The Canterbury Tales-The Prologue of The Friar

A friar there was, a wanton and a merry, A limiter, a very worthy man. In all the Orders Four is none that can Equal his friendliness and fair language. He had arranged full many a marriage Of young women, and this at his own cost. Unto his order he was a noble post. Well liked by all and intimate was he With franklins everywhere in his country, And with the worthy women of the town. For very sweetly did he hear confession And pleasant also was his absolution. He was an easy man to give penance When knowing he should gain a good pittance; For to a begging friar, money given Is sign that any man has been well shriven. For if one gave (he dared to boast of this), He took the man’s repentance not amiss. For many a man there is so hard of heart He cannot weep however pains may smart. Therefore, instead of weeping and of prayer, Men ought to give some silver to the poor freres. His tippet was stuck always full of knives And pins, to give to young and pleasing wives. And certainly he kept a merry note: Well could he sing and play upon the rote. At balladry he bore the prize away. His throat was white as lily of the May; Yet strong he was as any champion. In towns he knew the taverns, every one, And every host and gay barmaid also Better than beggars and lepers did he know. For unto no such solid man as he Accorded it, as far as he could see, To have sick lepers for acquaintances. There is no honest advantageousness In dealing with such poverty-stricken curs; It’s with the rich and with big victuallers. And so, wherever profit might arise, Courteous he was and humble in men’s eyes. There was no other man so virtuous. He was the finest beggar of his house; A certain district being farmed to him, None of his brethren dared approach its rim; For though a widow had no shoes to show, So pleasant was his In principio, He always got a farthing ere he went. He lived by pickings, it is evident. And he could romp as well as any whelp. For he was not like a cloisterer, With threadbare cope as is the poor scholar, But he was like a lord or like a pope. Of double worsted was his semi-cope, That rounded like a bell, as you may guess. He lisped a little, out of wantonness, To make his English soft upon his tongue; And in his harping, after he had sung, His two eyes twinkled in his head as bright As do the stars within the frosty night. This worthy limiter was named Hubert.

隊伍中還有個歡喜好動的化緣僧， 是個被認可且值得尊敬的化緣僧， 四大教派中恐怕沒人像那樣， 討人喜歡又會說話的了， 他自費幫很多年輕女孩安排婚禮過， 他的階級算是個貴族吧， 他很受他家鄉的小領主們和女士們的愛戴， 大家喜歡他也都喜歡與他接觸， 他在懺悔的時候是聽起來是很美妙的， 他為人寬宏大量， 他堅信若別人給他一些施捨便是一種懺悔， (他還真敢講) 他說他接受人們的後悔而不是錯誤， 其實許多人來說情感宣洩並不那麼容易， 但是沒有宣洩依然是痛苦的， 因此與其哭泣或者禱告， 人們應該要給化緣僧一些錢 他的帽兜尖端總裝滿著小刀 跟髮夾胸針之類的小東西， 要來送給年輕的太太們， 當然他很會唱歌而且還回彈吉他， 甚至在民謠比賽拿過獎， 他的歌聲就像是五月的百合那樣優美， 而且他就像一名鬥士那樣強壯， 城鎮裡的酒館他幾乎都知道， 酒館老闆和侍女幾乎每個都認識， 認識多過他認識的乞丐漢和病人， 畢竟和那些有錢人相比， 那些社會底層的人是無法施捨的， 在別人眼中他總是謙虛的， 他算是他們家中最好的化緣僧， 他都在固定的地區化緣， 其他的化緣僧不會想來這搶飯碗。 就算是沒鞋子穿的寡婦， 只要他展現出他的親和力， 離開之前他也能得到一些錢， 顯然他是靠化緣與收別人不要的東西為生， 他就像小狗那樣好動， 跟在修院的修士不一樣， 穿著像老學究一樣的破舊長袍， 他穿的好像領主或教皇那樣， 他身著雙精紡的半罩袍， 袖口看起來像勻稱的鐘， 他興奮的時候講話會有點咬舌， 使他的英文聽起來更好聽， 而當他彈著豎琴唱著歌時， 他閃爍的雙眼就像雪夜中的星星一樣， 這位可敬之人名叫Hubert。