The Corpus ms (Corpus Christi coll., Oxford) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 283]

¶ Here begynneþ þe nonnes prestes tale of þe kokke & his vij. hennes

A Pouere wydewe somdel stope in age [folio 247b] Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage Line 4012 Besydes a groue standyng in a dale This wydewe of which I telle ȝou my tale Seþins þilke day þat sche was last/ a wyf In pacience ladde a ful simple lyf Line 4016 ffor litel was hire catelle and hire rent By housbondrye of such as god hire sent Sche fand hire self and eek hire doughtren tuo þre large sowes hadde sche and nomo Line 4020 Thre kyn and eek a scheep þat highte malle fful sooty was hire bour and eek hire halle In which sche eet ful many a sklender mel Of poynant Sause hire needed neuer a del Line 4024 No deynte morsell passed hire þrote Hire dyete was acordant to hire cote Replecion ne made hire neuere seeke A-tempree diete was alle hire Phiseke Line 4028 And excersise and hertes suffisance The gowte letted hire no þing to daunce Ne Poplexie ne schente not hire heed No wyn ne drank sche neyþer whit ne reed Line 4032 Hire bord was serued most wiþ whit and blak Milk and broun breed in which sche fond no lak Seynd bacon and somtyme an ey or tweye ffor sche was as it was a maner deye Line 4036 A gardyn sche hadde enclosed alle aboute Wiþ stikkes and a druye diche wiþoute In which sche hadde a cokk þat highte Chaunteclere In alle þe land of crowyng nas his peere Line 4040

[6-text p 284] Line 4040 his voys was merier þan þe mery Orgon On masse dayes þat in þe chirche gon Wel sikerer was þe crowyng in his logge þan is a clokke or eny abbay orlogge Line 4044 By nature he knew eche assencion Of equinoxial of þilke toun ffor whan degrees .xv. were discendid [folio 248a] þenne knew he þat it might nought ben amended Line 4048 His cambe was redder þen þe fyn coralle And batailled as it were a castel walle Ylike asure were his legges and his toon His byle was blak and as þe Iet it schon Line 4052 His nayles whitter þen þe lily flour And ylike burnysscht gold was his colour This gentil cokke hadde in his gouernance / .vij. hennes for to doon his plesance Line 4056 Whiche weren his sustres and his paramoures And wonder ylike to him as of coloures Of which þe fairest hewed on þe þrote Was cleped faire damisel pertelote Line 4060 Curteys sche was discret and debonaire And companable / and bar hire self so faire Siþens þilke day þat sche was seuenyght olde þat trewely sche haþ þe herte in holde Line 4064 Of chaunteclere loken in euery liþ He loued hire so þat wel was him þerwith But such a ioye as it was to heere hem synge Whan þat þe brighte sonne gan to springe Line 4068 In swete acorde my leef is fare in londe / ffor þilke tyme as I haue vnderstonde Beestes and briddes couþe speke and synge And so bifelle þat in a dawenynge / Line 4072 As Chaunteclere among his wyfes alle Satte on his perche þat was in þe halle And next him sat þis faire Pertelote þis Chaunteclere gan gronen in his þrote Line 4076

[6-text p 285] Line 4076 As a man þat is in his dreme drecched sore And when þat Pertelote þus herde him rore Sche was agast/ and sayde herte deere What eyleþ ȝou to grone in þis manere Line 4080 ȝe ben a verray sleper fy for schame / And he answerde and sayde þus ma dame / I pray ȝou þat ȝe take it not to greef [folio 248b] By god me mette þat I was in such mescheef Line 4084 Right now þat ȝet myn herte is sore afright Now quod he my sweuene reed aright And keepe my body out of foul prisoun Me mette þat I romed vp and doun Line 4088 Wiþinne oure ȝerde wher as I saugh a beeste Was lik an hound and wolde han made areste / vpon my body and wolde han had me deed His colour was betwixe whit and reed Line 4092 And tipped was his tail and boþe his eeres Wiþ blak vnlik þe remenant of his heeres his snowte smal with glowyng eyen tweye ȝet of his look for feer almost I deye Line 4096 This caused me my gronyng douteles Avoy quod sche // ffy on ȝou herteles Allas quod sche; ffor by þat god aboue Now haue ȝe lost myn herte and al my loue Line 4100 I can nought loue a coward by my feiþ ffor certes what so eny womman seiþ We wolle alle desyren if it mighte be To haue housbondes hardy wise and fre Line 4104 And secre ne no nyggard ne no fool Ne him þat is agast of euery tool Ne non auauntour by þat god aboue How dorste ȝe say for schame vnto ȝoure loue / Line 4108 That eny þing might make ȝou aferd Han ȝe no mannes herte and han a berd Allas and konne ȝe be agast of sweuons [Nothyng god wote. but vanite in sweuene is [Reg. 17 D xv folio 276a] ]

