The Franklin's Portrait

331: A frankeleyn was in his compaignye.
There was a franklin in his company.
332. Whit was his berd as is a dayesyse
White was his beard as is a daisy.
333: Of his complexioun he was sangwyn.
Of sanguine termperament by every sign,
334: Wel loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn;
He loved to dip his morning bread in wine.
335: To lyven in delit was evere his wone,
A pleasing life was the custom he'd won,
336: For he was epicurus owene sone,
FOr he was Epicusus' very son,
337: That heeld opinioun that pleyn delit
That held opinion that plain and pure delight
338: Was verray felicitee parfit.
Was true happiness, perfect and right.
339: An housholdere, and that a greet, was he;
A householder and a great he was;
340: Seint julian he was in his contree.
Saint Julian he was in his own country.
341: His breed, his ale, was alweys after oon;
His bread, his ale were always something fine;
342: A bettre envyned man was nowher noon.
No man had cellars better stocked with wine.
343: Withoute bake mete was nevere his hous
His house was never short of food or pies
344: Of fissh and flessh, and that so plentevous,
Of fish and flesh, and these in large supplies,
345: It snewed in his hous of mete and drynke,
IT seemed to snow in food and drink,
346: Of alle deyntees that men koude thynke.
Of every dainty that a man could think.
347: After the sondry sesons of the yeer,
According to the various seasons of the year,
348: So chaunged he his mete and his soper.
He changed lunch and his supper.
349: Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in muwe,
Very many fattened partridges he kept in a mew,
350: And many a breem and many a luce in stuwe.
And many a bream and pike in fish pond too.
351: Wo was his cook but if his sauce were
Woe was his cook unless the sauces were
352: Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his geere.
Poignant and sharp, and ready all his gear.
353: His table dormant in his halle alway
HIs dining table, waiting in the hall, I say,
354: Stood redy covered al the longe day.
Stood ready covered throughout the whole day.
355: At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire;
At county sessions he was lord and sire,
356: Ful ofte tyme he was knyght of the shire.
And often acted as a knight of shire.
357: An anlaas and a gipser al of silk
A dagger and a purse of silk
358: Heeng at his girdel, whit as morne milk.
Hung at his belt, white as morning milk.
359: A shirreve hadde he been, and a contour.
He had been sheriff and been tax auditor.
360: Was nowher swich a worthy vavasour.
There was nowhere asuch a worthy vavasor.