"'My lord, the monk,' quod he ... 'By my trothe I can not tell youre name. Whether shall I call you my Lord Dan John, Or Dan Thomas, or elles Dan Albon? Of what house be ye by your father kin? I vow to God thou hast a full fair skin; It is a gentle pasture ther thou goest, Thou art not like a penaunt[62] or a ghost. Upon my faith thou art some officer, Some worthy sextern or some celerer. For by my father's soul, as to my dome, Thou art a maister when thou art at home; No poure cloisterer, ne non novice, But a governor both ware and wise.'" Chaucer himself describes the same monk in his Prologue thus:-- "A monk there was, a fayre for the maisterie, An out-rider that lovered venerie,[63] A manly man to be an abbot able. Ful many a dainty horse had he in stable; And when he rode men might his bridle hear Gingling in a whistling wind as clear, And eke as loud as doth the chapel bell, Whereas this lord was keeper of the cell. The rule of Saint Maur and of Saint Benet, Because that it was old and somedeal strait, This ilke monk let olde thinges pace, And held after the newe world the trace. He gave not of the text a pulled hen, That saith, that hunters been not holy men; Ne that a monk, when he is regneless,[64] Is like a fish that is waterless; That is to say, a monk out of his cloister: This ilke text he held not worth an oyster. And I say his pinion was good. Why should he study, and make himselven wood, Upon a book in cloister alway to pore, Or swinkin with his handis, and labour, As Austin bid? How shall the world be served? Therefore he was a prickasoure aright: Greyhounds he had as swift as fowls of flight; Of pricking and of hunting for the hare Was all his lust, for no cost would he spare. I saw his sleeves purfled at the hand With gris, and that the finest of the land. And for to fasten his hood under his chin He had of gold y-wrought a curious pin: A love-knot in the greater end there was. * * * * * His bootis supple, his horse in great estate; Now certainly he was a fair prelate." Again, in the "Shipman's Tale" we learn that such an officer had considerable freedom, so that he was able to pay very frequent visits to his friends. The whole passage is worth giving:-- "A marchant whilom dwelled at St. Denise, That riche was, for which men held him wise. * * * * *