The General Prologue
Folio 144v
20 of 20 folios
How that we beryn vs that ilke nyȝt
Whan that we were in that ostelrye alyȝt
And aftyr wole I telle of oure viage
And al the remenaūt of o\u/re pilgrymage
725
But fyrst I prey ȝow of ȝore curteysye
That ȝe narette not myn velanye
Thow that I pleȳly speke in þis matere
To telle ȝow here wordys & here cher
Ne thow I speke here wordis proprly
730
For this ȝe knowȳ als so wel as i
Who so schal telle a tale aftyr a man
He mote reherse as nyh as euere he can
Eueryche a word ȝif it be in his charge
Al speke he neuere so rewedely & large
735
Or eƚƚ he mote telle his tale ontrewe
Or feyne þyng or fȳdȳ wordis newe
He may not spare al they he wer his broþer
He mote as wel seyn on word as a noþer
Crist spak hȳ self ful brode in holy wryt
740
And wel ȝe wote no velany is it
Ek plato seyth ho so can hȳ rede
The wordys mote be chose to the dede
Also I preye ȝow to forȝeue it me
Al haue I not set folk in here degre
745
Here in this tale al as þey schulde stonde
Myn wit is schort ȝe may wel vndyrstonde
Gret chere mad oure ost vs euerychon
And to the soper sette he vs a non
He seruede vs wt vitayle at the beste
750
Strong was the wyn & wel to drȳke vs liste
A semely man oure ost was wt al
For to ben a marchal of an hal
A large man he was with eyne stepe
A fayrere burgeys is þere non in chepe
755
Bold of hese speche & wis & wel I tauȝt
And of manhod hȳ lakkede ryȝt natiȝt noȝt