The right answer is 1400, i.e. about 200 years before Shakespeare. The text is an extract from one of the most famous texts of the Middle English period, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
1 Bifil that in that seson on a day,
2 In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay,
3 Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage
4 To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,
5 At nyght was come into that hostelrye
6 Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye
7 Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle
8 In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,
9 That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.
Without having studied Middle English, it will be difficult to understand the text fully, but it may be possible to make an educated guess. How would you describe the general situation as presented in the text? The following questions may help:
- Where is the speaker?
- What is the time of day?
- How many other people are there?
- What are they all?
- Where are they going?
- Have they met on purpose in this place?
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