The Reeve's Prologue
Folio 55r
1 of 2 folios
And yet haue I alway a Coltes toþ
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As many a ȝeer as it is passen henne
Syn þat my tappe of lif bygan to renne
For sikerly whan I was born anoon
Deþ drough þe tappe of lijf and leet it goon
And euer siþen haþ so þe tappe y ronne
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Til þat almost al empty is þe tonne
The streem of lijf now droppeþ on þe chimbe :
The sely tonge may wel rynge and chymbe .
Of wrecchedenesse þat passed is ful yore
With old folk saue dotage is nomore /
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Whan þat oure oost hadde herde þis sermonyng
He gan to speken as lordly as a king
He seyde what amounteþ aƚƚ þis witte
What schal we speke alday of holy writte
The deuel maade a reeue for to preche
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Or of a Soutere schipman or a leche
Sey forþ þi tale and tarie nought þe tyme
Lo deppeford and it is halfwey prime
Lo Grenewich þat many a schrewe is Inne
It were al tyme þi tale for to begynne
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Now sires qd þis Osewold þe Reeue
I pray you alle þat ye nought ȝou greeue
Thou I answere and somdel sette his houve
For leueful it is with force force of schouve
This dronken mellere haþ y told vs heere
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How þat bygyled was a Carpuntere /
Parauenture in scorn for I am oon
And by youre leeue I schal him quyte anoon
Right in his cherles termes wil I speke /
I preye to god his nekke mote tobreke
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He can wel in myn ye sen a stalke
But in his owne he can nought seen a balke /