Incipit fabula
WHilom þere was dwellyng att Oxenford
A riche gnof þat gestis helde to bord
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And of his craft he was a Carpentier
With him þere was dwellinge a pouer scolier
Hadde lerne arte bot al his fantasie
Was torned for to leren astrologie
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And couþe a certeine of conclusions
To demen be interrogaciones
If þat men axed him in certeine houres
Whan men schold haue drouht or elles schoures
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Or if men axed him what schal be-falle
Of euery þinge .I. may nouht reken alle
This clerke was cleped hende Nicholas
Of derne loue he couþe and of solas
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And þere-to he was sleight and wele priue
And like a maide meke for to see
A chambre had he in þat hostellerie [folio 40a]
Alone wiþ-oute any compaignie
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fful fetisly diht wiþ herbes swote
And he him selfe as swete as is þe rote
Of lycoris or of any settewale
His almagiste and bokes grete and smale
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His Astrelabre longeinge to his arte
His augrim stones leyen faire a parte
On schelues chowched as his beddes hede
His prisse . ycouerid wiþ a foldeynge rede
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And al aboue þere leie a gaie sawtrie
On whiche he made a nyht melodie
So swetely þat al þe chambre ronge
And Angelus ad virginem he songe
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And after he songe þe kinges note
fful oft blissed was his mery þrote
