The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 204r
1 of 4 folios
Demetħ al thyng be spoke of hī I wys
That was the cause / he gan so ney he drawe
To his ȝeman / to herken al his sawe
And thus he seide / vn to his ȝeman thoo
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Holde þu thy pees / & speke no wordes moo
For if þu do / thow shalt it dere a bye
Thow sclaundrest me heere / in this companye
And eke discouerest / þt þu shuldest hide
Ȝa quod oure hoost / telle on what so betide
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Of al his thretenynge / rekke nat a myte
In feitħ quod he / nomore I do but lyte
And whan this Chanoū saw / it wolde nat be
But his ȝeman / wolde telle his pryuete
He fledde a wey / for verrey sorwe & shame
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A quod the ȝeman / heere shal rise a game
Al that I can / a noon I wol ȝow telle
Syn he is gon / the foule fend hī quelle
For neuere heere after / wyl I wt hī mete
For peny ne for pound / I ȝow byhete
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He þt me brougħt first / vn to that game
Er that he dye / sorwe haue he & shame
For it is ernest to me
/ be my feit
ħ ¶ deficit versus
And ȝet for al my smert / & al my grief
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For al my sorwe / labour & meschief
I coude neuere leue it / in no wyse
Now wolde god my wyt / mygħt suffise
To tellen al / þt longetħ to that art
And nathelees / ȝow wil I tellen part
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Syn þt my lord is gon / I wyl nat spare
Swicħ thyng as that I knowe / I wil declare
Heere endetħ the prologe of the Chanoūs ȝeman /
and bygynnetħ his tale of Multiplicacion ;
Witħ this Chanoū / I dwelt haue seuene ȝere
And of his science / am I neuere the nere
Al that I had / I haue lost ther by
And god wot / so han many moo than I
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There I was wont / to be rigħt fressħ and gay
Of clothynge / and of othere good array
Now may I were / an hose / vp on myn hed
And where my colour was / bothe fressħ & red