The General Prologue
Folio 140r
17 of 20 folios
615
In ȝouthe he hadde lernyd a good mystir
He was a wol good wryȝte a carpenter
This reue sat vp on a ful good stot
That was a pomeli grey & hyȝte skot
A long surcote of pers vp on he hadde
620
And bi hese syde he bar a rusty blade
Of norfolke was þis reue of whiche I telle
Besyde a toū men clepe baldiswelle
Tukkede he was as is a frere a boute
And euere he rod þõ hemereste of oure route
625
A somnor was þere wt vs in that plase
That hadde a fer red cherubynys face
For sausefleme he was with eyen narwe
And hot he was & lecheroƫ as a sparwe
With skalede browys blake & pilid berd
630
Of hese vesage chylderyn weryn a ferid
Ther nas quyk siluyr litarge ne bronston
Boras seruse ne oyle of tartre non
Ne oynement þt wolde clense & byte
That hȳ myȝte helpȳ of hese whelkys white
635
Ne of the knobbis sittȳge on hese schekes
Wel louede he garlek onyoūnys & ek lekys
And for to drynkyn strong wyn red as blod
Thāne wolde he speke & crye as he were wod
And whan he wel dronkyn hadde þe wyn
Thāne wolde he speke no word but latyn
Afewe termys hadde he to or thre
640
That he hadde lernyd out of sū deceree
No wondir he herde it al the day
And ek ȝe knowe wel that a\s/ Iay
Kan clepe watte as wel as can the pope
But who so couthe in oþere þyngis hȳ grope
645
Thāne hadde he spent al hese philosophie
Ay questio quod Iurys wolde he crye
He was a gentil harlot & a kynde
A betere felawe schulde mē not fȳnde