[6-text p 286] Sweuenes engendren of replexiones [And oft of synne. and of complexiouns] When humours ben to habundaunt in a wight Certes þis dreme which ȝe han herd to nyght Line 4116 Cometh of þe grete superfluite Of ȝoure reede colre sire parde Which causeþ folk to dremen here dreemes Of arwes and of fuyre with reede leemes Line 4120 Of reede bestes þat woln hem byte [folio 249a] Of Contelle and of whelpes grete an lyte Right as he humour malencolie Causeþ many a man in slepe to crye Line 4124 ffor feere of beres and of boles blake Or elles blake deueles woln hem take Of oþer humours couþe I telle also þat worken many a man in sleep ful woo Line 4128 But I wol passe as lightly as I can Lo Caton which þat was so wys a man Sayde he nouȝt þus ne do no force of dremes Now sire quod sche whan we flee fro þe beemes Line 4132 ffor goddes loue as takeþ som laxatif Vp peril of my soule and of my lyf I counceile ȝou þe beste I wol not lye þat boþe of colre and of malencolye Line 4136 ȝe purge ȝou and for ȝe schuln nought tary þough þat in þis toun is non apotecary I schal my self to herbes techen ȝou That schal ben ȝoure hele and ȝoure prow Line 4140 And in þe gardyn þo herbes schal I fynde The whiche han of here proprete by kynde To purgen ȝou byneþe and eek aboue fforȝeteþ nouȝt þis for goddes owne loue Line 4144 ȝe ben ful Colrik of Compleccion Were þe sonne in his ascencion Ne fynde ȝou replete and ȝoure humors hote and if it do I dar wel leye a groote Line 4148

[6-text p 287] Line 4148 That ȝe schuln haue a feuer terciane Or an agu þat may ben ȝoure bane A day or tuo ȝe schuln haue digestyues Of wormes er ȝe take ȝoure laxatyues Line 4152 Of laureole Centure and of fumytere Or ellis of Ellebore þat groweþ þere Of Catapuce or of gaytres buryes Of herbe yue growyng in oure ȝerde þer mery is Line 4156 Pek hem vp right as þey growe and et hem In [folio 249b] Be mery housbande for ȝoure fadres kyn Dredeþ no dreem I can say ȝou no more Ma dame quod he gramercy of ȝoure lore Line 4160 But naþeles as touching dann Catoun That haþ of wisdom such a gret renoun By god men may in olde bookes reede Oon of þe grettest auctour out of drede Line 4164 Of many a man more of auctorite þenne euer Caton was so mote I þe That alle þe reuers sein of his sentence And han wel founden by experience Line 4168 þat dreemes ben significacions As wel of ioye as of tribulacions þat folk enduren in þis lyf present Ther needeþ nouȝt to make of þis non argument Line 4172 The verray preef scheweþ it in dede On of þe grettest auctour þat men rede Saiþ þus þat whilom tuo felawes went On pylgrimage in a ful good entent Line 4176 And happed so þey camen in-to a toun Wher as þer was such congregacion Of poeple and eek of streight herburgage That þey ne fand as moche as a cotage / Line 4180 In which þey boþe might y-logged be Wherfore þey mosten of necessite As for þat night departe of companye And vche of hem goþ vnto his ostelrye Line 4184

