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Animal Rights History Timeline » [c485-1450] Medieval Ages » Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales

[c1387] Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales (London, 1907; Google Books: Online Library of Free eBooks) Lines 142-150.

But to describe her tender conscience,
So kind of heart and pitiful was she,
At once she wept if she a mouse should see
Caught in a trap, or from a wound to bleed.
Some little dogs she had, that she would feed
With roasted meat, or milk and finest bread.
But sore she wept if one of them dead,
Or if it, beaten with a stick, did smart;
And all compassion was her tender heart.

Geoffrey Chaucer, Canterbury Tales [Petworth ms.], edited by Frederick James Furnivall (London, 1868-1879; Google Books: Online Library of Free eBooks) Lines 142-150

But for to speken of hir Consciense
She as so charitable and so pitous
She wolde wepe yif that she sauh a mous
Kaugh[t] in a trappe yif it were ded or bledde
of smale houndes had she that she feede
With rostid flessh or mylk or wastelbrede
But sore wepte she yf oon of of hem were dede
or yf men smoot yt with a yerde smetrte
and all was conscience and tendre herte
(Petworth MS., ed. Furnivall)