A Frere[76] ther was, a wanton and a mery,
A Limitour,[77] a ful solempnè man.
In all the ordres foure is none that can
So muche of daliance and fayre langáge.
He hadde ymade ful many a mariáge
Of yongè wimmen, at his owen cost.
Until[78] his ordre he was a noble post.
Ful wel beloved, and familier was he
With frankeleins[79] over all in his contrèe,
And eke with worthy wimmen of the toun:
For he had power of confessioun,
As saide himselfè, more than a curát,
For of his ordre he was a licenciat.
Ful swetely herde he confession,
And plesant was his absolution.
He was an esy man to give penaunce,
Ther as he wiste[80] to han[81] a good pitaunce:
For unto a poure[82] ordre for to give
Is signè that a man is wel yshrive.[83]
For if he gaf, he dorstè make avaunt,[84]
He wistè that a man was repentaunt.
For many a man so hard is of his herte,
He may not wepe although him sorè smerte.
Therfore in stede of weping and praieres,
Men mote[85] give silver to the pourè freres.
His tippet was ay farsed[86] ful of knives,
And pinnès, for to given fayrè wives.
And certainly he hadde a mery note.
Wel coude he singe and plaien on a rote.[87]
Of yeddinges[88] he bar utterly the pris.
His nekke was white as the flour de lis.
Therto he strong was as a champioun,
And knew wel the tavérnes in every toun,
And every hosteler and tappestere,
Better than a lazar or a beggestere,
For unto swiche a worthy man as he
Accordeth not, as by his facultè,
To haven[89] with sike lazars acquaintànce.
It is not honest, it may not avànce,[90]
As for to delen with no swiche pouràille,[91]
But all with riche, and sellers of vitàille.
And over all, ther as profit shuld arise,
Curteis he was, and lowly of servise.
Ther nas no man no wher so vertuous.
He was the beste begger in his hous:
[And gave a certain fermè[92] for the grant,
Non of his bretheren came in his haunt.]
For though a widewe haddè but a shoo,
(So plesant was his _in principio_)
Yet wold he have a ferthing or[93] he went.
His pourchas was wel better than his rent.[94]
And rage he coude as it hadde ben a whelp,
In lovèdayes,[95] ther coude he mochel help.
For ther he was nat like a cloisterere,
With thredbare cope, as is a poure scolere,
But he was like a maister or a pope.
Of double worsted was his semicope,[96]
That round was as a belle out of the presse.
Somwhat he lisped, for his wantonnesse,
To make his English swete upon his tonge;
And in his harping, whan that he hadde songe,
His eyen twinkeled in his hed aright,
As don the sterrès in a frosty night.
This worthy limitour was cleped Hubèrd.
[Footnote 59: a fair one for the mastership.]
[Footnote 60: hunting.]
[Footnote 61: dainty.]
[Footnote 62: pass.]
[Footnote 63: did not care a plucked hen for the text.]
[Footnote 64: careless; removed from the restraints of his order and
vows.]
[Footnote 65: mad.]
[Footnote 66: toil.]
[Footnote 67: biddeth.]
[Footnote 68: hard rider.]
[Footnote 69: spurring.]
[Footnote 70: wrought on the edge.]
[Footnote 71: a fine kind of fur.]
[Footnote 72: bald.]
[Footnote 73: bright.]
[Footnote 74: Shone like a furnace under a cauldron.]
[Footnote 75: tormented.]
[Footnote 76: Friar.]
[Footnote 77: A friar with a licence to beg within certain limits.]
[Footnote 78: Unto.]
[Footnote 79: country gentlemen.]
[Footnote 80: knew.]
[Footnote 81: have.]
[Footnote 82: poor.]
[Footnote 83: shriven.]
[Footnote 84: durst make a boast.]
[Footnote 85: must.]
[Footnote 86: stuffed.]
[Footnote 87: a stringed instrument.]
[Footnote 88: story telling.]
[Footnote 89: have.]
[Footnote 90: profit.]
[Footnote 91: poor people.]
[Footnote 92: farm. This couplet only appears in the Hengwrt MS. As Mr.
Pollard says, it is probably Chaucer's, but may have been omitted by
him as it interrupts the sentence. Cf. _Globe_ Chaucer.]
[Footnote 93: ere.]
[Footnote 94: The proceeds of his begging exceeded his fixed income.]
[Footnote 95: Days appointed for the amicable settlement of
differences.]
[Footnote 96: half cloak.]