[6-text p 288] Line 4184 And took his loggynge as it wolde falle That oon of hem was logged in a stalle fferre in a ȝerde wiþ oxen of þe plough þat oþer man was logged wel ynough Line 4188 As was his aduenture or his fortune þat vs gouerneþ alle as in comune And so bifelle it lange er it was day þis man mette in his bedde þer as he lay Line 4192 how þat his felaw gan on him to calle [folio 250a] And sayde allas for in an oxe stalle This night schal I be mourdred þer I lye Now help me deere broþer er I dye Line 4196 In alle haste come to me he seyde This man out of his sleep for feere abrayde But whan þat he was wakened out of his slepe he turned him and tok of þis no kepe / Line 4200 Him þought his dreem was nought/ but vanyte þus twyes in his sleping dremed he And at þe þridde tyme ȝet his felawe Came as him þought I am now y-slawe Line 4204 Byholde my bloody woundes deepe and wyde / Arys vp erely in þe morne tyde / And at þe west gate of þe toun quod he A carte fulle of dunge þere schalt þou se / Line 4208 In which my body is hidde ful pryuyly Do þilke carte aresten boldely My golde caused my murdre soþ to sayn And tolde him euery poynt how he was slayn Line 4212 Wiþ a ful pitous face pale of hewe And truste wel his dreem he fand ful trewe ffor on þe morwe as sone as it was day To his felawes In he tok þe way Line 4216 And whan he com vnto þis Oxe stalle After his felawe he bigan to calle The Ostiler answered him anon And sayde sire ȝoure felawe is y-gon Line 4220

[6-text p 289] Line 4220 As sone as day he wente out of þe toun This man gan falle in gret suspecion Remembryng on his dreemes þat he mette And forþ he goþ no lenger wolde he lette Line 4224 Vnto þe west gate of þe toun and fonde A dung carte as he wente to dunge þe londe / þat was arrayed in þe same wyse As ȝe han herde þe deede man deuyse Line 4228 And wiþ an hardy herte he gan to crye [folio 250b] Vengaunce and Iustice of þis felonye My felawe murdred is þis same night And in þis cart he lyþ gapyng vpright Line 4232 [I Crie oute on þe mynistris quod he [MS Harl. 7333 (Shirley's) folio 113a:1] Þat shulde kepe and rewle þis citee Harrow allas here lith my felaw slayn What shuld I more vn-to this tale sayn Line 4326 Þe peple out sterte / & caste þe carte to grounde And in the medil of the donge þei founde] The deede man þat murdred was al newe O blisful god þat art so iuste and trewe / Line 4240 Lo how þat þou bywreyest murdre alway Murdre wole out þat se we day by day Mordre is so wlatsom and abhominable To god þat is so iuste and resonable Line 4244 That he wol not suffre it hiled be They it abyde a ȝeer or tuo or þre Mordre wole out þis is my conclusion And right anon ministres of þe toun Line 4248 And hente þe cartere and sore him pyned And eek þe osteller so ferre engyned That þey beknewe here wickednesse anon And weren hanged by þe nekke boon Line 4252 Heer may men see þat dreemes ben to drede And certes in þe same book I rede Right in þe nexte chapitre I rede of þis I gabbe nought/ so haue I ioye & blis Line 4256

[6-text p 290] Line 4256 Tuo men þat wolde han passed þe see ffor certein cause in-to a ferre cuntre If þat þe wynde nad y-be contrary Þat made hem in a Cite for to tary Line 4260 That stood ful mery vpon an hauen side But on a day aȝens þe euen tyde The wynd gan chaunge and blowen as him leste Iolyf and glad þey wenten vnto reste Line 4264 And casten hem ful erly for to seyle But herkne þat oo man felle in gret pereyle That oon of hem in slepyng as he lay Him mette a wonder dreme aȝeins þe day Line 4268 Him þought a man stood by his beddes syde And him comānded þat he schulde abyde And seyde him þus if þou to morwe wende [folio 251a] Thou schalt be draynt my tale is at an ende Line 4272 he awook and tolde his felawe what he mette and prayed him his viage for to lette As for þat day he prayde him to abyde his felawe þat lay by his beddes syde Line 4276 Gan for to laughe and scorned him ful faste No dreme quod he may myn herte agaste Þat I wol lette for to do my þinges I sette nouȝt a straw by þy dremynges Line 4280 ffor sweuenes ben but vanytes and Iapes Men dreme alway of owles and of apes And of many a mase þer-wiþ-all Men dremen of þing þat neuer was ne schal Line 4284 But siþenes I se þat þou wolt here abyde And þus forslowþen wilfully þe tyde God wot it reweþ me and haue good day And thus he took his leeue and went his way Line 4288 And er þat he hadde half his cours y-sayled Not I nought why ne what meschaunce it ayled But casuelly þe schippes botme rent And schip and man vnder þe water went Line 4292

