Prof. Fakhar Alam

Dept. of English

Govt. College Civil Lines Multan

Prof. Fakhar Alam

Dept. of English

Govt. College Civil Lines Multan

Prof. Fakhar Alam

Dept. of English

Govt. College Civil Lines Multan

Prof. Fakhar Alam

Dept. of English

Govt. College Civil Lines Multan

Prof. Fakhar Alam's portal for college students!

    Paper 1        Poetry


    Glosses for quiz #1 on the General Prologue


    (Lines I.1-269)

    Compare your translations with the glossed text:

    27 That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.
          wolden: desired, intended to

    31 So hadde I spoken with hem everichon
          everichon: every one

    38 To telle yow al the condicioun
          condicioun: state, circumstances

    49 As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse,
          hethenesse: heathen lands

    54 In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce,
          reysed: ridden on raids

    65 Somtyme with the lord of Palatye
          Somtyme: once, at one time

    71 In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
          no maner wight: any sort of person

    85 And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie
          in chyvachie: on a cavalry expedition

    94 Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.
          koude: knew how to

    101 A YEMAN hadde he and servantz namo
          Yeman: yeoman: freeborn servant;  namo: no other

    114 Harneised wel and sharp as point of spere;
          Harneised: ornamented

    121 And she was cleped madame Eglentyne.
          cleped: called

    124 And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
          fetisly: elegantly

    132 In curteisie was set ful muchel hir lest.
          Her greatest pleasure (lest) was in good manners (curteisie).

    152 Hir nose tretys, hir eyen greye as glas,
          tretys: well formed

    155 It was almoost a spanne brood, I trowe;
          spanne brood: about seven to nine inches wide;  trowe: believe

    167 A manly man, to been an abbot able.
          manly: generous, virile

    189 Therfore he was a prikasour aright:
          prikasour: horseman, hunter on horseback;  aright: certainly

    192 Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.
          lust: pleasure

    205 He was nat pale as a forpyned goost.
          forpyned goost: tormented spirit

    211 So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage.
          muchel: much;  daliaunce: sociability

    217 And eek with worthy wommen of the toun;
          eek: also

    224 Ther as he wiste to have a good pitaunce.
           pitaunce: gift

    227 For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,
          For if a man gave, he (the Friar) dared to assert

    232 Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres.
          moote yeve: must give

    267 His eyen twynkled in his heed aryght
          eyen: eyes

    Award yourself 4 points for each correct answer; if you did well (got 80 or better), go on with your reading of The General Prologue. If you had a bit of trouble (got 79 or less), you should go back and again read carefully through this part ( lines 1-269 of the General Prologue).

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