Page 28*
3. THE MAN-OF-LAW—SHIPMAN LINK. The prolog of the squyers tale
Royal MS 18 C ii, leaf 82 (Brit. Mus.).
OWre oost vp on his stiropes stood a-non
And saide godemen herkeneth euerichon
This was a thrifty tale for þe nones
Sire parisshe preest quod he for goddes bones
Line 1166
Telle vs a tale as was thi forward yore
I se wel that ye lernede men in lore
Can moche good by goddes dignete
The person him Answered benedicite
Line 1170
What eyleth the man so synfully to swere
Owre ooste answerd O Ianekyn be ye there
I smelle a lollere in the wynde quod he
How goodmen quod owre oost herkeneth me
Line 1174
A-bideth for goddes digne passioun
ffor we shal haue a predicacioun
This lollere here wil prechen vs som what
Nay by my fader sowle that shal he nat
Line 1178
Seide þe squier here shal he nat preche
He shal no gospel glosen here no teche
He leueþ alle in the grete god he
He wolde sowen som difficulte
Line 1182
Or springen Cokkel in owre clene corn
And ther-fore hoost y warne þe byforn
Mi Ioly body shal a tale telle
And I shal klynken yow so mery A belle
Line 1186
That I shal waken al this compaignye
But it shal not ben of philosophie
Ne phislyas ne termes queynte of lawe
Ther is but litel latyn in my mawe [6-text p 442]
Line 1190
Here endyth the the prolog //