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Canterbury Tales Justice and Judgment Quotes

Discreet he was and of greet reverence –
He semed swich, his wordes weren so wise.
Justice he was ful often in assise,
By patente and by pleyn commissioun.
For his science and for his heigh renoun,
Of fees and robes hadde he many oon.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Man of Law is a successful lawyer with an excellent reputation and is very much in demand. He is often a judge in the court of assizes, there by royal appointment. Because of his knowledge and reputation he earns large fees.

In termes hadde he caas and doomes alle
That from the tyme of kyng William were falle.
Therto he koude endite and make a thyng,
Ther koude no wight pynche at his writyng;
And every statut koude he pleyn by rote.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. The Man of Law has a record of every legal case and decision since King William’s time. He can compose and draw up a legal document that no one can find a flaw in. And he knows every statue completely by heart. Definitely the person to go to if you find yourself in a legal pinch.

And therfore wol I maken yow disport,
As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort.
And if yow liketh alle by oon assent
For to stonden at my juggement,
And for to werken as I shal yow seye,
Tomorwe, whan ye riden by the weye,
Now, by my fader soule that is deed,
But ye be myrie, I wol yeve yow myn heed!

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, General Prologue. Host Harry Bailly announces to the pilgrims that he is going to make a game for them to provide them some pleasure. He would like them to accept his judgment and he promises by his father’s soul that if they are not merry he will give them his head.

Yow loveres axe I now this questioun:
Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun?
That oon may seen his lady day by day,
But in prison he moot dwelle alway;
That oother wher hym list may ride or go,
But seen his lady shal he nevere mo.
Now demeth as yow liste, ye that kan,
For I wol telle forth as I bigan.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. At the end of the first part of the tale, we are asked to judge who is worse off, Arcite or Palamon? They are both in love with the beautiful Emily. Palamon must always stay locked up in prison, but can see her from his cell every day. And Arcite is free to ride and walk where he pleases, but will never see his lady again as he is banished from Athens.

Namoore, up peyne of lesynge of youre heed!
By myghty Mars, he shal anon be deed
That smyteth any strook that I may seen.
But telleth me what myster men ye been,
That been so hardy for to fighten heere
Withouten juge or oother officere,
As it were in a lystes roially.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. Theseus comes on the scene of the bloody fight between Palamon and Arcite and objects to it because it is not properly conducted and supervised and there us no judge. He commands them to stop, on penalty of losing their heads.

He hath considered shortly, in a clause,
The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause,
And although that his ire hir gilt accused,
Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused,
As thus: he thoghte wel that every man
Wol helpe hymself in love, if that he kan,
And eek delivere hymself out of prisoun.
And eek his herte hadde compassioun
Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. Theseus attempts to balance the needs for justice and mercy, after he discovers Palamon and Arcite feuding over Emily. Though he is angry at their trespass, he understands that every man will help himself in love, and he also has compassion for the women. So he decides not to execute the knights and excuses them.

And softe unto hymself he seyde, "Fy
Upon a lord that wol have no mercy,
But been a leon, bothe in word and dede,
To hem that been in repentaunce and drede,
As wel as to a proud despitous man
That wol mayntene that he first bigan.
That lord hath litel of discrecioun,
That in swich cas kan no divisioun
But weyeth pride and humblesse after oon."

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. Theseus criticizes leaders who shows no mercy towards the law-breaker who is in repentence and fear but treats him the same as the proud and spiteful law-breaker. Such a lord considers pride and humility equal and has little sound judgment. He is explaining why he is extending mercy to Arcite and Palamon.

But all moot ben assayed, hoot and coold;
A man moot ben a fool, or yong or oold –
I woot it by myself ful yore agon,
For in my tyme a servant was I oon.
And therfore, syn I knowe of loves peyne
And woot hou soore it kan a man distreyne,
As he that hath ben caught ofte in his laas,
I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespaas.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. Theseus wholly forgives Palamon and Theseus for breaking his rules, saying he was a servant of love himself a long time ago. As one who has often been caught in its snare, he says he knows of love’s pain and how sorely it can afflict a man.

And whan that Theseus hadde seyn this sighte,
Unto the folk that foghten thus echon
He cryde, "Hoo! namoore, for it is doon!
I wol be trewe juge, and no partie.
Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelie,
That by his fortune hath hire faire ywonne.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. Theseus, saying that he is the impartial judge, calls a half to the jousting competition. He announces Arcite as the winner and says that he bh his fortune will have the hand of Emily which he has won fairly.

Thus swyved was this carpenteris wyf,
For al his kepyng and his jalousye,
And Absolon hath kist hir nether ye,
And Nicholas is scalded in the towte.
This tale is doon, and God save al the rowte!

