Nl · Alnwick, Northumberland, Alnwick Castle, Duke of Northumberland MS 455
Canterbury Tales Project.
talesofcanterbury.org/GP/xml/transcripts/Nl/
[3r]
Ful fetouse was hir cloke as I was ware
Of smale corall a bouȝt hir arme she bare
A peyr of bedis gaudit al with greyn
And theron hyng a broche ful sheen
On wich was first I writen a crownyd . A .
And aftir that Amor vincit ommia
Anothir Nonne with hir had she
That was hir chapeleyn and prestis thre
A Monk there was for the mastry
An owt rider he lovid venory
A manly man to be an abbot abill
Ful many a deynte hors he had in his Stabill
And when he rode men myȝt his bridill here
Gynglyng ⁊and wistleyng in the wynd clere
And eke as lowde as doith a chapell bell
Ther as the lord was keper of the sell
The reule of Seynt Maury ⁊and of Seynt Benet
Be cause he held it som dele streyte
This ilk Monke lete old thingis pase
And held aftir the new world the spase
He gaff nat of the tixt a pullid henne
That seith þat hunters been nat holy men
Ne that a Monke when he is rechelese
Is likened to a Fissh when it is watirlese
That is to sey a Monke oute of his cloystour
But that tixt he held nat worth an oystyr
And seyd that his opynyioune was good
What shuld he stody and make hym wood
Oppon a book in cloystour alwey to pour
Or swynk with hondis or do eny labour
As Austyn did but let the world be servid
Let Austyn have his swynk to hym reservid
Therfor he was a prikasour A riȝte
Greyhoundis he had as white as eny mylk
Of prikyng ⁊and of huntyng for the hare
Was al his lust for no thing wold he spare
I saw his sclevis purfelid atte hond
With gryce and that the fynest of the londe
And for to fasten his hood vndir his chyn
He had of gold wrouȝt a corious pynne
Above the knot the grettir end was
His heed was ballid and shoon as glas
And eke his fase as he had been a noynt
He was a lord fat and in good poynt
His stepen eyen rollyng on his hede
That stemyd as a furneys doith of lede
His botis soupill his hors in grete estate
Now certenly he was a feir prelate
He was nat pale as a forpynyd goost
A fat Swanne lovid he best of eny rost
His Palfrey was as browne as bery
A Frere ther was a wanton ⁊and a mery
A lymytour a ful solempne man
In al the iiij ordirs is noon so wele can
So much of dalyaunce ⁊and off feir langage
He had I made many a feir mariage
Of yong vommen at his own cost
Vn to his ordir he was a nobill post
Ful wele belovid and famuler was he
With Frankleyns ovir al the contre
And with worthy yemen of the town
For he had power of confessioune
And plesaunce was his Absolucioun
And seyd hym selff more then a curate
And of his ordur he was lycenciate
Of al felicite he was riȝte perfite
That held oppynyoune that pleyn delite
An housholder and that agrete was hee
An esy man to gyve penaunce
There as he wist to gyve have good petaunce
On to a pore ordur for to gyve
What that a man is wele I shryve
Yff he gaff he durst make a vaunte
Yff that a man were repentaunte
a man so hard was of hert
wepe þouȝe he sore smert
There fore in steed in wepeing and preyers
Men must gyve sylvir to the pore freris
His typpet stuffid was ful off knyvis
And with pynnys to gyve feir wyvis
And certeyn he had a mery note
Merely coude he syng and pley atte Root
Of tydingis he bare vttirly the pryse
Mylk white he was as the flour delyse
Ther to he was strong as a Champioune
He knewe the taverns wele in every town
And every hostelere and tapstere
Bettir then a lazer or a begstere
For as to such man as was hee
Accordith nat as by his faculte
To have of such lazers aqueyntaunce
It is nat honest it may nat avaunce .
