Chaucer's Middle English was a combination of the original Germanic language stock, to which had been added a heavy influence of French, dating from the Norman (French) Conquest of 1066. Here is the beginning of "The Miller's Tale" in Middle English: 

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                        Whilom ther was dwellynge at Oxenford
                   A rich gnof, that gestes heeld to bord,
                   And of his craft he was a carpenter.
                   With hym ther was dwellynge a poure scoler,
                   Hadde lerned art, but al his fantasye
                   Was turned for to lerne astrologye,
                   And koude a certeyn of conclusiouns,
                   To demen by interrogaciouns,
                   If that men asked hym in certein houres
                   Whan that men shoulde have droghte or elles shoures,
                   Or if men asked hym what shoulde bifalle
                   Of every thyng: I may nat rekene hem alle.
                         This clerk was cleped hende Nicolas.
                   Of deerne love he koude and of solas;
                   And thereto he was sleigh and ful privee,
                   And lyk a mayden meke for to see.
                   A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye
                   Allone, withouten any compaignye,
                   Ful fetisly ydight with herbes swoote;
                   And he himself as sweete as is the roote
                   Of lycorys, or any cetewale. 

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whilom once
gnof churl, fellow
demen decide
droghte drought
hem them
shoures showers
cleped called
hende handy
deerne secret
solas comfort, pleasure
sleigh sly
privee private
fetisly neatly
ydight prepared
swoote sweet
cetewale plant related to ginger
meke meek