The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 224v
14 of 15 folios
And sawe þe fox to warde þe groue gone
560
And bare upon his bakke þe koke awaie
And Criden oute harrowe & walaweie
A ha þe fox & after hem þei Ranne
And ek wiþ staues mony a noþer manne
Ranne Coƚƚ oure dogge talbot & Garland
565
And Malkin wiþ here distaf in hir hand
Rann þe cowe & the calf & eke þe verrey hogges
Sore aferde for berkeinge of þe dogges
And schowteinge of men & of wēmen eke
Þei rann so her hert þei þouht to breke
570
Þei ȝelden as fendes done in heƚƚ
The Dokes criden as men wold hem qwelle
The gees for fere flowe ouer þe trees
Oute of þe hyves cam þe swrame of bees
So hydous was þe noyce a benedicite
575
Sertes he Iac strawe & his Meyneȝe
Ne maade neuere schowte halfe so schiƚƚ
Whan þat þei wolde any flemmynge kiƚƚ
As þat ilke daie was maade on þe fox
Of brasse þei brouht bemes & of box
580
Of horne & bone in whiche þei poped
Þ ere wiþ al þei schriked & schowted
It semed howe þat heuen schold fal
Nowe good men .I. preie ȝowe herkeneþ al
Lo how fortune torneþ sodanly
585
The hope & eke \þe/ pride of her envye
This kok þat lei vpon þis fox bak
In al his drede vn to þe fox spak
And seide sire .If .I. were as ȝe
Ȝit schold .I. saie as wis god help me
590
Turneþ aȝeine ȝe proude clerkes aƚƚ
A verrey pestelence vpon ȝow faƚƚ
Nowe am .I. cōme vnto þis wode side
Mawgre ȝoure hede þe koke schal her abide
.I. wil him ete in feiþ & þat anone
595
The fox anseward in feiþe it schal be done
And he spak þat worde al sodanly
And hihe vponatree he flyȝe anone
And þe fox sawe þat he was goone
600
Alas qd he o chaunteclere alas
Þis koke brak fro his mouþe delyuerlye