But altherbest he sang an offertorie
For wel [[later wyst at side]] he whan þat song was songe
he moste preche and wel affyle his tunge
Line 712
To wynne siluer as he right wel cowde
Therefore he sang ful meriely and lowde
NOw haue I told ȝou schortly in a clause
Thestat þarray þe nombre and eek þe cause
Line 716
why þat assembled was þis companye
In Southwerk at þis gentil Ostelrie
That highte þe Tabbard faste by þe belle
But now is tyme to ȝow for to telle
Line 720
how þat we bare vs in þat ilke night
whan we were in that Ostelrie alight
And aftur wol I telle of oure viage [folio 10b]
And al þe remenaunt of oure pilgrimage
Line 724
But ferst I pray ȝou of ȝour curtesie
That ȝe ne rette it nat my vilanye
Though þat I speke al pleyn in þis matere
And telle ȝou here wordes and here cheere
Line 728
Ne though I speke here wordes propurly
For þis ȝe knowen also wel as I
who-so schal telle a tale aftur a man
He moste reherce as neigh as euer he can
Line 732
Euery word if it be in his charge
Al speke he neuer so Rudely ne large
Or elles he moot telle his tale vntrewe
Or feyne þing or fynde his wordes newe
Line 736
He may not spare þough he were his broþur
He moste as wel sey oo word as anoþur
Crist spak himself ful broode in holy writ
And wel ȝe woot no vilanye is it
Line 740
Eke Plato seith who-so þat can him rede
The wordes mot be cosyn to þe dede
Also I pray ȝou to forȝeue it me
Al haue I folk nat set in here degre
Line 744
Here in þis tale as þat þei schulde stonde
