To Caunterburyward / I mene it soAnd homward / he shal tellen othere twoOf auentures / þᵗat whilom haue bifalleAnd which of yow / þᵗat bereth hym best of alleThat is to seyn / that telleth in this casTales of best sentence / and moost solasShal haue a Souper / at oure aller costHere in this place / sittynge by this postWhan that we come agayn / fro Caunt̉erburyAnd for to make yow / the moore muryI wol my self goodly wit yow rydeRight at myn owene cost and be youre gydeAnd who so wole / my Iuggement with seyeShal paye / al that we spende by the weyeAnd if ye vouche sauf / þᵗat it be soTel me anoon / with outen wordes moAnd I wol erly / shape me ther fore¶ This thyng was graunted / and oure othes sworeWith ful glad herte / and preyden hym alsoThat he wolde vouche sauf / for to do soAnd that he wolde been / oure goủernourAnd of oure tales / Iuge and reportourAnd sette a souper / at a certeyn prysAnd we wol ruled been / at his deuysIn heigh and logh / and thus by oon assentWe been acorded / to his IuggementAnd ther vp on / the wyn was fet anoonWe dronken / and to reste wente echonWith outen / any lenger taryynge¶ A morwe / whan þᵗat day bigan to spryngeVp roos oure hoost and was oure aller cokAnd gadred vs / togydres in a flokAnd forth we ryden / a litel moore than pasVn to the wateryng of Seint ThomasAnd there oure hoost bigan his hors aresteAnd seyde / lordes / herkneth if yow leste¶ Ye woot youre forward / and it yow recordeIf euensong / and morwesong acordeLat se now / who shal telle the firste taleAs euere mote I drynke wyn / or Ale