For to dele with such poraill
But wᵗith riche and sellers of vitaill
And evir wher that riches shuld arise
Curteys he was and lewly of servise
Ther was no man ow wher so vertuous
He was the beggest Begger Frere in his house
For they a wydow had but a shoo
So plesaunt was he with Inprincipio
Ȝit wold he have a ferthing or he went
His purchas was bettir þen his rent
And berk he cowde as it weer a welp
In love dayis ther coude he much help
For there he nat like a Cloysterere
With a threde bare cope as a pore Frere
But he was like a mastir or a Pope
Of dobill worstede was his semy cope
That rounde was as abell out of price
Som what he lipsid for his wantonyce
To make his Englissh swete on his tunge
And his harping when he had sunge
His eyen twynkelid in his hede a riȝte
As doon the Sterris in the Frosty nyȝte
This worthy lymytoure was callid hubbert
A Marchant there was with a forkid berde
In motley on hiȝe on hors he sat
Oppon his hede a Flaundris bevir hatt
His botis clapsid feir and fetously
His resons he spak al solempnly
Shewing alwey the encrese of his wynnyng
He wold the see were kept for eny thyng
Betwixe Midilburh and orewell
Wele coude he in his eschaungis by ⁊and sell
This worthy man his wit was wel be sett
Ther wist no white what he was in dett
So estately was he of governaunce
With his bergeyns and with his chefesaunce
For soth he was a worthy man with all
But soth to sey I note how men hym call
A Clerk ther was of Oxinforth also
That on to logik had long I go
As leen was his hors as a rake
And he was nat riȝte fat I vndirtake
But lokid holowe and ther to sobirly
Ful thredebare was his ovir court by
For he had goten hym no benefice
Ne noon othir maner of office
For hym were levir to have at his beddis hede
Twenty bokis clad in white and rede
Of Aristotill and of Philosophy othir /
And ȝit had he but litill gold in /cofir
On bookis and on lernyng he it spent
For that was all his besy entent
And al wey for the sowlis to prey
That gaff hym wher with to his scole ay
Of study toke he most cure and hede
Nat o word spak he more then nede
Both short ⁊and quyk and of good centence
Sownyng to moral vertu was his prudence
And gladly wold he lern and gladly teche
And therto ful sofft was he in his speche
A Seriaunte of lawe þer was both ware ⁊and wise
That offten had been atte parvise
And he was riche of excellence
Discrete he was and of grete reverence
Hit semed so hys wordis were so wise
Iustice he was ful offt at eny syse
By patent and by pleyn commyssioune
For his science and his hiȝe renown
Of Feeis and robis had he many oon
So grete a purchasour was ther nowher noon
All was fee sympyll to hym in effect
His purchace myȝt nat be to hym in suspect
No where so leff a man as he ther was
And ȝit he made hym besier then he was
In termys he had the case and domys all
That from the term of king William were fall
Ther to he cowde endite and make a thinge
Ther cowd no white pynch at his writynge
And every statute cowde he pleyn be rote
He rood but hoomly in a medley cote
I gird with a synke and barrys smale
Of his aray tell I no lengir tale
A Frankelen there was in his compane
White was his berde as the deyse
And of his complexioune he was sangweyn
Wele lovid he by the morow a cupp of wyne
To lyve in delite was evir his wonne
For he was epiours own sonne
That held oppynyoun that pleyn delite
Was verry Felicite parfite
An housholder and that agrete was he
Seynt Iulian he was clepid in his contre
His brede his ale was evir aftir oon
A bettir wynyd man was ther no wher noon
Wᵗith out bakemete was he nevir in his house
His Fissh his Flessh and that so plentevouse
It shewid in his house of mete and drynke
Of al deyntees that men coude thynke
Aftir the sondry seson of the yeer
So chaungit he his mete and his sopere
Ful many a fat Partrik had he in mewe
And may a breem and luce in his stewe
Woo was the Cook but his sause were
Poynant and sharp and redy al his geer
His tabill dormaunte in his hall alwey
