"His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye" - Prologue to The Canterbury Tales
"Thropes, bernes, shipnes, dayeryes" - The Wife of Bath's Tale
"Thropes" are villages, "bernes" are barns, and "shipnes" are cowsheds.
"That kan an hurt deer from an hool knowe" - The Friar's Tale
"He koude hunte at wilde deer" - Sir Thopas
For more information on the popularity of deer in Medieval thought and culture, please visit: In the Pursuit of Venison.
"For she was, as it were, a maner deye" - The Nun's Priest's Tale
"Si volucris verrat, qui torret eam, procul errat; Sed
procul
ab igne volucrem de flumine torre."
"If the bird is at home on the land, he who roasts it will go
far; but if it is a water bird, it should be roasted far from the fire."
"The drake, stroyere of his owene kynde" - The Parlement of Foules
Drakes were known in the Middle Ages to kill their own offspring and other young ducks.
"Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte" - Prologue to The Canterbury Tales
"Wel koude he knowe a draughte of London ale" - Prologue to The Canterbury Tales
"Ful many a draughte of wyn had he ydrawe" - Prologue to The Canterbury Tales
Chaucer's Foods
© James L. Matterer
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