And for ther is so gret diversite In Englissh and in…

And for ther is so gret diversite
In Englissh and in writyng of oure tonge,
So prey I God that non myswrite the,
Ne the mysmetre for defaute of tonge;
And red wherso thow be, or elles songe,
That thow be understonde, God I biseche!

Sourced, Troilus and Criseyde
(1385)

Book 5, l. 1793-1798

Other Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

And of his port as meke as is a mayde. - View Quote Details on And of his port as meke as is a mayde.
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And yet…
Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swych licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halve cours yronne,
And smale foweles maken melodye,
That slepen al the nyght with open ye
(So priketh hem nature in hir corages);
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages. - View Quote Details on Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of March…
But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve,
He taught; but first he folwed it himselve. - View Quote Details on But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve,
He taught; but first…
Or as an ook comth of a litel spir,
So thorugh this lettre, which that she hym sente,
Encressen gan desir, of which he brente. - View Quote Details on Or as an ook comth of a litel spir,
So thorugh…
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Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
Entuned in hir nose ful semely,
And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,
For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe. - View Quote Details on Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
Entuned in hir nose…
He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght. - View Quote Details on He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge
Withinne a thousand yeer, and wordes tho
That hadden prys, now wonder nyce and straunge
Us thinketh hem; and yet they spake hem so,
And spedde as wel in love as men now do;
Eek for to winne love in sondry ages,
In sondry londes, sondry ben usages. - View Quote Details on Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge
Withinne…
Mordre wol out, that se we day by day. - View Quote Details on Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.