Bailly, Harry

Bailly, Harry,
in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales the host of the Tabard Inn where the pilgrims meet in the General Prologue. We learn his name (‘Herry Bailly’) from the Cook's Prologue (l. 4358) and he has been tentatively identified with an ostler of that name in the Subsidy Rolls for Southwark 1380/1 and perhaps with the member of Parliament for Southwark 1376/7 and 1378/9 . See account in Riverside edition, note on l. 751, p. 825. He initiates the storytelling competition which forms the basis of the work, and acts as master of ceremonies along the way.