The Clerk's Tale
Folio 88r
2 of 29 folios
¶ But forth to tellen / of this worthy man
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That taugħte me this tale / as I bigan
I seye / that first with heigħ stile he enditeth
Er he / the body of his tale writeth
A prohemye / in the which discryueth he
Pemond / and of Saluces the contree
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And speketh of Appenyn / the hilles hye
That been the boundes / of westlumbardye
¶ And of Mount Vesulus / in special
Where as the poo / out of a welle smal
Taketh his firste spryngyng / and his sours
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That Estward / ay encresseth in his cours
To Emeleward / to Ferrare and Venyse
The which a long thyng were to deuyse
And trewely / as to my Iuggement
Me thynketh it a thyng inpertinent
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Saue that he wole / conuoyen his mateere
But this his tale / which that ye may heere
¶ Heere bigynnetħ the tale of the Clerk / of Oxenford ~
THer is / at the west syde of Ytaille
Doun at the roote / of Vesulus the colde
A lusty playne / habundant of vitaille
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Where many a tour and toun / thou mayst biholde
That founded were / in tyme / of fadres olde
And many another / delitable sigħte
And Saluces this noble contree higħte
A Markys / whilom lord was of that lond
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As were / hise worthy eldres hym bifore
And obeisant and redy to his hond
Were alle hise liges / bothe lasse and moore
Thus in delit he lyueth / and hath doon yoore
Biloued and drad thurgħ fauor of Fortune
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Bothe of hise lordes / and of his cōmune
Therwith he was / to speke as of lynage
The gentilleste yborn of lumbardye
A fair persone and strong and yong of age
And ful honour and of curteisye
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Discreet ynogħ / his contree for to gye
Saue that in sōme thynges / þt he was to blame
And walter / was this yonge lordes name