II. THE PLOWMANS TALE.
Here beginneth the Plowmans Prologue.
The Plowman plucked up his plow,
Whan midsommer mone was comen in,
And sayd, ‘his beestes shuld ete y-now,
And lig in the grasse, up to the chin;
5They ben feble, both oxe and cow,
Of hem nis left but boon and skin.’
He shook of share, and cultre of drow,
And hong his harneys on a pin.
Whan midsommer mone was comen in,
And sayd, ‘his beestes shuld ete y-now,
And lig in the grasse, up to the chin;
5They ben feble, both oxe and cow,
Of hem nis left but boon and skin.’
He shook of share, and cultre of drow,
And hong his harneys on a pin.
He took his tabard and his staf eke,
10And on his heed he set his hat;
And sayde, he wolde saynt Thomas seke,
On pilgrimage he goth forth plat.
In scrippe he bar both breed and lekes,
He was forswonke and all forswat;
15Men might have seen through both his chekes,
And every wang-toth and where it sat.
10And on his heed he set his hat;
And sayde, he wolde saynt Thomas seke,
On pilgrimage he goth forth plat.
In scrippe he bar both breed and lekes,
He was forswonke and all forswat;
15Men might have seen through both his chekes,
And every wang-toth and where it sat.
Our hoste beheld wel all about,
And saw this man was sunne y-brent;
He knew well by his senged snout,
20And by his clothes that were to-rent,
He was a man wont to walke about,
He nas nat alway in cloystre y-pent;
He coud not religiousliche lout,
And therfore was he fully shent.
And saw this man was sunne y-brent;
He knew well by his senged snout,
20And by his clothes that were to-rent,
He was a man wont to walke about,
He nas nat alway in cloystre y-pent;
He coud not religiousliche lout,
And therfore was he fully shent.
From Thynne (ed. 1542). I give rejected spellings.
1. Ploweman; plowe. 3. eate ynowe. 4. lyge; chynne. 5. cowe. 6. bone; skynne. 7. shoke; drowe. 8. honge; pynne. 9. toke; tabarde; staffe. 12. pylgremage; platte. 13. bare. 14. forswatte. 15. sene. 17. behelde wele. 18. sawe. 19. knewe; snoute. 23. coulde; loute.
