n his legal calling. He wears clothes better suited to a pope than to the “cloistered scholars with thread bare habit hardly worth a dollar, but much more like a Doctor or a Pope”. He also meddles in civil disputes out of court, “to arbitrate disputes on settling days (for a small fee)”. Friars were allowed to represent the poor, but had strict orders not to interfere in such cases. Hubert even lisps to make his English sound more appealing, presumably to women, “he lisped a little out of wantonness, to make his English sweet upon his tongue.” Chaucer’s last line of description is the final underlining irony, “This worthy’s name was Hubert” because it is obvious that the friar is not “worthy” in the same way the Knight is worthy. It is clear that Hubert is everything that a friar shouldn't be: corrupt, rich, greedy, and lecherous. ...
