The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
Folio 158v
2 of 5 folios
He was of fome al flekked as a pye
Amale tweyfold on his cropur leye
It semed þat he Caride litel araye
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Al liht for somere rode þis worþe man
And in myn herte wonder .I. be gan
What þat he was til þat .I. vnder stode
Howe þat his cloke was sewed to his hode
For whiche when .I. longe had auysed me
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.I. demed him sū chanon for to be
His hatte honge doune be hinde his be a lace
For he had ridde more þan a trote or a pace
It hadde ay piked lyke as he ware wode
A clote lef he had vnder his hode
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For suote & for to kepe his hed from hete
Bot it was Ioy for to seen him swete
His fored dropped as a stillatorie
Where ful of pleintein & of peritorie
And whan he come he gan to crye
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God saue qd he þis Iolie cōpanye
Fast haue .I. piked qd he for ȝoure sake
Because þat .I. wold ȝowe ouer take
To riden in þis mery companye
His ȝoman eke was ful of curtasie
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And sires nowe x in morwe tide
Oute of ȝoure Osxtlery .I. sawe ȝowe ride
And warned here my lorde & my souereine
Whiche þat to ride wiþe ȝowe is fulfeyne
For his disporde he loueþ daliance
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Frende for þi warneyinge god ȝeue þe good chaunce
Seide oure oste sertes it wolde seme
Thi lorde were wise & so .I. maie wele deme
He is ful Iocunde also dar .I. laie
Can he ouht teƚƚ a mery tale or tueye
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Wiþ whiche he glade maie þis companye
Who sire my lord ȝeȝe wiþ oute lye
He kan of merþe & eke of Iolyte
Not bot .I. nowhe also ser tresteþ me
And ȝe him knewe as wel as do .I.
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Ȝe wold wonder howe wele & þreftely
He couþe werke & þat in sundre wise
He haþ tak on him mony sundre aprise
Whiche were ful harde for any þat is here