The General Prologue
Folio 10v
4 of 21 folios
715
¶ Nowe haue .I. tolde ȝowe soþely in a clause
The estate . þe arraye . þe Nombre & eke þe cause
Whi þat assembled was þis companye
In Suthewerke att þis gentil hosterie
Þat hiht þe taberd fast be þe belle
720
Bot nowe is time to ȝowe for to teƚƚe
Howe þat we beren vs þat ilke nyhte
Whan we were in þat Osterye alyhte
And after wil .I. teƚƚ of owre viage
And al þe remenant of owre pilgrenage
725
Bot first .I. preye ȝowe of ȝoure curtesie
That ȝe ne ret it nowht my velenye
Thoughe þat .I. pleinly speke in þis matier
To teƚƚ ȝowe her wordes & eke her chere
Ne þouhe .I. speke here wordes propurly
730
For þis ȝe knowen as wele as .I.
Who so sal tellen a tale after a mañ
He mote reherce as nyhe as euer he cān
Eueryche a worde if it be in his charge
Al speke he neuer so rudeli & so large .
735
Or elles he most tel his tale vntrewe
Or feyne þinges . or fynde wordes Newe
He may nouht spare al þouhe he ware his broþer
He mot also wele seie o worde as a nother
Criste spak himself ful brode in holy writte
740
And wele ȝe wote no velany is itte
Eke plato seiþe who so kan him rede
The wordes most be Cosin to þe dede
¶ Also .I. preie ȝowe for ȝif it me
Al haue .I. not sett folke in her degre .
745
Here in þis tale as þat þei scholde stonde
My witte is schorte ȝe maie wele vnderstonde
Grete chere maade owre oste vs euerychone
And to þe soper sett he vs anone
He serued vs wiþe vitailles att þe beste
750
Stronge was þe wyne & wele drinke vs leste
A semely man owre ost was wiþ aƚƚ
For to bene a marschal in a lordes haƚƚ
A large man he was wiþ eyȝen stepe
A fairer burgeis is none none in chepe
755
Bolde of his speche & wyse & wele y tawht .
And of manhode him lakked riht nouht