The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
Folio 170r
3 of 6 folios
He can of merthe and eek of Iolite
Not but ynougħ also sir trusteþ me
And ȝe him knewe / as wel as do I
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Ȝe wolde wonder how wel and þriftily
He couþe werke and þat in sondry wise
He haþ take on him many sondry emprise
Which were ful hard for eny þat is heere
To bringe aboute but þay of him it leere /
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As homely as he ryt amonges ȝow
If ȝe him knewe it wolde be ȝoure prow
Ȝe nolde nougħt forgon his aqueyntaūce
For moche good I dar lay in balaunce
Al þat I haue in my possessioun
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He is a man of heigħ discressiou~
I warne ȝow wel he is a passyng man
¶ Wel quod our oost I pray þe tel me þan
Is he a clerk / or noon tel what he is
Nay he is gretter þan a clerk I wis ;
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Sayde þe ȝyman and in wordes fewe /
Ost and of his craft somwhat I wil ȝou schewe
I say my lord can such subtilite
But al his craft ȝe may nought wite of me /
And som what helpe I ȝit to his worchynge
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That al þis ground on which we ben ridynge
Til þat we comen . to Caunterbury toun
He couþe al clene turnen vp so doun
And paue it al of siluer and of gold
And whan þis ȝeman hadde þus I told
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Vnto oure oost / he seyde benedicite
This is wonder merueylous to me
Syn þat þis lord is of so heigħ prudence
By cause of which men schuld him reuerence /
That of his worchip rekkeþ he so lite
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His ouer slop it is not worþ a myte /
As in effect to him so mot / I go
It is al bawdy and to tore also
Why is þi lord so slottisch I þe preye
And is of power better cloþis to beye /