The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 218r
1 of 15 folios
A Pouer wedowe sumdel stoupe in age
Was whilom dwellynge in a narwe cotage
Be sides a groue standinge in adale
Þis wedow whiche .I. tolde ȝowe of my tale
5
Seþþen þilke daie sche was last a wif
In Pacience ledde a ful simple lif
For litel was hir Catel & hir rent
Be husbandry such as god hir sent
Sche fant her self & eke her douhtern tuo
10
Þe large sewes hadde sche & no mo
Þre kyne & eke a schepe þat hiht mal
Ful soty was hir boure & eke hir hal
In whiche sche ete mony a sklender mele
Of poynant sauce her neded neuer adele
15
No deynte morsel passed hir þrote
Hir Dyaut was accordant to hir cote
Replecioū maade hir neuer seke
Atempre diete was aƚƚ hir phesike
And exercise & hertes sufficiaūce
20
The goute lettid hir no þinge to daunce
Þe Poplexie ne schent nouht hir hede
Ne wyne dranke sche neyþere white ne rede
Hir borde was serued most wiþ white & blakke
Melke & broune brede in whiche sche fande no lakke
25
Seyued bakon & somtyme a neye or tweye
For sche was as it were a maner deye
A gardeyne sche hadde closed al aboute
Wiþ stikkes & a drye diche wiþ oute
In whiche sche hadde a kok þat hiht chauntreƚƚ
30
In al þe land of croweinge was his pere
His voice was merier þan þe meri organe
On mesdaies þat in þe cherche gane
Wele suker was his croweinge in his loge
Than is a kloke or any abbeie orlege
35
Be nature he knewe iche ascencioūe
Of þe equinoxiale of þilk toune
For whanne degrese .xv. were descended
Þan knewe he þat it myh not bue a mended
His kombe was redder þan þe fine coralle
40
Enbateled as it were a castel waƚƚ
His bille was blakke & as þe gete it schone .
I lyke azure was his legges & his tone