The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 208v
16 of 18 folios
¶ Certes swich crie ne lamentacioun
Was neuer of ladies maad whan Ilioun
Was come and pirrus with his streite swerd
Whan he had hent kyng priam bi the berd
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And slayn him as seith vs enoydos
As made alle the hennes in the cloos
Whan thei had seyn of Chauntcleer the sight
But souereynly dam partilote shright
Ful louder than dide hasdrubales wif
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Whan that hir husbond hadde lost his lif
And that the Romaynes had brent Cartage
So ful he was of pite and of Rage
That wilfully in to the fyr she sterte
And brende hir self with a stedefast herte
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¶ O woful hennes right so criden ye
As whan that nero brende the Citee
Of Rome criden Senatours wyues
For that hir husbondes losten alle hir lyues
With outen gilt this Nero hath hem slayn
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Now wol I turne to my tale agayn
¶ The sely widow and hir doughtres two
Herden thise hennes crie and maken wo
And out atte dores sterten thei anon
And seen the fox in to the groue goon
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And baar vpon his bakke the Cok away
And cride out harrow and weilawey
Ha ha the fox and after him thei ran
And eek with staues many a nother man
Ran Colle our dogge and talbot and garlond
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And Malkyn with a distaf in hir hond
Ran Cow and calf and eek the verrey hogges
So fered for berkyng of the dogges
And shoutyng of the men and wommen eek
Thei ronne so hem thoght hir herte breek
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Thei yeleden as feendes doon in helle
The dokes criden / as men wolde hem quelle
The gees for feere flowen ouer the trees