Incipit prologus fratris [on leaf 102]
This worþi lymitour þis noble frere
He maad alweie lowreynge chere
Vpon þe Sompnour bot for honeste
No veleyns worde as ȝite spake he
Line 1268
Bot att þe last he saide vnto þe wife
Dame good god ȝyue ȝowe riht good life
Ȝe haue touchede here as mot .I. þe
In scole Matier gret difficulte
Line 1272
Ȝe haue seide muchel þinge riht wele .I. seie
Bot dame here as we riden be þe weie
Vs nedeþ nouht to speken bot of game
And lete Auctorites in goddes name
Line 1276
To precheinge and to schole eke of clergie
Bot if it like vnto þis compaignie
.I. wil ȝowe of a Somnour tel a game
Parde .I. maie wele knowe be þi name
Line 1280
þat of no somnour mai no good be seide
.I. praie þat none of ȝowe be yuel apaide
A Somnour is a romer vp and doune
Wiþ a mendement of fornicacioune
Line 1284
And is .I.-bette att euery tounes ende
Owre þan spake a sir ȝe scholde be hende
And curteis as man of ȝoure astate
In compaignie we wil no debate
Line 1288
Telleþ ȝoure tale and lateþ þe somenour be
Naie quod Somnour late him sei to me
What so him liste whan it comeþ to my lote
Be god .I. schal him qwite euery grote.
Line 1292
I schall him tell whiche a grete honour [folio 102b]
It is to be [a] flateringe limitour
And of ful mony anoþer crime
Whiche nedeþe nouht rehersen att þis time
Line 1296
And his office .I. schal him tell .I.-wis
Owre oste answard pees no more of þis
And afterwarde he seide vn-to þe frere
Tel forþe ȝowre tale my leue mayster dere.
Line 1300
Explicit prologus.