Stood redy coverid al the long day
At Sessiouns ther was he lorde and syre
Ful offt tyme he was knyȝt of the Shier
A lase and a gipsere had he of silk
Hanging at his girdill white as morow mylk
A Shryve had he been and Acoronoure
In al that contre was such a vavesoure
An habirdassher and a Carpentere
A webb a dyer and a Tapysere
And they were clothid al in oon lyvereye
Of a grete solempne Fraternite
Ful fressh and new hir geer pikid was
Hir knyvis I chapid nat with bras
But with sylvir wrouȝt ful cleen ⁊and weel
Hir girdilis and hir powchis everydele
Wele semed eche of hem a feir Burgeys
To sytten in the ȝeld hall on the deys
Everich for the wisdom that he can
Was haply to be an Aldirman
For catell had they I nawȝe and rent
And hir wyvis wold it wele assent
And els certen they weer to blame
It is ful feir to be clepid madame
And go to vigill al to fore
And have a mantell rially I bore
A kook they had wᵗith hem for the nonys
To boyll the Chekons with þe b marybonys
And powdir marchaunt tart and galyngale
Wele cowde he know a drauȝt of good ale
He cowd rost and seeth boyll and fry
Make mortrews and wele bake a pye
And blanke manger made he with the best
A Shipman ther was þat woned fer be weste
For Auȝte I woot he was of dertemowith
He rood oppon arounsy as wel as he cowith
And in a gown of folding to the kne
A dagger and a lase hanging had he
A bowt his nek vndir his arme a down
The hoot somyr had made his hew al brown
And certenly he was agood felawe
Ful many a drawȝt of wyne had he I sclawe
From Burdeux ward whils the Chapman eke
Of no presciens toke ther of noon heed
At ful many a batell in that londe
He fauȝt and had the hiȝer honde
But of his crafft to reken wel the tyde
His stremys his daungers hym besyde
Ther nas soch noon from hul to cartage
And wise he was þouȝe he were ful of corage
Hardy he was and ware to vndirtake
With many atempest his berd hath shake
He knew al the havyns as they were
From Englonde on to Caphefenestere
And every creke in breten and in Speyn
His barge was callid the Magdeleyn
Uith vs ther was a doctour of Phisik
In al the world was noon hym lyke
To speke of Phesik and of Surgery
For he was groundit in Astronomy
He kept his paciens a ful grete dele
In houre by magik naturell
Wele cowd he of Fortune the accident
Of his ymage for his pacient
He knewe the case of every malady
Weer it of cold moyst or dry
And weer engendrit of what humour
He was a verry parfite practesoure
The cause he knewe And of his harm the rote
Anoon he gaff the Seekman his boot
For redy were al his Appoticaries
To send hym his dreggis and his letewaries
For eche of othir made hem for to wynne
Hir frendshippis were nat new to be gynne
Ful wele knew he the old estapulis
And discord and eke Ruphus
Olde Ipocras haly and eke galiene
Serupion Crase and eke avisene
Amorois Damastione and Constantyne
Bernard Gatisden and Gylbertyne
Of his Diete mesurabill was hee
For it was of noon superfluyte
But of grete norisshing degestibill
His study was but litill on the bibill
In sangwen and in a perce clad with all
I lynyd with taffate and wᵗith syndall
And he ne was but esy of dispence
He kept that he wanne in pestelence
For gold in Phisik is acordiall
Wherfor he lovid gold in speciall
A good wyff ther was of þe town of Bāthe
And she was som dele deff ⁊and þat was scathe
Of cloth makyng had she such an haunte
She passid hem of Ipris and of Gaunte
In al the parissh wyff was ther noon
That to the offryng to fore hir shuld goon
And yff they did then wroth was she
Then was she oute of al charite
Hir kerchers ful fyne weer of ground
I durst swere þey weyid down a pound
That on a Sonday were on hir hede
Hir hosyn were of Fyne scarlet rede
Ful streyte I teyd and shois ful newe
Bold was hir fase and feir and rede of hewe
She was a worthy vomman al hir lyff
Husbondis atte chirch dorr had she fiff
With out othir company in yowith
But ther of nedith nat to speke at nowȝe
