The Multitext Edition > Oxford, Corpus Christi College MS. 198
The Miller's Prologue
Folio 45r
1 of 3 folios
He nolde his wordes for no man forbere /
But tolde his cherles tale in his manere
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Me aþinkeþ þat I schal reherce hem heere
And þerfore euery gentil wight I preye
Demeþ nought for goddes loue pat I seye
Of yuel entent but for þat I moot reherse
Here tales alle be þei bettre or worse
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Or elles falsen som of my matiere
And þer fore who so list it nought to heere
Torne ouer þe leef and chees anoþer tale
For ȝe schulle fynde ynowe grete & smale
Of storial þing þat toucheþ gentilesse
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And eek moralite and holynesse
Blameþ not me if pat ȝe cheese amys
The meller is a cherl ȝe knowe wel þis
So was þe Reeue eek and oþer mo
And harlotrie þey tolden boþe tuo
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Auiseþ ȝou and putteþ me out of blame
And eek men schal not make ernest of game