Here's some proof for you, Amos. A source prior to the SJs. Since I'm certain sure you don't, more's the pity, read Middle English I've left the line numbers in to assist you.

165 A Monk ther was, a fair for the maistrie,
166         An outridere, that lovede venerie,
167         A manly man, to been an abbot able.
168         Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable;
169         And whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere
170         Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere,
171         And eek as loude, as dooth the chapel belle,
172         Ther as this lord was keper of the celle.
173         The reule of Seint Maure, or of Seint Beneit,
174         Bycause that it was old and somdel streit-
175         This ilke Monk leet olde thynges pace,
176         And heeld after the newe world the space.
177         He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen,
178         That seith that hunters beth nat hooly men,
179         Ne that a monk, whan he is recchelees,
180         Is likned til a fissh that is waterlees-
181    This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloystre-
182         But thilke text heeld he nat worth an oystre!
183         And I seyde his opinioun was good,
184         What sholde he studie, and make hymselven wood,
185         Upon a book in cloystre alwey to poure,
186         Or swynken with his handes and laboure
187         As Austyn bit? How shal the world be served?
188         Lat Austyn have his swynk to him reserved;
189         Therfore he was a prikasour aright,
190         Grehoundes he hadde, as swift as fowel in flight;
191         Of prikyng and of huntyng for the hare
192         Was al his lust, for no cost wolde he spare.
193         I seigh his sleves ypurfiled at the hond
194         With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond;
195         And for to festne his hood under his chyn
196         He hadde of gold ywroght a curious pyn;
197         A love-knotte in the gretter ende ther was.
198         His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas,
199         And eek his face, as it hadde been enoynt.
200         He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt,
201         Hise eyen stepe, and rollynge in his heed,
202         That stemed as a forneys of a leed;
203         His bootes souple, his hors in greet estaat;
204         Now certeinly he was a fair prelaat!
205         He was nat pale as a forpyned goost,
206         A fat swan loved he best of any roost.
207         His palfrey was as broun as is a berye,
208         A Frere ther was, a wantowne and a merye,
209         A lymytour, a ful solempne man,
210         In alle the ordres foure is noon that kan
211        So muchel of daliaunce and fair langage.
212         He hadde maad ful many a mariage
213         Of yonge wommen at his owene cost.
214         Unto his ordre he was a noble post,
215         And wel biloved and famulier was he
216         With frankeleyns overal in his contree
217         And eek with worthy wommen of the toun,
218         For he hadde power of confessioun,
219         As seyde hymself, moore than a curat,
220         For of his ordre he was licenciat.
221         Ful swetely herde he confessioun,
222         And plesaunt was his a absolucioun,
223         He was an esy man to yeve penaunce
224         Ther as he wiste to have a good pitaunce;
225         For unto a povre ordre for to yive
226         Is signe that a man is wel yshryve;
227         For, if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt,
228         He wiste that a man was repentaunt.
229         For many a man so harde is of his herte,
230         He may nat wepe, al thogh hym soore smerte;
231         Therfore, in stede of wepynge and preyeres,
232         Men moote yeve silver to the povre freres.
233         His typet was ay farsed ful of knyves
234         And pynnes, for to yeven yonge wyves.
235         And certeinly he hadde a murye note,
236         Wel koude he synge, and pleyen on a rote,
237         Of yeddynges he baar outrely the pris.
238         His nekke whit was as the flour delys;
239         Therto he strong was as a champioun,
240         He knew the tavernes wel in every toun
241         And everich hostiler and tappestere
242         Bet than a lazar or a beggestere.
243         For unto swich a worthy man as he
244         Acorded nat, as by his facultee,
245         To have with sike lazars aqueyntaunce;
246         It is nat honeste, it may nat avaunce,
247         For to deelen with no swich poraille,
248         But al with riche and selleres of vitaille;
249         And overal, ther as profit sholde arise,
250         Curteis he was, and lowely of servyse.
251         Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous;
252         He was the beste beggere in his hous,
253         (And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt
254         Noon of his brethren cam ther in his haunt;)
255         For thogh a wydwe hadde noght a sho,
256         So plesaunt was his `In principio'
257         Yet wolde he have a ferthyng er he wente;
258         His purchas was wel bettre than his rente.
259         And rage he koude, as it were right a whelpe;
260         In love-dayes ther koude he muchel helpe;
261         For there he was nat lyk a cloysterer,
262         With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler,
263         But he was lyk a maister or a pope;
264         Of double worstede was his semycope,
265         That rounded as a belle out of the presse.
266         Somwhat he lipsed for his wantownesse
267         To make his Englissh sweete upon his tonge,
268         And in his harpyng, whan that he hadde songe,
269         Hise eyen twynkled in his heed aryght
270         As doon the sterres in the frosty nyght.