¶ Heere bigynneth the Cookes tale
APrentys whilom dwelled / in oure Citee
And of a craft of vitailliers was hee
Gaillard he was / as Goldfynch in the shawe
Broun as a berye / a propre short fel[a]we
Line 4368
With lokkes blake / ykempd ful fetisly
Dauncen he koude / so wel and iolily [[painting of the Cook]]
That he was cleped Perkyn Reuelour
He was / as ful of loue and paramour
Line 4372
As is the hyve / ful of hony sweete
Wel was the wenche / with hym myghte meete
At euery bridale / wolde he synge and hoppe
He loved bet the Tauerne than the shoppe
Line 4376
¶ ffor / whan ther / any ridyng was in Chepe
Out of the shoppe / thider wolde he lepe
Til that he hadde / al the sighte yseyn
And daunced wel / he wolde nat come ayeyn
Line 4380
And gadered hym / a meynee of his sort
To hoppe and synge / and maken swich disport
And ther / they setten steuene for to meete
To pleyen / at the dys in swich a streete
Line 4384
ffor in the toun / nas ther no prentys
That fairer koude caste / a paire of dys
Than Perkyn koude / and ther-to he was free
Of his dispense / in place of pryuetee
Line 4388
That fond his maister wel in his chaffare
ffor often tyme / he foond his box ful bare
ffor sikerly / a prentys Reuelour
That haunteth dys / Riot or paramour
Line 4392
His maister / shal it in his shoppe abye
Al haue he / no part of the Mynstralcye
ffor thefte and Riot. they been conuertible
Al konne he pleye on gyterne / or Ribible
Line 4396
