The Clerk's Tale
Folio 90v
2 of 35 folios
Franceys petrark the laureat poete
Hight this clerk whos retorik swete
Enlumyned al ytaile of poetrye
As lynyan dide of philosophie
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Or lawe or other art particuler
But deth that wol not suffre vs dwellen here
But as it were a twynclyng of an ye
He bothe hath slayn and al shol we dye
But forth to tellen of this worthi man
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That taught me this tale as I bigan
I sey that first he wyth hye style enditeth
Or he the body of his tale wryteth
A prophemye in the which destruyeth he
Pemond and Saluces the contre
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And speketh of appenyn the hilles hye
That ben the boundes of westlumbardye
And of a mount Vesulus in specyal
Wher as the poo out of a welle smal
Taketh his first spryngynge and his sours
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That Estward ay encreseth in his cours
To emeleward to ferare and Venyse
The which a longe thing were to deuyse
And trewly as to my Iuggement
Me thinketh it a thing inpartynent
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Sauf that he wol conueyen his matere
But this his tale which that ye may here
Here bigynneth the Clerkes tale of Oxenforde
Ther is ryght at the west syde of ytaille
Doun atte rote of vesulus the colde
A lusty playn habondant of vitaille
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There many a toun and tour thou maist biholde
That founded were in tyme of fadres olde
And many a nother delitable sight
And Saluces this noble countre hight