The General Prologue
Folio 4v
6 of 21 folios
255
For þough a widewe hadde nougħt a scho
So plesant was his In principio
Ȝet wolde he haue a ferþyng or he wente
His purchas was wel bettre þan his rente
And rage he couþe right as it were a whelpe /
260
In louedayes þer couþe he moche helpe /
For þer he was not lich a cloysterer
With a thred bare cope as a pore scoler
But he was lik a maister or a pope
Of double worstede was his semy cope /
265
That rounded as a belle on the presse
Som what he lipsed for his wantounesse
To make his englissh sweete vpon his tonge
And in his harpyng whan þat he hadde songe /
His yghen twyncled in his heed aright
270
As don þe sterres in þe frosty night
This worþi lymitor was cleped huberd
A marchant was þer with a forked berd
In mottle and heigħ on horse he satte
Vp on his heued a Flaundrissh beuer hatte
275
His bootes clapsed faire and fetysly
His resons he spak ful solempnely
Schewyng alwey þe encres of his wynnynge
He wolde þe see were kept for eny þinge
Bytwixe Middelburgħ and Oreweƚƚ
280
Wel couþe he in eschaunge scheldes selle /
This worþy man ful wel his witte bisette
Ther wiste no wigħt that he was in dette
So statly was he of his gouernance
With his bargaynes and his cheuissance
285
For soþe he was a worþi man with aƚƚ
But soþly to sein I not how men him caƚƚ
A Clerk þer was of Oxenford also
That vnto logyk hadde long I go
As lene was his hors as is a rake
290
And he nas not right fat I vndertake