[Here begynneth þe prologge of/ þe Perdonere
[Sloane MS 1685 folio 182]
[[? MS Z, E, or I.]] Oure oste gan swere as he were woode
Harrowe quod he by nayles and by bloode
Line 288
Thys was a false Clerk/ and a false Iustice
As shamefulle deth as tonge can deuyse [Sloane MS 1685 folio 182b]
Come to þe Iustice and hir/ aduocase
Algate þis sely woman ys slayne Alas.
Line 292
Alas [to] dere a-bouȝte she Bewte
Wherfore I say al day þat men may see
þat ȝift/ of fortune or of nature
Ben cause of/ dethe of many a creature
Line 296
. . . . .
. . . . . [no gap in the MS.]
As bothe ȝiftes as I speke of nowe
Men han fulle ofte more harme þen prowe
Line 300
But/ truly myn owen Maystre dere
Thys ys a pitous tale forto here
But natheles passe ouere ys no force
I pray to god so saue þi gentel corse
Line 304
And þine vrynales/ and þyne Ioudans
Thyne ypocras and eke þi galyans·
And euery Boxe fulle of þi letuary
God blesse hem and oure lady seynt/ mary
Line 308
So mot I the þou art/ a propre man
And I-lyke a prelate be seynt Runyan
Saue þat/ I kon not/ speke wele in terme
But/ wele I woote þou doest/ myn hert erme
Line 312
þat/ I haue almoste cauȝt a Cardiache
By corps bones but/ yf/ I haue treacle
Or. elles a drauȝt/ of moost or corny ale
Or but/ I here a-none a mery tale
Line 316
