Takamiya MS 24 f. 174r

As ye hav herde yit to you alle I pray
Blameth me nou[gh]t for as in my sentence
Whul ye nowher fynde difference
From the sentence of this tretice li[gh]t
Aftir the wich this meri tale I write
And therfor herkeneth whit that I shal sey
And let me telle all my tale I prey

Hic definit fabula de Sir Thopas
Et hic Incipit fabula de Melibeus

A yonge man callid Melibe
mi[gh]ti and riche begat upon his wif
that callid was prudence / a dou[gh]ter
wich that callid was Sophie / upon
a day befell that he for his disport is
went in to the feldes him to pleie / his
wif and eke his dou[gh]ter hath he last
within his hous / of ich the dores
weren fast I shet/. thre of his olde foos
hav it espied and setten ladders to the walles of his hous
and by windowes ben yentred and anf beten his wif & wounded
his dou[gh]ter in V mortall woundes in V places sondri / this
is to sain in her fete in her handes / in her eres / in her nose / &
in her mought / and leften hir for ded & wenten awey / whan
Melibeus retorned was in to his hous & saw al this mis-
chef