GROUP H. FRAGMENT IX.
§ 1. THE MANCIPLE'S HEAD-LINK. CAMBRIDGE MS.
Heryth the merye wordys of the Host to the cok of Lundene. [[Gap of two lines in the MS.]]
[folio 393b]
WOte ȝe not where there stant a lityl toun
Which [[word scratcht out]] that I-clepid is Bobbe vp & doun
Vndyr the ble in Cauntyrbury weye
Theere gan oure ost for to Iape & pleye
Line 4
And seyde seris what doun is in the myre
Is there no man for preyere ne for hire
That wole a-wake oure felawe here be-hynde
A thef myghte ful lightely hym robbe & bynde
Line 8
Se how he nappith so how for [[word scratcht out]] Cokkis bonys
That he wele falle from his hors at onys
Is that a cok of lundene with myschaunce
Do hym come forth he knowith his penaunce
Line 12
ffor he schal telle a tale be myn fey
Al thow it be not worth a botel hey [[otel hey, later?]]
A-wake thow cok quod he god ȝeue the sorwe
What eylith the to slepe by the morwe
Line 16
Hast thow had flen al nyght or art thow dronke
Or hast thow with sum quene al nyght I-swonkyn
So that thow mayst nat holdyn vp thyn hed
This cok that was ful pale & no thing red
Line 20
Seyde to oure hoost so god me blysse
As there is fallyn on me swich heuynesse
Not I not why that me were leuere slepe
Than the beste galoun wyn in chepe
Line 24
