The General Prologue
Folio 3r
3 of 21 folios
145
Kaugħt in a trappe if it were deed or bledde
Of smale houndes hadde sche þat sche fedde
With rosted fleissh or mylk or wastel brede
But sore wepte sche if oon of hem were dede
Or if men smot it with a ȝerde smerte /
150
And al was conscience and tendre herte /
Ful semelich hir wympil pynched was
Hir nose was streigħt hire yghen grey as glas
Hir mouth ful smal and þerto softe and rede
But sikerly sche hadde a fair forhede
155
It was almost a spanne brood I trowe
For hardely sche was nought vndergrowe
Ful fetys was hir cloke as I was war
Of smal coral aboute hir arm sche bar
A payre of bedes gauded al with greene
160
And þer on heng a broche of gold ful scheene /
On which þer was first writen with a crowned A.
And after . Amor vincit omnia .
Anoþer Nonne with hir hadde sche /
That was hir Chapelleyne and prestes þre
165
A Monk þer was a fair for þe maistrie
And out Ridere þat loued venerie
A manly man to ben an abbot able /
Ful many a deinte hors hadde he in stable ./
And whan he rood men might his brydel heere
170
Gynglyng in a whistlyng wynd as cleere
And eek as lowde as doþ þe chapel belle
Ther as þis lord was keper of þe selle
The Reule of sent Maure or of seint Benet
By cause þat it was old and somdel streit
175
This ilke monk leet olde þinges pace
And held after þe newe world þe space
He ȝaf nought of þe text a pulled hen
That seith þat hunters be nougħt holy men
Ne þat a monk whan he is recheles
180
Is likned til a fyssħ þat is waterles