(_The_ PRIORESS _sings to the tune of the Old English Ballad,
"Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes_.")

Oh! We are Chaucer's children here,
And well we love his name
We live in hearts that hold him dear,
Are nourished by his fame.
Oh, listen now, while thus we sing
Our songs of olden days,
When court and king and common folk
United, voiced his praise.

When I was once a little lasse
At Stratford-on-the-Bowe
I hastened daily to my classe,
My one dream was to know.
I studied there, full seemly deep,
With ne'er the smallest hint
That other maids would some day weep,
At seeing me in print.

I thought of nothing but my booke,
To make my mind grow fair
So I'm afraid I never took
The pains to do my hair!

(_She looks at the_ JUNIOR'S _hair_.)

Perchance if now I went to school,
And sought its culture wide,
Of _coiffures_ strange I'd learn the rule,
And scorn what was inside.

Oh, gentle Chaucer, could you see
The world around us here,
Perhaps you'd change your poetry
And call no pilgrim _queer_
And could you see the ladies' dress,
And what they wear the while,
You'd know what made the critics guess
You had a _simple style_.

WIFE. (_to_ EMILY)
Look at her smile upon that silly miss!
Look, Emilye, did we come here for this?
As to her singing, well, I have heard worse!
I fear her verses will make her perverse.

PRIORESS. (_to_ HIPPOLYTA)
To punish her would make my conscience prick.

GRISELDA. O Madame, be not flattered, think of _stick_.

PRIORESS. Alas 'tis true!

EMILY. Fire up your dying wrath.

WIFE. (_to_ JUNIOR)
What can you say about the Wife of Bath?

JUNIOR. I don't know. I can't remember anything.

WIFE. (_severely_)
Did you not say my hosen were of red?

JUNIOR. Well, they are, aren't they?

WIFE. And what of that? Is that a case for scorn?
My gear is eke as fine as e'er was worn.

EMILY. What about me?

JUNIOR. (_puzzled_) Who are you? I just _can't_ remember.

HIPPOLYTA. Do you not recognize her by her hair?

EMILY. 'Tis falling out because of grief and care!

JUNIOR. Then I suppose you're Emily. But who is that? (_points to_
GRISELDA)

GRISELDA. Ignorance!! (_she stamps her foot_)

ALL. Griselda! You impatient!

JU