The General Prologue
Folio 3v
18 of 21 folios
Att mete wele ytauhte was sche wt aƚƚ
Sche lete no morsel fro hir lippes faƚƚ
Ne wete hir fingeres in hir sauce depe
130
Wele couþe sche cary a morsel & wel kepe
Þat no drope ne fel vpon hir breste
In curtesie was sette ful muchel her leste
Hir ouere lippe sche wyped so clene
That in hir coppe þer was no fat þinge sene
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Of grece whan sche had dronken hir drawhte
Ful semelye after hir mete sche rawhte .
And sekerly sche was of grete disporte .
And ful plesant & ful amyable of porte
And peyned hir to counterfet chere
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Of Courte and to be stalyche of manere
And to be holden digne of reuerence
Bot for to speke of hire Conscience
Sche was so charitable & so pytous .
Sche wolde wepe ȝif þat sche sawe a mouse
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Kauht in a trape if it ware dede or bledde
Of smale houndes had sche þat sche fedde
Wiþ rostede flesche or melke or wastelbrede
Bot sore wepped sche if one of hem were dede
Or if men smote it wiþ a ȝerde smart
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And al was conscience and tendur herte
Ful semely hir wympul pinched was
Hire nose was streihte her yhen was grei as glas
Hire mouþe ful smal . & þere to soft & rede
Bot sekurly sche had a faire forhede
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It was al moste a spanne brode .I. trowe
For hardely sche was nouhte vnder growe
Ful fetis was hir cloke as .I. was war
Of smale coral aboute hir harme sche bar
A peire of Bedes gauded al wiþ grene
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And þere one honge a broche of golde ful schene
On whiche þare was firste wreten wip a crowned .A.
And after amor vincit omnia .
¶ A noþer nonne wyþ hir had sche
Þat was hir Chapeleyne & prestes þre
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A monke þere was a faire for þe maistre
An owte rider þat loued venere
A manly man to bene an abbot able
Ful mony a daynte hors hade he in stable