The Prologe of the Reves Tale
Whan folk hadde laughen at this nyce cas
Of Absolon and hende Nicholas,
Diverse folk diversely they seyde,
But for the moore part they loughe and pleyde.
Ne at this tale I saugh no man hym greve,
But it were oonly Osewold the Reve.
“Diverse folk diversely they seyde.” With Chaucer’s repetition of the word “diverse” within the same line, it demands attention and analysis.  Although modern historians view Medieval England to be quite historically white, as this NPR interview ( ) states, there were more POC (people of color) in Medieval England than was previously expected.  With Islam expanding throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, people of Chaucer’s time had to be confronted with diverse groups of people.  Though a question of diversity would seem strangely positioned in this section immediately following the bawdy Miller’s Tale, perhaps Chaucer wanted to describe the actual people who travelled or lived in England.
The Reeves Prologue in Middle English