The Cook's Prologue
Folio 61r
2 of 2 folios
The Cook of londoū whil þe Reue spak
For ioye he þoughte he clawed him on þe bak
Ha ha qd he for cristes passioun
This meller haþ a scharp conclusioun
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Vpon his argument of herbergage
We seide Salamon in his langage /
Ne bryng nat euery man in to þin hous
For herberwyng be night is perilous
Wel oughte a man auysed for to be
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Whom þat he broughte in to his priuite
I praie to god so yeue me sorwe and care
If euere sithen I highte hogge of of ware
Herde I mellere bettre y set a werke
He hadde a Iape of malice in þe derke /
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But god forbede þat we stynte heere
And þerfore if ȝe vouche sauf to heere /
A tale of me þat am a pouere man
I wol yow telle as wel as euer I can
A litel Iape þat fil in oure Citee
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Oure oost answerde and seide I gaunte it þee
Now telle on Roger loke þat it be good
For many a paste hast þou latyn blood
And many a Iakke of Douer hast þou sold
That haþ ben twyes hoot and twyes cold
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Of many pilgrym hastow cristes curs
For of þy persely ȝit þey fare þe wors
Þat þei haue eten wiþ þe stubbul goos
For in þy schoppe is many a flye loos
Now tel on gentil Roger by þi name
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But yet I preye þe be not wroþ for game
A man may say ful soth in game and play