[6-text p 291] Line 4292 In sight of oþer schippes him besyde þat wiþ him seyled at þe same tyde And þerfore he seyde Pertelote so deere By suche ensamples olde maist þou leere Line 4296 þat no man schulde be to recheles Of dremes for I say þe dowteles That many a dreem fol sore is for to drede Lo in þe lyf of Seint kenelme I rede Line 4300 þat was kenulphes sone þe noble king Of Mertenrike how kenelme met a þing A litel er was murdred on a day His murdre in his avision he say Line 4304 His norice him expouned eury del His sweuene and bad him for to kepe him wel ffor treson but he was seuen ȝeer old [folio 251b] And þerfore litel tale haþ he told Line 4308 Of eny dreem so holly was his herte By god I hadde leuer þan my scherte þat ȝe hadde herde his legende as haue I Dame pertelote I say ȝou trewely Line 4312 Macrobeus þat writ þe avisioun In affryke of þe worþy Cyprioun Affermeþ dremes and saiþ þat þay ben Warnyng of þinges þat men after seen Line 4316 And furþermore I pray ȝou lokeþ wel þe olde testament of Daniel If he heeld dreemes of any vanyte Reede eek of Ioseph and þer schuln ȝe see Line 4320 Wheþer dremes ben som tyme I say not alle Warnyng of þinges þat schuln after falle Loke of Egypt þe king Daun Pharao His baker and his botiler also Line 4324 Wher þey ne felten noon effecte in dremes Who so wol seche þe acte of sondry Remes May rede of dreemes many a wonder þing Lo Cresus which þat was of lyde king Line 4328

[6-text p 292] Line 4328 Mette he nouȝt þat he sat on a tree Which signified he schulde anhanged be Lo here adromacha Ectores wiff That day þat Ector schulde lese his lyff Line 4332 Sche dreemed on þe same night byforn How þat þe lyff of Ector schulde be lorn If þilke day he went in-to Batayle Sche warned him but it might nouȝt auayle Line 4336 He wente for to feighten neuer þe les But he was slayn of oon achilles But þilke tale is al to long to telle And eek it is neigh day I may nouȝt dwelle Line 4340 Schortly I say as for conclusion þat I schal haue of þis auision Of aduersitees and I say forþermore [folio 252a] That I nel telle of laxatifs no store Line 4344 ffor þey ben venymous I wot right wel I hem diffye I loue hem neuer a del Now let vs speke of myrþe and stynte al þis Madame pertelote so haue I blis Line 4348 Of o þing god me haþ sent large grace ffor when I se þe beaute of ȝour face ȝe ben so skarlet reed aboute ȝoure eyen It makeþ alle my drede for to deyen Line 4352 ffor al so siker as In principio Mulier est hominis confusio Ma dame þe sentence of þis latyn is Womman is mannes ioye and al his blys Line 4356 ffor whan I feele a night ȝoure softe syde Al be it þat I may nought on ȝou ryde ffor þat oure perche is maad so narwe allas I am so fulle of ioye and solas Line 4360 That I diffye boþe sweuen and dreem And wiþ þat word he fleigh doun fro þe beem ffor it was day and eek his hennes alle And wiþ a chukke he gan hem for to calle Line 4364

