The Canterbury Tales

When April with his showers sweet with fruit
The drought of March has pierced unto the root
And bathed each vein with liquor that has power
To generate therein and sire the flower;
When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath,
Quickened again, in every holt and heath,
The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun
Into the Ram one half his course has run,
And many little birds make melody
That sleep through all the night with open eye
(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)-
Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage,
And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,
To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.
And specially from every shire's end
Of England they to
Canterbury wend,
The holy blessed martyr there to seek
Who helped them when they lay so ill and weak.

 

 The Pilgrims’ Path from Southwark to Canterbury

 

 

CLICK ON THE NAME OF THE PILGRIM TO VIEW THEIR CLOTHING

 

THE PRIORESS

 

 

THE SQUIRE

 

 

THE KNIGHT

 

THE MONK

 

THE FRIAR

 

 

THE OXFORD STUDENT

 

 

THE LAWYER

 

THE PHYSICIAN

 

WIFE OF BATH

 

 

 

THE PARDONER

 

 

 

 

Annotated Bibliography