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


    Test your reading of the General Prologue


    (Lines 669-858)

    Write down your translations of the bold-faced words in each of the following lines into clear modern English.

    676 But smothe it heeng as dooth a strike of flex;

    679 But thynne it lay, by colpons oon and oon.

    682 Hym thoughte he rood al of the newe jet;

    687 Bretful of pardoun comen from Rome al hoot.

    696 He seyde he hadde a gobet of the seyl

    704 Than that the person gat in monthes tweye;

    710 But alderbest he song an offertorie;

    721 How that we baren us that ilke nyght,

    730 For this ye knowen al so wel as I:

    735 Or ellis he moot telle his tale untrewe,

    741 Eek Plato seith, whoso kan hym rede,

    749 He served us with vitaille at the beste;

    754 A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe --

    764 I saugh nat this yeer so myrie a compaignye

    769 "Ye goon to Caunterbury -- God yow speede,

    779 And for to werken as I shal yow seye,

    786 And graunted hym withouten moore avys,

    792 In this viage shal telle tales tweye

    798 Tales of best sentence and moost solaas --

    799 Shal have a soper at oure aller cost

    807 And if ye vouche sauf that it be so,

    823 Up roos oure Hoost, and was oure aller cok,

    830 If even-song and morwe-song accorde,

    840 And ye, sire Clerk, lat be youre shamefastnesse,

    853 He seyde, "Syn I shal bigynne the game,

    857 And he bigan with right a myrie cheere

    Compare your translation with the page glosses for these lines.
    Or use the back button on your browser to return to the previous page.

Prof. Fakhar Alam
Website design / content / graphics by Fakhar Alam   © 2015 Prof. Fakhar Alam