The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 207r
13 of 18 folios
Thogh god forwoot it er that I was wroght
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Or his wytyng streyneth me neuer adel
But hie necessite condicionel
I wol nat han to do of swich matere
My tale is of a Cok as ye may here
That took his conseil of his wif with sorwe
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To walken in the yerde vpon the morwe
That he had mette the dreme that I yow tolde
Wommens counsels ben ful ofte colde
Wommans conseil broght vs first to wo
And made Adam fro paradys to go
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Ther as he was ful myry and wel at ese
But for I noot to whom I myght displese
If I counseil of wommen blame
Passe ouer for I seide it in my game
Rede auctours where as thei trete of swich matere
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And what thei sey of wommen there may ye here
Thise ben the Cockes wordes and nat myne
I kan noon harm of noo womman dyuyne
¶ Faire in the sand to bathe hire myrily
Lith partilote and al hir sustres by
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Ageyn the sonne and chauntecleer so free
Sang merier than the mermeyde in the see
For phisiologus seith sykerly
How that thei syngen wel and myrily
¶ And so bifil that as he cast his eye
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A mong the wortes on a boterflye
He was waar of this fox that lay ful lowe
No thing ne list him thanne for to crowe
But cried anon Cok Cok and vp he sterte
As man that was affrayde in his herte
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For naturelly a beest desireth flee
Fro his contrarye if he it may see
Thogh he neuer erst hadde sey it with his eye
¶ This Chauntecleer whan he gan him espie
He wolde han fledde but that the fox anou
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Seide gentil syr allas where wol ye goon