At I[…]s had she been and at Ierusaleme
She had passid many a straunge streme
At Room had she been and at Babyloon
In Galys at Seynt Iamys and at Coleyn
She coude much of wandryng in the wey
Gap tothid was she sothly for to sey
Oppon an ambeler ful esely she satt
I wymplid wele and on hir hede an hatt
As brode as it were a bokelere or a targe
A foot mantell a bouȝt hir hippis large
And on hir helis a peir of sporis sharp
In feleshipp cowde she lawȝe and carpe
Of remedies of love she cowd ꝑparchaunce
For of that arte she cowd al the Daunce
A good man ther was of religioune
And was a person of a town
But riche he was and holy of werk
He was also a lernyd man a clerk
That cristis gospellis trewly wold he prech
His parisshons devoutly wold he teche
Benyng he was and wondir dilygent
Aryȝt wis man and a pacient
And such he was provid offt sithis
Ful loth he was to curs for his tithis
But rathir wold he gyve hem a bowt
To his pore parisshons there as he ouȝt
Of his offryng and of his sustenaunce
He cowde in litill thing have suffisaunce
Wyde was his parissh ⁊and howsis ferr a sondir
But he let nat for reyn ne for thundir
In clennes more and in foule to visite
The ferthest in his parissh more and lite
Oppon his feet and in his hond a staff
This nobill ensaumpill to his shepe he gaff
That first he wrouȝt and aftir þat he tauȝt
Out of the gospell these wordis he cauȝte
And this figure he ekid ther to
That yf gold rust what shuld Iren do
For yf a preste be foule in whom wee trust
No wondir yff a lewd man rust
And shame it is yf a preest take kepe
A shyten shepard and a cleen shepe
Wele ouȝte a prest ensaumpill forto gyve
By hys clennes how his shepe shuld lyve
Be set nat his benyfice to hier
And let his Shepe acombryn in the myir
And ren to london to Seynt Poulis
To gete hym a Chauntre to syng for sowlis
Othir with a brethirhed to be hold
But dwelling at home to kepe his folde
So that the wolff ne do nat mys cary
He was a Sheppard and nat a mercenary
And they be holy weer and vertuouse
He was nat to synful men to dispetouse
But in his Shepe discrete and benynge
Ne of his spech daungerous ne digne
To draw folk to heven with feirnes
By good ensaumpill that was his besynes
But yf it were eny persone obstinate
What so he were of hyȝe or low estate
Hym wold he snybben for the nonys
A bettir preest I trow no where is
He waytid aftir noon pompe ne reverence
Ne he made no spisid conscience
But Cristis lore and his postelys twelve
He tauȝte hem first And folowed hem hym selve
With hym ther was a plouȝman his brothir
That had I ledd of dung many a fothir
A trewe swynker and a good was he
Lyving in pees and ꝑparfite charite
God lovid he best with al his hert
At al tymes wheþir he gamyd or smert
And then his neybour riȝt as hym selve
He wold throssh and therto digg ⁊and delve
For Cristis sake for every pore white
With oute hier yf it ly in his myȝte
His tythis payde both feir and wele
Both of his propir swynk and catell
In a Tabert he rood oppon a meer
There was also a reve and a myllere
A Sompnoure and a pardonere also
A mancipill and my selff and no mo
The Miller was a stout carll for the nonys
Fu bigg he was of brawn ⁊and of bonys
That previd wele wher that evir he cam
Atte wrestlyng he wold al wey have þe ram
He was short shuldryt a thyk gnarr
There nas no dorr that he wold heve of barr
Or breke it at rennyng with his hede
His berd as ony sowe or wexe was rede
And therto brode as it were a spade
Oppon the Copp of his nose he hade
A werte and ther on stood a tufft of herys
Reed as the brustelis of a Sowis eris
His nosetrillis blak were and wyde
A swerd and a bokelere bare he by his syde
His mowith as grete as a furneyse
He was a Iangelere a Ioly hardoyse
And that was most of synne and harlotries
Wele cowde he stele corn and toll thries
And that he had a thombe of gold parde
A white cote and a blew werid he
A bag pipe cowde he blow wele and sown
And there with al he brouȝt vs out of town
A gentill mancipill ther was of a Tempill
