And many a Iakke of Douere hastow soold
That hath been twies hoot and twies coold
Of many a pilgrym hastow Cristes curs
For of thy persle yet they fare the wors
That they han eten with thy stubbul goos
For in thy shoppe is many a flye loos
Now tel on / gentil Roger by thy name
But yet I praye thee be nat wrooth for game
A man may seye ful sooth in game and pley
¶ Thow seist ful sooth quod Roger by my fey
From Mc Þou seydest not a sother word to dey
But sooth pley quade pley as the Flemyng seith
And therfore Herry Bailly by thy feith
Be thou nat wrooth er we departen heer
From Ha3 Ne beo not wroþe and tolde as ye may here
Thogh that my tale be of an hostiler
But nathelees I wol nat telle it yit
But er we parte ywis thow shalt be quyt
And ther with al he lough and made cheere
And seyde his tale as ye shal after heere
Here endeth the prologe .
From Ad1Explicit prologus coqui ·
¶ Here bigynneth the Cook his tale
From Ad1 Narrat
A Prentis whilom dwelled in oure Citee
And of a craft of vitaillers was he
Gaillard he was as goldfynch in the shawe
Broun as a berye a propre short felawe
With lokkes blake ykembd ful fetisly
Dauncen he koude so wel and iolily
That he was clepyd Perkyn Reuelour
He was as ful of loue and paramour
As is the hyue ful of hony swete