The General Prologue
Folio 4r
5 of 21 folios
And wiþ worþi wōmen of þe toun
For he hadde power of confessioun
As seyde himself more þan a curat
220
For of his ordre he was licenciat
Ful swetly herde he confessioū
And plesant was his absolucioū
He was an esy man to ȝiue penaūce
Ther as he wiste to haue a good pitaunce
225
For vnto a pouer ordre for to ȝiue
Is signe þat a man is wel I shriue
For if he ȝaf he dorste make auant
He wiste þat a man was repentant
For many a man so hard is of his herte
230
He may nought wepe al þough him sore smerte
Ther fore in stede of weepyng and preyeres
Men mote ȝeue siluer to þe pouere freeres
His typet was ay farsed ful of knyfes
And pynnes for to ȝiue faire wyues
235
And certeynly he hadde a mery note /
Wel couþe he synge & playen on a rote
Of ȝeddynges he bar witterly þe pris
His nekke whit was as þe flour delys
Ther to he was strong as a Champioū
240
He knew þe tauernes wel in euery toun
And euerich hostiller & tapster
Bet þan a lazar or a Begger
For vnto such a worþi man as he
Acorded nought as by his faculte
245
To haue with such sek lazer aqueintance
It is nought honest it may nought auaunce
For to delen with swich poraile
But aƚƚ with Riche and seller of vitaile
And ouer al þer as profyt scholde arise
250
Curtays he was and lowly of seruise
Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous
He was þe beste begger in his hous