The Prioress' Tale
Folio 148r
1 of 7 folios
¶ Bihoold the murie wordes of the Hoost to the Shipman ~ and to the lady / Prioresse ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Wel seyd by corpus dominus quod oure hoost
Now longe / moote thou saille by the cost
Sir gentil maister gentil Maryneer
God yeue this Monk / a thousand last quade yeer
5
A ha felawes / beth war of swich a Iape
The Monk putte / in the mannes hood an Ape
And in his wyues eek by Seint Austyn
Draweth no Monkes / moore vn to your In
¶ But now passe ouer / and lat vs seke aboute
10
Who shal now / telle first of al this route
Another tale / and wt that word he sayde
As curteisly / as it had been a mayde
My lady Prioresse / by youre leue
So that I wiste / I sholde yow nat greue
15
I wolde demen / that ye tellen sholde
A tale next if so were that ye wolde
Now wol ye vouche sauf my lady deere
¶ Gladly quod she / and seyde as ye shal heere
¶ The prologe of the Prioresses tale ~
O lord oure lord / thy name how merueillous
Is in this large world / ysprad quod she
For noght oonly / thy laude percious
Parfourned is / by men of dignitee
5
But by the mouth of children / thy boūtee
Parfourned is / for on the brest soukynge
Somtyme / shewen they thyn heriynge