The Cook's Prologue
Folio 53r
1 of 2 folios
And be þat liht sche seihe hem boþe two
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Bot sekerly sche nyst who wa who
Bot as sche sauhe a white þinge in hire eye
And whan sche gan þis white aspie
Sche wende þe clerke had wered a volipere
And wiþe þe staf sche drowhe ay nere & nere
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And wende haue hit þis Aleine att fuƚƚ
And smote þe Mellere on þe pilled scoƚƚ
That downe he goþe & cried harrowe .I. deye
This Clerkes bet him wele & lete him lye
And greyþen þeym & toke her hors a none
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And eke here mele & on þeire weie þei gone
And att Melle ȝit þei toke her cake
Of halfe a busschel flowre ful wel y bake
¶ Thus is þe proude Mellere wele ybete
And haþe yloste þe grindeinge ofe þe whete
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And paiede for þe sopere euery dele
Of Aleyne & of Iohñ þat bet him wele
His wif is swyue & his douhte als
Lo swyche it is a mellere to befals
And þer to þis prouerbe is seide ful soþe
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Him þar note wene wele þat yuel doþe
A gylour schal him self be giled be .
And god þat sitteþ hihe in maiestee
Saue al þis compainye grete & smale
Thus haue .I. quyte þe Meller in my tale
Incipit fabula ílogë Coce .
The coke of london while þe reue spakke
For Ioy him þouht he clowde him on þe bakke
Ha ha qd he for cristes passione
This Mellere haþe a scharpe conclusione
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Vpon his argument of herbegage
Wele seide Salamon in his langage
Ne bringe nouhte euery man in to þine hous
For herberwynge be nyhte is perilous
Wele ouhte a man avisede for to be
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Whome þat he brouhte in to his piuete
.I. preito god so ȝeue me sorwe & care
If euer siþen .I. hight hogge of ware
Herd .I. mellere better sett a werke
He had a Iape of Males in þe derke