¶ Heere bigynneth the prolog of the Reues Tale. [[Sloane MS 1685]]
WHanne folk han laughwen at this nyce cas
Of Absolon and hynde Nicholas
Line 3856
Dyuerse folk dyuersely they seide
But for the more part thei lough and pleyde
Ne at this tale I saw no man him greue
But it were oonly Oswold the Reue
Line 3860
By cause he was of Carpenteres craft
A litel ire is in his herte laft
He gan to grucche and blamede it a lite
So the yk quod he ful wel kouthe I ȝou quite
Line 3864
With blering of a proude mellers ye
If that me list to speke of rybaudye
But yk am old me list not pleye for age
Gras tyme is don my foddere is forage
Line 3868
This white top writeth myn olde ȝeres
Myn herte is al so mouled as myn heres
But if I fare as doth an openers
That ilk fruyt is euere lenger the wers
Line 3872
Til it be roten in mullok or in stree
We olde men I drede so fare we
Til we be roten can we nought be ripe
We hoppen alweye while the world wil pipe
Line 3876
ffor in oure wille ther stiketh euere a naile
To haue an hoor her / and a grene taile
As hath a leek . for though oure might be gon
Oure wille desireth folye euere in oon
Line 3880
ffor whanne we may nought don than wil we speke
Ȝit in oure asshen old is fire reke
ffoure gledes haue we whiche I shal diuise
Auauntyng . liyng . Angre . Coueitise
Line 3884
These foure sparkles longith vnto elde [Sloane MS. 1685 folio 40a]
Oure olde lymes mowe wel be vnwelde
