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CHAUCER'S

CHARACTERS:

OR, THE

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

CANTERBURY TALES.

C 3

CHAUCER's

CHARACTERS.

'T

WAS when the fields imbibe the vernal fhowr's,

And Venus paints her month with early flow'rs:

When Sol, diffufing genial warmth around,
Unbinds the frozen bofom of the ground;
When gentle Zephyr with refreshing breath
Reviv'd each grain that in the womb of earth
All winter flept; and th' all-enlivening sun,
Thro' the bright Ram had half his progress run;
When birds on ev'ry bough renew their fongs,
And Philomel her ev'ning note prolongs;

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Then nature fmiles; then Devotees engage,
Thro' the wide world to roam on pilgrimage.
From ev'ry fhire the pious ramblers stray,
But moft to Canterbury bend their way;

There at the ** Martyr's fhrine a cure they find,
For each fick body, and each love-fick mind.
It fo befel, that season, on a day,

In Southwark at the Talbot-Inn I lay,

Refolv'd with zeal my journey to begin;

With no small off'ring to St. Thomas' shrine.

For Priests with empty thanks are never shamm'd; The rich buy heav'n, and ragged rogues are damn'd. Full nine and twenty more, a jovial crew,

(Mine hoft was ravish'd at a fight fo new)
That night, by fair adventure fought our inn;
All pilgrims, fixt upon the fame defign.

When most with care had feen their horses fed,
Happy were they who got a cleanly bed.

With each I talk'd, and each by name could call,
So quickly grew familiar with them all :

There we refolv'd with speed to make our way,
And all fet forward at the break of day.

Thomas Becket,

But

But hold a while; 'twere requifite you knew,
E'er I proceed, each pilgrim of the crew.
I'll here relate their characters, their age,
Describe their perfons, and their equipage,
Their fex, and what condition they were in;
This rule obferv'd, I with the knight begin.

The Knight.

AKnight there was, whofe early youth had shown

His love to arms, and paffion for renown.

Courteous and affable; of honour nice;

A friend to truth, a foe to ev'ry vice.
In many brave engagements had he been,
Known foreign courts, and men and manners seen :
In Christendom much fame he had acquir'd ;
In Turkey he was dreaded and admir'd.
When Alexandria was befieg'd and won,

He pafs'd the trenches firft, and fcal'd the town.
Granada's fiege increas'd the warrior's fame,
And Algier trembled but to hear his name.
In fifteen battles deathless wreaths he got,
Three fingle combats with success he fought.
C S

Much

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