Here bigynneth the Prologe / of the tale of the Reeue From Ma Hic incipit prologus fabule prepositi From Ii et Incipit prologus de le Reeue Whan folk hadde laughen / at this nyce cas Of Absolon / and hende Nicholas Diuerse folk / diuersely they seyde But for the moore part they lowe and pleyde Ne at his tale / I seigh no man hym greue But it were oonly / Osewold the Reue By cause he was / of Carpenters craft A litel Ire / is in his herte ylaft He gan to grucche / and blamed it alite So the ik quod he / ful wel koude I thee quyte With bleryng of a proud Millerys Iye If that me liste / speke of ribaudye But ik am oold / me list no pleye for age Gras tyme is doon / my fodder is now forage This white top / writeth myne olde yerys Myn herte / is also mowled / as myne herys But if ik fare / as dooth an Openers That ilke fruyt is euer lenger the wers Til it be roten / in Mollok or in stree We olde men / I drede so fare we Til we be roten / kan we noght be rype We hoppe alwey / whil that the world wol pipe For in oure wil / ther stiketh euere a nayl To haue an hoor heer / and a grene tayl