Ad4 · London, British Library, Additional MS 10340
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Ad4/
[41r]
Þere was a pore ꝑperson of a toune
And was a goode man of religioune
Holy he was boþe in þouȝt ⁊and werk
Þerto he was alered man a clerk
Were hys ꝑperisshe housed neuer so fer a sonder
He lefte neiþer for reynes ne for þonder
Þe ferrest in hys ꝑperische to visite
He couþe haue suffisaıı̄unce in þing ful lite
Ful loþe was hym to cursen for his tyþes
And so he was ꝓ yproued ofte syþes
Þus wolde he walke ⁊and in hys hand a staf
Þis noble ensample in to hys shepe he ȝaf
Þat fyrst he wrouȝt ⁊and aft̉erward he tauȝt
Out of þe gospel he þo wordes rauȝt
He lete nauȝt hys benefice to hyr͗e
And lete hys shepe emcōmbred in þe myr͗e
Ne ran to london̄ Vnto seynt poules
To getyn hym a chauntery for soules
Oþer wiþ abreþerhede to be wiþholde
But knelt at home ⁊and he kept hys owēn fold
So þat þe wolf ne made it nat myskary
He was a shepherde ⁊and nat amercenary
And þis figure he added eke þer to
Þat if gold rust what shal yren do
For ȝif a prest be foule on whom we trust
No wonder is a lewed man to rust
For it is a foule þing who so take kepe
A sheten shepherd ⁊and a clene shepe
He wayted aftr͗e no pompe ne reủerence
Ne made hym a spiced conscience
But cristis lore ⁊and hys apostles tweue
He tauȝt but first he folwed it hym selue .