[6-text p 293] Line 4364 ffor he had founde a corn lay in þe ȝerde Real he was nomore aferde He feþerede pertelote twenty tyme And tradde as ofte er it were prime Line 4368 He lokeþ as it were a grym lyoun And on his toos he romed vp and doun Him deygned nouȝt to sette his feet on grounde Ay chukked he whan he hadde a corn y-founde Line 4372 And to him þanne ranne his wyfes alle Þus real as a prince in his halle leue I þis Chaunteclere in his pasture And after wol I telle of his aduenture Line 4376 When þe monþe in which þe world bigan þat highte march when god ferst made man Was complete and passed were also [folio 252b] Seþins marche bygan þritty dayes and tuo Line 4380 Bifelle þat Chaunteclere in alle his pryde his seuen wyues walkyng him bysyde Caste vp his eyen to þe brighte sonne That in þe signe of Taurus was y-ronne; Line 4384 Twenty degrees. and oon and somwhat more He knew by kynde and by non oþer lore That it was pryme and crew wiþ blisful steuene The sonne he sayde is clumben vp on heuene Line 4388 xl. degrees and oon and more y-wys Madame pertelote my worldes blys Herkne how þese blisful briddes synge and see þe freisshe floures how þay springe Line 4392 fful is myn herte of Reuel and solace But sodeinly him fel a sorwful case ffor euer þe latter ende of Ioye is sone ago And comunly often tyme it falleþ so Line 4396 And if a Rethor couþe faire endite He in a Cronique mighte saufly write As for a souereyn notabilite / Now euery wise man herkene to me Line 4400

[6-text p 294] Line 4400 This story is also trewe I vndertake As is þe book of launcelot þe lake þat wommen heelde in ful gret reuerence Now wol I torne aȝein to my sentence Line 4404 A kolle fox ful of sleighte and iniquite That in þe groue had woned ȝeeres þre By heih ymaginacion aforn caste þe same night þurghout þe hegges braste Line 4408 In-to þe yerde þer Chaunteclere þe faire Was wont and eek his wyfes to repayre And in a bedde of worstes stille he lay Til it was passed vndern of þe day Line 4412 Wayting his tyme on chaunteclere to falle As gladly doon þese homicydes alle [folio 253a] That in awayte ligge to murþre men O false murdrour roukyng in þy den Line 4416 O newe scariote and newe Genyloun ffals dissimulour O greke Synon That broughtest Troye outrely to sorwe O Chaunteclere acorsed be þat morwe Line 4420 þat þou in þe ȝerde fleyȝe fro þe beemes Thou were ful wel y-warned by þin derems That þilke day was perilous to þe But þat at god afore wot moot needes be Line 4424 After þe opynyon of certein clerkes Witnesse on him þat any clerk/ is That in scole gret altercacion In þis matiere and gret disputeson Line 4428 And haþ ben of an hundred þousand men But I ne can nouȝt bulte it to þe bren As can þe holy doctour augustyn Or Boece or þe Bisschoppe Bradwardyn Line 4432 Wheþer þat/ goddes wille afore wetyng Streyneþ me needely for to don a þing Needly clepe I simple necessite Or elles if þe free choys be graunted me / Line 4436

[6-text p 295] Line 4436 To do þat same þing or to do it nouȝt þough god forwot it er it was y-wrought Or of his wetyng streigneþ neuer a del But by necessite condicionel Line 4440 I wol not haue to doone of such matiere My tale is of a cokk as ȝe schuln after heere That took his counseil of his wyf wiþ sorwe To walke in-to þe ȝerd vppon þe morwe Line 4444 That he had mette þe dreem as I ȝou tolde Wommens counseiles ben ful ofte colde Wommans counseil brought vs ferst to wo And made adam fro paradys to go Line 4448 þer as he was ful mery and wel at ese / But for I not whom it might displese [folio 253b] If I councel of wommen wolde blame Passe ouer I seyde it in my game Line 4452 Rede auctours wher þey trete of such matiere And what þay sein of wommen ȝe may heere These ben þe cokkes wordes and nought myne I can non harme of no womman devyne Line 4456 ffayre in þe sande to baþe hire merily liþ pertelote and alle hire sustres by Aȝein þe sonne and Chaunteclere so fre Sange meriere þan þe mere-mayde in þe see Line 4460 ffor Physyalogus saiþ witterly How þat þey sungen wel and merily And so bifelle as he cast his ye amonges þe wortes vpon a butterflye Line 4464 He was war of þis ffox þat lay ful lowe ¶ No þing ne luste him þanne for to crowe But cryed anon kok kok and vp he sterte As man þat was affrayed in his herte Line 4468 ffor naturelly a beste desireþ to fle ffro his contrarye if he may it se þey he neuer hadde seye it erst wiþ his ye This Chaunteclere when he gan him espye Line 4472

