The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
Folio 179v
2 of 5 folios
That it haþ chaunged my colour as I trowe
115
I nam nat wont in myrour to prye
But swynke sore and lerne to multiplye
We bloundren euer and pouren in þe fyr
And for al þat we faillen of oure desir
For euer we lacken oure conclusioū
120
To moche folk we ben but Illusioū
And borwe gold be it a pound or tuo
Or ten or twelue or manye sōmes mo
And make hem wenen atte leste weye
Þat of a pound we couþe make tweye
125
Ȝit is it fals and ay we han good hope
It for to don and after it we grope
But þat science is so fer vs biforn
We mowe not al þougħ we hadde it sworn
It ouertake it xx slyt awey so faste
130
It wole us make beggeres atte laste
Whil þis ȝoman was þus in þis talking
Þis chanoū drougħ him ner and herde aƚƚ þing
Which þat þis ȝoman spak for suspecioū
Of mennes speche euere hadde þis Chanoū
135
For Catoū seitħ he þat gulty is
Demeþ aƚƚ þing be spoke of him ywys
By cause of þat he gan so neigh to drawe /
His ȝoman þat he herde aƚƚ his sawe /
And þus he sayde vnto his ȝoman þo
140
Holde now þy pees and speke wordes no mo /
For if þou dost þou schalt it dere abye
Thou sclaundrest me here in þis compaignye
And eek discouerest þat þou scholdest hyde
Ȝee quod oure hoost / telle on what so betyde
145
Of aƚƚ þis þretyng recche I nat a myte
I faiþ quod he no more do I but a lite
And whan þis Chanoū say it wolde nat be
But his ȝoman wolde telle his priuyte
He fledde awey for verray sorwe and schame /