¶ Incipit prologus
NO mor of þis for goddes dignite [on leaf 191, back]
quod oure ost foure þou makest me
So wery of þi lewdenes
Þat also wissely god me blis
Line 2112
Myn eres ake of þine darsti speche
Nowe suche a rime þe deuel .y. beteche.
This mai be wele ryme dogerel
whie so quod .I. whie wilt þou lette me
Line 2116
More of my tale þan a noþer man
Seþen it is þe best rime .I. can
By god . quod he pleinly .I. þe seie
Thou schalt no langer rime here to daie
Line 2120
Thou doste nouht elles bot dispendes time
Sire att o worde þou schalt no longer rime
Late see wheþer þou canste tell ouht in geste
Or tell in prose sumwhat att þe lest
Line 2124
In whiche þer be sume merþe & some doctrine
Gladle quod .I. be goddes swete pine
.I. wil ȝowe tell a litel þinge in prose
þat auht lyke ȝowe as .I. suppose
Line 2128
Or elles certes ȝe be to daungerous
It is a morale tale vertuouse [folio 192a]
Al be it tolde sum tyme in sundre wise
Of sundre folke as .I. schal ȝowe deuise
Line 2132
As þus ȝe wote euery euaungelist
That telleþ vs of ihesu crist
Ne saiþe nouht al þinge as his felawe doþe
Bot Naþeles her sentence is al soþe
Line 2136
And al. accorden att here sentence
Al be þare in her tellinge difference
