The Clerk's Tale
Folio 117r
2 of 32 folios
Fraunces petrark þe laureat poete
Highte þis clerk whos rethoriqz swete
Enlumyned al ytail of poetrie
As linian did of philosophie
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Or lawue or other art particulere
But deth þat wol not suffre vs duellen heere
But as it were a twynclyng of an ye
Hem boþe haþ slayn and aƚƚ schul dye
But forth to telle of this worþy man
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That taughte me þis tale as I first bigan
I say þat he first with heigh stile enditith
Er he þe body of his tale writith
A proheme in which descriuith he
The mounde and of Saluces þe contre
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And spekith of appenyne þe hulles hye
That ben þe boundes of al west lombardye
And of mount vesulus in special
Wher as þe poo out of a welle smal
Takith his firste springyng and his sours
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That estward ay encresceth in his cours
To Emyl ward . to . ferard and to venise
The which a long þing were to deuyse
And trewely as to my Iuggement
Me þinkith it a þing Impertinent
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Saue þat he wold conueyen his matiere
But þis is þe tale which þat ȝe schuln heere
Ther is at þe west ende of ytaile
Doun at þe root of vesulus þe colde /
A lusty playn abundaūt of vitaile
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Wher many a tour and toun þou maist byholde .
That foundid were in tyme of fadres olde .
And many anothir delitable sigħt
And Saluces þis noble contray hight
A Marquys whilom duellid in þat lond
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As were his worþy eldris him bifore
And obeisaunt ay redy to his hond