The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer modernis'd by several hands. Publsh'd by Mr. Oggle |
 | I. |
PROLOGUE TO THE TALES. |
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| II. |
| III. |
 | The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer |  |
1
PROLOGUE TO THE TALES.
By Mr. OGLE.
When
April, soft'ning, sheds refreshing Show'rs,
And frees, from droughty March, the springing Flow'rs;
April! That bathes the teeming Womb of Earth,
And gives, to Vegetation, kindly Birth!
And frees, from droughty March, the springing Flow'rs;
April! That bathes the teeming Womb of Earth,
And gives, to Vegetation, kindly Birth!
When Zephyr breathes the Gale that favors Love,
And cherishes the Growth of ev'ry Grove;
Zephyr! That ministers, with genial Breeze,
Bloom to the Shrubs, and Verdure to the Trees!
And cherishes the Growth of ev'ry Grove;
Zephyr! That ministers, with genial Breeze,
Bloom to the Shrubs, and Verdure to the Trees!
When youthful Phœbus half his Course compleats,
Divides the Ram, and glows with temp'rate Heats;
Phœbus! Our equal Good, the live-long Year,
Or shou'd he take, or shou'd he quit the Sphere!
Divides the Ram, and glows with temp'rate Heats;
Phœbus! Our equal Good, the live-long Year,
Or shou'd he take, or shou'd he quit the Sphere!
2
When Philomel injoys the coming Spring,
And feeling her Approach, delights to sing;
Sweet Philomel! Of all the Birds that fly,
The Sole, to pass the Night, with sleepless Eye!
And feeling her Approach, delights to sing;
Sweet Philomel! Of all the Birds that fly,
The Sole, to pass the Night, with sleepless Eye!
Then Pilgrims long to roam to foreign Lands;
Then Palmers pass, with Branches in their Hands;
Then various Vot'ries visit various Climes;
Then sund'ry Saints are feed for sundry Crimes.
Then Palmers pass, with Branches in their Hands;
Then various Vot'ries visit various Climes;
Then sund'ry Saints are feed for sundry Crimes.
But not Abroad, our English Zealots strole,
To Canterbury tend the pious Shoal.
There pay, and promise to the Saint Inshrin'd,
For ev'ry Ail of Body, and of Mind.
To Canterbury tend the pious Shoal.
There pay, and promise to the Saint Inshrin'd,
For ev'ry Ail of Body, and of Mind.
It so befell, that Season, on a Day,
In Southwark, at the Tabarde-Inn, I lay;
Ready, by Morn, my Progress to pursue:
A Pilgrimage to See, was all my View!
In Southwark, at the Tabarde-Inn, I lay;
Ready, by Morn, my Progress to pursue:
A Pilgrimage to See, was all my View!
When at our Inn, before the Fall of Night,
Lo! Twenty-Nine in Fellowship alight:
Strangers, that chanc'd, in Company to fall,
Unlike the Men, but Pilgrims they were all.
Lo! Twenty-Nine in Fellowship alight:
Strangers, that chanc'd, in Company to fall,
Unlike the Men, but Pilgrims they were all.
3
To Canterbury Each propos'd to ride—
The House was roomy, and the Stables wide:
Well serv'd was ev'ry Beast, and ev'ry Guest,
And Man and Horse were treated with the Best.
The House was roomy, and the Stables wide:
Well serv'd was ev'ry Beast, and ev'ry Guest,
And Man and Horse were treated with the Best.
I talk'd with Each, with Each familiar grew,
Was One with All, before the Sun withdrew.
And One and All agreed, at Dawn of Day,
To Canterbury Town to take their Way.
Was One with All, before the Sun withdrew.
And One and All agreed, at Dawn of Day,
To Canterbury Town to take their Way.
But here it falls in Season and in Place,
That Company with Play keep Pace with Pace.
Then e'er we sally, take, as I describe,
The Characters of all our Pilgrim-Tribe;
That Company with Play keep Pace with Pace.
Then e'er we sally, take, as I describe,
The Characters of all our Pilgrim-Tribe;
Just what they were, or what they seem'd to me,
Their Age or Sex, their Fashion, or Degree,
In what, Array, or what Condition in;
This granted; with the Knight I first begin.
Their Age or Sex, their Fashion, or Degree,
In what, Array, or what Condition in;
This granted; with the Knight I first begin.
The End of the Prologue.
| The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer | |