The General Prologue
Folio 138v
14 of 20 folios
Wel outhe a prest ensaūple for to ȝeue
By hese clennesse how hese schep shulde leue
He sette not hese benefys to hyre
510
An let hese schep acūbrit in the myre
And ran to lundene vn to seynt poulys
To seke hȳ a chaūtrye for soulys
Or with a broþerhed to be with holde
But dwelte at hom & kepte wel hese folde
515
So that þe wolf ne made it not myscarie
He was a schepherde & not a mersenarye
And þow he holy were & vertyuoĆ«
He was not to synful men dispitous
Ne of hese speche daūgerous ne digne
520
But in hese techȳge \discreet & benygne/
To drawyn folk to heuyn be clennesse
Be good ensaūple this was hese besynesse
But ȝif it were ony persone obstynat
Whatso he were of hey or low estat
525
Hȳ wolde he snybbyn scharpli for thenonys
A bettyr pryst I trowe neuere non is
He waytid aftyr no pompe ne reuerence
Ne makid hī a spisede concience
But cristis lore & hese apostiƚƚ twelue
530
He taughte but fyrst he folwede it hȳ selue
With hȳ þere was a plowman that was hese broþer
That hadde led of donge manye a fodir
A trewe swynkere & a good was he
Leuȳge in pes & parfit charite
535
God louede he best with al hese hole herte
At alle tymys thow hȳ gamenede or smerte
And thāne his nyȝhe bour riȝt as hȳ selue
He wolde throsche & þerto dyke & delue
For cristis sake for / euery pore wyght
540
With outȳ hyre / ȝif it leye in his myȝt
Hese tythis payede he ful fayre & wel
Bothe of propre swynk & his catel