Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes:

What is better than wisdom? Woman. And what is better than a good woman? Nothing.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Tyrwhitt (1830). “The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer: With an Essay on His Language and Versification, an Introductory Discourse, Notes, and a Glossary by Tho. Tyrwhitt”, p.94

Topics: Good Woman, Canterbury, Canterbury Tales

The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.

source: - The Parliament of Fowls l. 1 (1380 - 1386)

Topics: Inspirational, Time, Long, Software Design, Canterbury

Every honest miller has a golden thumb.

Topics: Gold, Thumbs, Golden

That he is gentil that doth gentil dedis.

There was the murdered corpse, in covert laid, And violent death in thousand shapes displayed; The city to the soldier's rage resigned; Successless wars, and poverty behind; Ships burnt in fight, or forced on rocky shores, And the rash hunter strangled by the boars; The newborn babe by nurses overlaid; And the cook caught within the raging fire he made.

Topics: Death, War, Fighting, Covert, Violent Death

If no love is, O God, what fele I so? And if love is, what thing and which is he? If love be good, from whennes cometh my woo? If it be wikke, a wonder thynketh me

Topics: Love Is, Wonder, Be Good

One flesh they are; and one flesh, so I'd guess, Has but one heart, come grief or happiness.

Topics: Grief, Heart, Flesh

Patience is a conquering virtue.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Conquer, Virtue, Canterbury Tales, Forbearance

The life so brief, the art so long in the learning, the attempt so hard, the conquest so sharp, the fearful joy that ever slips away so quickly - by all this I mean love, which so sorely astounds my feeling with its wondrous operation, that when I think upon it I scarce know whether I wake or sleep.

Topics: Art, Mean, Sleep, Mean Love

Filth and old age, I'm sure you will agree, are powerful wardens upon chastity.

Topics: Powerful, Age, Filth, Wardens

Love will not be constrain'd by mastery. When mast'ry comes, the god of love anon Beateth his wings, and, farewell, he is gone. Love is a thing as any spirit free.

Topics: Farewell, Love Is, Wings, Anon, Gone Love

Death is the end of every worldly pain.

Topics: Death, Pain, Ends

Certain, when I was born, so long ago, Death drew the tap of life and let it flow; And ever since the tap has done its task, And now there's little but an empty cask.

Topics: Death, Long, Tasks

Nature, the vicar of the Almighty Lord.

Topics: Nature, Lord, Vicars

I am right sorry for your heavinesse.

Topics: Sorry

The smylere with the knyf under the cloke.

To keep demands as much skill as to win.

Topics: Winning, Skills, Demand

And brought of mighty ale a large quart.

Topics: Ale

The proverbe saith that many a smale maketh a grate.

Topics: Grate

For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde, Ay fleeth the tyme; it nyl no man abyde.

Topics: Men, Rome

Yblessed be god that I have wedded fyve! Welcome the sixte, whan that evere he shal.

Topics: Welcome

Women desire six things: They want their husbands to be brave, wise, rich, generous, obedient to wife, and lively in bed.

Topics: Wise, Husband, Wife

The guilty think all talk is of themselves.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Thinking, Guilt, Shame, Canterbury, Canterbury Tales

For out of old fields, as men saith, Cometh all this new corn from year to year; And out of old books, in good faith, Cometh all this new science that men learn.

Topics: Book, Men, Years, Old Books

To maken vertue of necessite.

One cannot scold or complain at every word. Learn to endure patiently, or else, as I live and breathe, you shall learn it whether you want or not.

Topics: Complaining, Want, Breathe

Certes, they been lye to hounds, for an hound when he cometh by the roses, or by other bushes, though he may nat pisse, yet wole he heve up his leg and make a countenance to pisse.

Topics: Rose, Legs, May

One cannot be avenged for every wrong; according to the occasion, everyone who knows how, must use temperance.

Topics: Use, Temperance, Temperament

For there is one thing I can safely say: that those bound by love must obey each other if they are to keep company long. Love will not be constrained by mastery; when mastery comes, the God of love at once beats his wings, and farewell he is gone. Love is a thing as free as any spirit; women naturally desire liberty, and not to be constrained like slaves; and so do men, if I shall tell the truth.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2006). “The Canterbury Tales”, p.451, Bantam Classics

Topics: Inspirational Love, Farewell, Love Is, Long Love, Gone Love

Strike while the iron is hot.

