The General Prologue
Folio 139v
16 of 20 folios
That were of lawe expert & corious
580
Of whiche þere were a doseyn ī that hous
Worthi to ben styward of \rente & lond/
Of ony lord that is in yngelond
To make hȳ lyue / by his owene good
In honor detteles but he werere wod
585
Or leue as skarsely as hȳ liste desire
And able for to helpȳ al a schyre
In ony cas that myȝte falle or happe
And ȝit this maūsiple / sette \all/ here alderys cappe
The reue was a sclendere colerik man
590
Hese berd was schaue as nygh as euere he can
His her was by hese erys ful ronde I schorn
His top was dokkyd as a pryst be forn
Ful longe were hese leggis & ful lene
Y lik a staf there was no calf I sene
595
Wel couthe he kepe a gerner & a bȳne
There non auditor couthe on hȳ wȳne
Wel wiste he be þe droute & be the reyn
The ȝildynge of hese sed & of hese greyn
His lordis schep hese net hese deyerye
600
Hese swyn hese hors hese stoor & his pultrie
Was holly in þis revis gouernȳge
And be þe couenaūt ȝaf the rekenȳge
Sȳ þt his lord was twenty ȝer of age
The coude no man brȳgȳ hȳ in a rerage
605
Ther nas bayle herde ne oþer hyne
That he knew his sleythe & couynge
The were adred of hym as of the deþ
Hese wonyng was ful fayre / vp on an heth
With grene treis I schadewid was hese place
610
He couthe betere þan hese lord purchase
Ful riche he was a storid preuyly
Hese lord wel couthe he plese subtily
To ȝeue & lene hȳ of hese owene good
And haue a thank & ȝit a cote \and hood./