The Church The Parson The Nun The Monk The Oxford Cleric The Summoner The Pardoner

“ A holy-minded man of good renown” (line 487)

“Who truly knew Christ’s gospel and would preach it devoutly to parishioners, and teach it. (line 491)

“Wide was his parish, with houses far asunder, yet he neglected not in rain or thunder.”(line 501)

“His business was to show fair behavior and draw men thus to Heaven and their Savior.” “I think there never was a better priest.”(line 533)

“And well she sang a service, with a fine intoning through her nose was most seemingly, and she spoke daintily in French” (lines ) “No morsel from her lips did she let fall” (lines 132) “She was so charitably solicitous, she used to weep if she saw a mouse caught in a trap, if it were dead or bleeding.” (lines ) “She was by no means undergrown.” (line 160) “She wore a coral trinket on her arm, a set of beads, the gaudies tricked in green, whence hung a golden brooch of brightest sheen” (lines )

“Hunting was his sport” (line 170) “The Rule of good St. Benet or St. Maur as old and strict he tended to ignore” (lines ) “And took the modern world’s more spacious ways.” (line 180) “Fish out of water, flapping on the pier, that is to say a monk out of his cloister.” (lines ) “I saw his sleeves were garnished at the hand with gray fur, the finest in the land, and on his hood, to fasten it at his chin he had a wrought- gold, cunningly fashioned pinned.” (lines )

“He preferred having twenty books in red and black, of Aristotle’s philosophy, than costly clothes, fiddle, or psaltery.” (lines ) “Whatever money he from his friends he took he spent on learning or another book.” (lines ) “His only care was study.” (line 313) “He never spoke a word more than need, formal at that, respectful in the extreme, short, to the point, and lofty in his theme.” (lines ) “And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach.” (line 318)

“His face on fire, like a cherubim, for he had carbuncles.” (line )

“Children were afraid when he appeared” (line 646)

“Garlic he loved, and onions too, and leeks, and drinking strong red wine till all was hazy. Then he would jabber as if crazy.” (lines )

“We should be aware of excommunication. Thus, as he pleased, the man could bring duress, on any young fellow in the diocese.” (lines )

“ He was a gelding mare”

“In his trunk he had a pillow case, Which he asserted was our lady’s veil”

“And with these relics, anytime he found some poor up-country person to astound”

“In one short day, in down, he drew more than the parson would in a month or two”