The Tale of Sir Thopas
Folio 215r/214r
1 of 6 folios
Thou lokest as þou woldest fynde an hare /
For euer vpon þe ground I se þe stare
Approche ner and loke meryly
Now ware ȝou sires and let þis man han place
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He in þe waste is schapen as wel as I
This were a popet in armes to embrace
For any wōman smal and fair of face
He semeþ eluysscħ by his contynaunce
For vnto no wight doþ he dalyaunce
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Say now somwhat seþins oþer folk han sayd
Telle vs a tale of merþe and þat anon
Oste quod I ne be nougħt yuel a payde
For oþer tale certes can I non
But of a Ryme I lerned longe agon
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Ȝe þat is good quod he schuln we here
Som deynte þing me þinkeþ by his cheer
¶ here bygynneth þe tale of Chaucer of sire Thopas
LEsteneþ lordes in good entent
And I wol telle verrament
Al of a knight was fayr and gent
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In bataille and in tornament
His name was sire Thopace
I born he was in ferre cuntre
In Flaundres al beȝonde þe se
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His fader was a man ful fre
And lord he was of þat contre
Sire Thopas was a doughty swayn
Whyt was his face as Payndemayn
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His lyppes reed as Rose
His rode is like Scarlet en grayn
And I ȝou telle in good certayn
His berd his heer was lik saffroun