The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
Folio 381r
2 of 5 folios
hat told was the lif of seȳt Cecile
e fully haddȳ redȳ fyue myle
htō vndyr Blee vs gā a take
that clothede was in clothis blake
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dyr that he hadde a whit surplys
eny that was al pomele gris
te that it // was // wodir to se
de that he hadde prekede mylis thre
Aboute the peyxxx fom ful hye
He was of foom al flekked as a pye
A male twifold on his croper lay
It semede that he cariede lyte a ray
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Al lygh for somyr rod this worthi man
And in mȳ herte wōderyn I began
What that he was that I vndyrstood
How that his cloke was sowid to his hood
For which which whāne I longe hadde auysede me
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I demede hȳ \a/ schanoū for to be
His hat hyng doū at his bak by a lace
For he hadde redȳ moore thā trot or pace
He hadde ay prikyd lyk as he were wood
A cloote lef he hadde vndyr his hood
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Fro swot & for to kepe his heed frō heete
But it was Ioye for to seen hȳ sweete
His forhed dropped as a stillatorie
Were ful of plaūtayn & of permytorye
And whā that he was come he gan to crye
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God saue quod he this fayre cōpaynye
Faste haue I prikyd quod he for ȝoure sake
By cause that I wolde ȝow a take
To rydȳ in this murye cūpaynye
His ȝeman ek was ful of curteysie
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And seyde seris now in the morwe tyde
Out of ȝore hostelrye I saw ȝow ryde
And warnede heere mȳ lord & mȳ souereyn
Which for to ridyn with ȝow is ful fayn