The General Prologue
Folio 3v
6 of 23 folios
Of prikyng and of huntyng for þe hare
Was al his lust for no cost wolde he spare
I saugħ his sleues purfiled atte hond
Wiþ grys and that þe fynest of a lond
195
And for to festne his hood vndur his chyn
He hadde of gold y wrougħt a curious pyn
A loue knotte in þe gretter ende þer was
His heed was ballid and schon as eny glas
And eek his face as he hadde be anoynt
200
He was a lord ful fat and in good poynt
His eyen steep and rollyng in his heed
That stemed as a forneys of a leed
His bootes souple his hors in gret estat
Now certeinly he was a fair prelat
205
He was not pale as a forpyned goost
A fat swan loued he best of eny roost
His palfray was as broū as eny berye
A Frere þer was a wantoun and a merye
A lymytour a ful solempne man
210
In aƚƚ þe ordres foure is noon þat can
So moche of daliaūce and fair langage
He hadde I made many a fair mariage
Of ȝonge wȳmen at his owne cost
Vnto his ordre he was a noble post
215
Ful wel biloued and famulier was he
With Frankeleyns ouer al in his cuntre
And eek with worþi wōmen of þe toun
For he hadde power of confessioun
As seyde him self more þan a curat
220
For of his ordre he was licenciat
Ful sweetly herde he confessioū
And plesaunt was his absoluciou~
He was an esy man to ȝeue penance
Ther as he wiste han a good pitance
225
For vnto a poure ordre for to ȝeue
Is signe þat a man is wel I schreue
For if he ȝaf he dorste make auaūt
He wiste þat a man was repentaūt