The Nun's Priest's Prologue
Folio 217v
2 of 2 folios
And þouhe suche were goodely for to telle
Ȝe qd oure Ost be seint poules belle
Ȝe seie riht soþe þis monke he clappeþ loude
He spake howe fortune couerd was wiþ a cloude
.I. note neuer what & also of a tregedrye
Riht nowe ȝe herde & perde no Remedye
It is to be weile ne to compleyne
That þat is done and als it is a peine
As ȝe haue seide to hire of heuenesse
Sir monke no more of þis so god ȝow blysse
Ȝoure tale anoyeþ al þis Compaignye
Suche talkeinge is nouht worþe a botterflye
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For þere inne is no sporte ne game
Where fore ser monke Daun Piers be ȝoure name
I praie hertely tel vs sumwhat elles
For seker ner clynkeinge of ȝoure belles
Þat on ȝoure bridel hongeþ on euery side
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Be heven kinge þat for vs al deide
I schal for þis fal doune fal doune for slepe
Al þouhe þe slouhe hadde neuere be so depe
Than hadde ȝoure tale be tolde in veyne
For certeynly as þes clerkes seyne
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Where as a man maye haue none audience
Nowht hepeþ to tellen his sentence
And wele .I. woote þe substance is in me
If any þinge schal wele Reported bee
Sire sey sum whatt of hunteinge .I. ȝowe preie
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Naye qd þe monke .I. haue no luste to pleie
Nowe latte a noþere tel as .I. haue tolde
Than spak oure Oste wiþ rude speche & bolde
And seide vnto þe Nones perste a none
Com nere ser prest come hider ser Iohn
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Tel vs suche þinge as may oure hertes glaade
Be merye þouhe þou ride vpon a Iade
Þat þouhe þine hors be foule or lene
If he wil serue þe rekke þe nouht abene
Looke þat þine herte be mere euermo
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Ȝis oste qd he so mot .I. ride or go
Bot .I. be mery .I. wisse .I. will be blamede
And riht anone he haþe his tale tamede
And þus he seide to vs euerychon
This swete piste þis goodman ser Ioħn