The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
Folio 160r
5 of 5 folios
His ȝoman þat he herd al his sawe
And þus he seide vnto his ȝoman þo
140
Holde þow þi pees & speke wordes no mo
For if þou do þou schalt it dere a bye
Tho sklanderst me here in þis compaignye
And eke diskeuerest þat þou scholdest hide
Ȝe qd oure Oste tel one what so betide
145
Of al þis þreteinge reche þe nouht a myte
In feiþe qd he nomore .I. do bot alite
And whan þis Chanone sawe it wolde nouht be
Bot his ȝoman wolde tel his piuete
He fledde awaie for verrei sorwe & schame
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A qd þis ȝoman here schal arise game
Al þat .I. can a none wil .I. teƚƚ
Seþen he is gone þe foule fende him queƚƚ
For neuer here after wil .I. wiþ him mete
For penye ne for pounde .I. be hete
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He þat me brouht first vnto þat game
Er þat þat he deie sorwe haue he & schame
For it ernest to me be my feiþe
Þat fele .I. wele what so any man seiþe
And ȝitte for al my smert & al my greue
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For al my sorwe laboure & mescheue
.I. couþe neuere leue it in no wise
No wolde god my witte myht suffise
To tellen al þat longeþ for þat arte
Bot napeles ȝit wil .I. tel ȝowe parte
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Seþen my lorde is gone .I. wil not spare
Suche þinge as .I. knowe .I. wil declare
Wythe þis chanon dwelled haue .I. seuen ȝere /
And of his science am .I. neuer þe nere
Al þat .I. had .I. haue .I. lost þere by
And god wote so haþe mony mo þan .I.
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Ther .I. was wont to be riht frissche & gay
Of cloþinge & of good arraie
Nowe may .I. were an hose vpon myn hede
And where my coloure was boþe freche & rede
Now it is wan & of a lewde hewe
10
Who so it vseþ sore schaƚƚ he rewe
And of my swynke ȝit blered is myne eyȝe
Lo whiche avantage is for to multepliȝe .