The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 244v
13 of 16 folios
As dede ȝoure fadir in þe morwenynge
Certes it was of hert al þat he song
And for to make his vois þe more strong
485
He wold so peynen him þat wiþ boþe his yen
He moste wynke so lowde he wolde crien
And stonden on his typtoon þer wiþ al
And strecche forth his necke long and smal
And eek he was of such discressioun
490
That þer nas no man in no regioun
That him in song or wisdom mighte passe
I haue wel rad in Daun Burnel thasse
Among his verses how þer was a Cok
For a prestes sone ȝaf him a knok
495
Vpon his leg whil he was ȝong and nyce
He made him for to lese his benefice
But certeyn þer is no comparisou~
Bitwix þe wisdom and discressiou~
Of ȝoure fader and of his subtilte
500
Now syngeþ sire for seinte charite
Let se can ȝe ȝour fader countrefete
This Chaunteclere his wynges gan to bete
As man that couthe his tresoun nougħt espye
So was he rauyssht wiþ his flaterie
505
Allas lordynges many a fals flatour
Is in ȝour hous and many a losengour
That pleasen ȝow wel more by my faith
Than he þat soþfastnesse vnto ȝow saith
Rediþ Ecclesiast of flaterie
510
Beþ war ȝe lordes of her treccherie /
This Chaunteclere stood heihe vpon his toos
Strecching his necke and his yhen cloos
And gan to crowe lowde for þe noones /
And daun Russel þe fox stert vp at oones
515
And by þe garget hente Chaunteclere
And on his bak toward þe woode him bere
For ȝit was þere / no man þat him sewed
O desteny þat maist not ben eschiewed
Allas þat Chaunteclere fleigħ fro þe bemis Allas his wif