" For that we must go to a lesser
pen, to Greene, who thus describes him in his vision:
His stature was not very tall,
Lean he was; his legs were small
Hos'd within a stock of red
A button'd bonnet on his head
From under which did hang I ween
Silver hairs both bright and sheen;
His beard was white, trimmed round;
His countenance blithe and merry found;
A sleeveless jacket, large and wide
With many plaits and skirts side
Of water-camlet did he wear;
A whittle by his belt he bear;
His shoes were corned broad before;
His ink-horn at his side he wore,
And in his hand he bore a book;--
Thus did this ancient poet look.
There is one other personage upon whom indeed the whole pilgrimage
depended of whom Chaucer says next to nothing, but we should do wrong
to forget him: I mean the "blissful martyr" himself--St Thomas of
Canterbury. In old days, certainly in Chaucer's, we should have been
reminded of him more than once on our way e'er we gained the Tabard.
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