¶ Here bigynneth The Prologe of the Monkes ta[le [[Bitten off by rats.]] ].
WHan ended was my tale / of Melibee [folio 88a]
And of Prudence / and hire benygnitee
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Oure hoost seyde / as I am feithful man
And by / that precious corpus Madrian
I hadde leuere / than a barel Ale
That goode lief my wyf / hadde herd this tale
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She nys no thyng of swich pacience
As was / this Melibeus wyf Prudence
By goddes bones / whan I bete my knaues
She bryngeth me / the grete clobbed staues
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And crieth / slee the dogges euerichon
And breke hem / bothe bak and euery bon
And if þat / any neighebore / of myne
Wol nat in chirche / to my wyf enclyne
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Or be so hardy / to hire to trespace
Whan she cometh / she raumpeth in my face
And crieth / false coward wrek thy wyf
By corpus bones / I wol haue thy knyf
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And thow shalt haue my distaf/ and go spynne
ffro day to nyght right thus she wol bigynne
Allas she seith / þat euere þat I was shape
To wedden a Milksope / or a coward Ape
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That wol been ouer-lad / of euery wight
Thow darst nat stonden / by thy wyues right
This is my lif but if þat I wol fighte
And out at dore / anoon I moot me dighte
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Or ellis I am but lost but if þat I
Be lyk a wilde leon / fool hardy
I woot wel / she wol do me sle som day
Som neighebore / and thanne go my way
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ffor I am perilous / with knyf in honde
Al be it that I dar nat hire withstonde
