The General Prologue
Folio 7r
13 of 23 folios
Ful streyte y teyed and schoos ful moyste and newe
460
Bold was hir face and fair and reed of heewe
Sche was a worþy wōman al hire lyfe
Housbondes atte chirche dore hadde sche fyfe
Wiþouten oþur companye in ȝouthe
But ther of needeth nouȝt to speke as nouthe
465
And þries hadde sche ben at Ierusalem
Sche hadde passud many a staunge streem
At Rome sche hadde ben and at Boloyne
In Galice at Seint Iame and at Coloyne
Sche cowde moche of wandryng by þe weye
470
Gattothud was sche soþly for to seye
Vppon an amblere esely sche sat
Wymplid ful wel and on hire heed an hat
As brood as is a bocler or a Targe
A foot mantel aboute hire hupes large
475
And on hire feet a paire of spores scharpe
In felawschipe wel cowde lawghe and carpe
Of Remedyes of loue sche knew par chaunce
For of þat art sche knew þe olde daunce
A Good man was ther of Religiou~
480
And was a pore persoū of a toun
But riche he was of holy þought and werk
He was also a lerned man a Clerk
That cristes gospel gladly wolde preche
His perischens deuoutly wold he teche
485
Benigne he was and wondur diligent
And in aduersite ful pacient
And such he was I proued ofte sithes
Ful loth were him to curse for his tythes
But raþer wolde he ȝeuen out of dowte
490
Vnto his pore parisschens aboute
Of his offrynge and eek of his substaūce
He cowde in litel þing han suffisance
Wyd was his parisch and houses fer asondur
But he ne lafte not for reyn ne þondur
495
In siknesse ne in meschief to visite
The ferrest in his parissche moche and lite