The Reeve's Tale
Folio 186r
1 of 13 folios
For sekyrly whan I was boryn anon
Deth drow þõ tappe of lyf & let it gon
And euere sithe hath so þõ tappe Ironne
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Til þt almost al emty is þõ tūne
The strē of lyf now droppith on þõ chymbe
The sely tunge may wel rynge & chymbe
Of wrechedenesse þt passede is ful ȝore
W olde folk saue dotage is no more
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Whā þt þõ ost hadde herd this sarmoūnyng
He gan to spek as lordly as a kyng
He seyde what amoūtyth al þis wit
What schul we speke alday of holy writ
The deuyl made a reue for to preche
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Or of a soutere schipman or a leche
Sey forth thyn tale & tarye not þõ tyme
Lo Depeforthe & it is half weye pryme
Lo Grenewych þere manye a schrewe is inne
It were hey tyme þyn tale to begȳne
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Now serys quod this osewold the reue
I preye ȝow alle þt ȝe nat ȝow greue
Thow I answere & sūdel sette hese howe
For lefful it is þt forse / forse of schowe
This dronkene mellere hath I told vs here
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How þt begiled was a carpentere
Parauenture in scorn for I am on
And by ȝore leue I schal ȝow quyte a non
Ryght in hese cherlis termys wele I speke
I preye to god his nelke mote breke
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He can wel in myn eye sen a stalke
But in hese owene he can not sen a balke
Here begȳnyth the Reue his tale