FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS. GEOFFREY CHAUCER. 1328-1400. (From the text of Tyrwhitt.) WHANNE that April with his shoures sote And smale foules maken melodie, Line 9. Line 69. And Frenche she spake ful fayre and fetisly, A Clerk ther was of Oxenforde also. For him was lever han at his beddes hed Line 122. Line 287. Line 295. And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche. Nowher so besy a man as he ther n' as, Line 323. Line 440. His studie was but litel on the Bible. For gold in phisike is a cordial; Wide was his parish, and houses fer asonder. Line 445. Line 493. This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf, - Line 498. But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve, He taught; but first he folwed it himselve. Line 529. And yet he had a thomb of gold parde.1 Line 565. Who so shall telle a tale after a man, For May wol have no slogardie a-night. Line 733. The Knightes Tale. Line 1044. That field hath eyen, and the wood hath ears.2 Line 1524. Line 2275. 1 In allusion to the proverb, "Every honest miller has a golden thumb." 2 Fieldes have eies and woodes have eares. - HEYWOOD: Proverbes, part ii. chap. v. Wode has erys, felde has sigt. - King Edward and the Shepherd, MS. Circa 1300. Walls have ears. HAZLITT: English Proverbs, etc. (ed. 1869) p. 446. |