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 Wife of Bath's Tale Folio 77v 4 of 10 folios
Where as he hopetħ / for to fynden grace
To lerne what thyng / wommen louen moost
895
But he ne coude / aryuen in no coost
Where as he mygħ t fynde / in this matere
Two creatures / accordynge in fere
Some seyden / wommen louen best richesse
There is a cross in dry point in the left margin, it takes 2-3 lines.ODR
Some seiden honour / some seyden Iolynesse
900
Some seiden riche aray / some seiden lust a bedde
And ofte tymes to be wydewe / and wedde
Some seiden that oure hert / is most eased
Whan that we ben / I flatered / and I plesed
He gotħ ful ny the sothe / I wol nat lye
905
A man shal wynne vs best / witħ flaterie
And witħ attendaunce / and besynesse
Ben we I lymed / bothe more & lesse
For to be free / & do rigħ t as vs list
910
And that noman / repreeue vs / of oure vice
But seye / þ at we ben wyse / & no thyng nyce
For trewely / there is noon of vs alle
If ony wygħ t / wyl clawe vs on the galle
That we nyl kyke / for he seitħ vs sotħ
915
Assay / and he shal fynde it / þ t so dotħ
For be we neuer e / so vicious witħ Inne
There is a cross in dry point in the left margin, it takes 4-5 lines.ODR
We wol be holden / wys / and clene of synne
For to be holden stable / and eke secree
920
And on a purpos / stedfastly to dwelle
And nougħ t be wreye thyng / that men vs telle
But that tale is nougħ t wortħ / a rake stele
Parde / we wommen / conne no thyng hele
Wytnesse on Myda / wol ȝe here the tale
There is a pointing hand in the left margin.Est
925
Ouyde a monges / othere thynges smale
Seide / Myda had / vnder his longe heeres
Growyng vp on his hed / two asses eres
The whicħ vice he hid / as he best mygħ t
Ful sotilly / fro euer y mannes sigħ t
930
That saw his wyf / there wyst of it no moo
He loued hire most / and trosted hire also
He preyede hire / that to no creature
She shulde tellen / of his disfigure
She swor hī nay / for al this world to wynne
935
She nolde do / that velanye or synne
To make hire husbonde / han so foul a name
She nolde nat telle it / for hire owen shame
But natheles / hire thougħ t rigħ t that he deyed
That she so longe / shulde a counseil hide