The Tale of Sir Thopas
Folio 323r
1 of 4 folios
Whan seyd was al this myrakele euery mā
As sobere was that wondir was to see
Til that oure hoost Iapyn \tho/ be gan
And thāne at erst he lokede vp on mee \.i. Chaucer/
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And seide thus what man art thow quod he
Thow lokyst as thu woldyst fynde an hare
For euere vp on the ground I se the staare
Approchith neer & loke vp myryely
Now ware ȝow seris & lat this mā haue place
10
He in the wast is schape as weel as I
This weere a popet in an arm tenbrace
For ony weman smal & fayr of face
He semyth eluych by his cuntenaūce
For vn to no wygh doth he no dalyaūce
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Sey now sūwhat syn othere folk han seyd
Telle vs a tale of myrthe & that a non
Hoost quod I ne beth nat yuele a payed
For othir tale certis can I non
But of a rȳm I lernede longe a goon
20
Ȝe that is good quod he now schul we here
Sū deynte thyng me thȳkyth by hise cheere
Heere begynnyth Chaucers tale of sere Thopas
LEstyth lordyngis in good entent
And I wele telle verrayment
And of a knyght was fayr & gent
5
In batayle & in turnement
I born he was in fer cuntre
In flaūderis al be ȝoūde þõ see
10
His fadir was a man ful fre
And lord he was of that cuntre
Syre Thopas wex a dogħty sweyn
Whit was hise face as payn demayn
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Hise lippis rede as rose
His rode is lyk skarlet engrayn
As I ȝow telle in good certayn