Of wich eủery catour myȝt take ensaumpill
For to be wyse in bying of vitaile
For whethir he payde or toke be tayle
Algate he weytid so on his cate
That he was ay beforn and in good estate
Now is nat that / of God a feir grace
That such a lewd mannys wit shal pase
The wisdom of the hepe of wise men
Of mastris wich he had mo then thries ten
That were of lawe expert and coriouse
Of wich there were a dosyn in his house
Worthy to be steward of rent and londe
Of eny lorde that is in Englonde
To make hym lyve by his own good
In honour detles but yf that he were wood
Othir lyve as sharply as he wold desire
And forto helpen al a shijre
In eny cause that myȝt fall or happ
And ȝit this mancipill set al hir capp
The Reve was a colerik man
His berde was shave as nere as he can
His heer was by his eer rownd I shoor
His topp was dokkit lyke a prest to fore
Ful long weer his leggis ⁊and ful leen
And like a staff ther nas no calff I seen
Wele cowd he kepe a garner and a byn
Ther was noon auditour cowd of hym wyn
Wele wist he by the drouȝt and by the reyn
The ȝelding of his seed and of his greyn
His lordis sheep his nete and his deyre
His swyne his hors and his pultre
Was holy in this Revis governynge
And by covenaunte gaff the rekenyng
Sithen his lorde was xx yeer of age
Ther was no man coude bryng hym in rerage
Ther nas bayly ne herd / ne noon othir hyne
That he ne coude his scleyȝt ⁊and his covyne
They were of hym adred as the deth
His wonnyng was feir oppon an heth
With green treis shadit was his plase
He cowd bettir then his lorde purchase
Ful riche he was astoryd pryvely
His lorde he coude plese discretely
To gyve hym ageyn of his own good
And have thanke and ȝit a Cote ⁊and an hode
In yowith he had lerned a good mystere
He was a well good wriȝt ⁊and a Carpentere
This Reve sat oppon a wel good stott
That was al popill grey and hiȝt Scott
A long Surcote of peers oppon he had
And by his syde he bare a rusty blade
Of Norfolk was this Reve of wich I tell
Be side a town men callit Baldiswell
Tukkid he was like a Frere a bowte
And evir he rood the hyndrest of the rowte
A Sompnour was ther wᵗith vs in the plase
That had a feir rede cherebyn fase
And sausflem he was wᵗith eyen narowe
Hote he was and likorous as a Sparowe
With blak browis scallid ⁊and pillyd berde
Of his visage children were sore aferd
Ther nas quyk sylvir letarge ne brymstoon
Borace ceruce ne oyle of tartir noon
Ne oynement that both cheke and bite
That myȝt help of his welkis white
Ne of his knobbis sittyng on his chekis
Wele lovid he garlik oynons ⁊and lekis
And for to drynk rede wyne as the blood
Then wold he speke and cry as he were wood
And when he had wele dronk of the wyne
That wold he speke no word but latyne
A few termys he had too or thre
That he had lernyd out of som degre
No wondir is who herd hym al the day
And eke yee know wele that a Iay
Can clepe wat as wele as the pope
But who coude hym in othir thingis grope
Then hed he spent all his philosophy
A questio quid queris wold he cry
He was a gentill harlot and a kynde
A bettir felaw shuld no man fynde
He wold suffir for a quart of wyne
A good felaw to have his concubyne
A twelmonth and excuse hym at the full
Ful pryvely a fynche coude he pull
And yf he fond owher a good felawe
He wold make hym a noon to have awe
In such cause of the Archedekyns curs
But yf mannys soule were in his purs
For in his purs he shuld I pynchid be
Purs is the Erchedekyns hell seyd he
But wele I woot he lyed in dede
For of cursyng ouȝt eche man to drede
For cursyng woll sclee ryȝt as soylyng savith
And also ware hym of a significauit
In daunger had he at his own guyse
The yong gerlis of the diocyse
And knew of hir counsell and was of hir rede
A Garlond he had set on his hede
As grete as it were an ale stake
A bokeler had he made hym of a cake
Uith hym ther was a gentill pardoner
Of Rouncyvale his Frend ⁊and his comper
That streyte was com from the pope of Room
