The General Prologue
Folio 4r
7 of 23 folios
For many a man so hard is of his herte
230
He may not wepe þougħ him sore smerte
Therfore in stede of wepyng and prayeres
Men mooten ȝiuen siluer to þe pore freres
His typet was ay farsud ful of knyfes
And pynnes for to ȝiue faire wyfes
235
And certayn he hadde a mery noote
Wel couthe he synge and pleye on a Rote
Of ȝeddynges he bar vtturly þe prys
His nekke whit was as þe flour delys
Ther to he strong was as a Champioun
240
He knew wel þe tauernes in euery toun
And euery Ostiller or gay tapstere
Bet þan a lazer or a beggere
For vnto such a worþi man as he
Acorded not as by his faculte
245
To haue with sike lazars aqueyntaūce
It is not honest it may not avaunce
For to delen with such poraile
But al with riche and sellers of vitaille
And ouer al þer eny profyt schulde arise
250
Curteys he was . and lowe of seruyse
Ther was no man no wher so vertuous
He was þe beste begger in al his hous
255
For þougħ a widewe hadde but oo schoo
So plesaunt was his In principio
Ȝet wolde he haue a ferthing or he wente
His purchace was bettur þan his rente
And rage he couþe and pleye as a whelpe
260
In louedayes ther couthe he mochil helpe
For þer was he not like a cloysterer
With a thred bare cope as a pore scoler
But he was like a maister or a pope
Of double worstede was his semy cope /
265
That rounded was as a belle out of presse
Som what he lipsede for wantounesse /
To make his Englisscħ swete vpon his tunge
And in his harpyng whan þat he hadde sunge