* * * * *
=Bihold the mery wordes of the Host to the Shipman
and to the lady Prioresse.=
‘Wel seyd, by _corpus dominus_,’ quod our hoste, 1625
‘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, 1630
And in his wyves eek, by seint Austin!
Draweth no monkes more un-to your in.
HEADING. _So_ E. (_with_ Bihoold, murie, Hoost); Hn. Herke the myrie
Wordes of the Worthy Hoost; Pt. And here bygynneth the prologe of the
priores; Ln. Incipit prologus Priorisse. 1625. E. Hn. Hoost. 1626.
E. Hn. moote; Ln. Hl. mot; _rest_ mote. E. saille; cost. 1628. E.
this; _rest_ the. Hn. quaad; _rest_ quade.
But now passe over, and lat us seke aboute,
Who shal now telle first, of al this route, (10)
Another tale;’ and with that word he sayde, 1635
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. 1640
Now wol ye vouche-sauf, my lady dere?’
‘Gladly,’ quod she, and seyde as ye shal here. (18)
_Explicit_.
1642. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. sayde in this manere.
[181: T. 13383-13403.]
* * * * *