Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale
Folio 194v
2 of 2 folios
I can not now non thrifty tale seyn
That Chaucer thoughte he can but lewedely
On metris & on rymyng craftyly
As seyde hē in swich engelych as he can
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Of olde tyme as knowyth manye a man
And ȝif he haue not seyde hē leue broþer
In on bok he hath seyd hē in a noþer
For he hath told of louerys vp & down
Mo þā ouyde made of mencyoū /
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In hese episteƚƚ þt ben ful olde
What schulde I telle hē syn þt þey ben tolde
In ȝouthe he made of Ceys & alceoū
And syþe haþ he spoke of euerychon
These nobele wyuys & þese loueris ek
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Who so þt wole hese large volū sek
Clepid þe seyntis legende of cupide
There may he se þe large woūdis wyde
Of lucresse & of babiloyn Tisbee
The swerd of dido for þe false Enee
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The tre of Phiƚƚ for here demephoū
The pleynt of dyane & of hermyoū
Of adryane & of Isiphilee
The barayne yle standȳge in þe se
The dreynte leandere for hese erro
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The terys of eleyne & ek þe wo
Of brixseyde & of þe ladomya
The cruelte of þe quene media
Thy lityl childerȳ hangȳge by þe hals
For thy Iason þt was in loue so fals
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O ypermystre penolopee Alceste
Ȝoure wifhod he cōmendit with þe beste
But serteynly no word wrytyth he
Of thilk ensaūple of Canacee
That louede here owene broþer synfully
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Of swiche cursede storyis I seye fy
Or ellis of Thiro appolonyus