The General Prologue
Folio 12v
21 of 21 folios
Ȝe wot ȝour forward and I it ȝou recorde
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If euynsong and morwesong acorde
Lat see now who schal telle þe firste tale
As euer mote I drynke wyn of ale
Who so be rebel to my Iuggement /
Schal paie for aƚƚ þat by þe weie is spent
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Now draweþ Cut or þat we ferþer twynne
He which þat haþ þe schortest schal bigynne
¶ Sir knight qd he my maister and my lord
Now draweþ Cut for þat is myn acord
Comeþ nerre quod he my lady prioresse
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And ȝe sir clerk let be ȝour schamfastnesse
Ne studieþ nought lay hond to euery man
Anon to drawe euery wigħt bygan
And schortly for to tellen as it was
Were it by auenture or sort ort cas
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The soþ is þis þe Cut fel to þe knight
Of which ful bliþe and glad was euery wight
And telle he moste his tale as it was resoun
By forward and by composicioū
As ȝe han herd what nedeþ wordes mo
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And whan þis good man saugħ þat it was so
As he þat wys was and obedient
To keepe his forward by his free assent
He seide siþþe I schal begynne þe game
What welcome be þe Cutte a goddes name
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Now lat vs ride and herkneþ what I seye
And with þat word we riden forþ oure weye
And he bigan with right a merye cheere
His tale anon and seyde as ȝe may heere
// Iam quod domos patrias scitice post aspera gentis
Whilom was as olde stories tellen vs
Ther was a Duk þat highte Theseus /
Of Athenes he was / lord and gouernour
And in his tyme such a Conquerour