Here the Host 'stynteth' Chaucer's Tale of Sir Thopas
Folio 206v
2 of 2 folios
Or telle in prose som what atte lest
In which þer be so merthe or doctrine
Gladly quod I by goddes swete pyne /
I wol ȝow telle a litel þing in prose
20
That oughte like ȝow as I suppose /
Or elles certes ȝe be to daungerous
It is a moral tale vertuous
Al be it told som tyme in sondry wise /
Of sondry folk as I schal ȝow deuyse /
25
As thus . ȝe woot þat euery euangelist
Þat telleþ vs þe peyne of Iħu crist
Ne saiþ aƚƚ þing as his felawes doþ
But naþeles here sentence is al soþ
And aƚƚ accorden as in here sentence /
30
Al be þer in her tellyng difference /
For some of hem sayn more and some lesse /
Whan þay his pitous passioū expresse /
I mene of mark mathew luk and Iohn~
But douteles her sentence is al oon
35
Therfor lordynges aƚƚ I ȝow biseche
If ȝow think þat I varye as in my speche
As þus þough þat I telle som what more
Of prouerbes þan I haue herd bifore
Comprehended in þis litil tretys here
40
To enforcen with þeffect of my matiere
And þougħ I not þe same wordes say
As ȝe haue herd / ȝit to ȝow alle I pray
Blameþ me nougħt for in my sentence
Schul ȝe no wher fynde difference
45
Fro þe sentence of þis tretys lite
After þe which þis litil tale I wryte
And þerfor herkeneþ what I schal say
And let me tellen al my tale I pray