The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
Folio 381v
3 of 5 folios
50
Ȝe woldȳ wondere how weel & craftyly
He coude werke & that in sūdery wise
He hath takyn on hȳ manye a greet ēprise
Whiche were ful hard for ony that is heere
To brȳge a boute but \they of hym it leere/
55
As hoomely as he rit a mongis ȝow
Ȝif ȝe hȳ knewe it wolde be for ȝore prow
Ȝe wolde nat forgoon his aqueyntaūce
For meche good I dare leye in balaūce
Al that I haue in mȳ possessioū
60
He is a man of heigh discrecioū
I warne ȝow weel he is a passȳge man
Weel quod oure host I preye the telle me than
Is he clerk or noon I preye the telle me this
Nay he is grettere thā a clerk I wis
65
Seyde this ȝeman & in wordis fewe
Hoost of his craft sūwhat I wele ȝow schewe
I seye mȳ lord can swich sotyletee
But al his craft ȝe may nat wete at me
And sūwhat helpe I ȝit to his werkyng
70
That al this ground on which we been rydyng
Til that we comȳ to caūtyrbery toū
He coude al clene turne vp so doū
And paue it al of syluyr & of gold /
And whā this ȝeman hadde this I told
75
Vn to oure host he seyde bñdicite
This thyng is wondyr meruelious to me