Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

Why,” said this Summoner, “ride you then in sundry shapes, and not always in the same one?” “Because we will assume whatever form,” said the Fiend, “is most suitable to catch our prey.” “And what causes you to undertake all this labor?” asked the Summoner.

— La compasión surge rápidamente de los nobles corazones que sienten los agudos aguijonazos que sufren otros como en su propia carne;

For, by this Sin, God loses the Church and the souls that He bought with His precious blood, when Churches are given to those who are not worthy. Into these Churches are put thieves who steal souls from Jesus Christ and destroy His patrimony. By reason of such unworthy Priests and Curates do ignorant men lose all reverence for the sacraments of Holy Church, and such usurpers of Churches put out of the Church the children of Christ and put into the Church the Devil’s own sons. They sell the souls of the lambs they are sworn to save to the wolf that will slay them. And, therefore, these disreputable Priests should never have any part of the pasture of lambs, which is the bliss of Heaven.

Lo, lo,” said Lady Prudence, “how easily is every man inclined to his own desire and to his own pleasure. Surely, the words of the Physicians should not be understood in this way. For certain, wickedness is not the contrary of wickedness, nor vengeance the contrary of vengeance, nor wrong the contrary of wrong, for, in fact, they are the same. And, therefore, one vengeance is not cured by another vengeance, nor one wrong by another wrong, but each one of them increases and aggravates the other.

Look well that you unto no vice assent, lest you be damned for your evil intent. For she who does so is a traitor, certainly. And take heed of what I shall say: of all the treasons, the greatest wickedness is the betrayal of innocence.

And she was fair as is the rose in May.

My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.

That wel by reson men hit calle may The 'dayesye' or elles the 'ye of day,' The emperice and flour of floures alle.

Of all the floures in the mede, Than love I most these floures whyte and rede, Swiche that men callen daysies in our toun.

And as for me, thogh that I can but lyte, On bokes 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, whan 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 devocioun!

And if that olde bokes were a-weye, Y-loren were of remembraunce the keye.

A thousand tymes have I herd men telle, That ther is joye in heven, and peyne in helle; And I acorde wel that hit is so; But natheles, yit wot I wel also, That ther nis noon dwelling in this contree, That either hath in heven or helle y-be, Ne may of hit non other weyes witen, But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen; For by assay ther may no man hit preve. But god forbede but men shulde leve Wel more thing then men han seen with yë! Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë But-if him-self hit seeth, or elles dooth; For, god wot, thing is never the lasse sooth, Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!

Now welcom somer, with thy sonne softe, That hast this wintres weders over-shake, And driven awey the longe nightes blake!

Nature, the vicar of th' Almightie Lorde.

For out of olde feldes, as men seith, Cometh al this newe corn fro yeer to yere; And out of olde bokes, in good feith, Cometh al this newe science that men lere.