GROUP H. FRAGMENT IX.
§ 1. THE MANCIPLE'S HEAD-LINK.
ELLESMERE MS.
¶ Heere folweth the Prologe / of the Maunciples tale . [on leaf 206]
Woot ye nat / where ther stant/ a litel toun
Which þat ycleped is Bobbe up and doun
Vnder the Blee / in Caunterbury weye
Ther gan oure hoost for to Iape and pleye
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And seyde sires / what Dun is in the Myre
Is ther no man / for preyere ne for hyre
That wole awake / oure felawe al bihynde
A theef / myghte hym ful lightly robbe and bynde
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See how he nappeth / see how for Cokkes bones
As he wol falle / fro his hors atones
Is that a Cook of London / with meschance
Do hym come forth / he knoweth his penaunce
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ffor he shal telle a tale / by my fey
Al-though / it be nat worth a Botel hey
Awake thou Cook quod he / god yeue thee sorwe
What eyleth thee / to slepe by the morwe?
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Hastow had fleen al nyght or artow dronke?
Or hastow / with som quene / al nyght yswonke?
So that thow mayst nat holden vp thyn heed
¶ This Cook / þat was ful pale and no thyng reed
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Seyde to oure hoost. so god my soule blesse
As ther is falle on me swich heuynesse
Noot I nat why? þat me were leuere slepe
Than / the beste galon wyn in Chepe
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