The Cabinet Minister
(From the New Canterbury Tales) WITH us ther was a minister of state That on ure pilgrimage was comen late, For he was let and hindered, soth to seye, At Chekkers as he cam up-on his *eye. In Parlement he was a lered man That fro the time that he first bigan To gouverne aught, a mayster had he be ; Ther nas no man so wys of his degre, And yet he semed wiser than he was. Ful redy was his spech, and al of gas ; Al-ways he listned to his sovran lorde, And wolde for him eten everich worde Which that he spak of Abadan and Russe. Of Cathay coude he lite,' and eke of Prusse, For state-craeft was al to him unknowe ; Yet ofte wolde he drawe the longe bowe. Certes, his fo he coude scorne and snubbe, And alderbest he thomped up-on a tubbe. He seyde he knew the set of everich winde, And evermore he bar an open minde. He was a man of hope and pacience ; At Derteford he sat upon a fence, And dronk his ale, faste by the Belle. A worthy pilgrim was he, troth to telle, That coude of policee the olde game. He rood up-on a stot (I moot his name), And wayted now up-on opinioun Of sondry folk for his electioun.
He knew very little. G. H. V.
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