Incipit prologus.
WHan folke han lawhen att þis nyce caas
Of Absolon and hende Nicholas
Line 3856
Diuers folke diuersely þei seide
Bot for þe more parte þei lowhe and pleide
Ne att þis tale I. sauhe no man him greue
Bot it were onely Oswolde þe Reue
Line 3860
Be cause he was of Carpenteres craft
A litel ire is in his hert laft
He gan to gruche and blame it a lite
So þeyke quod he ful wele couþ .I. ȝow quyte
Line 3864
Wiþ blerynge of a proude mellers eye
If þat me liste to speke of ribaudie
Bot ik am olde me list nouht pleie for age
Gras time is done my foder is forage
Line 3868
This white toppe writes myne olde ȝeres
Myne herte is also moulde . as myne heres
Bot if .I. fare as doþe an openers
þat ilke fruyte is euer longe þe werse
Line 3872
Til it be roten in molloke and in stree
We olde men .I. drede so fare we
Til we be roten can we nouht be ripe
We hopen al-weie while þe werld wil pipe
Line 3876
For in owre wille þere stikeþ euer a naile [folio 48a]
To haue an hore here and a grene taile
As haþe a leke for þouhe oure myht be gone
Owre wille desireþ foly euery in one
Line 3880
ffor whan we maie nouhte done þan wil we speke
Ȝit in owre hasschen olde is fire y-reke
ffoure gledes han we whiche .I. schal deuise
Auauntynge . lyeinge . Anger . and Couetise
Line 3884
This foure sperlkes longeþ vnto elde
Owre olde limmes Mowe wele bene vnwelde
