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

[6-text p 281]

[Here begynneth þe Prolooge of þe Nunne Preoste·

[Sloane MS 1685 folio 213b]

Hoo quod / þe knyȝt gode sir / no more of thys þat ȝe han sayde ys riȝt ynoweȝ y-wys. And mochel more for litel hevynesse ys ryȝt ynouȝe to mechel folk as I gesse Line 3960 I sey for me hit ys a grete disese Where as men han ben in grete helth & eese [Sloane MS 1685 folio 214a] To herene of her/ sodeyn fall Alas And þe Contrarye is. grete Ioy & solace Line 3964 And whan a man hath ben in pore estate And clymbith vp and wexeth fortunate And þere abydeth in prosperite Suche thynge ys gladsom as hit thynketh me Line 3968 And þouȝe suche thynge were goodely forto telle //Ye. quod/ oure hoost by Seynt Poules belle Ye say riȝt sothe þis Monke clappeth loude he. spake howe fortune couered with a cloude Line 3972 I note neuere what & also of a treaide Ryȝt/ nowe ye herd & parde no remedie hit ys forto be-wayle & complayne. þat þat ys done and als hit ys a payne Line 3976 As ye haue sayd/ to here of/ hevinesse Sir/ Monke no more of þis so god you blesse Your/ tale annoyeth al þis companye Suche talkynge ys not worth a butter-flyeȝ Line 3980 And þere-in ys. no sporte nor/ no game Where-fore Sir/ Monke doun Piers by your name I pray you hertely telle vs som what elles ffor siker nere clynkynge of/ your belles Line 3984

[6-text p 282] Line 3984 þat in your bridell hongeth on euery syde [[Sloane MS 1685]] By heuen kynge þat for vs alle dyede I shalle for þis falle doun for slepe Al-þouȝe þe sloweȝ hade neuere be so depe Line 3988 þan hath youre tale ben tolde in vayne ffor certeynly as þese clerkes sayne Where as a man may han none audience Nouȝt helpeth to tellen hys sentence Line 3992 And wele I woote þe substaunce ys in me yf ony thynge shal wele reportid be Sir/ saye some what of huntynge I you praye Nay quod / þe Monke I· haue no luste to playe Line 3996 Nowe let a noþer telle as I haue tolde þan spake our Oste with rude speche and bolde [Sloane MS 1685 folio 214b] And sayd vnto þe Nonnes Preost a-none Come nere Sir Preost comme nere sir Iohn Line 4000 Telle vs suche thenges as may our hertes glade Be mery þoūȝe þou ryde vpon A Iade. þat/ þei þine hors . be foul or lene Yf/ he wille serve þe recke þe nouȝt/ a bene Line 4004 looke þat þine hert/ be mery euere mo · Ȝis . hoste [q]uod he so mote I ryde or go · But/ I be mery y-wys I wille be blamed And riȝt/ a-none he hathe hys tale y-tamed · Line 4008 And þus he sayde to vs euereichon Thys swete preost/ þis gode man Sir/ Iohn

Here endeth þe Prologge