The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 238v
2 of 16 folios
No wyn ne drank he noþer whit ne reed
Hir bord seruyd boþe with whit and blak
Milk and broun bred in which sche fond no lak
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Saynd bacoun and som tyme an ey or tweye
For sche was as it were a maner deye
A ȝerd sche had enclosed al aboute
Wiþ stikkes and a drye dich wiþoute
In which sche had a Cok þat higħt Chaunteclere
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In al þe lond of crowyng was noon his peere
His vois was merier þan þe mery Orgon
On masse dayes þat in þe chirche goon
Wel sikerer was his crowyng in his logge
Þan is a Clok or an abbay Orologge
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By nature knew he ech ascencioū
Of equinoxial in þilke toun
For whan degrees fyftene were ascendid
Thanne crew he it migħt not ben amendid
His comb was redder þan þe fyn coral
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And batayld as it were a castel wal
His bile was blak and as þe geet it schon
Lik asur were . his leggis and his ton
His nayles whitter þan þe lily flour
And lik þe burniscħt gold was his colour
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This gentil cok had in his gouernaunce
Seuen hennes for to do al his plesaunce
Whiche were his sustres and his paramoures
And wonder lik to him as of coloures
Of whiche þe fairest hiewed on hir þrote
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Was cleped fayre Damysel pertilote
Curteys sche was discret and debonaire
And companable and bar hir self ful faire
Syn þilke day þat sche was seuen ȝer old
That sche haþ trewely þe hert in hold
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Of chaunteclere loken in euery lith
He loued hir so þat wel him was þer with
But such a ioye was it to here him synge
Whan þat þe brighte sonne gan to springe
In swete accord my lief is faren on londe