A goodly company, indeed, and much to the taste of Harry Bailey, mine host of the Tabard, whom we may pretty safely identify with an actual contemporary and fellow M.P. of Chaucer’s.[160] He proposes, therefore, to be their guide and master of the ceremonies on the road to Canterbury and back. The pilgrims themselves shall tell tales to shorten the journey, “drawing cut” for their order; and the teller of the best tale shall, on their return, enjoy a supper at the expense of the rest—
| By one assent | |
| We be accorded to his judgëment; | |
| And thereupon the wine was set anon; | |
| We drunken, and to restë went each one | |
| Withouten any longer tarrying. | |
A-morrow, when the day began to spring, | |
| Up rose the host, and was our aller cock, | [for all of us |
| And gathered us together in a flock.... |
| A white coat and a blue hood wearëd he, A bagpipe well couldë he blow and sound, And therewithal he brought us out of town. |
THE MILLER
(From the Ellesmere MS.)
CHAPTER XII
“CANTERBURY TALES”—FIRST AND SECOND DAYS
“For lo! the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.”—Solomon’s Song