¶ Here bygynneth the Nonne prest his tale
APore wydow . som del stope in age
was whilom duellyng in a pore cotage
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Bisyde a groue stondyng in a dale
This wydow of which I telle ȝow my tale
Syn þilke day þat sche was last a wif /
In paciens ladde . a ful symple lyf
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For litel was hir catel and hir rent
By housbondry . of such as god hir sent
Sche fond hir self and eek hir doughtres tuo
Thre large sowes had sche and no mo
Line 4020
Thre kyn . and eek a scheep þat highte malle.
Ful sooty was hir bour and eek hir halle
In which she eet ful many a sclender meel
Of poynaunt saws hir needid neuer a deel
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Noon deynteth morsel passid þorugh hir þrote
Hir dyete was accordant to hir cote
Repleccioun ne made hir neuer sik
Attempre dyete was al hir phisik
Line 4028
And exercise and hertes suffisaunce
The goute lette hir no þing for to daunce
Ne poplexie schente not hir heed
No wyn ne drank he noþer whit ne reed [folio 238b]
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Hir bord seruyd boþe with whit and blak
Milk and broun bred in which sche fond no lak
Saynd bacoun and som tyme an ey or tweye
For sche was as it were a maner deye
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A ȝerd sche had enclosed al aboute
wiþ stikkes and a drye dich wiþoute
In which she had a Cok þat hight Chaunteclere
In al þe lond of crowyng was noon his peere
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