Topics: Wisdom, Iron, Hot, Spanish Proverb, Early Bird

The cat would eat fish but would not get her feet wet.

Topics: Wisdom, Cat, Feet

Look up on high, and thank the God of all.

Topics: Thankfulness, Looks, Look Up

First he wrought, and afterwards he taught.

Topics: Teaching, Taught, Firsts, Canterbury Tales

The handsome gifts that fate and nature lend us Most often are the very ones that end us.

Topics: Fate, Handsome, Talent

If love be good, from whence cometh my woe?

Topics: Love, Love Is, Woe

Thou shalt make castels thanne in Spayne And dreme of joye, all but in vayne.

For many a pasty have you robbed of blood, And many a Jack of Dover have you sold That has been heated twice and twice grown cold. From many a pilgrim have you had Christ's curse, For of your parsley they yet fare the worse, Which they have eaten with your stubble goose; For in your shop full many a fly is loose.

Topics: Blood, Dover, Cold, Pasties, Parsley

Woe to the cook whose sauce has no sting.

Topics: Woe, Sauce, Culinary

But, Lord Crist! whan that it remembreth me Upon my yowthe, and on my jolitee, It tickleth me aboute myn herte roote. Unto this day it dooth myn herte boote That I have had my world as in my tyme. But age, alias! that al wole envenyme, Hath me biraft my beautee and my pith. Lat go, farewel! the devel go therwith! The flour is goon, ther is namoore to telle; The bren, as I best kan, now most I selle.

Topics: Age, World, Als, Aliases, Goons

Abstinence is approved of God.

Topics: Abstinence

Hyt is not al golde that glareth.

Topics: Als, Appearance

Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote.

Topics: Book, March, Middle English, Canterbury, Canterbury Tales

With emptie hands men may no haukes lure.

Topics: Men, Hands, May, Lure

Felds hath eyen, and wode have eres.

So was hir jolly whistel wel y-wette.

Topics: Jolly

Great peace is found in little busy-ness.

Topics: Littles, Busy, Found

Men sholde nat knowe of Goddes pryvetee Ye, blessed be alwey, a lewed man That noght but oonly his believe kan! So ferde another clerk with astromye, He walked in the feelds, for to prye Upon the sterres, what ther sholde bifalle, Til he was in a marle-pit yfalle.

Topics: Believe, Blessed, Men

If a man really loves a woman, of course he wouldn't marry her for the world if he were not quite sure that he was the best person she could possibly marry.

Topics: Men, World, Persons, Best Person

Or as an ook comth of a litel spir, So thorugh this lettre, which that she hym sente, Encressen gan desir, of which he brente.

I hold a mouses wit not worth a leke, That hath but on hole for to sterten to.

Topics: Holes, Wit

Of harmes two the lesse is for to cheese.

Topics: Two, Cheese

Go, little booke! go, my little tragedie!

Topics: Littles

Yet in our ashen cold is fire yreken.

Topics: Fire, Cold

He that loveth God will do diligence to please God by his works, and abandon himself, with all his might, well for to do.

Topics: Might, Diligence, Goodness

This flour of wifly patience.

Topics: Flour

That of all the floures in the mede, Thanne love I most these floures white and rede, Suche as men callen daysyes in her toune.

Topics: Men, White, Daisies

For I have seyn of a ful misty morwe Folowen ful ofte a myrie someris day.

Topics: Misty

Ther is no newe gyse that it nas old.

The bisy larke, messager of day.

Til that the brighte sonne loste his hewe; For th'orisonte hath reft the sonne his lyght; This is as muche to seye as it was nyght!

Eke wonder last but nine deies never in toun.

Topics: Nine, Lasts, Wonder

If gold ruste, what shall iren do?

Topics: Gold

And she was fair as is the rose in May.

Topics: Flower, Rose, May

All good things must come to an end.

Topics: Sad, Good Night, Goodnight, Gossip Girl, Star Trek Next Generation

The devil can only destroy those who are already on their way to damnation.

Topics: Devil, Damnation, Way

The greatest scholars are not usually the wisest people.

Topics: Wisdom, People, Ministry

Many a true word is spoken in jest

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2016). “The Reeve's Prologue and Tale”, p.108, Cambridge University Press

Topics: Jest, True Words

Time and tide wait for no man.

