The Prioress' Tale
Folio 186r
1 of 7 folios
Incipit prologus Priorisse
Wele saide be corpus dampnus seide oure Oste
Nowe longe mot þou seile be þis coste
Sire gentil Maister gentil marinere
God ȝeue þe monke a .M. last quade ȝere
5
A ha felaus beþe war of suche a Iape
The monke put in þe mannes hode an ape
And in his wives eke be seint Austine
Draueþ no monkes more vn to ȝoure inne
Bot nowe passe ouere & late vs seke a boute
10
Who schal nowe telle first of al þis route
Anoþer tale & wiþ þat worde he seide
As curteysly as it hadde bne amaide
My lady Prioresse be ȝoure leue
So þat .I. wist .I. scholde ȝow not greue
15
.I. wolde deme þat ȝe tell scholde
A tale next if so were þat ȝe wolde
Now wil ȝe vouche saue my lady dere
Gladly qd sche & seide in þis manere
O lorde oure lorde þi name howe mervelouse
Is in þis large werlde y spredde qd she
For nouȝt onely þi londe preciouse
Parformed is be men of dignite
5
Bot be þe mouþe of childern þi bounte
Parformed is for on oure breste soukeinge
Some time schewen þei þine heriinge
Where fore in londe as .I. kan beste or maie
Of þe & of þe white lylye floure
10
Whiche þat þe bare & is a maide alweie