The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Preface

‘Tehee!’ quod she, and clapte the wyndow to.
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Miller’s Tale’ l. 3740
For certein, whan that Fortune list to flee,
Ther may no man the cours of hire withholde.
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Monk’s Tale’ l. 1995
Ful wys is he that kan hymselven knowe!
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Monk’s Tale’ l. 2139
Redeth the grete poete of Ytaille
That highte Dant, for he kan al devyse
Fro point to point; nat o word wol he faille.
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Monk’s Tale’ l. 2460
His coomb was redder than the fyn coral,
And batailled as it were a castel wal;
His byle was blak, and as the jeet it shoon;
Lyk asure were his legges and his toon;
His nayles whitter than the lylye flour,
And lyk the burned gold was his colour,
This gentil cok hadde in his governaunce
Sevene hennes for to doon al his plesaunce,
Whiche were his sustres and his paramours,
And wonder lyk to hym, as of colours;
Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte
Was cleped fair damoysele Pertelote.
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Nun’s Priest’s Tale’ l. 2859
Whan that the month in which the world bigan,
That highte March, whan God first maked man.
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Nun’s Priest’s Tale’ l. 3187
And on a Friday fil al this meschaunce.
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Nun’s Priest’s Tale’ l. 3341
Mordre wol out; that se we day by day.
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Nun’s Priest’s Tale’ l. 3052
Thanne peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke,
And est and west upon the peple I bekke.
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Pardoner’s Prologue’ l. 395
O wombe! O bely! O stynkyng cod
Fulfilled of dong and of corrupcioun!
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Pardoner’s Tale’ l. 534
‘What, carl, with sory grace!’
‘The Canterbury Tales’ ‘The Pardoner’s Tale’ l. 717
And lightly as it comth, so wol we spende.