Topics: Inspirational, Birthday, Time, Humorous Birthday, Managing Time

Truth is the highest thing that man may keep.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1841). “The poems of Geoffrey Chaucer, modernized ...”, p.325

Topics: Inspirational, Truth, Men

People can die of mere imagination.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1956). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: People, Imagination, Literature, Canterbury Tales

I am not the rose, but I have lived near the rose.

Topics: Rose, Royalty

He who accepts his poverty unhurt I'd say is rich although he lacked a shirt. But truly poor are they who whine and fret and covet what they cannot hope to get.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Poverty, Rich, Shirts

Women naturally desire the same six things as I; they want their husbands to be brave, wise, rich, generous with money, obedient to the wife, and lively in bed.

source: - "The Canterbury tales: translated into modern English prose".

Topics: Wise, Wisdom, Husband, Husband To Be, Lively

Forbid us something, and that thing we desire.

Topics: Desire

Many small make a great.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Tyrwhitt (1868). “The Canterbury Tales: To Which are Added an Essay on His Language and Versification, and an Introductory Discourse, Together with Notes and a Glossary, in three volumes”, p.215

Topics: Science

It is nought good a sleping hound to wake.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Illustrated)”, p.404, Delphi Classics

Topics: Hounds

There's no workman, whatsoever he be, That may both work well and hastily.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Merchant's Tale”

Topics: Literature, May, Wells, Workmen

Mercy surpasses justice.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Barry Windeatt (2008). “Troilus and Criseyde: A New Translation”, p.193, Oxford University Press

Topics: Justice, Mercy

Full wise is he that can himselven knowe.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Tyrwhitt (1868). “The Canterbury Tales: To Which are Added an Essay on His Language and Versification, and an Introductory Discourse, Together with Notes and a Glossary, in three volumes”, p.81

Topics: Wise

In the stars is written the death of every man.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1940). “The Complete Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer: Now First Put Into Modern English”

Topics: Death, Stars, Men

One shouldn't be too inquisitive in life Either about God's secrets or one's wife.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Marriage, Wife, Secret

In general, women desire to rule over their husbands and lovers, to be the authority above them.

Topics: Husband, Desire, Lovers

The fields have eyes, and the woods have ears.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1990). “Canterbury Tales”, p.32, Simon and Schuster

Topics: Eye, Ears, Woods

Habit maketh no monk, ne wearing of gilt spurs maketh no knight.

Topics: Knights, Spurs, Monk

With empty hand no man can lure a hawk.

source: - "The Canterbury Tales".

Topics: Men, Bird, Empty, Canterbury, Canterbury Tales

And so it is in politics, dear brother, Each for himself alone, there is no other.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Brother, Politics, Dear, Dear Brother

Remember in the forms of speech comes change Within a thousand years, and words that then Were well esteemed, seem foolish now and strange; And yet they spake them so, time and again, And thrived in love as well as any men; And so to win their loves in sundry days, In sundry lands there are as many ways.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2012). “Troilus and Cressida”, p.49, Courier Corporation

Topics: Winning, Men, Years

In April the sweet showers fall And pierce the drought of March to the root, and all The veins are bathed in liquor of such power As brings about the engendering of the flower.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Sweet, Spring, Flower, Pierce

How potent is the fancy! People are so impressionable, they can die of imagination.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, David Wright (1965). “The Canterbury tales”, Vintage

Topics: People, Imagination, Fancy, Impressionable

If were not foolish young, were foolish old.

Topics: Foolish, Young, Folly

For tyme ylost may nought recovered be.

source: - 'Troilus and Criseyde' bk. 4, l. 1283

Topics: Time, May

Who looks at me, beholdeth sorrows all, All pain, all torture, woe and all distress; I have no need on other harms to call, As anguish, languor, cruel bitterness, Discomfort, dread, and madness more and less; Methinks from heaven above the tears must rain In pity for my harsh and cruel pain.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2012). “Troilus and Cressida”, p.173, Courier Corporation

Topics: Pain, Rain, Heaven

. . . if gold rust, what then will iron do?/ For if a priest be foul in whom we trust/ No wonder that a common man should rust. . . .

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Men, Iron, Gold

I wol yow telle, as was me taught also, The foure spirites and the bodies sevene, By ordre, as ofte I herde my lord hem nevene. The firste spirit quiksilver called is, The second orpiment, the thridde, ywis, Sal armoniak, and the firthe brimstoon. The bodies sevene eek, lo! hem heer anoon: Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe, Mars yron, Mercurie quiksilver we clepe, Saturnus leed, and Jupiter is tin, And Venus coper, by my fader kin!

