The Canterbury tales

The Cook's Tale

A prentys whilom dwelled in oure citee, Line 4365 And of a craft of vitailliers was hee. Line 4366 Gaillard he was as goldfynch in the shawe, Line 4367 Broun as a berye, a propre short felawe, Line 4368 With lokkes blake, ykembd ful fetisly. Line 4369 Dauncen he koude so wel and jolily Line 4370 That he was cleped perkyn revelour. Line 4371 He was as ful of love and paramour Line 4372 As is the hyve ful of hony sweete: Line 4373 Wel was the wenche with hym myghte meete. Line 4374

Line 4374 At every bridale wolde he synge and hoppe; Line 4375 He loved bet the taverne than the shoppe. Line 4376 For whan ther any ridyng was in chepe, Line 4377 Out of the shoppe thider wolde he lepe -- Line 4378 Til that he hadde al the sighte yseyn, Line 4379 And daunced wel, he wolde nat come ayeyn -- Line 4380 And gadered hym a meynee of his sort Line 4381 To hoppe and synge and maken swich disport; Line 4382 And ther they setten stevene for to meete, Line 4383 To pleyen at the dys in swich a streete. Line 4384 For in the toune nas ther no prentys Line 4385 That fairer koude caste a paire of dys Line 4386 Than perkyn koude, and therto he was free Line 4387 Of his dispense, in place of pryvetee. Line 4388 That fond his maister wel in his chaffare; Line 4389 For often tyme he foond his box ful bare. Line 4390 For sikerly a prentys revelour Line 4391 That haunteth dys, riot, or paramour. Line 4392 His maister shal it in his shoppe abye, Line 4393 Al have he no part of the mynstralcye. Line 4394 For thefte and riot, they been convertible, Line 4395 Al konne he pleye on gyterne or ribible. Line 4396 Revel and trouthe, as in a lowe degree, Line 4397 They been ful wrothe al day, as men may see. Line 4398 this joly prentys with his maister bood, Line 4399 Til he were ny out of his prentishood, Line 4400 Al were he snybbed bothe erly and late, Line 4401 And somtyme lad with revel to newegate. Line 4402 But atte laste his maister him bithoghte. Line 4403 Upon a day, whan he his papir soghte, Line 4404 Of a proverbe that seith this same word, Line 4405 Wel bet is roten appul out of hoord Line 4406 Than that it rotie al the remenaunt. Line 4407 So fareth it by a riotous servaunt; Line 4408 It is ful lasse harm to lete hym pace, Line 4409 Than he shende alle the servantz in the place. Line 4410 Therfore his maister yaf hym acquitance, Line 4411 And bad hym go, with sorwe and with meschance! Line 4412 And thus this joly prentys hadde his leve. Line 4413 Now lat hym riote al the nyght or leve. Line 4414 And for ther is no theef withoute a lowke, Line 4415 That helpeth hym to wasten and to sowke Line 4416 Of that he brybe kan or borwe may, Line 4417 Anon he sente his bed and his array Line 4418 Unto a compeer of his owene sort, Line 4419 That lovede dys, and revel, and disport, Line 4420 And hadde a wyf that heeld for contenance Line 4421 A shoppe, and swyved for hir sustenance. Line 4422