The General Prologue
Folio 132v
2 of 20 folios
But for to telle ȝow of his aray
Hese hors were goode / but he was not gay
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Of fustien he werede a iopoū
Al besloteryd with hese habirioū
For he was late come frō hese vyage
And wente for to don here pilgrȳage
¶ With hȳ þere was / hese sone a ȝong squyer
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A louere / & a lusty Bacheleer
With lokkis crulle as þey were leyd in presse
Of twenty ȝer / of age he was I gesse
Of hese stature / he was of euene lenthe
And wonderly delyuere / & of gret strenthe
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And he hadde ben / sūtyme In chyuachie
In Flaūderis in artoys / & in pikardye
And borȳ wel as of so litil spase
In hope to stondyn / in hese ladygrace
Enbroudit was he / as it were a mede
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Al ful of frossche flourys white & rede
Syngȳge he was or floutȳge al the day
He was as frosch as is the monyth of may
Schort was his goūne / with sleuys longe & wide
Wel coude he sitte on hors / & fayre ryde
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He coude songis make / & fayre endite
Iuste & ek daūse / & wel portreye & wryte
So hote he louede þt be nyghter tale
He slepte no more than doth a nyghtyngale
Curteis he was loneli & seruysable
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And karf be forn hese fadir at the table
¶ A ȝeman hadde he & seruaūtys nomoo
At that tyme / for he leste ryde soo
And he was clad in cote & hod of grene
A schef of pekok / arwys bryȝte & schene
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Vndir his belte he bar ful thryftyly
Wel coude he dresse hese takil ȝemanly
Hese arwis droupede nought with xx federys lowe
And in his hand he bare a myghty bowe