Topics: Science, Moon, Iron, Leeds

Men love newfangleness.

Topics: Men, Progress

Trouthe is the hyest thyng that man may kepe.

source: - 'The Canterbury Tales' 'The Franklin's Tale' l. 1479

Topics: Men, May

If gold rusts, what then can iron do?

Topics: Iron, Gold, Rust, Canterbury Tales

And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche.

source: - The Canterbury Tales "The General Prologue" l. 308 (ca. 1387)

Topics: Canterbury Tales, Middle English, Canterbury

We little know the things for which we pray.

Topics: Prayer, Littles, Praying

The latter end of joy is woe.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Tyrwhitt (1861). “The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer: To which are Added an Essay on His Language and Versification, and an Introductory Discourse, Togeher with Notes and a Glossary”, p.117

Topics: Joy, Woe, Ends

Lat take a cat, and fostre him wel with milk, And tendre flesh, and make his couche of silk, And let him seen a mous go by the wal; Anon he weyveth milk, and flesh, and al, And every deyntee that is in that hous, Swich appetyt hath he to ete a mous.

Topics: Cat, Flesh, Als, Anon

And gladly would he learn, and gladly teach

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Vincent Foster Hopper (1970). “Canterbury Tales (selected)”, p.20, Barron's Educational Series

Topics: Ministry, Teach

There's never a new fashion but it's old.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Fashion

But Christ's lore and his apostles twelve, He taught and first he followed it himself.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Vincent Foster Hopper (1970). “Canterbury Tales (selected)”, p.34, Barron's Educational Series

Topics: Twelve, Firsts, Taught

Make a virtue of necessity.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1822). “Arcita and Paloma: After the Excellent Poet, Geoffrey Chaucer”, p.109

Topics: Humility, Virtue, Fame

This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo, And we been pilgrymes, passynge to and fro.

source: - 1387 Canterbury Tales,'The Knight's Tale', l. 2847-8.

Topics: World, This World

What's said is said and goes upon its way Like it or not, repent it as you may.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: May, Way, Said

He loved chivalrye Trouthe and honour, freedom and curteisye.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1958). “Poetry: An Anthology for the Modern Reader”

Topics: Love, Freedom, Honour

And as for me, thogh that I can but lyte, On bakes for to rede I me delyte, And to hem yeve I feyth and ful credence, And in myn herte have hem in reverence So hertely, that ther is game noon, That fro my bokes maketh me to goon, But hit be seldom, on the holyday; Save, certeynly, when that the month of May Is comen, and that I here the foules singe, And that the floures ginnen for to springe, Farwel my book and my devocion.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1931). “The complete works of Geoffrey Chaucer”

Topics: Book, Games, Noon, Credence, Goons

In love there is but little rest.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2014). “The court of love and other works”, p.238, Lulu.com

Topics: Littles

My house is small, but you are learned men And by your arguments can make a place Twenty foot broad as infinite as space.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Men, Feet, Space

A love grown old is not the love once new.

Yet do not miss the moral, my good men. For Saint Paul says that all that’s written well Is written down some useful truth to tell. Then take the wheat and let the chaff lie still.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, John Urban Nicolson (2015). “The Canterbury Tales”, p.242, Courier Corporation

Topics: Lying, Men, Missing, Canterbury, Canterbury Tales

For in their hearts doth Nature stir them so Then people long on pilgrimage to go And palmers to be seeking foreign strands To distant shrines renowned in sundry lands.

Topics: Spiritual, Heart, Journey, Renowned, Spiritual Journey

By nature, men love newfangledness.

Topics: Men, Invention

Ful wys is he that kan hymselven knowe.

source: - "The Canterbury Tales in Plain and Simple English (Translated)".

By God, if women had written stories, As clerks had within here oratories, They would have written of men more wickedness Than all the mark of Adam may redress.

Topics: Men, Clerks, Stories

Soun is noght but air ybroken, And every speche that is spoken, Loud or privee, foul or fair, In his substaunce is but air; For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke, Right so soun is air ybroke.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1895). “The Student's Chaucer: Being a Complete Edition of His Works”

Topics: Air, Loud, Foul

He is gentle that doeth gentle deeds.

