The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 245v
15 of 16 folios
And sayden þe fox toward þe woode is goon
And bar vpon his bak þe cok away
560
And criden out harrow and wayleway
Ha . ha . þe fox and after him þay ran
And eek with staues many anoþer man
Ran Colle our dogge and talbot and Garlond
And Malkyn wiþ a distaf in hir hond
565
Ran cow and calf and þe verray hoggoes
So were þey fered for berkyng of dogges
And schowtyng of þe men and wymmen eke
Þay ronne þat þay þougħt her herte breke
Thay ȝelleden as feeldes doon in helle /
570
The dokes criden as men wold hem quelle
The gees for fere flowen ouer þe trees
Out of þe hyues cam þe swarm of bees
So hidous was þe noyse a benedicite
Certes þough Iakke straw and his meyne
575
Ne madē schoutes neuer half so schrille
Whan þat þay wolden eny flemyng kille /
As þilke day was maad vpon þe fox
Of bras þay brough hornes and of box
Of horn of boon in which þay blew and powped
580
And þer with al þay schryked and þay howped
It semed as þat heuen schulde falle
Now goode men I pray herkneþ alle /
Lo how fortune torneþ sodeinly
The hope and pride eek of her enuy /
585
This Cok þat lay vpon þis foxes bak
In al his drede vnto þe fox he spak
And saide sire if þat I were as ȝe
Ȝet schuld I sayn as wis god helpe me
Turneþ aȝein ȝe proude cherles alle
590
A verray pestilens vpon ȝow falle /
Now I am come vnto þis woodes syde /
Maugre ȝoure heed þe Cok / schal heer abyde
I wol him ete in faith and þat anoon
The Fox answerd in faith it schal bē doon
595
And whil he spak þat word al sodeinly