¶ Here bigynneth the Nonnes preestes tale of the Cok/ and Hen / Chauntecler & Pertelote / [folio 99b]
A poore widwe / som del stape in age
was whilom dwellynge / in a narwe cotage
Line 4012
Biside a groue / stondyng in a dale
This widwe / of which I telle yow my tale
Syn thilke day / þat she was last a wyf
In pacience / ladde a ful symple lyf
Line 4016
ffor / litel was hire catel and hire rente
By housbondrye / of swich as god hire sente
She foond hire self / and eek hire doghtren two
Thre large sowes / hadde she and namo
Line 4020
Thre kyn / and eek a sheepe / þat highte Malle
fful sooty was hire bour / and eek hire halle
In which she eet ful many a sklendre meel
Of poynant sawce / hir neded neuer a deel
Line 4024
No deyntee morsel / passed thurgh hir throte
Hir diete / was acordant to hir cote
Repleccion / ne made hire neuere syk
Attempree diete / was al hire phisyk
Line 4028
And excercise / and hertes suffisaunce
The gowte / lette hire no thyng for to daunce
Napoplexie / shente nat hire heed
No wyn ne drank she / neither whit ne reed
Line 4032
Hire bord was serued / moost with whit and blak
Milk and broun breed / in which she foond no lak
Seynd bacon / and som tyme 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 Chantecler
In al the land / of crowyng nas his peer
Line 4040
