The Cook's Tale
Folio 58r
1 of 2 folios
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Whom þat he brought in to his pryuyte
I pray to god so gyf my body care /
Ȝif euer siþþe I highte hogge of ware
Herd I better myller set a werke /
He hadde a Iape of malice in þe derke /
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But god forbede þat we stynten heere /
And þerfore if ȝe fouche sauf to heere
A tale of me þat am a pouer man
I wol ȝow telle as wel as I kan
A litel Iape þat fel in oure cite
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Oure host seyde I graunt it þe
Now telle on Roger & loke it be good
For many a pastey hastow lete blood
And many a Iakk of douer hastow sold
That haþ be twyes hoot and twyes cold
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Of many a pilgrym hastow cristes curs
For þy persly þey faren ȝet þe wors
That þey haue eten with þe stubbil goos
For in þy schoppe is many a flye loos
Now goode gentil Roger by þy name /
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But ȝit I pray þe be nought wroþ for game
Thow saist ful soþ qd Roger by my faith
But soth play quad play as þe flemȳg saiþ
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Be þou nat wroþ or we departe her
Though þat my tale be of an hostyler
But naþeles I wol not telle it ȝit
But or we departe it schal be quyt
And þer with al he lowħ and made chere
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And seyde his tale as ȝe schal after heere
A Prentys dwelled whilom in oure Citee
Of a craft of vitaillers was he
Gaylard he was as goldfyncħ in þe schawe
Broun as a bery and a propre felawe
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Wiþ lokkes blak and kempt ful fetously
Dauncen he cowde wel and prately
That he was cleped Perkyn reuellour
He was ful of loue and paramour
As is þe hony combe of hony swete