The Parson's Prologue
Folio 251v
2 of 3 folios
Sire prest quod he artow a vicory
Or artow a persoun say soþ by þy fay
Be what þou be breke nought oure play
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For euery man saue þou hath told his tale
Vnbocle and schew vs what is in þy male
For trewely me þinkeþ by þy chier
Þou scholdist wel knyt vp a gret matier
Tel vs a tale anoon for cokkes boones
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This persoun answerde al at oones /
Thow getist fable noon I told for me
For poul þat writes vnto thimothe
Repreueþ hem þat weyueþ sothfastnesse
And tellen fables and such wrecchednesse /
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Why schuld I sowen draf out of my fest /
Whan I may / sowe whete if þat me lest
For which I say if þat ȝow lust to hiere
Moralite and vertuous matiere
And þanne þat ȝe wil ȝiue me audience
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I wol ful fayn at cristis reuerence
Do ȝow plesaunce leful as I can
But trusteþ wel I am a suthern man
I can not geste . rum raf . ruf by letter
Ne god wot rym hold I but litel better
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And þerfor if ȝow lust I wol not glose
I wol ȝow telle a mery tale in prose /
To knyt vp al þis fest and make an ende
And Ihū for his grace wit me sende
To schewe ȝow þe way in þis viage
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Of þilke parfyt glorious pilgrimage
That hatte Ierusalem celestial
And if ȝe vouche sauf anoon I schal
Bygynne my tale for which I ȝow pray
Telle ȝour avis I can no better say
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But naþeles þis meditacioun
I put it ay vnder correctioun
Of clerkes for I am not textuel
I take but þe sentens trustiþ wel
Therfor I make protestaciou~