The Canterbury Tales- The Prologue of The Monk

There was also a nun, a prioress, A monk there was, one made for mastery, An outrider, who loved his venery; A manly man, to be an abbot able. Full many a blooded horse had he in stable: And when he rode men might his bridle hear A-jingling in the whistling wind as clear, Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell Where this brave monk was master of the cell. The rule of Maurice or Saint Benedict, By reason it was old and somewhat strict, This said monk let such old things slowly pace And followed new-world manners in their place. He cared not for that text a clean-plucked hen Which holds that hunters are not holy men Nor that a monk, when he is cloisterless, Is like unto a fish that’s waterless; That is to say, a monk out of his cloister. But this same text he held not worth an oyster; And I said his opinion was right good. What? Should he study as a madman would Upon a book in cloister cell? Or yet Go labour with his hands and swink and sweat, As Austin bids? How shall the world be served? Let Austin have his swink to him reserved! Therefore he was a rider day and night; Greyhounds he had, as swift as fowl in flight. Since riding and the hunting of the hare Were all his love, for no cost would he spare. I saw his sleeves were lined around the hand With fur of grey, the finest in the land; Also, to fasten hood beneath his chin, He had of good wrought gold a curious pin: A love-knot in the larger end there was. His head was bald and shone like any glass And smooth as one anointed was his face. Fat was this lord, he stood in goodly case. His bulging eyes he rolled about, and hot They gleamed, and red, like fire beneath a pot; His boots were soft; his horse of great estate. Now certainly he was a fine prelate: He was not pale as some poor wasted ghost. A fat swan loved he best of any roast. His palfrey was as brown as is a berry.

隊伍中還有個僧侶， 精通騎術熱愛打獵， 是個有資格當修院長的男子漢， 當他還是小修院的院長時 他的馬廄中養了許多好馬， 他騎馬時，韁繩上的鈴聲 在呼嘯的風中如教堂的鐘聲一樣響亮， 由於聖莫里斯和聖班尼迪克留給世人的教規， 是老舊且有些嚴格的， 這修士不會純粹遵循老規局， 而是會迎合當代思想且入境隨俗。 他講話不會像無毛雞那樣 說獵人是壞人， 或者說沒隱居的僧人就像離開水的魚， 他覺得這種也不值得去開口講， 我覺得他的想法還蠻對的。 誰說修士得像瘋子一樣隱居讀書， 或者像聖奧古斯丁那樣勞其筋骨， 要怎樣為這個世界效力， 這種工作交給聖奧古斯丁他自己吧， 因為他日夜都騎馬前進， 所以他帶了隻灰色且敏捷的獵犬隨行， 他生活最大的樂趣就是騎馬去獵野兔， 這樣可以省下不少錢， 他的袖子繞著最好的灰色皮毛， 頭上戴著繫緊的兜帽， 帶著漂亮的金製胸針， 並在下方打了好看的結， 他是禿頭且頭光亮如玻璃， 皮膚很好像有塗油， 他曾是個時髦的胖領主， 他有迷人的雙眼， 眨眼時如壺中紅火， 他的靴子鬆軟，馬兒精良， 他絕對會是個好的祭司， 他不會臉色蒼白沒精神， 所有烤肉中他最愛肥天鵝肉， 他的馬兒是如同漿果般的棕色。