To wynne siluer / as he ful wel koudeTher fore he soong the muryerly and loude¶ Now haue I toold yow / soothly in a clauseThestaat / tharray / the nombre / and eek the causeWhy þᵗat assembled was this compaignyeIn Southwerk. at this gentil hostelryeThat highte the tabard / faste by the belleBut now is tyme / to yow for to telleHow þᵗat we baren vs / that ilke nyghtWhan we weere / in that hostelrye alyghtAnd after wol I telle / of oure viageAnd al the remenant of oure pilgrymage¶ But first I pray yow / of youre curteisyeThat ye narette it / noght my vileynyeThough þᵗat I pleynly speke / in this matereTo telle yow / hir wordes / and hir cheereNe thogh I speke / hir wordes ꝓproprelyFor this ye knowen / also wel as IWho so shal telle a tale / after a manHe moot reherce / as neigh as eủere he kanEuerich a word / if it be in his chargeAl speke he / neuer so rudeliche and largeOr ellis / he moot telle his tale vntreweOr feyne thyng or fynde wordes neweHe may noght spare / althogh he weere his brotherHe moot as wel / seye o word / as anotherCrist spak hym self ful brode in holy writAnd wel ye woot no vileynye is itEk Plato seith / who so kan hym redeThe wordes / mote be cosyn / to the dede¶ Also I pray yow / to foryeue it meAl haue I nat set folk / in hir degreeHere in this tale / as þᵗat they sholde stondeMy wit is short ye may wel vnderstonde¶ Greet cheere / made oure hoost vs euerichonAnd to the souper / sette he vs anonHe serued vs / with vitaille / at the besteStrong was the wyn / and wel to drynke vs lesteA semely man / oure hoost was with alleFor to been / a Marchal in an halle