Question

Read the excerpt from The Canterbury Tales.

"To start with, I declare where I’ve come from,
And then produce my certificates, one by one;
My licence with the seal of our lord bishop
Which I show first—that’s to protect myself
So that nobody, whether priest or cleric,
Dares interdict me from Christ’s holy work.”

What feature of medieval life is reflected in the excerpt?

the custom of going to confession regularly
the acceptance of the Church’s authority
the practice of traveling to distant locations
the importance of knowing one’s neighbors

Answer 1

the acceptance of the Church’s authority

The speaker shows a licence sealed by the bishop to protect himself from being interdicted by clergy, which reflects the Church’s power and authority in medieval life.