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respectable； kind…hearted lady who has lived in seclusion。 A monk；
of course； in the fourteenth century was everywhere to be seen； and
a monk we have among the pilgrims； riding a 〃dainty〃 horse；
accompanied with greyhounds； loving fur trimmings on his
Benedictine habit and a fat swan to roast。 The friar； too； we
see；a mendicant； yet merry and full of dalliances； beloved by the
common women； to whom he gave easy absolution； a jolly vagabond；
who knew all the taverns； and who carried on his portly person pins
and songs and relics to sell or to give away。 And there was the
merchant； with forked beard and Flemish beaver hat and neatly
clasped boots； bragging of his gains and selling French crowns； but
on the whole a worthy man。 The Oxford clerk or scholar is one of
the company； silent and sententious； as lean as the horse on which
he rode； with threadbare coat； and books of Aristotle and his
philosophy which he valued more than gold； of which indeed he could
boast but little；a man anxious to learn； and still more to teach。
The sergeant of the law is another prominent figure； wary and wise；
discreet and dignified； bustling and busy； yet not so busy as he
seemed to be； wearing a coat of divers colors； and riding very
badly。 A franklin； or country gentleman； mixes with the company；
with a white beard and red complexion； one of Epicurus's own sons；
who held that ale and wheaten bread and fish and dainty flesh；
partridge fat； were pure felicity； evidently a man given to
hospitality；
〃His table dormant in his hall alway
Stood ready covered all the longe day。〃
He was a sheriff； also； to enforce the law； and to be present at
all the county sessions。 The doctor； of course； could not be left
out of the company；a man who knew the cause of every malady；
versed in magic as well as physic； and grounded also in astronomy；
who held that gold is the best of cordials； and knew how to keep
what he gained； not luxurious in his diet； but careful what he ate
and drank。 The village miller is not forgotten in this motley
crowd；rough； brutal； drunken； big and brawn； with a red beard and
a wart on his nose； and a mouth as wide as a furnace； a reveller
and a jangler； accustomed to take toll thrice； and given to all the
sins that then abounded。 He is the most repulsive figure in the
crowd； both vulgar and wicked。 In contrast with him is the reve；
or steward； of a lordly house；a slender； choleric man； feared by
servants and gamekeepers； yet in favor with his lord； since he
always had money to lend； although it belonged to his master； an
adroit agent and manager； who so complicated his accounts that no
auditor could unravel them or any person bring him in arrears。 He
rode a fine dappled…gray stallion； wore a long blue overcoat； and
carried a rusty sword；evidently a proud and prosperous man。 With
a monk and friar； the picture would be incomplete without a
pardoner； or seller of indulgences； with yellow hair and smooth
face； loaded with a pillow…case of relics and pieces of the true
cross； of which there were probably cartloads in every country in
Europe； and of which there was an inexhaustible supply。 This sleek
and gentle pedler of indulgences rode side by side with a repulsive
officer of the Church； with a fiery red face； of whom children were
afraid； fond of garlic and onions and strong wine； and speaking
only Latin law…terms when he was drunk； but withal a good fellow；
abating his lewdness and drunkenness。 In contrast with the
pardoner and 〃sompnour〃 we see the poor parson； full of goodness；
charity； and love；a true shepherd and no mercenary； who waited
upon no pomp and sought no worldly gains； happy only in the virtues
which he both taught and lived。 Some think that Chaucer had in
view the learned Wyclif when he described the most interesting
character of the whole group。 With him was a ploughman； his
brother； as good and pious as he； living in peace with all the
world； paying tithes cheerfully； laborious and conscientious； the
forerunner of the Puritan yeoman。
Of this motley company of pilgrims； I have already spoken of the
prioress；a woman of high position。 In contrast with her is the
wife of Bath； who has travelled extensively； even to Jerusalem and
Rome； charitable； kind…hearted； jolly； and talkative； but bold and
masculine and coarse； with a red face and red stockings； and a hat
as big as a shield； and sharp spurs on her feet； indicating that
she sat on her ambler like a man。
There are other characters which I cannot stop to mention；the
sailor； browned by the seas and sun； and full of stolen Bordeaux
wine； the haberdasher； the carpenter； the weaver； the dyer； the
tapestry…worker； the cook； to boil the chickens and the marrow…
bones； and bake the pies and tarts；mostly people from the middle
and lower ranks of society； whose clothes are gaudy； manners rough；
and language coarse。 But all classes and trades and professions
seem to be represented； except nobles； bishops； and abbots；
dignitaries whom； perhaps； Chaucer is reluctant to describe and
caricature。
To beguile the time on the journey to Canterbury； all these various
pilgrims are required to tell some story peculiar to their separate
walks of life； and it is these stories which afford the best
description we have of the manners and customs of the fourteenth
century； as well as of its leading sentiments and ideas。
The knight was required to tell his story first； and it naturally
was one of love and adventure。 Although the scene of it was laid
in ancient Greece； it delineates the institution of chivalry and
the manners and sentiments it produced。 No writer of that age；
except perhaps Froissart； paints the connection of chivalry with
the graces of the soul and the moral beauty which poetry associates
with the female sex as Chaucer does。 The aristocratic woman of
chivalry； while delighting in martial sports； and hence masculine
and haughty； is also condescending； tender； and gracious。 The
heroic and dignified self…respect with which chivalry invested
woman exalted the passion of love。 Allied with reverence for woman
was loyalty to the prince。 The rough warrior again becomes a
gentleman； and has access to the best society。 Whatever may have
been the degrees of rank； the haughtiest nobleman associated with
the penniless knight； if only he were a gentleman and well born； on
terms of social equality； since chivalry； while it created
distinctions； also levelled those which wealth and power naturally
created among the higher class。 Yet chivalry did not exalt woman
outside of noble ranks。 The plebeian woman neither has the graces
of the high…born lady； nor does she excite that reverence for the
sex which marked her condition in the feudal castle。 〃Tournaments
and courts of love were not framed for village churls； but for
high…born dames and mighty earls。〃
Chaucer in his description of women in ordinary life does not seem