The Monk's Prologue
Folio 235v
2 of 4 folios
45
It is a gentil pasture þer þou gost
Thou art nouȝt like a penaūt or a gost
Vppon my feiþ þou art som officer
Som worþy Sexteyn or som Celerer
For by my fader soule as to my dome
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Thou art a maister whan þou art at home
No pouer cloysterer ne no pouer novys
But gouernour wyly and wys
And þer with al of brawnes and of bones
A wel faryng persone for þe nones
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I pay to god ȝiue him confusioū
That ferst þe brougħt in to religioū
Thou woldest haue ben a tredefoul arigħt
Haddest þou as gret leue as þou hast migħt
To parfourme al þy lust in engendrure /
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Thou haddest bygeten many a creature
Allas why werest þou so wyd a Cope
God ȝif me sorwe and I were a Pope
Nouȝt oonly þou but euery mighty man
Thougħ he were schore heyhe vpon his pan
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Schulde haue a wyf for al þis world is lorn
Religioū haþ take vp al þe corn
Of tredyng and we boreƚƚ men ben schrimpes
Of feeble trees þer comeþ wrecched ympes
This makeþ þat oure heires ben so sclendre
70
And feble þat þay may not wel engendre
This makeþ þat oure wyfes wol assay
Religious folk for þey may bettre pay
Of venus payement þen mowen we
God woot no lussheburghes paye ȝe
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But beþ nougħt wroþ my lord þough þat I play
Ful ofte in game a soþ I haue herd say
This worþy monk took al in pacience
And sayde I wil do al my diligence
As fer as sowneþ in to honeste
80
To telle ȝou a tale or tuo or þre