[6-text p 296] Line 4472 he wolde han fledde but þat þe fox anon Sayde gentil sire allas what wol ȝe doon Been ȝe affrayed of me þat am ȝoure freende Certes sire þen be ȝe vnheende Line 4476 If I to ȝou wolde harme or vilanye I am nought come ȝoure councel to aspie But trewely þe cause of my comynge Was oonly to herkne how þat ȝe synge / Line 4480 ffor trewely ȝe han as mery a steuene As any aungel haþ þat is in heuene Ther-with ȝe han in Physike more felynge þat hadde boys or eny þat can synge Line 4484 My lord ȝoure fader god his soule blesse And eek ȝoure mooder of hire gentilnesse [folio 254a] han in myn hous I-ben ful wel at eese and certes sire ful fayn wolde I ȝou pleese Line 4488 But for men speken of syngyng I wolde seye So mote I brouke myne eyen tweye Saue ȝou I ne herde neuer man so synge As dide ȝoure fader in þe morwenynge Line 4492 Certes it was of herte al þat he sange And for to make his voys þe more strange He wolde so peyne him þat wiþ boþe his eyen He moste wynke so lowde he dide cryen Line 4496 And standen on his typtoos þer-wiþ-al And strecche forþ his nekke long and smal And eek he was of such discrecion That þer was no man in no region Line 4500 That him in song or wisdam mighte passe I haue wel rad daun burnelle the asse Among his vers þer was a kok ffor a prestes sone ȝaf him a knok Line 4504 Vpon his legges whil he was yong and nyce He made him for to leese his benefice But certein þer is no comparison Betwixe þe wisdam and discrecion Line 4508

[6-text p 297] Line 4508 Of ȝoure fader and of his subtilte Now syngeþ sire for seinte Charite Let see conne ȝe ȝoure fader countrefete þis Chaunteclere his wynges gan to bete Line 4512 As man þat couþe his treson not aspye So was he rauysscht wiþ his flaterye ¶ Allas ȝe lordes many a fals flatour Is in ȝoure Court and many a losengour Line 4516 þat pleasen ȝou more by my feiþ Then he þat soþfastnesse vnto ȝou seiþ Redeþ ecclesiastre of flaterie Beþ war ȝe lordes of here treccherie Line 4520 This Chaunteclere stood heye vpon his toos Strecching his necke and huld his eyen clos [folio 254b] And gan to crowe lowde for þe nones And daun Russel stert vp al at oones Line 4524 And by þe gargage hente Chaunteclere And on his bak toward the woode him bere ffor ȝet was þere noman þat him sewed O destyne þat mayst not ben eschewed Line 4528 Allas þat Chaunteclere fel fro þe bemes Allas his wyf ne roughte nought of dremes And on a friday felle al þis meschaunce O venus þat art goddesse of plesaunce Line 4532 Seþines þat þi seruant was þis Chaunteclere And in þin seruise dede al his powere / More for delite þan þe world to multiplie Why woldestow suffre him / on þin day to dye Line 4536 O Gaufrede deere maister souerayn That whan þy worþy king Richard was slayn Wiþ schotte compleynedest his deþ so sore Why ne hadde I now þin sentence and þin lore Line 4540 The friday for to chyde as deden ȝe / ffor on a ffriday schortly slayn was he þenne wolde I schewe ȝou how þat I couþe pleyne ffor Chaunteclere and for his peyne Line 4544

