A large man he was / with eyen stepeA fairer burgeys / was ther noon in ChepeBoold of his speche / and wys / and well ytaughtAnd of manhode / hym lakked right naughtEke ther to / he was right a murye manAnd after souper / pleyen he biganAnd spak of murthe / amonges othere thyngesWhan þᵗat we hadde maad oure rekenyngesAnd seyde thus / now lordes trewelyYe been to me / right wel come hertelyFor by my trouthe / if þᵗat I shal nat lyeI seigh noght this yeer / so mury a compaignyeAt ones in this herberwe / as is nowFayn wolde I doon yow myrthe / wiste I howAnd of a myrthe / I am right now bithoghtTo doon yow ese / and it shal coste noght¶ Ye goon to Caunt̉erbury / god yow spedeThe blisful Martir / quyte yow youre medeAnd wel I woot as ye goon by the weyeYe shapen yow / to talen and to pleyeFor trewely / confort / ne murthe is noonTo ryde by the weye / domb as stoonAnd ther fore / wol I maken yow desportAs I seyde erst and doon yow som confortAnd if yow liketh alle / by oon assentFor to stonden / at my IuggementAnd for to werken / as I shal yow seyeTomorwe / whan ye ryden by the weyeNow by my fader soule / þᵗat is deedBut ye be murye / I wol yeue yow myn heedHoold vp youre hondes / with outen moore speche¶ Oure conseil / was nat longe for to secheVs thoughte / it was nat worth / to make it wysAnd graunted hym / with outen moore avysAnd bade hym seye / his voirdit as hym leste¶ Lordynges quod he / now herkneth for the besteBut taketh it noght I pray yow in desdeynThis is the poynt to speken short and pleynThat ech of yow / to shorte with oure weyeIn this viage / shal tellen tales tweye