Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge Withinne…

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.

Sourced, Troilus and Criseyde
(1385)

Book 2, l. 22-28

Other Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

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…
For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay fleeth the tyme; it nyl no man abyde. - View Quote Details on For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay…
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! - View Quote Details on And for ther is so gret diversite
In Englissh and in…
For out of olde feldes, as men seith,
Cometh al this new corn fro yeer to yere;
And out of olde bokes, in good feith,
Cometh al this newe science that men lere. - View Quote Details on For out of olde feldes, as men seith,
Cometh al this…
But yet that holden this tale a folly,
As of a fox, or of a cock and hen,
Taketh the morality, good men.
For Saint Paul saith that all that written is,
To our doctrine it is y-writ, ywis;
Taketh the fruit, and let the chaff be still. - View Quote Details on But yet that holden this tale a folly,
As of a…
Men sholde wedden after hir estat,
For youthe and elde is often at debat. - View Quote Details on Men sholde wedden after hir estat,
For youthe and elde is…
And yet he had a thomb of gold parde. - View Quote Details on And yet he had a thomb of gold parde.
A Clerk ther was of Oxenforde also. - View Quote Details on A Clerk ther was of Oxenforde also.
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…
For gold in phisike is a cordial;
Therefore he loved gold in special. - View Quote Details on For gold in phisike is a cordial;
Therefore he loved gold…