The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 202r
3 of 18 folios
Which were his sustres and eke his paramours
And wonder lik to him as of colours
Of which the fairest hewed on hire throte
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Was cleped fair damysel Partilote
Curteys she was discreet and debonayre
And compaynable and bar hir self so fayre
Syn thilke day that she was seuen nyght olde
That trewly she hath the hert in holde
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Of chauntecleer loken in euery lith
He loued hir so that wel was him ther with
But swich a Ioy was it to here hem synge
Whan that the bright sonne gan for to springe
In swete acord my leef is faren in londe
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For thilke tyme as I haue vnderstonde
Beestes and briddes koude speke and synge
¶ And so bifel that in adawenynge
As Chauntecleer among his wyue alle
Sat on his perche that was in the halle
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And next him sat this faire partilote
This Chauntecleer gan gronen in his throte
As man that in his dreme is drecched soore
¶ And whan that partilote thus herd him rore
She was agast and seyde herte dere
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What eyleth yow to grone in this manere
Ye been a verray sleper fy for shame
¶ And he answerd and seide thus madame
I prey yow that ye take it noght agreue
Bi god me met I was in swich meschieue
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Ryght now that yit myn hert is soore a fryght
Now god quod he my sweuen recche aright
And kepe my body out of foule pisoun
Me mette how that I romed vp and doun
With Inne our yeerde wher as I say best
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Was like an hound and wolde han maad a reest
Vpon my body and wolde han had me deed
His Colour was bitwix yelow and reed
And tipped was his tayle and both his erys
With blak vnlik the remenant of his heris