¶ Here bigynneth the Cook his tale.
A Prentis / whilom dwelled in oure Citee
And of a craft of vitaillers was he
Gaillard he was / as goldfynch in the shawe
Broun as a berye / a propre short felawe
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With lokkes blake / ykembd ful fetisly
Dauncen he koude / so wel and iolily
That he / was clepyd Perkyn Reuelour
He was / as ful / of loue and paramour
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As is the hyue / of hony swete
Wel was the wenche / þat with hym myghte meete
At euery bridale / wolde he synge and hoppe
He loued bet the Tauerne / than the Shoppe
Line 4376
ffor / whan ther any ridyng was in Chepe
Out of the shoppe / thider wolde he lepe
Til þat he hadde / al the sighte yseyn
And daunced wel / he wolde noght come ageyn
Line 4380
And gadred hym / a meynee of his sort
To hoppe and synge / and maken swich disport
And ther / they setten steuene / for to meete
To pleyen at the dees / in swich a streete
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ffor in the town / nas ther no Prentys
That fairer / koude caste a paire of dys
Than Perkyn koude / and ther-to he was free
Of his dispense / in place of pryuetee
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That foond his maister wel / in his chaffare
ffor ofte tyme / he foond his box ful bare
ffor sikerly / a prentys reuelour
That haunteth dees / ryot or paramour
Line 4392
His maister / shal it in his shoppe abye [folio 57b]
Al haue he / no part of the Minstralcye
ffor thefte and riot / they been conuertible
Al konne he pleye / on Giterne / or Rubible
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