The General Prologue
Folio 140v
18 of 20 folios
He wolde suffere for a quart of wyn
650
A good felawe to haue hese concubyn
A twelmonyth & excusȳ hȳ at the fulle
Ful pryuyly a fync ek couthe he pulle
And ȝif he fond ower a good felawe
He wolde techyn hȳ to haue non awe
655
In swich cas of the erchedekenys curs
But ȝif a manys soule were in hese pors
For in hese purs he schulde ponyschid be
Purs is the erchedekynys helle seyde he
But wel I wot he lyeþ ryȝt in dede
660
Of cursyng owyth eche gilty man drede
For curs wele sle ryȝt as asoylyng sauyth
And also war hȳ of a sygnyficauyth
In daūger hadde he at hese owene gyse
The ȝonge gerlys of the diosyse
665
And knew here conseyl & was al here red
A garlond hade he set vp on hese hed
As gret as it were for an ale stake
A bokeler hadde he mad hȳ of a cake
With hym there rod a Ioly pardoūner
670
Of rouncyuale his frend & his cūper
That streyt was comyn frō the court of rome
Ful loude he song loue come hedir to me
This somnor bar to hȳ a stif bordoū
Was neuere trompe half of so gret a soun
675
This pardoūner hade her as ȝelw as ony wax
But smothe it heng as doþ a strik of flex
Be ouncis heng hese lokkys þt he hadde
And þerwith he xx hese schulderys ouerspradde
But thenne it lay be culpoūnys on & on
680
And hod for Iolite werede he non
For it was trussed vp in hese walet
Hȳ thouȝte he rod al of the newe iet
Discheuele saf his cappe he rod al bare
Sweche glarynge eyen hadde he as an hare