The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 365v
2 of 14 folios
And kepe myn body out of foul prysoū
Me mette how that I romede vp & doū
With inne oure ȝerd where that I saw a beste
80
Was lik an hound & wolde han mad a reste
Vp on mȳ body & anhad me deed
His colour was be twixe ȝelw & reed
And typpid was his tayl & bothe hise eris
With blak onlyk the remenaūt of hise heris
85
His snoute smal wt glowȳge eyen tweye
Ȝit for his lok for fer almost I deye
This causede me mȳ gronyng douteles
A voy quod sche fy on ȝow herteles
Allas quod sche for by that god a boue
90
Now han ȝe lost myn herte & al mȳ loue
I can nat loue a coward by mȳ feyth
For certys what so any woman seyth
We alle desyren ȝif it myghte be
To han husbondis hardy wyse & fre
95
And secre / & no nygard ne no fool
Ne hȳ that is agast of euery tool
Ne noon auaūtour by that god a boue
How durste ȝe seyn for schame on to ȝore loue
That any thyng myghte make ȝow a feryd
100
Han ȝe no manys herte & hā a berd
Allas & cūne ȝe been agast of sweuenys
No thyng god wot but vanite in sweuen is
Sweuenys engenderyn / of replecioūnys
And ofte of fume & of complexiounys
105
Whāne humoris been to haboundaunt in a wight
Sertis this drem whiche ȝe han met to nyght
Comyth of the greete superfluite
Of ȝore reede colera perde
Whiche causyn folk to dredȳ in here dremys
110
Of arwis & of fyr with rede lemys
Of rede bestis that they wele hȳ byte
Of contek & of whelpis greete & lite
Righ as the humor of malencolye
Causith ful manye a man in slep to crye