The Canterbury Tales Notes | Introduction to the Man of Law's Prologue

The host realizes that it is the 18^th of April and ten o'clock, by the sun and the shade. He remarks that a quarter of the day has passed and that they must waste no more time. The host then asks the lawyer, the Man of Law, to tell a tale, as to not stand in idleness any longer and waste time.

The lawyer agrees, for he had made a promise to do so and "To breke forward is nat myn entente" Introduction to the Man of Law's Prologue, l.40. The lawyer comments that Chaucer has already told so many tales of lovers and wives and myths that there are not many stories left to tell or even re-tell. He proceeds to list numerous famous medieval stories and their redundancies in history, and eventually decides on a tale in which he shall tell in prose.