“Minestrales
And gestours for to tellen tales,
Of romaunces that ben reales,
Of popes and of cardinales
And eke of love-longing.”
Here we have the historic geste and the light and ribald tale. When Chaucer recited the Ballad of Sir Thopas, conceived after the fashion of the old romances, the host interrupted him and said—
“This may well be rime—dogerel,
Mine eres aken of thy drafty speche.”
We heartily wish that Chaucer had finished the tale. The host merely repeated the general objection to the heroic ballad, and showed the common preference for the ribald tales. The author of the “Vision of Piers the Ploughman,” complains that the passion for songs and ballads was so strong that men attended to these to the neglect of more serious and of sacred matters.