The General Prologue
Folio 3v
4 of 21 folios
This is to seie a monk out of his cloystre
But þilke text / held he not worth an oystre
And I seide his opinioū was good /
What schulde he studie and make him seluen wood
185
Vpon a book alwey in cloystre to poure
Or swynke with his hondes and laboure
As austyn bit how schal þe world be serued
Lat austyn haue his swynk to him reserued
Ther fore he was a pikasour aright
190
Grehoundes he hadde swift as foule in flight
Of prikynge and of huntyng for þe hare
Was alle his luste for no cost wolde he spare
I seigh his sleues I purfiled at þe hond
Wiþ grys and þat þe fynest of a lond
195
And for to festne his hood vnder þe chynne
He hadde of gold wrought a ful curious pynne /
A loue knotte in þe gretter ende þer was /
His hed was balled þat schon as eny glas
And eek his face as he hadde ben anoynt
200
He was a lord ful fatt and in good poynt
His eyghen stepe and rollyng in his hede
That stemed as a forneys of a lede
His bootes souple his hors in gret estate
Now certeinly he was a fair prelate
205
He nas nat pale as a forpyned goost
A fat swan loued he best of any rost
His palfray was as broū as is a berie
A frere þer was a wantoū~ and a merye
A lymitour a ful solempne man
210
In aƚƚ þe ordres foure is non þat can
So mochil of daliance & fair langage
He hadde made ful many a mariage
Of ȝonge wōmen at his owne cost
Vnto his ordre he was a noble post
215
Ful wel biloued and familier was he
Wiþ Frankeleyns ouer al in his contre