The General Prologue
Folio 3r
15 of 22 folios
But for to tellen yow / of his array
Hise hors weere goode / but he ne was nat gay
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Of Fustian / he wered a gypoū
Al bismotered / with his haubergeou
For he was laate / comen from his viage
And wente / for to doon his pilgrymage
¶ With hym / ther was his sone a yong Squyer
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A louere / and a lusty Bachiler
With lokkes crulle / as they weere leyd in persse
Of .xx. yeer / he was of age I gesse
Of his stature / he was of euene lengthe
And wonderly delyuere / and of greet strengthe
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And he hadde been som tyme / in chiuachye
In Flaundres / in Artoys / and Picardye
And born hym wel / as in so litel space
In hope / to stonden / in his lady grace
¶ Embrouded was he / as it weere a meede
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Al ful of fresshe floures / white and reede
Syngynge he was / or floytynge al the day
He was as fressħ / as is the Monthe of May
Short was his gowne / with sleues / longe & wyde
Wel koude he sitte on hors / and faire ryde
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He koude songes wel make / and endite
Iuste and eek daunce / and wel portreye and write
So hoote he loued / that by nyghtertale
He slepte namoore / than dooth a nyghtyngale
Curteys he was / lowely / and seruysable
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And carf biforn his fader / at the table
¶ A yeman he hadde / and seruantz namo
At that tyme / for hym liste ryde so
And he was clad / in coote and hood of greene
A sheef of Pecok arwes / bright and keene
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Vnder his belt he bar ful thriftily
Wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly
His arwes drowped noght with fetheres lowe
And in his hand / he bar a myghty bowe
A not heed hadde he / with a broun visage
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Of wodecraft / koude he wel al the vsage
Vp on his arm / he bar a gay bracer
And by his syde / a swerd and a Bokeler