The Parson's Prologue
Folio 230r
2 of 3 folios
Tel vs a fable anone for kokkes bones
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Þis persone ansewerd al att ones
Þou getest fable none ytolde for me
For Poule þat writeþ vnto Timothe
Repreueþ hem þat vey fen soþefastnesse
And tellen fabels & suche wrechednesse
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Whi schold .I. schewen draf out of my fest
Whan .I. may schewe whete if þat me lest
For whiche .I. saie if þat þe lust to here
Moralite & vertuous Matier
And þan þat ȝe wil ȝewil ȝef me audience
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.I. wil ful feyne att cristes Reuerence
Done ȝowe plesance lefful as .I. cāne
Bot trusteþ wele .I. am a soþerner māne
.I. can nouht geste . Rom Ram Ruf be my ƚre
Ne god wote Rime holde .I. bot litel better
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And þerefor if ȝowe luste .I. wil not glose
.I. wil ȝowe tel a mere tale in prose
To knyte vp al þis fest & maake an ende
An ihū for his grace witte me sende
To schew ȝow þe waye in þis viage
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Of þilke parfite gloriouse pilgrenage
Þat hiht Ierlm Celestiaƚƚ
And if ȝe vouche saue a none ȝe schaƚƚ
Beginne vpon my tale for whiche .I. preye
Teƚƚ ȝoure a vise .I. cañ no better seye
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Bot naþeles þis Meditaciōne
.I. put it alweie in correccione
Of clerkes for .I. am nouht text wele
I take bot þe sentence trusteþ wele
Thare fore .I. maake a prodestacione
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Þat .I. wil stant to correccione
Vpon þis worde we haue assented sone
For as it semed it was for to done
To enden in som vertuous sentence
And for to ȝeue him space & audience
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And badde oure Oste he scholde to him seye
Þat al we to teƚƚ his tale we preye
Oure Oste hadde þe wordes for vs aƚƚ
Sir preste qd he faire mote ȝow faƚƚ
Saye what ȝowe lust & we schal gladly here
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And wiþ þat worde he seide in þis manere .