Introduction to the Man of Law's Tale
Folio 71r
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Owre hoste sawħ þat þe brighte sonne
The arke of his artificial day haþ I ronne /
The fourþe part of half an hour and more /
And þougħ he were nat depe in lore
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He wist it was þe þrettenþe day
Of april þat is messanger to may
And sawe wel þat þe schade of euery tree
Was in þe lengþe þe same qantite
That was þe body erecte þat caused it
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And þerfore by þe schadwe he took his wit
That Phebus which þat schoon so fair and brigħt
Degrees was .xlv. clombe on higħt
And for þat day as in þat latitude
Hit was ten of þe clokke he gan conclude /
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And sodeynly he plight his hors aboute
LOrdynges qd he I warne ȝou al þe route
The fourþe party of þis day is goon
Now for þe loue of god and of seint Ion
Leseþ no tyme as forþe as ȝe may
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Lordynges þe tyme passeþ night and day
And steliþ fro vs what pryuely slepyng
And what þurgħ necligence in oure wakyng
As doþ þe streem þat torneþ neuer agayn
Descendyng fro þe mounteyn in to playn
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Wel can senek and many philosopher
Bywaylen tyme more þan gold in cofre
For losse of catel may recouered be /
But losse of tyme schendeþ vs qd he
It wil nat come agayn wiþoute drede
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Nomore þan wol malkyns maydenhede
Whan sche had lost it in hir wantownesse
Let vs nat mowlen þus in ydelnesse
SIr man of lawe qd he so haue ȝe blisse
Telle vs a tale anon as forward ys
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Ȝe be submitted þurgħ our fre assent
To stonden in þis cas at my Iuggement
Acquyteþ ȝow and holdeþ ȝoure byheste
Than haue ȝe doon ȝour deuour atte leste