Topics: Deeds, Gentle

A whetstone is no carving instrument, And yet it maketh sharp the carving tool; And if you see my efforts wrongly spent, Eschew that course and learn out of my school; For thus the wise may profit by the fool, And edge his wit, and grow more keen and wary, For wisdom shines opposed to its contrary.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2012). “Troilus and Cressida”, p.33, Courier Corporation

Topics: Wise, Wisdom, School

Time lost, as men may see, For nothing may recovered be.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas TYRWHITT (F.R.S.) (1843). “The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer. With an Essay on His Language and Versification, and an Introductory Discourse; Together with Notes and a Glossary. By Thomas Tyrwhitt. [With a Portrait.]”, p.248

Topics: Men, May, Lost

Fo lo, the gentil kind of the lioun! For when a flye offendeth him or byteth, He with his tayl awey the flye smyteth Al esily, for, of his genterye, Him deyneth net to wreke him on a flye, As cloth a curre or elles another beste.

Topics: Kindness, Als, Kind

For God's love, take things patiently, have sense, Think! We are prisoners and shall always be. Fortune has given us this adversity, Some wicked planetary dispensation, Some Saturn's trick or evil constellation Has given us this, and Heaven, though we had sworn The contrary, so stood when we were born. We must endure it, that's the long and short.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Adversity, Thinking, Long, Constellations

I gave my whole heart up, for him to hold.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Heart, Literature, Whole

Take a cat, nourish it well with milk and tender meat, make it a couch of silk.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Cat, Meat, Milk

But manly set the world on sixe and sevene; And, if thou deye a martir, go to hevene.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Illustrated)”, p.447, Delphi Classics

Topics: World, Ifs, Manly

A yokel mind loves stories from of old, Being the kind it can repeat and hold.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Mind Love, Stories, Kind

Harde is his heart that loveth nought In May.

Topics: Heart, May, Hard

Purity in body and heart May please some--as for me, I make no boast. For, as you know, no master of a household Has all of his utensils made of gold; Some are wood, and yet they are of use.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, David Wright (1998). “The Canterbury Tales”, p.152, Oxford University Press, USA

Topics: Heart, Gold, Use, Utensils, Canterbury

Ther nis no werkman, whatsoevere he be, That may bothe werke wel and hastily.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2016). “The Merchant's Prologue and Tale”, p.59, Cambridge University Press

Topics: Work, May

Pitee renneth soone in gentil herte.

source: - 'The Canterbury Tales' 'The Knight's Tale' l. 1761

Thus with hir fader for a certeyn space Dwelleth this flour of wyfly pacience, That neither by hir wordes ne hir face Biforn the folk, ne eek in her absence, Ne shewed she that hir was doon offence.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1874). “The Prioresses Tale: Sire Thopas, the Monkes Tale, the Clerkes Tale, the Squieres Tale, from the Canterbury Tales”, p.90

Topics: Patience, Space, Faces, Flour

And then the wren gan scippen and to daunce.

source: - "Court of Love". Book by Geoffrey Chaucer, line 1,372,

Topics: Wrens

Min be the travaille, and thin be the glorie.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1867). “The Canterbury Tales: From the Text and with the Notes and Glossary of Thomas Tyrwhitt : Condensed and Arranged Under the Text”, p.68

That field hath eyen, and the wood hath ears.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Cowden Clarke (1835). “The Riches of Chaucer: In which His Impurities Have Been Expunged, His Spelling Modernised, His Rhythm Accentuated and His Obsolete Terms Explained; Also Have Been Added a Few Explanatory Notes and a New Memoir of the Poet”, p.103

Topics: Walls Have Ears, Woods, Fields, Medieval War

Drunkenness is the very sepulcher Of man's wit and his discretion.

Topics: Men, Wit, Drunkenness

The gretteste clerkes been noght wisest men.

source: - 'The Canterbury Tales' 'The Reeve's Tale' l. 4054

Topics: Men, Wisest Man, Wisest

And when a beest is deed, he hath no peyne; But man after his deeth moot wepe and pleyne.

source: - 'The Canterbury Tales' 'The Knight's Tale' l. 1319

Topics: Men, Deeds

For of fortunes sharp adversitee The worst kynde of infortune is this, A man to han ben in prosperitee, And it remembren, whan it passed is.

source: - 'Troilus and Criseyde' bk. 3, l. 1625.

