The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
Folio 382r
4 of 5 folios
Syn that thȳ lord is of so hegh prudence
By cause of which mē wolde hȳ reuerēce
That of his worschepe rekkith he but lyte
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His ouere sloppe nys nat worth a myte
As in effect to hȳ so mote I go
It is al baudit & to tore also
Whi is thȳ lord so slottysch I the preye
And is of power betere cloth to beye
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If that his deede a cordit with his speche
Tel me that & that I the be seche
Whi quod this ȝeman wherto axe ȝe me
God help me so for he schal neuere the
But I wele nat a wowe that I seye
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And therfore kepe it secre I ȝow preye
He is to wis in feyth as I be leue
That is ouerdone it wele nat preue
Aryght / as clerkis seyn it is a vice
Wherfore in that I helde hȳ lewid & nyce
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For whā a man hath ouergreet a wit
Ful ofte hȳ happith to mysusē it
So doth mȳ lord & that me greuyth soore
God it amende I can sey ȝow na moore
Therof nofors goode ȝeman quod oure hoost
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Syn of the cūnyng of thȳ lord thow wost
Telle how he doth I preye the hertyly
Syn that he is so crafty & so sly
Wheere dwellyn ȝe / ȝif it to tellȳ be
In the subarblis of a toū quod he
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Lurkȳge in hernys & in lenys blȳde
Where as these robboris & these theuys by kynde
Holdȳ here piue ferful residence
As they that dore nat schewe here persence
So fare we ȝif I schal seye the sothe
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Now quod oure hoost ȝit lat me speke to the
Whi art thow so discolouryd in thȳ face
Petir quod he god ȝeue it harde grace
I am so vsed in the fuir to blowe
That it hath chaūged mȳ color I trowe