The Multitext Edition > London, British Library MS. Harley 7334
The General Prologue
Folio 12r
23 of 23 folios
Sire knigħt quoþ he maister and my lord
Now draweth Cut . for þat is myn acord
Cometh ner qd he my lady prioresse
840
And ȝe ser Clerk lat be ȝour schamfastnesse
Ne studieth nat ley hand to euery man
Anon to drawen euery wight bigan
And schortly for to tellen as it was
Were it by auenture or sort or cas
845
The soth is þis the Cut fil to the knigħt
Of which ful glad and bliþe was euery wigħt
And telle he moste his tale as was resoun
By forward and by composiciou~
As ȝe han herd what needeþ wordes moo
850
And whan þis goode man seigh þat it was so
As he that wys was and obedient
To kepe his forward by his fre assent
He seyde syn I schal bygynne the game
What welcome be þou cut . a goddus name
855
Now lat vs ryde and herkneþ what I seye
And with þat word we riden forþ oure weye
And he bigan with right a merie chere ;
His tale . and seide right in þis manere .