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

[6-text p 498]

5. [Here begynneþ þe prolog of þe frankeleyn

[Laud MS 600 folio 171]

In faiþ squier þou hast þe wel I-quytt And gentilli I praise wel þi witt Quod þe frankeleyn considering þi youþe So felyngli þou spekest sir I alouþe Line 676 As to my dome þer is noon þat is here Of eloquence shal be þi pere [yf þat þou lyve / god yeve þe gode chaunce [[Haistwell MS]] And in vertue / send the contynuaunce] Line 680 ffor of þi speche I haue gret deynte I haue a sone and bi þe Trinite I had leuere þan xx^ti pounde worþ lond Þough it right now were fallen in my honde Line 684 Ye ar a man of suche discrecion As þat ye ben fy vpon possession But if a man be vertuous with-al I haue my sone snybbed and yut shal Line 688 ffor he to vertu listeþ not entende But for to pleie at dies and to despende And lese al þat he haþ is his vsage And he haþ leuere talke wiþ a page Line 692 Þan to commune wiþ any gentil wight Where he might lerne gentilnesse a-right Strawe for youre gentilnesse quod our host What frankeleyn parde wel þow wost [Frankeleyn] Line 696 Þat eche of of (sic) you mot tellen atte leste A tale or too / or breken his beheste [Laud MS 600 folio 171b] Þat knowe I wel quod þe ffrankeleyn certeyn [Frankeleyn] I praie you not haueþ me in desdeyn Line 700

[6-text p 499] Line 700 Þow to þis man I speke a worde or too Telle on þi tale wiþouten wordes moo Gladli sir host quod he I wol obeie Vn-to youre wille now herkeneþ what I seie Line 704 I wil you not contrarie in no wise As ferre as þat my wittes wil suffise I praie to god þat it mai plesen you Þan wot I wel þat it is good Inow] Line 708