He was the
wise and jocund leader of the pilgrimage as we know, and though Chaucer
speaks of him last, not one of the pilgrims is drawn with a livelier
touch than he:
Greet chere made our hoste us everichon
And to the soper sette us anon;
And served us with vitaille at the beste,
Strong was the wyn, and wel to drinke us leste.
A semely man our hoste was with alle
For to han ben a marshal in an halle;
A large man he was eyen stepe,
A fairer burgeys is ther noon in Chepe;
Bold of his speche and wys, and wel y-taught,
And of manhod him lakkede right naught.
Eek therto he was right a mery man,
And after soper pleyen he bigan,
And spak of mirthe amonges others thinges,
Whan that we hadde maad our rekeninges....
A noble portrait in the English manner; there is but one, and that is
wanting, we should have preferred. I mean the portrait of Chaucer
himself--that "wittie" Chaucer who "sate in a Chaire of Gold covered
with Roses writing prose and risme, accompanied with the Spirites of
many Kyngs, Knightes and Faire Ladies.
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