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From General Prologue, lines 333-362:
The Franklin
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From The Canterbury Tales:
General Prologue
lines 363-380: The Haberdasher, Carpenter, Tapestry-maker, Dyer and Weaver


       An HABERDASSHERE and a CARPENTER,
A WEBBE, a DYERE, and a TAPYCER,-
365And they were clothed alle in o lyveree
Of a solempne and a greet fraternitee.
Ful fressh and newe hir geere apiked was;
Hir knyves were chaped noght with bras,
But al with silver; wroght ful clene and weel,
370Hire girdles and hir pouches everydeel.
Wel semed ech of hem a fair burgeys
To sitten in a yeldehalle on a deys.
Everich, for the wisdom that he kan,
Was shaply for to been an alderman.
375For catel hadde they ynogh and rente,
And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente;
And elles certeyn, were they to blame.
It is ful fair to been ycleped "madame,"
And goon to vigilies al bifore,
380And have a mantel roialliche ybore.
       A HABERDASHER and a CARPENTER,
A TAPESTRY-MAKER, DYER, and WEAVER
365Were with us, clothed in the same livery,
All of one solemn, great fraternity.
Freshly and new their gear, and well adorned it was;
Their weapons were not cheaply shaped with brass,
But all with silver; neatly made and well
370Their belt and their purses too, I tell.
Each man of them appeared a proper citizen
To sit in guildhall on a dais, he can
And each of them, for wisdom he could span,
Was suitable to serve as an alderman;
375For property they'd enough, and income too;
Besides their wives declared it was their due,
Or else for certain they had been to blame.
It's good to hear "Madam" before one's name,
And go to church when all the world may see,
380Having one's gown carried right royally.




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From General Prologue, lines 381-389:
The Cook
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