[6-text p 298] Line 4544 Certes such cry ne lamentacion Was of ladyes maade whan yleon Was wonne and Purris wiþ his streighte swerd Whenne he hente king Pryam by þe berd Line 4548 And slayn him as seyde Enneydos As maden alle þe hennes in þe cloos Whan þey hadde seye of chaunteclere þe sight But soueraynly dame Pertelote schright Line 4552 fful lowder þen dede hasdrubaldes wyff Whan þat hire housbonde hadde lost his lyff And þat þe Romayns had berud Cartage Sche was so fulle of torment and of Rage Line 4556 þat wilfully in to þe fuyr sche sterte And brend hir selue wiþ a stedefast herte [folio 255a] O wofulle hennes right so cryede ȝe As whan þat Nero brende þe Cite Line 4560 Of Rome cryden þe Senatours wyfes ffor þat here housbondes schulde leese here lyues Wiþouten gilte Nero haþ hem slayn ¶ Now wole I turne vnto my tale agayn Line 4564 This seely widewe and hire doughtres tuo Herden þe hennes crien and make woo / And out at þe dore sterten þay anon And sawe þe fox toward þe groue goon Line 4568 And bar vpon his bak þe kok away And cryden out harrow and weloway A ha þe fox and after him þay ran And eek with staues many anoþer man Line 4572 Ran colle oure dogge Talbot and Garlond And Malkyn wiþ hire distaf in hire hond Ran cow and calf and eek þe verrey hogges Sore aferde for berkyng of þe dogges Line 4576 And schowtyng of men and of wommen eeke þey ronne so her hert þey þought tobreeke They yelleden as feendes don in helle The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle Line 4580

[6-text p 299] Line 4580 Out of þe huyues come þe swarm of bees þe gees for feere flowen ouer þe trees So hidous was þe noyse a benedicite Certes he Iakke strawe and his meynee Line 4584 Ne maden neuere schoutes half so schrille Whan þat þay wolden eny flemyng kille As þat ilke day was maad vpon þe ffox Of bras þey broughte beemes and of Box Line 4588 Of horne and boon in whiche þey pouped And þer-wiþal þey schriched and þey schouted It semed as þat heuen schulde falle Now goode men I pray ȝou herkneþ alle Line 4592 Lo how fortune turneþ sodeinly The hope and eek þe pruyde of here enuye [folio 255b] This Cok þat lay vpon þis foxes bak In alle his drede vnto þe fox he spak Line 4596 And sayde sire if I were as ȝe Ȝet schuld I say as wis god helpe me Turneþ aȝein ȝe proude cherles alle A verray pestilence vpon ȝou falle Line 4600 Now am I come vnto þis woodes syde Maugre ȝour heed þe cok schal here abyde I wole him ete in feiþ and þat anon The ffox answerde in feiþ it schal be don Line 4604 and [as] he spak þat word al sodeinly This Cok brak fro his mouþ delyuerly An heigh vpon a tree he fleigh anoon And whan þe fox saugh þat he was goon Line 4608 Allas quod he O Chaunteclere allas I haue quod he don to ȝow a trespas In als moche as I made ȝou afferd When I ȝou hente and brought out of þe ȝerd Line 4612 But sire I dede it nought in no wicked entent Come doun and I schal telle ȝou what I ment I schal ȝou seye soþ god helpe me so / Nay þanne quod he I schrewe vs boþe tuo / Line 4616

[6-text p 300] Line 4616 And ferst I schrewe my self boþe blood and bones If þou begile me ofter þan ones / Thou schalt nomore wiþ þin flaterye Do me to synge and wynke wiþ myn ye Line 4620 ffor he þat wynkeþ whan he schulde se As wisly god let him neuer þe Nay quod þe fox god ȝiue him meschaunce That is so vndiscret of gouernaunce Line 4624 þat iangleþ whan he schulde haue pees Lo suche it is for to be recheles / and necligent and trusteþ on flaterye But ȝe þat halden þis tale a folye Line 4628 As of a fox and of a cok and an hen Takeþ þe moralite goode men [folio 256a] ffor seint poule saiþ / alle þat writen is To oure doctrine / it is y-writen y-wis Line 4632 Takeþ þe fruit/ and leteþ þe chaff be stille Now goode god if þat it be þin wille / As seiþ my lord so make vs alle goode men And bringe vs alle to his heihe blisse ameN Line 4636

Here endeþ þe Nonne prestes tale

Notes

• Ca^m xxij^m.
• not in Reg. 18 C 2, lf 228
• [not in Reg. 18 C 2]
• [MS Reg. 17 D xv]
• [Not in Sloane 1685, leaf 217, back; or in Sloane 1686, leaf 285.]
• [Harl. extract ends]
• ¶ Nota bene