The Monk's Prologue
Folio 235r
3 of 4 folios
By goddes bones whan I bete my knaues
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Sche bringeþ me þe grete clobbed staues
And cryeþ sle þe dogges euerychon
And breke boþe bak and bon
And if þat any neyghebour of myne
Wol nouȝt in chirche to my wif enclyne
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Or be so hardy to hire to trespace
Whan sche comeþ home sche rumpeth me þe face
And cryeþ false coward wreke þin wyf
By corpus bones I wol haue þy knyf
And þou schalt haue my distaf and go spynne
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Fro day to nigħt rigħt þus sche wol begynne
Allas sche saiþ þat euer I was y schape
To wedde a melksop or a coward ape /
That wil ben ouerled wiþ euery wight
Thou darst nouȝt stonde by þy wyf arigħt
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This is my lyf but if þat I wolde figħt
And out at þe dore anon I mot me digħt
Or elles I am lost but if þat I
Be like a wilde leoū fool hardy
I wot wel sche wol do me slee som day
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Som neihebore and þanne I go my way
For I am perilous wiþ knyf on honde /
Al be it þat I dar hire nouȝt wiþstonde /
For sche is bigge in armes by my feiþ
That schal he fynde þat hire mysdoþ or seiþ
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But lat vs passe away fro þis matiere /
My lord sire monk he saiþ be mery of cheere /
For ȝe schul telle a tale trewely
Lo Rouchestre stant here faste by
Ryd forþ myn owne lord brek nouȝt our game
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But by my trouþe I knowe nouȝt ȝoure name /
Wheþer I schal calle ȝou my lord daun Iohñ
Or Daun Thomas or elles Daun Alboū
Of what hous be ȝe by ȝour fader kyn
I vowe to god þou hast a ful fayr skyn