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Miller’s Tale. The concluding lines of the tale nicely resolve the story with a reckoning and a kind of justice for the flawed characters involved. The jealous carpenter John has been cheated on by his wife. His wife Alison has been bedded by another man. The foolish parish clerk Absolon has kissed Alison’s backside. And the cheating student Nicholas has had his behind burned by a red-hot poker in revenge by Absolon.

For, John," seyde he, "als evere moot I thryve,
If that I may, yon wenche wil I swyve.
Som esement has lawe yshapen us,
For, John, ther is a lawe that says thus,
That gif a man in a point be agreved,
That inanother he sal be releved.
Oure corn is stoln, sothly, it is na nay,
And we han had an il fit al this day;
And syn I sal have neen amendement
Agayn my los, I will have esement."

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Reeve’s Tale. Alan tells John of his plan to have redress for the miller’s theft of their grain. He will set the scale of justice right again by having sex with the miller’s daughter. There is a law he says, that if a man in one point is injured, then in another he shall be relieved.

Withinne a while this John the clerk up leep,
And on this goode wyf he leith on soore.
So myrie a fit ne hadde she nat ful yoore;
He priketh harde and depe as he were mad.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Reeve’s Tale. John has vigorous revenge sex with the miller’s wife to dish out his form of justice for the miller’s theft of the corn. While it says she has a merry experience, she is tricked into another man’s bed thinking she was laying down beside her husband. The image of John stabbing her hard and deep as if he was mad adds to the repulsive nature of the act, which is without doubt rape.

Thus is the proude millere wel ybete,
And hath ylost the gryndynge of the whete,
And payed for the soper everideel
Of Aleyn and of John, that bette hym weel.
His wyf is swyved, and his doghter als.
Low, swich it is a millere to be fals!
And therefore this proverbe is seyd ful sooth,
"Hym thar nat wene wel that yvil dooth."

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Reeve’s Tale. The reckoning comes for the thieving miller who steals from his customers. His punishment includes a beating by John and Alan, his wife screwed and his daughter screwed. This is how it is when a miller is false, says the Reeve, still smarting at how The Miller’s Tale slandered carpenters.

And therfore this proverbe is seyd ful sooth,
"Hym thar nat wene wel that yvele dooth;"
A gylour shal hymself bigyled be.
Modern English:
And therefore this proverb is said very truly,
"One who does evil should not expect good."
A trickster shall himself be tricked.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Reeve’s Tale. The trickster being tricked is a story device that is used in many of the 24 Canterbury Tales. The miller set out to trick and thieve from John and Alan. He then became the target of deception and tricks by the student pair when they had sex with the miller’s wife and daughter.

A Britoun book, written with Evaungiles,
Was fet, and on this book he swoor anoon
She gilty was, and in the meene whiles
An hand hym smoot upon the nekke-boon,
That doun he fil atones as a stoon.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. King Alla wants to test the veracity of the knight’s evidence. So he has him swear on a British book of the gospels. The moment the knight swear his evidence of Constance’s guilt a hand strikes him on the neck-bone and he falls down like a stone, his two eyes bursting out of his face. Instant divine judgment!

O myghty God, if that it be thy wille,
Sith thou art rightful juge, how may it be
That thou wolt suffren innocentz to spille,
And wikked folk regne in prosperitee?

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. The King’s Constable wonders how God, if he is a rightful judge, can allow innocents to die and wicked folk to reign in prosperity. He is dismayed by the order, contained in Donegild’s forged letter from the King, to permanently banish Constance and her son from the land and send her away in the same ship that she arrived in.

And thus, by wit and sotil enquerynge,
Ymagined was by whom this harm gan sprynge.
The hand was knowe that the lettre wroot,
And al the venym of this cursed dede,
But in what wise, certeinly, I noot.
Th’ effect is this: that Alla, out of drede,
His mooder slow – that may men pleynly rede –
For that she traitour was to hire ligeance.
Thus endeth olde Donegild, with meschance!

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. After finding his wife and son gone on his return home King Alla, through wit and subtle questioning, learns the identify of the writer of the forged letters that had Constance banished – his mother Donegild! For her cruelty and for being a traitor, she pays the ultimate penalty – King Alla slays her.

Hir child cride, and she cride pitously.
But blisful Marie heelp hire right anon;
For with hir struglyng wel and myghtily
The theef fil over bord al sodeynly,
And in the see he dreynte for vengeance;
And thus hath Crist unwemmed kept Custance.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Tale. When an amorous steward comes on board Constance’s ship and says he will be her lover whether she likes it or not, she and her child cry. The Virgin Mary comes to her aid and the would-be rapist falls overboard and is drowned as a punishment for his sin. Thus Christ keeps Constance undefiled.

