The General Prologue
Folio 5r
9 of 14 folios
Wel loued he garlek oynons and lekes
And for to drynke straunge wyn reed as blood
Thanne wolde he speke and crye as he were wood
And whan that he had wel dronken the wyn
Thanne wolde he speke no worde but latyn
A fewe t ermes had he two or thre
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That he had lerned out of som decre
No wondir is he it herd al the day
And eke he knew wel how that a Iay
Kan clepe wat as wel as can a pope
But who so couthe him in other thynges grope
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¶ Thanne had he spent al his philosophye
Ay questio quid iuris wolde he crie.
He was a gentyl harlot and a kynde
A better felaw sholde a man noght fynde.
He wolde suffre for a quart of wyne
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A good felaw to haue his concubyne
Atwelf monthe and excuse hym at the full
Ful piuely a fynche eke couthe he puƚƚ
And iffe he founde owhere a good felawe
He wolde techen hym to haue noon awe
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In swich caas of the erchedekenes curs
But iffe mannes soule were in his purs
For hy his purs he sholde y ponysshed be
Purs is the Erchedekenes helle quod he
But wel y wote he lied ryght in dede
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Of cursyng aught ech gulty man to drede
For curs wol sle ryght as a soylyng sauytħ
And al so ware him of a significauit.
In daungere he had at his owne gise
The yonge gerles of the diocise
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And knew her counsel and was of hir reed
A garlond had he sette vpon his heed
As grete as it were for an alestake
A bokeler had he maad him of a kake
Wyth him ther rood a gentyl pardoner
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Of Rounciuale his freend and his comper
That streyght was comen from the court of Rome
Ful lowde he song come hider loue come to me
¶ This sompnour bare to him a stif bordoun
Was neuer trompe of half so gret a soun.