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

    Paper 1        Poetry


    Glosses for quiz #2 on the General Prologue

    (Lines I.270-444)

    Compare your translations with the glossed text:

    271 In mottelee, and hye on horse he sat;
          mottelee: parti-colored cloth hye on horse: in a high saddle

    275 Sownynge alwey th' encrees of his wynnyng.
          Sownynge: concerned with, or, making known wynnyng: profit

    281 So estatly was he of his governaunce
          estatly: dignified governaunce: behavior, management

    286 That unto logyk hadde longe ygo.
          unto logyk hadde longe ygo: had taken (studied) logic a long time

    292 Ne was so worldly for to have office.
          office: secular employment

    301 And bisily gan for the soules preye
          gan ... preye: did pray, prayed

    306 And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence;
          quyk: vivid, lively   hy sentence: elevated content

    314 Justice he was ful often in assise,
          Justice: judge assise: the court of assizes

    319 Al was fee symple to hym in effect;
          fee symple: unrestricted possession

    327 And every statut koude he pleyn by rote.
          And he knew every statute entirely by heart.

    332 Whit was his berd as is the dayesye;
          dayesye: daisy

    338 Was verray felicitee parfit.
          verray felicitee parfit: true perfect happiness

    345 It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke;
          snewed: snowed

    351 Wo was his cook but if his sauce were
          but if: unless

    359 A shirreve hadde he been, and a contour.
          shirreve: sheriff    contour: auditor

    364 Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee.
          solempne: dignified, important fraternitee: parish guild

    370 To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys.
          yeldehalle: guildhall deys: dais

    376 It is ful fair to been ycleped "madame,"
          ycleped 'madame': called "my lady"

    387 For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.
          blankmanger: a thick stew or mousse    with the beste: excellently

    389 For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe.
       For aught I woot: For all I know

    392 A daggere hangynge on a laas hadde he
          laas: cord

    399 If that he faught and hadde the hyer hond,
          If that: if the hyer hond: the upper hand

    409 And every cryke in Britaigne and in Spayne.
          cryke: inlet

    417 Wel koude he fortunen the ascendent
          fortunen the ascendant: calculate the planetary position

    443 For gold in phisik is a cordial,
         cordial: medicine for the heart

    Again each correct answer is worth 4 points. If you did well (80 or more) continue with your reading. If you scored 76 or less, you should go back and again read carefully through this part of the General Prologue, paying close attention to meaning.

Prof. Fakhar Alam
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