¶ The prologe / of the Reues tale
WHAN folk hadde laughen / at this nyce cas
Of Absolon / and hende Nicholas
Line 3856
Diuerse folk / diuersely they seyde
But for the moore part they loughe and pleyde
Ne at this tale / I saugh no man hym greue
But it were oonly / Osewold the Reue
Line 3860
By-cause / he was / of Carpenteris craft
A litel Ire / in his herte ylaft
He gan to grucche / and blamed it a lite
¶ So theek / quod he / ful wel koude I yow quite
Line 3864
With bleryng of a proud Milleres eye
If that me liste / speke of ribaudye
But ik am oold / me list no pley for Age
Gras tyme is doon / my fodder is now forage
Line 3868
This white tope / writeth myne olde yeris
Myn herte is mowled also as myne heris
But if I fare / as dooth an Openers
¶ That ilke fruyt / is euer leng the wers
Line 3872
Til it be roten / in Mullok or in stree
We olde men / I drede so fare we
Til we be roten / kan we nat be rype
We hoppen ay / whil that the world wol pype
Line 3876
ffor in oure wyl / ther stiketh euere a nayl
To haue an hoor heed / and a grene tayl
As hath a leek / for thogh oure myght be goon
Oure wyl / desireth folie euere in oon
Line 3880
ffor whan we may nat doon / than wol we speke
Yet in oure Asshen olde / is fyr yreke
¶ ffoure gleedes han we / whiche I shal deuyse
Avauntyng liyng Anger / Coueitise
Line 3884
Thise foure sparkles / longen vn to eelde
Oure olde lemes / mowe wel been vnweelde