But that the queene and other ladyes mo
So longe preyeden the kyng of grace
Til he his lyf hym graunted in the place,
And yaf hym to the queene, al at hir wille,
To chese wheither she wolde hym save or spille.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Tale. The lucky Knight gets a reprieve from execution when the queen with her ladies intercedes with the king to ask him for mercy. The king grants the Knight his life and hands him over to the queen, who has the power to chose whether she will save him or put him to death. There is an irony in the Knight’s situation: he commits a crime against a woman and now King Arthur puts his fate in the hands of another woman, the queen, who has mastery over him and the power to say if he lives or dies.
What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren - Wife of Bath's Tale

I grante thee lyf, if thou kanst tellen me
What thyng is it that wommen moost desiren.
Be war, and keep thy nekke-boon from iren!

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Tale. The female tribunal led by the queen grants life to the young Knight facing being beheaded for raping a maiden, on one condition. He must answer one question: what is it that women most desire? If he cannot answer the question there and then, he is given twelve months to come up with a satisfactory answer. If he fails, he faces the axe on his neck.

"My lige lady, generally," quod he,
"Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee
As wel over hir housbond as hir love,
And for to been in maistrie hym above.
This is youre mooste desir, thogh ye me kille.
Dooth as yow list; I am heer at youre wille."
In al the court ne was ther wyf, ne mayde,
Ne wydwe that contraried that he sayde,
But seyden he was worthy han his lyf.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Tale. The answer to the queen’s riddle revealed to her and her female tribunal by the Knight: what women desire above all else. A question that would be echoed hundreds of years later by founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud in a letter to Marie Bonaparte. The Knight says that women want sovereignty and to have mastery over their husbands. This is precisely what Alison the Wife of Bath also said during her Prologue. The Knight’s response saves his bacon, all the women in the court agrees with what he has said and believe he is worthy to have his life.
that thou me take unto thy wyf - Loathly Lady in The Canterbury Tales

"Mercy," quod she, "my sovereyn lady queene!
Er that youre court departe, do me right.
I taughte this answere unto the knyght;
For which he plighte me his trouthe there,
The firste thyng that I wolde hym requere
He wolde it do, if it lay in his myghte.
Bifore the court thanne preye I thee, sir knyght,"
Quod she, "that thou me take unto thy wyf,
For wel thou woost that I have kept thy lyf.
If I seye fals, sey nay, upon thy fey!"

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Tale. This passage is all about woman power. The Loathly Lady who provided the Knight with the answer to the queen’s riddle speaks up before the queen’s court, requesting that the she grant her her right. She announces the Knight’s pledge that the first thing she would ask of him he would do, if it lay in his power. So she calls on the Knight to honor his promise and marry her.

But al for noght; the ende is this, that he
Constreyned was; he nedes moste hire wedde,
And taketh his olde wyf, and gooth to bedde.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Tale. After trying to wriggle out of it, the Knight has has no choice but to to like it or lump it and marry and bed the Loathly Lady, much to his distaste. There is a certain poetic justice and irony in the fact that a Knight who raped a young virgin finds himself obliged to have sex with an ugly old hag.

Greet was the wo the knyght hadde in his thoght,
Whan he was with his wyf abedde ybroght;
He walweth and he turneth to and fro.
His olde wyf lay smylynge everemo.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath’s Tale. The Loathly Lady’s demand for the Knight to marry her for saving his life inflicts a novel kind of punishment on the Knight for his rape. In an ironic reversal of fate, the Knight now becomes the victim, and the old hag his aggressor and tormentor. When they retire to the marriage bed she can’t stop smiling, while he twists and turns and wallows in woe.

Lordynges, this question, thanne, wol I aske now,
Which was the mooste fre, as thynketh yow?

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Franklin’s Tale. The Franklin poses the question to the group: who in their judgment was the most generous? It has to be Aurelius, we believe, because he was willing to give what he most desired – Dorigen’s love – and also to go into debt because he felt sympathy for her. The Franklin’s question suggests that the noble classes don’t have a monopoly on gentillesse or nobility. For the humble squire Aurelius showed that he could be noble too.

And though men dradden nevere for to dye,
Yet seen men wel by resoun, doutelees,
That ydelnesse is roten slogardye,
Of which ther nevere comth no good n’ encrees;
And syn that slouthe hire holdeth in a lees
Oonly to slepe, and for to ete and drynke,
And to devouren al that othere swynke.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Second Nun’s Prologue. The narrator of this tale about the life of Saint Cecelia, the Second Nun, is talking about the dangers posed to the soul by idleness. Even people who never feared death or judgment in the afterlife could reason that no good or profit comes from idleness, she feels. Sloth holds idleness on a leash, allowing her to devour all the gains that others earn from working, she says. The old saying "the devil makes work for idle hands" comes to mind in her warning here about sloth, one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
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