The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 218v
2 of 15 folios
His nailes whitter þan þe lyly floure
And ylike burnesshed gold was his color
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This gentil kok hadd in his gouernance
.vij. hennes to done him plesance
Whiche weren his susters & his paramors
And wonder ylike to him as of Coloures
Of wiche þe faire hewe on hir þrote
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Was Cleped fair damysel pertelote
Corteys sche was discrete & debonaire
And companable & bar hir self so faire
Seþens þilke daie sche was sevenyht olde
That trewly sche haþe þe hert in holde
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Of chaunteclere loken in euery lyþþe
He loued hir so þat wele was him þere wiþ
Bot suche a ioye it was to here hem singe
Whan þat þe briht soñ be gan to springe
In swete accorde . my leue is fare in londe
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For þilke time as .I. have vnderstonde
Bestes & birdes kouþe speke & singe
And so befel at in a dawenynge
As chaunteclere amonge his wives aƚƚ
Satt on his perche þat was in þe haƚƚ
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And next him satt his faire pertelote
This chaunteclere gan gronen in his þrote
As a man þat in his dreme is drecched sore
And whan þat Pertilote þus herde him Rore
Sche was a gast & seide hert dere
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What eyleþ ȝowe to grone in þis maner
Ȝe bue a verrey sleper fye for schame
And he anseward & seide þus madame
.I. pay ȝow þat ȝe take it to no greue
Be god me mette þat .I. was ī suche mischeue
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Riht nowe þat ȝit myne hert is sore afliht
Nowe qd he my sweven rede ariht
And kepe my body oute of foule prisone
Me mette þat .I. Romed vpe & doune
Wiþ inne oure ȝerd where as .I. sawe a beste
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Was like an hunde & wolde haue maad areste
Vpon my body & wolde haue hadde me dede
His colour was be twixe white & Rede
And tipped was his taile & boþ his eres
Wiþ blak vnlyke þe remenāt of his heres .