The Canterbury Tales

Fragment X

Chaucer's Retraction

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Heere taketh the makere

of this book his leve.

1082

Now preye I to hem alle that herkne this

1082

Litel tretys or rede, that if ther be any thynge

1082

In it that liketh hem, that therof they thanken

1082

Oure lord jhesu crist, of whom procedeth al

1083

Wit and al goodnesse./ And if ther be any

1083

Thyng that displese hem, I preye hem also that

1083

They arrette it to the defaute of myn unkonnynge,

1083

and nat to my wyl, that wolde ful fayn

1084

Have seyd bettre if I hadde had konnynge./

1084

For oure book seith, al that is writen is writen

1085

For our doctrine, and that is myn entente./

1085

Wherfore I biseke yow mekely, for the mercy

1085

Of go, that ye preye for me that crist have

1086

Mercy on me and foryeve me my giltes;/ and

1086

Namely of my translacions and enditynges of

1086

Worldly vanitees, the whiche I revoke in

1087

My retracciouns:/ as is the book of troilus;

1087

the book also of fame; the book of

1087

The xxv. Ladies; the book of the duchesse;

1087

The book of seint valentynes day of the parlemen

1087

of briddes; the tales of counterbury,

1088

Thilke that sownen into synne;/ the book of the

1088

Leoun; and many another book. If they were

1088

In my remembrance, and many a song and

1088

Many a leccherous lay; that crist for his grete

1089

Mercy foryeve me the synne./ But of the translacion

1089

of boece de consolacione, and othere

1089

Bookes of legendes of seintes, and omelies and

1090

Moralitee, and devocioun./ That thanke I oure

1090

Lord jhesu crist and his blisful mooder, and

1091

Alle the seintes of hevene,/ bisekynge hem that

1091

They from hennes forth unto my lyves ende

1091

Sende me grace to biwayle my giltes, and to

1091

Studie to the salvacioun of my soule, and

1091

Graunte me grace of verray penitence, confessioun

1091

and satisfaccioun to doon in this

1092

Present lyf,/ thurgh the benigne grace of

1092

Hym that is kyng of kynges and preest

1092

Over alle preestes, that boghte us with the

1093

Precious blood of his herte;/ so that is may

1093

Been oon of hem at the day of doom that shulle

1093

Be saved. Qui cum patre et spiritu sancto vivit

1093

Et regnat deus per omnia secula. Amen.

Heere is ended the Book of the Tales of Caunterbury,

compiled by Geffrey Chaucer, of whos soule

Jhesu Crist have mercy. Amen.