& bigynneth the prologe of the Cook
The Cok of london / while the Reve spak
ffor ioye him þought / he clawed him on the bak
A ha quod he / for cristes passion
This Millere hadde / a sharp conclusion
Line 4328
Vp-on this argument / of herberwegage
wel seide Salamon / in his langage
Ne bryng nat euery man / in-to thyn hous
ffor herberwyng by nyght / is parlyous
Line 4332
Wel ought a man / avysed for to be
Whom that he brought / in-to his preuyte
I preye to god / so ȝeue me sorwe and care
If euere sithe / I hight hogge of ware
Line 4336
Herde I a Millere / bettir sette a-werke
He hedde a iape of Malice / in the derke
But god forbede / that we stynten here
And therfore / if ȝe wouchensaf to here
Line 4340
A tale of me / that am a pore man
I wol ȝow telle / as wel as euere I can
A litel iape / that fel in oure Citee
Line 4343
¶ . Oure host answered / and seide / I graunte it the
Now telle on Roger / and loke þat it be good
ffor many a paste / hast thow laten blod
And many a Iakke of Dover / hast thow sold
That hath ben twyes hot / & twyes cold
Line 4348
Of many a pilgrym / hast thow cristes curs [folio 53a]
ffor of thy parselee / ȝet they fare the wers
That they han eten / in thy stobel goos
ffor in thy shoppe / is many a flye loos
Line 4352
Now telle on gentil Roger / be thy name
But ȝet I preye the / be nat wroth for game
And man may sey ful soth / in game and pleye
¶ . Thow seist ful soth / quod Roger / be my feye
Line 4356
