The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 208r
15 of 18 folios
Now synge syr for seint charitee
Lat se konne ye your fader contrefete
¶ This Chauntecleer hys wynges gan bete
As a man that koude his traisoun nat espie
505
So was he rauesshed with his flaterye
¶ Allas ye lordes many a fals flatour
Is in your court and many a losengeour
That plesen yow more bi my feith
Than he that sothfastnesse vnto yow seith
510
Redeth Ecclesiastre of flaterye
Beth war ye lordes of hir treccherie
¶ This chauntecleer stood hie vpon his toos
Strecchyng his nekke and heelde his eyen cloos
And gan to crowe loude for the nones
515
And daun Russeƚƚ the fox sturt vp at ones
And bi the gargat hent Chauntcleer
And on his bak toward the wood him beer
For yit ne was ther no man that him sewed
¶ O deestnee that maiste nat been eschued
520
Allas that Chauntecleer flye fro the beemes
Allas his wif ne roght nat of dremes
And on a friday fil al this meschaunce
¶ O. Venus that art goddesse and plesaunce
Syn that thi seruant was this chauntecleer
525
And in thi seruise did al his powere
Moore for delit than woold to multeplie
Whi woldestow suffre him on thi day to dye
¶ O. gaufred dere maister souerayn
That whan thi worthi Richard was slayn
530
With shoot compleyndest his deth so soore
Whi ne hadde I now thi sentence and thilore
The Friday for to chide as diden ye
For on a friday soothly slayn was he
Thanne wolde I shew how that I coude compleyne
535
For Chauntecleers drede and for his peyne