GEOFFREY CHAUCER
The Knight’s Tale and The Miller’s Tale
A Dramatised Edition in Modernised Spelling
Edited by Joe Clunes
Available soon
“The single most important precursor for [William Shakespeare] is Geoffrey Chaucer, and it has to do with the creation of character.”
geoffrey
chaucer
The Book of the Tales of
CANTERBURY
The
BOOK
OF The
TALES
OF
CANTERBURY
Middle English
with
A Modern-Spelling Edition
The Oxford University Press Edition of 1899 // Transcribed into the Spelling of the Oxford English Dictionary
With Tooltip Glossary
by
Copyright © 2026 Joe Clunes
All rights reserved.
The Middle English text of The Canterbury Tales is in the public domain. All original additions, including the modern-spelling edition and glossary, are copyright © 2026 by Joe Clunes and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission, except as permitted by UK copyright law.
FRAGMENT
— II —
[Group B1]
Introduction to the Man of Law’s Tale
The Man of Law’s Prologue
The Man of Law’s Tale
FRAGMENT
— VI —
[Group C]
The Physician’s Tale
The Physician’s Epilogue
The Pardoner’s Prologue
The Pardoner’s Tale
FRAGMENT
— VII —
[Group B2]
The Shipman’s Prologue
The Shipman’s Tale
The Shipman’s Epilogue
The Prioress’s Prologue
The Prioress’s Tale
The Prologue to Sir Thopas
Sir Thopas
The Prologue to Melibeus
Melibeus
The Monk’s Prologue
The Monk’s Tale
The Nun’s Priest’s Prologue
The Nun’s Priest’s Tale
The Nun’s Priest’s Epilogue
FRAGMENT
— VIII —
[Group G]
The Second Nun’s Prologue
The Second Nun’s Tale
The Canon’s Yeoman’s Prologue
The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale
Middle English
Balade to Rosemounde
Madame, ye ben of al beautè shryne
As fer as cercled is the mappemounde;
For as the cristal glorious ye shyne,
And lyke ruby ben your chekes rounde.
Therwith ye ben so mery and so iocounde,
That at a revel whan that I see you daunce,
It is an oynement unto my wounde,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
For thogh I wepe of teres ful a tyne,
Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde;
Your seemly voys that ye so smal out-twyne
Maketh my thoght in Ioye and blis habounde.
So curteisly I go, with lovë bounde,
That to my-self I sey, in my penaunce,
Suffyseth me to love you, Rosemounde,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
Nas never pyk walwed in galauntyne
As I in love am walwed and y-wounde;
For which ful ofte I of my-self divyne
That I am trewe Tristan the secounde.
My love may not refreyd be nor afounde;
I brenne ay in an amorous plesaunce.
Do what you list, I wil your thral be founde,
Thoghe ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
Tregentil—-//—-Chaucer.
Modern Spelling
Ballade to Rosamond
Madame, ye been of all beauty shrine
As far as circled is the mappemonde;
For as the crystal glorious ye shine,
And like ruby been your cheeks round.
Therewith ye been so merry and so jocund
That at a revel when that I see you dance,
It is an ointment unto my wound,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
For though I weep of tears full a tine,
Yet may that woe mine heart not confound;
Your seemly voice that ye so small out-twine
Maketh my thought in joy and bliss abound.
So courteously I go, with love bound,
That to myself I say, in my penance,
Sufficeth me to love you, Rosamond,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
Nas never pike wallowed in galantine
As I in love am wallowed and y-wound;
For which full oft I of myself divine
That I am true Tristan the second.
My love may not refreid be nor afound;
I bren aye in an amorous pleasance.
Do what you list, I will your thrall be found,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
Tregentil ——//—— Chaucer
Middle English
Balade to Rosemounde
Madame, ye ben of al beautè shryne
As fer as cercled is the mappemounde;
For as the cristal glorious ye shyne,
And lyke ruby ben your chekes rounde.
Therwith ye ben so mery and so iocounde,
That at a revel whan that I see you daunce,
It is an oynement unto my wounde,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
For thogh I wepe of teres ful a tyne,
Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde;
Your seemly voys that ye so smal out-twyne
Maketh my thoght in Ioye and blis habounde.
So curteisly I go, with lovë bounde,
That to my-self I sey, in my penaunce,
Suffyseth me to love you, Rosemounde,
Thogh ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
Nas never pyk walwed in galauntyne
As I in love am walwed and y-wounde;
For which ful ofte I of my-self divyne
That I am trewe Tristan the secounde.
My love may not refreyd be nor afounde;
I brenne ay in an amorous plesaunce.
Do what you list, I wil your thral be founde,
Thoghe ye to me ne do no daliaunce.
Tregentil—-//—-Chaucer.
Modern Spelling
Ballade to Rosamond
Madame, ye been of all beauty shrine
As far as circled is the mappemonde;
For as the crystal glorious ye shine,
And like ruby been your cheeks round.
Therewith ye been so merry and so jocund
That at a revel when that I see you dance,
It is an ointment unto my wound,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
For though I weep of tears full a tine,
Yet may that woe mine heart not confound;
Your seemly voice that ye so small out-twine
Maketh my thought in joy and bliss abound.
So courteously I go, with love bound,
That to myself I say, in my penance,
Sufficeth me to love you, Rosamond,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
Nas never pike wallowed in galantine
As I in love am wallowed and y-wound;
For which full oft I of myself divine
That I am true Tristan the second.
My love may not refreid be nor afound;
I bren aye in an amorous pleasance.
Do what you list, I will your thrall be found,
Though ye to me ne do no dalliance.
Tregentil ——//—— Chaucer