The General Prologue Folio 12v 8 of 9 folios
800
Whan þ t we comen a geyn / fro Caunterbury
And for to make ȝow / the more mery
I wyl my self goodly / with yow ryde
Rigħ t at myn owen cost / and be ȝoure guyde
805
And who so wyl / my Iuggement with sey
Shal paie al that we spende / by the wey
And if ȝe wouchesaue / þ at it be so
Telle me a non / wt oute wordes mo
And I wyl erly / shape me therfore
810
This þ ingga unted / and oure othes swore
With ful glad hert / and prayed hī also
That he wold vouchesaue / so to do
And that he wolde be / oure gouer nour
And of oure tales / Iugge / and reportour
815
And sette a soper / at a certein prise
And we wyl reuled be / at his deuyse
In heygh & lowe / and thus by one assent
We be acorded / to his Iuggement
And ther vp on / the wyn was fet a noñ
820
We dronkyn & to rest / wenten ichoñ
With outen eny lengere / tariyng
Vp ros oure Ost / and was oure aller Cok
And gadered vs to gedir / on a flok
825
And forth we redyn / a litel pas
Vn to the water yng
And there oure Ost / bygan his hors arest
And seide lordes / herkeneth if ȝow list
Ȝe wete oure forward / if ȝe it record
830
If euesongd
Late se now / who shal telle þ e first tale
As euer e mote I drynke / wyn or ale
Who so be rebel / to my Iuggement
Shal paie for al þ t is / by the weye I spent
835
Now draweth cutte / er we ferthere twynne
For he þ t hath the shortest / shal begynne
Now draweth Cutte / for this is myn accord
Cometh nere quod he / my lady Prioresse
840
And ȝe sire clerk / late be ȝoure shamefastnesse