The Harleian ms. 7334 of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

A Prentys dwelled whilom in oure Citee, Of a craft of vitaillers was he Gaylard he was as goldfynch in þe schawe / Broun as a bery and a propre felawe Line 4368 wiþ lokkes blak and kempt ful fetously Dauncen he cowde wel and prately That he was cleped Perkyn reuellour he was ful of loue and paramour Line 4372 As is þe hony combe of hony swete wel were þe wenche þat mighte him meete [folio 58b] . . . . . . . . . . [No gap in the MS.] Line 4376

FOr whan þer eny rydyng was in cheepe / Out of þe schoppe þider wolde he lepe / Tyl he hadde al þat sight I-seyn And daunced wel he nold nat come ageyn Line 4380 And gadred him a meyne of his sort To hoppe and synge and make such disport And þer þey setten steuene for to meete To pleyen atte dys in such a strete Line 4384 For in þe toun ne was þer no prentys That fairer cowde caste a peyre dys Than Perkyn couþe and þerto he was free / Of his dispence in place of pryuyte Line 4388 That fand his mayster wel in his chaffare For often tyme he fond his box ful bare For such a ioly prentys reuelour That haunteþ dys Reuel or paramour Line 4392 his maister schal it in his schoppe abye Al haue he no part of þe mynstralcye For þefte and ryot be conuertyble Al can þey pley on giterne and rubible Line 4396

Line 4396 Reuel and trouþe as in a lowe degre They ben ful wroþ al day as ȝe may see This Ioly Prentys with his mayster bood Til he was oute neyȝ of his prentys hood Line 4400 Al were he snybbyd boþe erly and late And som tyme lad with reuel in to Newgate But atte laste his mayster him bythought vpon a day whan he his papyr sought Line 4404 Of a prouerbe þat siþ þis same word wel bette is roten appul out of hord Than it rote al þe remenaunt/ So fareth it by a ryotous seruaunt Line 4408 hit is ful lasse harm to late him pa Than he schend al þe seruauntes in þe place Therfore his mayster ȝaf him acqueyntaunce And bad him go wiþ sorwe and wiþ meschaunce Line 4412 And þus þe ioly prentys had his leue // Now let hym ryot al þe night or leue. [[Lines 4413, 4414 form the last line of the page in the MS.]]