[6-text p 282]
That on youre bridel hange / on euery syde
By heuene kyng. that for vs alle dyde
I sholde er this / han fallen doun for sleepe
Al-thogh the slough / had neuer been so deepe
Line 3988
Thanne hadde your tale / al be toold in veyn
ffor certeinly / as that thise clerkes seyn
Where as a man / may haue noon Audience
Noght helpeth it to tellen his sentence
Line 3992
And wel I woot the substance is in me
If any thyng shal wel reported be
Sir / sey somwhat of huntyng I yow preye
¶ Nay quod this Monk/ I haue no lust to pleye
Line 3996
Now lat another telle / as I haue toold
Thanne spak oure hoost with rude speche and boold
And seyde / vn-to the Nonnes preest anon
Com neer thou preest. com hyder thou sir Iohn
Line 4000
Telle vs swich thyng as may oure hertes glade
Be blithe / though thou ryde vp-on a Iade
What thogh thyn hors / be bothe foule and lene
If he wol serue thee / rekke nat a bene
Line 4004
Looke / that thyn herte / be murie eueremo
¶ Yis sir quod he / yis hoost so moot I go
But I be myrie / ywis I wol be blamed
And right anon / his tale he hath attamed
Line 4008
And thus he seyde / vn-to vs euerichon
This sweete preest. this goodly man sir Iohn [[8 lines blank in the MS.]]
¶ Explicit
