The Canterbury Tales- The Prologue of The Prioress

There was also a nun, a prioress, Who, in her smiling, modest was and coy; Her greatest oath was but “By Saint Eloy!” And she was known as Madam Eglantine. Full well she sang the services divine Intoning through her nose, becomingly; And fair she spoke her French, and fluently. At table she had been well taught withal, And never from her lips let morsels fall, Nor dipped her fingers deep in sauce, but ate With so much care the food upon her plate That never driblet fell upon her breast. In courtesy she had delight and zest. Her upper lip was always wiped so clean That in her cup was no iota seen Of grease, when she had drunk her draught of wine. And certainly she was of great disport And full pleasant, and amiable of port And went to many pains to put on cheer Of court, and very dignified appear, And to be thought worthy of reverence. But, to say something of her moral sense, She was so charitable and piteous That she would weep if she but saw a mouse Caught in a trap, though it were dead or bled. She had some little dogs, too, that she fed On roasted flesh, or milk and fine white bread. But sore she'd weep if one of them were dead, Or if men smote it with a rod to smart: For pity ruled her, and her tender heart. Full properly her wimple pleated was. Her nose was straight, her eyes as grey as glass, Her mouth full small, and also soft and red; But certainly she had a fair forehead; It was almost a full span broad, I own, For, truth to tell, she was not undergrown. Full stylish was her cloak, I was aware. Of coral small about her arm she'd bear A string of beads, gauded all round with green; And from there hung a brooch of golden sheen On which there was first written a crowned “A,” And under, Amor Vincit Omnia.

隊伍中還有一名修女， 她有著端莊且靦腆的微笑， 她的誓言是以”以聖埃洛伊之名”， 她的名字叫Madam Eglantine， 她歌頌神的恩賜， 合宜地用鼻腔詠唱著， 她一優雅的法文， 有著好的餐桌禮儀， 不會讓口中的食物掉到桌上， 不會讓手指沾到醬汁， 小心地用著盤中食物， 不讓食物去沾到上衣， 她為人親切且顯得愉快風趣， 她的上唇總是擦拭得很乾淨， 因此她喝酒的杯子總也很乾淨， 拿食物的時候也很優雅， 當然她行為舉止都很得宜， 和藹可親又能容忍， 辛苦的事也能微笑面對， 而臉看起來有威嚴， 有讓人想尊敬的感覺， 對於道德方面， 她的厚道而仁慈 若看到被抓到的老鼠死了或者流血， 她便會落淚， 她有養一些小狗， 她會用烤過的肉、牛奶、或白麵包來餵它們， 若她的狗兒死了或被人欺負她會很痛心， 她的頭用頭巾整齊地包著， 她鼻子很挺，眼睛如灰色的玻璃， 她的嘴巴又軟又紅潤， 她的額頭清爽乾淨又寬又高， 她個子並不小， 我知道她穿著潔淨的斗篷， 帶著的許多綠色小珠子串成的珊瑚念珠， 她還帶著一個金色有光澤的胸針， 胸針上方寫著一個有皇冠的A， 下方則是寫著Amor Vincit Omnia。