Oure Hooste: Instructions for the Journey

Oure Hooste

Instructions for the Journey (based on the words of Oure Hooste at the Tabard Inn, Southwark)

Now Lordynges, trewely, herkneth, if yow leste.

Ye been to me right welcome, hertely. For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye, I saugh [saw] nat so myrie a compaignye.

Ye goon to Caunterbury, God yow speede. The blisful martir, Thomas, quite yow youre meede!

For trewely, confort ne myrthe is noon, to ride by the weye doumb as a stoon.
[There's little pleasure for our bones, riding along and all as dumb as stones]

Lordynges, now herketh for the beste.

This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, that ech of yow, to short with oure weye, in this pilgrymage shal telle tales.
[Each one of you shall help to make things slip, by telling stories]

Tweet, lordynges, short and pleyn; boold of yow speche, and wys. Give full measure of good morality; and general pleasure, without sighs.

And which of yow that bereth hym best of alle, shal have a soper at oure aller cost, Whan that we come agayn from Caunterbury.

Whoso be rebel to my juggement, however much the journey costs, shal paye for al that we spenden by the weye.

In our pilgrymage of olde, tales were told sequentially; but now we mayst all tweet at once, being that we have technology.

Tweet, gentle pilgrims, bigynneth. Tweet full merrily, so we may heere. Tweet to @toCanterbury and he will RT.

We will tweet about oure pilgrime tales of olde: the Pardoner, the Miller, the Knight, and the Reeve; The Merchant, the Nun’s Priest, and the Franklin too.

The Summoner,the Friar and the Lady Prioresse.

But what be the moste of all, my pilgrimes bolde; are yow tales that ye tellen, young and old.

Tweet and tell what, do I hear you ask? Tales of your life, of your journey in life.

Seyde oure hooste: talk merrily and flippantly, for general pleasure.

So seyde he too: talke yow wis,[wise]and worthy; give yow full measure of good morality.

So with ful glad herte now we ryden forth oure waye, with ful devout corage, what nedeth wordes mo?

Withouten any lenger, taryynge; we canne tell, oure tales my friends.

We canne tell oure tales with right a myrie cheere, the merriest bande in all Twitterdom.

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Alexander Pope (more or less): She sees a Mob of Pilgrims advance, Pleas'd with the Madness of the mazy dance. (The Dunciad Variorum)

Alexander Pope: But Sense surviv'd, when merry Jests were past; for rising Merit will buoy up at last. (An Essay on Criticism)

Will Shakespeare: The more pity, that fools may not speak wisely what wise men do foolishly.

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The Longest Journey is the Journey Inward. We carry within us all the wonders that we seek without us. Enjoy the journey. Be merie!

Our pilgrymage, where serious things are done with a sense of fun.

What is this thing called Life? What is this thing called Love? What is at the heart of your life? What is the true Love of your Life?

I have searched for the love of my heart, I searched but I could not find it
Then I found the love of my heart, I've embraced him and I will not let him go