The Parson's Prologue
Folio 261v
1 of 2 folios
Vnbokele and schewe vs what is in þy male
For trewely me þenkeþ by þy cheere
Thou scholdest knette vp wel a gret matiere
Telle vs a fable anon for cokkes bones
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This persoū answered al at oones
Thou getest fable non y tolde for me
For Poule þat writeþ vnto Thimothe
Repreueþ hem þat wayuen soþfastnesse
And tellen fables and such wrecchednesse
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Whi schulde I schewen draff out of my feste
Whan I may schewen whete if þat me leste
For which I saye if þat þou luste to heere
Moralite and vertuous matiere
And þenne þat ȝe woln ȝiue me audience
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I wol ful fayn at cristes reuerence
Don ȝou plesaunce lefful as I can
But trusteþ wel I am a sothryn man
I can nougħt geste rom ram ruf by lettre
Ne god wot rym holde I but lytel bettre
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And þerfore if ȝou luste I wol nought glose
I wol ȝou telle a mery tale in prose
To knitte vp al þis feste and ende
And ihū for his grace witte me sende
To schewe ȝou þe wey in þis viage
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Of þilke parfyt glorious pilgrimage
That highte Ierlm Celestial
And if ȝe vouche sauf anon ȝe schal
Bygynne vpon my tale for which I preye
Telle ȝoure avis I can no bettre seye
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But naþeles þis meditacioū
I putte it ay vnder correctioū
Of clerkes for I am nought text wel
I take but þe sentence trustel wel
Þerfore I make protestacioū
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That I wol stonde to correccioū
Vppon þis word we han assented sone