¶ Heere bigynneth / the Nonnes Preestes tale of [folio 183a] the Cok and Hen Chauntecleer and Pertelote
A poure wydwe / somdel stape in Age
Was whilom dwellyng. in a narwe cotage
Line 4012
Beside a greue / stondynge in a dale
This wydwe / of which I telle yow my tale
Syn thilke day / that she was last a wyf/ [[Painting of the Nun's Priest]]
In pacience / ladde a ful symple lyf/
Line 4016
ffor litel / was hir catel and hir rente
By housbondrie / of swich as god hire sente
She foond hir self / and eek hire doghtren two
Thre large sowes / hadde she and namo
Line 4020
Three keen / and eek a sheep þat highte Malle
fful sooty / was hir bour/ and eek hire halle
In which she eet ful many a sklendre Meel
Of poynaunt sauce / hir neded neuer a deel
Line 4024
No deyntee morsel / passed thurgh hir throte
Hir diete / was accordant to hir Cote
Repleccion / ne made hire neuere sik /
Attempree diete / was al hir phisik /
Line 4028
And exercise / and hertes suffisaunce
The goute / lette hire no-thyng for to daunce
Napoplexie / shente nat hir heed
No wyn ne drank / she / neither whit ne reed
Line 4032
Hir bord was serued moost with whit and blak
Milk and broun breed / in which she foond no lak
Seynd Bacon / and somtyme an Ey or tweye
ffor she was / as it were / a maner deye
Line 4036
¶ A yeerd she hadde / enclosed al aboute
With stikkes / and a drye dych with-oute
In which / she hadde a Cok heet Chauntecleer
In al the land / of crowyng nas his peer
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