The Parson's Prologue
Folio 229v
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Þat litel Iangelinge causeþ mechel rest
Mi soñ if þou no wykked worde hast seide
Þe þar nouht drede for to be bewreide
Bot he þat haþ my saide .I. dare wele seine
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He may be no weye clepe his worde aȝeine
Þinge þat is seide is seide & forþe it goþe
Þouhe him repent or be him neuer so loþe
He is his þral to whome þat he haþ seide
A tale of whiche he is nowe yuel apaide
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My soñ bewar & be none auctor newe
Of Tyþinges wheþere þei be fals or trewe
Where so þou cōme amonges hihe or lowe
Kepe wele þi tonge & þinke vpon þe crowe
Explicit Fabula Mancipij .
Incipit prologus Rectoris .
BE þat þe manciple hadde his tale endede
The soñ fro þe souþe side is descendede
So lowe þat he was nouht to my siht
Degrees nyne & twente as of heiht
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Than of þe clokke it was so as .I. gesse
For a .xj. fote a lite more or lesse
My schadowe was at þilke time as þer
Of fusche fete as myn lengeþ partide were
In sex foote equale of proporocione
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Þere wiþe þe mones exaltacione
.I. mene libra alweye gan ascende
As we were entrynge att þe þropes ende
For wiþ oure oste as he was wonte to guye
As in þis caas oure Ioly compaignye
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Seide in þis wise lordeinges euery chone
Now Lakkeþ vs no tale more þan one
Fulfilled is my sentence & my degre
Who wil nowe tel a tale latt see
Almost Fulfilled is myne ordenaūce
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.I. praie to god . so ȝif him riht good chaunce
Þat Telleþ þis tale to vs lustely .
Sir pist qd he ert þou a vicarie
Or ert þou a person sei soþe be þi feye
Be what þowe be ne breke þou nouht oure pleye
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For euery man saue þoue haþe told his tale
Vnbukel & schewe vs what is in þi male
For treuly me þinkeþ be þi chere
Thow scholdest knyht vpe wele a grete matrer