Ful lowde he song com hidir leve grome
This Sompnour bare to hym a styff Burdon
Was nevir Trompe of half so grete a sown
This pardoner had here as ȝelow as glas
But smoth it hong as doith a streke of Flexe
By owncys hyng his lokkis that he had
And ther with his shuldris ovir spred
But then it lay by couplis oon ⁊and oon
An hood for Iolyte werid he noon
For it was trussid oppon his valet
Hym þouȝt he rode al on the new get
All newe shave wᵗith out capp rode al bare
Such glaryng eyen had he as hath an hare
His valet to fore hym in his lapp
A vernakill had he sowid on his capp
Bret ful of pardon com from Room al hote
A voyse he had as smal as hath agoot
No berd had he ne nevir shuld have
Evir as much as it were newe shave
I trow he had a gelding or a mare
But of his crafft to Berewik on to ware
Was ther nevir such a pardonere
For in his male he had a pylow bere
Wich that he seyd was our ladies veyle
He seyd he had a gobet of the Seyll
That Seinyt Petir had when that he went
Oppon the See till IħusIhesus Criste hym hent
He had a loton Crosse ful of stonys
And in a glas he had piggis bonys
But with these Relikis when that he fonde
A pore person dwellyng oppon londe
Oppon a day he gate hym more mony
Than the person gate in monthis twey
And thus he feyned with flateryng ⁊and Iapis
He made the person ⁊and the pepill his Apis
But trewly to tell at the last
He was in chirch a nobill ecclesiast
Wele cowd he rede a lesson or a story
Ful wele he wist when that song was sung
He must preche and file a while his tung
To wyn sylvir as wele as he cowith
Therfor he song the merier and lowith
Now hav I told ȝew shortly in a clause
The state the Aray the nombir ⁊and þe cause
Why that assemblit was this company
In Southwirk atte gentil hostery
That hiȝt the Tabert fast by the bell
But now is tyme to ȝew for to tell
How that wee bere vs in that ilk nyȝt
When that wee were in the hostry alyȝt
And aftir woll I tell of our viage
And al the remnaunte of our pilgremage
But first I prey ȝew of yeur curtesy
That yee ne reken nat me vylany
They that I speke pleynly in this matere
To tell ȝewe hir wordis and hir chere
And they I speke hir wordis propirly
For this yee know as wele as I
Who shall tell a tale aftir a man
He must reherce as nere as he can
Every word yf it be in his charge
Al speke he nevir so rude ⁊and so large
Or els he must tell his tale vntrew
Or sey thingis or fynde wordis fe new
He may nat spare al they he were his brothir
He must as wele sey o word as a nothir
Criste spak hym selff ful brode in holy writt
And wele yee woot no vilany is it
Eke Plato seith who can it rede
The wordis be chosen to the dede
Also I prey ȝew for gyve it me
Al they I set nat folk in hir degre
Her in these talis as they shuld stond
My witt is short yee may wele vndirstond
Grete cheer made our hoost to vs everychoon
And to the soper set he vs anoon
He servid vs with vitaill of the best
Strong was the wyne ⁊and wele drynk vs lyst
A semely man was our hoost with all
For to be a Marchall in an hall
A large man he was with eyen stepe
A Feir burgeys ther was no such in chepe
Bold was his spech and he was wele I tauȝt
And of manhode lakkid he riȝt nauȝt
And eke ther to he was a mery man
And aftir soper to pley he be gan
And spak of myrth a mong othir thingis
When that wee had made our rekenyngis
And seyd this now lordis trewly
Yee be to me ryȝt wel com hertly
For be my trowith yf that I shall nat ly
I saw nat this yeer so mery a company
At onys in this herburh as is newe
Feyn wold I do ȝew myrth yf I wost how
And of my myrth I am riȝt now be thouȝt
To do yewe ese and it shall cost ȝew nauȝte
Yee goon to Cauntirbury god ȝew spede
The blesful martir quyt ȝew yeur mede
And wele yee woot as yee go by the wey
Yee shapyn ȝewe to lawȝe and to pley
For treuly comfort ne myrth is ther noon
To ryde by the wey Domb as a Stone
And therfor woll I make ȝewe disporte
As I seyd erst and do ȝewe comfort
And yff it like ȝew al by oon assent
