The General Prologue
Folio 2v
4 of 23 folios
115
A cristofre on his brest of siluer schene
An horn he bar þe bawdrik was of grene
A forster was he sothely as I gesse
Ther was also a Nonne a prioresse
That of hire smylyng was ful symple and coy
120
Hire grettest ooth nas but by seynt loy
And sche was clept / madame Engƚetyne
Ful wel sche sang þe seruise deuyne
Entuned in hire nose ful semyly
And frenscħ sche spak ful faire and fetysly
125
Aftur þe scole of Stratford atte Bowe
For Frensch of Parys was to hire vnknowe
At mete wel I taugħt was sche with alle /
Sche leet no morsel from hire lippes falle /
Ne wette hire fyngres in hire sauce deepe
130
Wel cowde sche carie a morsel and wel keepe
That no drope fil vppon hire brest
In Curtesie was sett al hire lest
Hire ouerlippe wypud sche so clene
That in hire Cuppe was no ferþing sene
135
Of grees whan sche dronken hadde hire draugħt
Ful semely aftur hir mete sche raugħt
And sikurly sche was of gret disport
And ful plesant / and amyable of port
And peyned hire to counterfete cheere
140
Of court and ben estatlich of manere /
And to ben holden digne of Reuerence
But for to speken of hire conscience
Sche was so charitable and so pitous
Sche wolde weepe if þat sche sawe a Mous
145
Caugħt in a trappe if it were deed or bledde
Of smale houndes hadde sche þat sche fedde
With rostud fleissħ and mylk and wastel breed
But sore wepte sche if oon of hem were deed
Or if men smot it wiþ a ȝerde smerte
150
And al was conscience and tendre herte
Ful semely hire wymple I pynched was
Hire nose streight hire eyen grey as glas