The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
Folio 170v
4 of 6 folios
85
If þat his dede accorde wiþ þy speche /
Telle me þat and þat I þe biseche /
¶ Why quod þis ȝiman / wher to axe ȝe me
God help me so for he schal neuer þe
But I wol nougħt avowe þat I say
90
And þerfor kep it secre I ȝou pray
He is to wys in faith as I bileue
That at is ouer don it wil nouȝt preue /
A rigħt . as clerkes sein it is a vice
Wherfore in þat I holde him lewed and nyce
95
For whan a man haþ ouer greet a witte
Ful ofte him happeth to mysvsen itte
So doth my lord and þat me greueþ sore
God it amende I can say now nomore
Ther of no fors good ȝeman quod oure Ost
100
Syn of þe connyng of þi lord þou wost
Tel how he doþ I pray þe hertily
Sin þat he is so crafty and so sly
Wher duellen ȝe if it to telle be
In þe subarbes of a toun quod he
105
Lurking in hirnes and in lanes blynde
Wher as þese robbours and þeues by kynde /
Holden here priue ferful residence /
As þay þat dor nouȝt schewen her persence /
So faren we if I schal say þe soþe
110
Now quod oure ost ȝit let me talke toþe
Why artow discoloured on þy face
Peter quod he god ȝiue it harde grace
I am so vsed in þe fuyr to blowe /
That it haþ chaunged my colour I trowe
115
I am not wont in no mirour to prie
But swynke sore and lerne to multiplie
We blondren euer and pouren in þe fuyr
And for al þat we faile of oure desir
For euer we lacken oure conclusiou~
120
To moche folk we ben illusiou~
And borwe gold be it a pound or tuo /
Or ten or twelue or many sōmes mo