The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

SO whan þ^e knyght hath þus hese tale told [folio 175a] In al þ^e route nas þere ȝyng ne old That he ne seyde it nas a noble story And worthy for to drawe to memory Line 3112 And nameli þ^e gentilis euerychon Our ost lough and swor so mote I gon Thys goth aryght onbokeled is the male Let sen now who schal telle a noþer tale Line 3116 ffor trewely the game is wel begunne Now tellyth ȝe sere monk ȝyf þat ȝe cunne Sumwhat to quite with þ^e knyghtis tale The mellere that dronke was al pale Line 3120 So that a-nethe vp on his hors he sat He nulde a-vale neythyr hod ne hat Ne abyde no man for hese curteysye But in pilat voys he gan to crye Line 3124 And swor by armys & by blod & bonys I can a noble tale for thenonys With whiche he wele now quyte þe knyȝtis tale Oure ost saw þat he was dronke of ale Line 3128 And seyde a-byd Robyn myn leue brothyr Sum betere man schal telle vs fyrst a nothyr Onbyd & lat vs werke thryftyly By goddys soule / quod he þat wele nat I Line 3132 ffor I wele speke or ellys gon myn wey Oure ost answerde telle on a delewey Thow art a fol thy wit is ouercome Now herkenygh quod the mellere alle & some Line 3136 But fyrst I make a protestacyoun That I am dronke I knowe it be myn soun And þerfore ȝif I mys speke or seye Wite it the ale of Southwerk I preye Line 3140

Line 3140 ffor I wele telle a legende & a lyf Bothe of a carpenter & hese wyf How that a clerk hath set the wryghtis cappe The reue answerde & seyde stynt þyn clappe Line 3144 let be þyn lewede dronke harlotrye [folio 175b] It is a synne & ek a gret folye To apeyre ony man or hym diffame And ek to bryngyn whyuys in swych fame Line 3148 þou mayst I-now of oþere thyngis sayn This dronkyn mellere spak ful sone ageyn And seyde leue brothyr Osewold Ho hath no wif he is no coukewold Line 3152 But I seye not þerfore þat þou art on There ben ful goode wivis manyon And euer a thousent goode a-ȝens on badde That knowyst þou wel þyn self / but ȝif þou madde Line 3156 Why art þou angry with myn tale now I haue a wif also as wel as þou Ȝit nolde I not for the oxsyn in myn plow Takyn vp on me more þan I-now Line 3160 As demyn in myn self þat þou were on I wele be-leue wel þat I ne am non An husbonde schal not ben inquysityf Of goddis priuyte nor of hese wyf Line 3164 So he may fyndyn godis foysounn there Of the remenaunt nedyth not tenquyre What schalde I seyn But this mellere He wolde hese wordys for no man forbere Line 3168 But tolde hese cherlych tale in hese manere Me thynkyth I schal reherse it here And þerfore euery gentyl wygh I preye ffor goddys loue demyth not þat I seye Line 3172 Of euyl entent but for I mot reherse Here talys al be þey betere or werse Or ellys fallyn sum of myn matere And þerfore who so leste it not here Line 3176

Line 3176 Turne ouer the lef & ches a noþer tale for he schal fynde I-nowe grete & smale Of storyal thyng þat touchith gentillesse An ek Morallite and holynesse Line 3180 Blamyth not me ȝif ȝe chesyn amys [folio 176a] The mellere is a cherl ȝe knowe wel this So was the reue & oþere manye mo And harlotrye þey tolde bothe to Line 3184 Avyseth ȝow put me out of blame And ek men schal not makyn ernest of game

here endith the prologe/ [[No gap in the MS.]]