Or ellis he moot telle his tale vntrewe Or feyne thyng or fynde wordes newe He may noght spare althogh he weere his brother He moot as wel seye o word as another Crist spak hymself ful brode in holy writ And wel ye woot no vileynye is it Ek Plato seith whoso kan hym rede The wordes mote be cosyn to the dede Also I pray yow to foryeue it me Al haue I nat set folk in hir degree Here in this tale as that they sholde stonde My wit is short ye may wel vnderstonde Greet cheere made oure hoost vs euerichon And to the souper sette he vs anon He serued vs with vitaille at the beste Strong was the wyn and wel to drynke vs leste A semely man oure hoost was with alle For to been a Marchal in an halle A large man he was with eyen stepe A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe Boold of his speche and wys and wel ytaught And of manhode hym lakked right naught Eke therto he was right a murye man And after souper pleyen he bigan And spak of murthe amonges othere thynges Whan that we hadde maad oure rekenynges