The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 371v
14 of 14 folios
Thāne wolde I schewyn how that I coude pleyne
535
For Chaūtecleeres dreede & for his peyne
¶ Certis swich cry ne lamentacioun
Was neuere of ladijs mad whā ylyoun
Was wone & Pirrus with his streyte swerd
Whan that he hadde hent kyng priame bi the berd
540
And slayn hȳ as seyth vs Enidos
As madyn alle the hēnys in the cloos
Whā \they hadde/ of Chaūtecler the syght
But souereynly dame Pertelote shryght
Ful loudere thā dede Hasdrubalis wyf
545
Whan that hire husbonde hadde y lost his lyf
And that the Romaynys haddȳ brent Cartage
Sche was so ful of turnement & of rage
That wilfully in to the feer sche sterte
And brende hire seluȳ with a stedefast herte
550
O woful hennys ryght so cryedyn ȝe
As whā that nero brende the Cete
Of Rome cryedȳ Senatouris wyuys
For that here husbondys lostyn alle here lyuys
With outȳ gylt this Nero hath hem slayn
555
Now wole I turne to mȳ tale a gayn
¶ The sely wedewe & ek there doughteryn two
Herdyn these hēnys crye & makyn wo
And out at the dorys stirte they a non
And seyen the fox toward the groue gon
560
And bar vp on his bak the Cok a way
And cryedyn out harow & weyleawey
. Ha . ha . the fox & aftyr hȳ they ran
And ek with stonys many a nothir man
Ran Colle oure doge & talbot & Garland
565
And Malkyn with a distaf in hire hand
Ran Cow & Calf & ek the verray hoggis
For fered for berkynge of the doggis
And schoutyng of the men & women ek
They rōne so they thoute here herte brek
570
They ȝelledyn as fendis doon in helle
The dokis cryedyn as men wolde hē quelle