The Monk's Prologue
Folio 88v
2 of 3 folios
Xxr / ye shul telle a tale trewely
Lo / Rouchestre / stant heer fasteby
Ride forth myn owene lord / brek nat oure game
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But by my trouthe / I knowe nat youre name
Wher shal I calle yow / my lord daun Ioħn
Or daun Thomas / or ellis daun Albou
Of what hous be ye / by youre fader kyn
I vow to god / thow hast a ful fair skyn
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It is a gentil pasture / ther thow goost
Thow art nat lyk a penaunt or a goost
Vp on my feith / thow art som Officer
Som worthy Sexteyn / or som Celerer
For by my fader soule / as to my doom
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Thow art a maister / whan thou art at hom
No poure Cloistrer / ne no novys
But a gouernour / wily and wys
And ther with al / of brawnes & of bones
A wel farynge persone / for the nones
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I prey to god / yeue hym confusioū
That first thee broghte / vn to Religioū
Thow woldest han been a tredefoul aright
Haddestow / as greet a leue as thow hast myght
To parfourne / al thy lust in engendrure
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Thow haddest bigeten / ful many a creature
Allas / why werestow so wyd a cope
God yeue me sorwe / but and I were a Pope
Nat oonly thow / but euery myghty man
Thogh he were shore / ful hye vp on his pan
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Sholde haue a wyf for al the world is lorn
Religion / hath take vp al the corn
Of tredyng and we borel men been shrympes
Of feble trees / ther comen wrecched ympes
This maketh / þt oure heires beth so sklendre
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And feble / þt they may nat wel engendre
This maketh / þt oure wyues wole assaye
Religious folk / for ye mowe bettre paye
Of Venus paiementz / than may we
God woot no lussheburgh payen ye
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But be nat wrooth my lord / thogh þt I pleye
Ful ofte in game / a sooth I haue herd seye