The Reeve's Prologue
Folio 48r
2 of 2 folios
For in owre wille þere stikeþ euer a naile
To haue an hore here & a grene taile
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As haþe a leke for þouhe oure myht be gone
Owre wille desireþ foly euery in one
For whan we maie nouhte done þan wil we speke
Ȝit in owre hasschen olde is fire y reke
Foure gledes han we whiche .I. schal deuise
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Auauntynge . lyeinge . Anger . & Couetise
This foure sperkles longeþ vn to elde
Owre olde limmes mowe wele bene vn welde
Bot wxil ne schal nouht failen þat is soþe
And ȝit haue .I. alwei a coltes toþe
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As mony a ȝere as it is passed henne
Sen þat my tap of lif be ganne to renne
For sekerly whan .I. was borne a none
Deþe drowhe þe tape of lif & lete it gone
And euery siþþe haþþe so þe tap .I. ronne
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Tiƚƚ þat al moste al empti is þe tonne
The streme of lif nowe droppeþ on þe chimbe .
The seli tonge maie wele ¶ ringe & climbe .
Of wrechedenesse þat passed is ful ȝore
Wiþ olde folke saue dotage is no more
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¶ Whan þat oure oste had herd þis sermonynge
He gan to speke as lordly as a kinge
He seide what a mounteþ al þis witte
What schal we speke alday of holy writte
The deuel maade a reue for to preche
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Or of souter schipman or a leche
Say forþe þi tale & tary nouht þe time
Loo depford & it is halfe weie prime
Loo grenewiche þat mony a schrewe is inne .
It were al time þi tale forto gynne
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Nowe sires qd Oswalde þe reue
.I. praie ȝowe al þat ȝe nouht ȝowe greue
Thow he .I. ansewere & sumdel sett his howue
For leueful it is wiþ force force to schowue
This dronken melle haþe .I. tolde vs here
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Howe þat be giled was a carpentier
íauentur in scoren for .I. am one
And be ȝoure leue .I. schal him quyte anone .
Riht in his cherles termes wil .I. speke
.I. preie to god his neke mot he breke
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He can wele in myne eye seen astalke
Bot in his owen he can nouht sene a balke