The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 209r
17 of 18 folios
Out of the hyue cam the swarm of bees
So hidous was the noise a benedicitee
575
Certes he Iakke Strawe and his meyne
Ne made neuer shoutes half so shrille
Whan that thei wolde any flemmyng kille
As thilke day was maad vpon the fox
Of bras thei broghten bemes and of box
580
Of horn of bou in which thei blew and pouped
And therwith al thei criden and thei houped
It semed as that heuene shulde falle
Now good men I prey yow herkeneth alle
Loo how fortune turneth sodeynly
585
The hope and pride eek of hir enmy
This Cok that lay vpon the foxes bak
In al his drede vn to the fox he spak
And seyde syr yif that I were as ye
Yit wolde I seyn as wis god helpe me
590
Turneth ageyn ye proude cherles alle
A verry pestilence vpon yow falle
Now am I come vnto the wodes side
Maugre your heed the Cok shal here abide
I wol him ete in feith and that anon
595
¶ The fox answerde in feith it shal be don
And as he spak that word al sodeynly
And hie vpon a tre he flie anon
And whan the fox say that he was gon
600
¶ Allas quod he .o. Chauntecleer allas
I haue to yow quod he y doon trespas
In as muche as I maked yow aferd
Whan I yow hente and brought in to this yerd
But syr I did it in no wikke entente
605
Come doun and I shal telle yow what I mente
I shal sey soth to yow god helpe me so
¶ Nay thanne quod he I shrewe vs bothe two
And first I shrew my self bothe blood and boones
Yif thow bigile me any ofter than ones
This Cok bak from his mouth delyuerly