Topics: Men, Fortune, Worst

Whoso will pray, he must fast and be clean, And fat his soul, and make his body lean.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2012). “The Canterbury Tales”, p.273, The Floating Press

Topics: Soul, Literature, Body

One eare it heard, at the other out it went.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1851). “The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer”, p.308

Topics: Hearing, Heard

'My lige lady, generally,' quod he, 'Wommen desyren to have sovereyntee As well over hir housbond as hir love.'

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1900). “The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer: The Canterbury tales (Text)”

Topics: Love, Wells

Nowhere so busy a man as he there was And yet he seemed busier than he was.

source: - "The Canterbury Tales".

Topics: Men, Busy, Busier

And for to see, and eek for to be seie.

source: - "The Canterbury Tales (The Wife of Bath's Tale)". Book by Geoffrey Chaucer, 1387.

Oon ere it herde, at tother out it went.

source: - Troilus and Criseyde bk. 4, l. 434 (ca. 1385).

For oute of olde feldys, as men sey, Comyth al this newe corn from yer to yere; And out of olde bokis, in good fey, Comyth al this newe science that men lere.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1879). “The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer: To which are Appended Poems Attributed to Chaucer”

Topics: Science, Men, Fey

For tyme y-lost may not recovered be.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (2014). “Troilus and Criseyde”, p.124, Trajectory Inc

Topics: May, Losing, Lost

At the ches with me she (Fortune) gan to pleye; With her false draughts (pieces) dyvers/She staal on me, and took away my fers. And when I sawgh my fers awaye, Allas! I kouthe no lenger playe.

Topics: Queens, Pieces, Chess

Right as an aspen lefe she gan to quake.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Tyrwhitt (1843). “The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer: With an Essay on His Language and Versification, and an Introductory Discourse; Together with Notes and a Glossary”, p.299

Topics: Aspens, Quake

Who then may trust the dice, at Fortune's throw?

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1966). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Literature, May, Dice

For hym was levere have at his beddes heed Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed, Of Aristotle and his philosophie, Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie.

source: - 'The Canterbury Tales' 'The General Prologue' l. 293

Topics: Gay, Twenties, Reeds

But all thing which that shineth as the gold Ne is no gold, as I have herd it told.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1867). “The Canterbury Tales: From the Text and with the Notes and Glossary of Thomas Tyrwhitt : Condensed and Arranged Under the Text”, p.485

Topics: Gold, Herds, All Things

Ek gret effect men write in place lite; Th'entente is al, and nat the lettres space.

source: - 'Troilus and Criseyde' bk. 5, l. 1629

Topics: Writing, Men, Space

But al be that he was a philosophre, Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre.

source: - 'The Canterbury Tales' 'The General Prologue' l. 293

Topics: Gold, Als, Canterbury Tales

Murder will out, this my conclusion.

Topics: Literature, Murder, Conclusion

Of alle the floures in the mede, Than love I most these floures whyte and rede, Swiche as men callen daysies in our toun. . . . . Til that myn herte dye. . . . . That wel by reson men hit calle may The 'dayesye' or elles the 'ye of day,' The emperice and flour of floures alle. I pray to god that faire mot she falle, And alle that loven floures, for hir sake!

Topics: Men, May, Sake, I Pray To God

Fie on possession, But if a man be vertuous withal.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer, Theodore Alois William BUCKLEY, Edward Henry Corbould, Thomas Tyrwhitt (1853). “The Canterbury Tales ... From the Text and with the Notes and Glossary of Thomas Tyrwhitt, Condensed and Arranged Under the Text. A New Edition. [Edited by Thomas A. W. Buckley.] Illustrated by Edward Corbould”, p.298

Topics: Men, Possession, Ifs

Loke who that is most vertuous alway, Prive and apert, and most entendeth ay To do the gentil dedes that he can, And take him for the gretest gentilman.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1870). “The Canterbury Tales”, p.185

Alas, alas, that ever love was sin! I ever followed natural inclination Under the power of my constellation And was unable to deny, in truth, My chamber of Venus to a likely youth.

source: - Geoffrey Chaucer (1959). “The Canterbury Tales”

Topics: Venus, Youth, Sin

Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.

source: - The Canterbury Tales "The Nun's Priest's Tale" l. 3052 (ca. 1387)