The host is out of her hearing, or he would not be so ready to tell her character: I have a wif, tho' that she poore be; But of her tongue a blabbing shrew is she, And yet she hath a heap of vices mo.
She is always getting into trouble with the neighbors; and when he will not fight in her quarrel, she cries, ...

False coward, wreak thy wif; By corpus domini, I will have thy knife, And thou shalt have my distaff and go spin.
The best names she has for him are milksop, coward, and ape; and so we say, with him, Come, let us pass away from this mattere.
THE PLAN PROPOSED .-- With these suggestions of the nature of the company assembled "for to don their pilgrimage," we come to the framework of the story.

While sitting at the table, the host proposes That each of you, to shorten with your way, In this viage shall tellen tales twey.
Each pilgrim should tell two stories; one on the way to Canterbury, and one returning.

As, including Chaucer and the host, there are thirty-one in the company, this would make sixty-two stories.

The one who told the best story should have, on the return of the company to the Tabard inn, a supper at the expense of the rest.
The host's idea was unanimously accepted; and in the morning, as they ride forth, they begin to put it into execution.