The Reeve's Prologue
Folio 52r
2 of 3 folios
For whan we may nat do þan wol we speke /
Ȝet in oure aisshen old is fyr I reke /
Foure gledys haue we which I schal deuyse
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Auauntyng lyyng / angur coueytise
This foure sparkys longen vnto eelde /
Oure olde lymes mowen be vnweelde
But wil ne schal nat fayle us þat is soþ
And ȝet I haue alwey a coltes toþ
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As many a ȝeer as it is passed henne
Syn þat my tappe of lyf bygan to renne /
For sikirlik whan I was born anon
Deth drougħ þe tappe of lyf and leet it goon
And now so longe / haþ þe tappe I ronne
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Til þat almost al empty is þe tonne
The streem of lyf now droppeth on þe chymbe
The sely tonge may wel rynge and chimbe
Of wrecchednes þat passed is ful ȝoore
With olde folk / sauf dotage is no more
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Whan þat oure host had herd oure sermonyng
He gan to speke as lordly as a kyng
And seyde what amounteþ al þis wit
What schul we speke alday of holy wryt
The deuyl made a Reue for to preche
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Or of a sowter schipman or a leche
Sey forþ þi tale and tarye nat þe tyme
Lo heer is Depford / and it is passed prime
Lo Grenewich þer many a schrewe is Inne
It were al tyme þi tale to bygynne
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NOw sires qd þis Osewold þe Reeue
I pray ȝow aƚƚ // þat noon of ȝou him greeue
Thougħ I answere and somwhat sette his howue
For leeful is wiþ force force to schowue
This dronken myllere haþ I told vs heer
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How þat bygiled was a Carpenter
Parauenture in scorn for I am oon
And by ȝour leue I schal him quyte anoon
Right in his cherles termes wol I speke /
I pray to god his nekke mot to breke