The General Prologue
Folio 9r
14 of 21 folios
That were of lawe expert and curious
580
Of which þer was a dosein in that hous
Worþi to ben Stywardes of Rente and londe
Of any lord þat is in Ingelonde
To make him lyue by his propre good
In honour detteles but if þat he were wood
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Or lyue as skarsly as him list desire
And able for to helpen al a schire
In any cas þat mighte falle or happe
And ȝit þis manciple sette here alþer cappe
The Reeue was a sclender colerik man
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His berd was schaue as nygh as euer he can
His her was by his eeres ful round y schorn
His toppe was dokked lik a prest biforn
Ful longe were his legges and ful lene
I lik a staf þer was no calf y sene
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Wel couþe he kepe a garner or a bynne
Ther was non auditour couþe on him wynne
Wel wist he by þe drought and by þe reyne
The yeldyng of his seed and of his greyne
His lordes scheep his neet his dayerie
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His swyn his hors his stoor and his pulletrie
Was holly in þis Reeues gouernynge /
And by his couenant ȝaf þe rilenynge
Syn þat his lord was twenty ȝeer of age
Ther couþe no man brynge him in arrerage
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Ther nas baillif ne herde nor oþer hyne
That he ne knew his sleight and his covyne
They were adrad of him as of þe deþ
His wonyng was ful fair vpon an heþ
Wiþ greene trees schadewed was his place
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He couþe bettre þan his lord purchace
Ful Riche he was astored priuely
His lord he couþe plese wel subtily
To yiue and lene him of his oughne good
And haue a þank and yet a cote and hood