It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake.

Sourced, Troilus and Criseyde
(1385)

Book 3, l. 764

Other Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

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…
Love is a thyng as any spirit free.
Wommen, of kynde, desiren libertee,
And nat to been constreyned as a thral;
And so doon men, if I sooth seyen shal. - View Quote Details on Love is a thyng as any spirit free.
Wommen, of kynde,…
Wide was his parish, and houses fer asonder. - View Quote Details on Wide was his parish, and houses fer asonder.
This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo,
And we been pilgrymes, passynge to and fro;
Deeth is an ende of every worldly soore. - View Quote Details on This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo,
And we…
Thanne is it wysdom, as it thynketh me,
To maken vertu of necessitee. - View Quote Details on Thanne is it wysdom, as it thynketh me,
To maken vertu…
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…
This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf,—
That first he wrought, and afterwards he taught. - View Quote Details on This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf,—
That first he…
Soun is noght but air ybroken,
And every speche that is spoken,
Loud or privee, foul or fair,
In his substaunce is but air;
For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,
Right so soun is air ybroke. - View Quote Details on Soun is noght but air ybroken,
And every speche that is…
Ther nis no werkman, whatsoevere he be,
That may bothe werke wel and hastily. - View Quote Details on Ther nis no werkman, whatsoevere he be,
That may bothe werke…
Mordre wol out, that se we day by day. - View Quote Details on Mordre wol out, that se we day by day.