The General Prologue
Folio 11v
22 of 23 folios
Schal hau a soper at ȝour alþer cost
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Here in þis place sittynge by þis post
Whan þat we comen ageyn from Canturbery
And for to make ȝou þe more mery
I wol my seluen gladly with ȝou ryde
Rigħt at myn owen cost and be ȝoure gyde
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And who so wole my Iuggement with seie
Schal paye for al we spenden by þe weye
And if ȝe vouche sauf þat it be so
Telle me anoon wiþouten wordes moo
And I wole erely schappe me þerfore
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This þing was graunted and oure othus swore
With ful glad herte and prayden him also
That he wolde vouche sauf for to doon so
And þat he wolde ben oure gouernour
And of oure tales Iugge and reportour
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& sette a souper at a certeyn prys
And we wolde rewled be at his deuys
In heygh and lowe . and þus by oon assent
We been acorded to his Iuggement
And þer vpon þe wyn was fet anoon
820
We dronken and to reste wente echoon
Wiþouten eny lengere taryinge
A morwe whan þat þe day bigan to sprynge
Vp roos oure Ost and was oure althur cok
And gaderud vs to gidur aƚƚ in a flok
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And forth we riden a litel more þan paas
Vnto þe waterynge of seint Thomas
And þere oure Ost bigan his hors areste
And seyde lordus herkeneþ if ȝow leste
Ȝe woot ȝoure forward and I it ȝou recorde
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If euesong and morwesong acorde
Lat se now who schal telle ferst a tale
As euere I moote I drinke wyn or ale
Who so be rebel to my Iuggemēt
Schal paye for al þat by the weye is spent
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Now draweth Cut / er þat we forther twynne
Which þat hath þe schortest schal bygynne