradel
The koke I skaldede / for al his longe ladel
Nouȝt was for ȝeten / by þ e infortune of Marte
The Cartere ouer ryden / with his carte
1165
Vnder the whele / ful lowe he lay a doun
There were also / of Martes deuysioū
The Barbour / and the Bocher / and the Smytħ
That forgeth sharpe swerdes / on the Stytħ
There is a cross in dry point in the left margin.ODR
1170
Saugħ I conquest / sittyng in gret honour
With the sharp swerde / ouer his hede
Hangyng / by a sotel twyned threde
Depeynted was the slauȝter / of Iulius
Of gret Nero / and of Anthonius
1175
Alle be þ at thilke tyme / they were vnborñ
Ȝet was here detħ / depeynted þ er e biforñ
By manassyng of Mars / rigħ t be figure
So was it shewed / in that portrature
As is depeynted / in the Sertres a boue
1180
Who shal be slayn / or elles ded for loue
Suffiseth on ensaumple / in stories olde
I may nat rekken hem alle / thougħ I wolde
Armed and loked grym / as he were wode
1185
And ouer his hed / þ er e shynen two figures
Of stories / þ at ben cleped / in sci ptures
That on Puella / that other Rubeus
This god of armes / was a rayed thus
A wolf þ er e stode / biforn hī at his fete
1190
With eyen rede / and of a man he ete
With sotil pencelles / was depeynted þ is storie
In redoutyng of Mars / & of his glorie
As shortly as I can / I wyl me haste
1195
To tellen ȝow / of the disci psioū
Depeynted by the walles / vp and doun
Of huntyng / and of shamefast chastite
There saugħ I / how wooful Calistope
Whan þ at Diane / a greued was with hire
1200
Was turned fro a wō man / to a Beere
And after was she mad / þ e lode sterre ¶ Vrsa maior
Thus was it peynted / I can sey ȝow no ferre
Hire sone is eke / a sterre as men may se
There saugh I Dane / turned to a tre
1205
I mene nat / the goddes Diane