© Librarius All rights reserved. |
The COOK of Londoun, whil the Reve spak, | |
For joye him thoughte, he clawed him on the bak. | |
"Ha! ha!" quod he, "for Criste passioun, | |
This miller hadde a sharp conclusioun | |
5 | Upon his argument of herbergage. |
Wel seyde Salomon in his langage, | |
`Ne bryng nat every man into thyn hous,' | |
For herberwynge by nyghte is perilous. | |
Wel oghte a man avysed for to be, | |
10 | Whom that be broghte into his pryvetee. |
I pray to God so yeve me sorwe and care, | |
If evere sitthe I highte Hogge of Ware, | |
Herde I a millere bettre yset awerk. | |
He hadde a jape of malice in the derk. | |
15 | But God forbede that we stynte heere, |
And therfore, if ye vouche-sauf to heere | |
A tale of me that am a povre man, | |
I wol yow telle, as wel as evere I kan, | |
A litel jape that fil in oure citee." | |
20 | Oure Hoost answerde and seide, "I graunte it thee, |
Now telle on, Roger, looke that it be good, | |
For many a pastee hastow laten blood, | |
And many a Jakke of Dovere hastow soold | |
That hath been twies hoot and twies coold. | |
25 | Of many a pilgrim hastow Cristes curs, |
For of thy percely yet they fare the wors, | |
That they han eten with thy stubbel goos, | |
For in thy shoppe is many a flye loos. | |
Now telle on, gentil Roger, by thy name, | |
30 | But yet I pray thee, be nat wroth for game; |
A man may seye ful sooth in game and pley." | |
"Thou seist ful sooth," quod Roger, "by my fey; | |
But `sooth pley quaad pley,' as the Flemyng seith. | |
And therfore, Herry Bailly, by thy feith, | |
35 | Be thou nat wrooth, er we departen heer, |
Though that my tale be of an hostileer. | |
But nathelees I wol nat telle it yit, | |
But er we parte, ywis, thou shalt be quit." | |
And ther-with-al he lough and made cheere, | |
40 | And seyde his tale, as ye shul after heere. |
Next: The Cook's Tale (ll. 41-98) | © Librarius All rights reserved. |