Bihold the mery wordes of the Host to the Shipman
and to the lady Prioresse.
’Wel seyd, by corpus dominus,’ quod our hoste,
‘Now longe moot thou sayle by the coste,
Sir gentil maister, gentil marineer!
God yeve this monk a thousand last quad yeer!
A ha! felawes! beth ware of swiche a Iape!
The monk putte in the mannes hood an ape,
And in his wyves eek, by seint Austin!
Draweth no monkes more un-to your in.
But now passe over, and lat us seke aboute,
Who shal now telle first, of al this route,
Another tale;’ and with that word he sayde,
As curteisly as it had been a mayde,
‘My lady Prioresse, by your leve,
So that I wiste I sholde yow nat greve,
I wolde demen that ye tellen sholde
A tale next, if so were that ye wolde.
Now wol ye vouche-sauf, my lady dere?’
‘Gladly,’ quod she, and seyde as ye shal here.
Explicit.
Behold the merry words of the Host to the Shipman
and to the lady Prioress.
“Well said, by corpus dominus,” quoth our host,
“Now long mote thou sail by the coast,
Sir gentil master, gentil mariner!
God gave this monk a thousand last quade year!
A ha! fellows! beeth ware of such a jape!
The monk put in the man’s hood an ape,
And in his wife’s eke, by saint Austin!
Draweth no monks more unto your inn.
“But now pass over, and let us seek about,
Who shall now tell first, of all this rout,
Another tale;” and with that word he said,
As courteously as it had been a maid,
“My lady Prioress, by your leave,
So that I wist I should you not grieve,
I would deemen that ye tellen should
A tale next, if so were that ye would.
Now will ye vouchsafe, my lady dear?”
“Gladly,” quoth she, and said as ye shall hear.
Explicit.