For to stonde at my Iugement
And to werken as I shall ȝew sey
To morow when yee ride by the wey
Now by my Fadir soule that is deed
But yee be mery I shal gyve ȝew myn hede
Hold vp yeur hondis with out more spech
Our counsell shall nat long be to seche
Vs thouȝt it was worth to make vs nyce
And bad hym sey his verdite ⁊and his devise
Now lordyngis quod he herkenyth for the best
And bad hym sey on what hym list
But I prey ȝew take it nat in disdeyn
This is the poynt to speke it short ⁊and pleyn
That eche of ȝewe to short with yeur wey
Shall in this viage tell talys twey
To Cauntirbury ward I meen it so
And homward he shall tell othir talis too
Of aventuris that whilom have be fall
And wich of ȝew bereth hym best of all
That is to sey that tellith in this case
Talis of best sentence ⁊and most solase
Shall have a soper of our alther cost
Here in this plase sittyng by thy post
When that wee com a geyn fro Cauntirbury
And for to make ȝewe the more mery
I woll my selff go with ȝew and ryde
At myne own cost and be yeur guyde
And who that woll this Iugement wᵗith sey
Shall pay for all the costis by the wey
And yf yee vouch saff that it be soo
Tell me a noon with out wordis mo
And I wol hertly shape me therfore
This thing was grauntid and othis swore
With ful glad hert and preyen hem also
That he wold vouch saff so for to do
And that he wold be our governour
And of our talys Iugg and reportour
And set a soper atta certen prise
And woll be rewlid at his devise
Hyȝe and lowe and al by oon assent
Wee be accordit to the Iugement
And ther oppon the wyne was fet a noon
Wee dronken and to rest went echoon
With out eny lengir taryinge
A morow when the day gan sprynge
Op rose our hoost and was al our kok
And gadrid vs all in a flokk
And forth wee rydyn a litill more pase
Vn to the wateryng of Seynt Thomase
And there our hoost gan his hors a rest
And seyd herkenyth lordis yf ȝew lest
Yee woot our forward and I woll accord
Yff the even song ⁊and the morow song accord
Let see now who shall tel the first tale
As evir mot he drynk wyne or ale
Who so woll be rebell to my Iugement
Shal pay for al the Ale that by þe wey is spent
Now draw cut or that we ferther twyn
Wich of vs shall first the tale be gynne
Sir knyȝte quod he my mastir ⁊and my lorde
Drawith cut for that is myne accord
Comyth hidir quod he my lady Priores
And yee sir clerk let be yeur shamefastnes
Ne stodijth nat ley hond every man
Anoon to with draw every white be ganne
And shortly to tell as it was
Weer it by Aventure sort or case
The soth is this the cut fill on the knyȝt
Of wich ful bliith and glad was every white
And tell he must his tale as it was reson
By forward and by composicioune
As yee have herd what nedith wordis mo
And when this good man saw that it was so
As he that was wyse and obedient
To kepe his forward and by his fre assent
He seyd sithins I shal be gynne the game
What wel com be cut on goddis name
Now let vs ryde and herkenyth what I sey
And with that word we rydyn forth our wey
And so be gan with a riȝt mery chere
And seyd a noon his tale as yee shul heer
Here begynnyth the knyȝte his tale
¶ Iamqꝫue domos
patria stanto
post asꝑpera gentis
Prelia laurigero ⁊et c[etera]
patria stanto
post asꝑpera gentis
Prelia laurigero ⁊et c[etera]
Whilom there was as old story tellith vs
A Duke somtyme callid Theseus
Of thebes he was lorde ⁊and governoure
And in his tyme a worthy conquerour
That gretter there was noon vndir the sonne
Ful many a rich contre had he wonne
That with his wisdom and his chyvalry
He conquerd al the regn of Femyny
That whilom was clepid Sithea
And weddit the Quene callid Ipolita
And brouȝt hir home in to his contre
With much Ioy and solempnite
And eke hir yong Sustir Emely
And thus with victory and melody
Lete I this worthy Duke to Athenes ride
And al his hoost in Armys hym beside
And certis yf it nere to long to here
I have shuld told ȝew al the matere
How I wonne was the regn of Femeny
By Theseus and by his Chyvalry