2v

Harneised wel and sharp as point of Spere
A Christofir on his brest of silvere shene
An horne he bare the gurdil was of grene
A Forster was he sotheli as I gesse
There was also a nonne a prioresse
That of hir smyling was full [straunge] & coy
Hir gretist othe was but by Seint Loy
And she was callid madame Eglantine
Full wel she sang the servive divinie
Entuned in hir nose fulle semely
And frenssh she spac ful feire and fetisly
Aftir the scole of Stratford at Bowe
For frenssh of Paris was to her unknow
At mete wel y taught was she with all
She lete no morcell from hir lippis falle
Ne wette hir fingirs in hir sauce depe
Wele couth she cary a mortell & wel kepe
That no drope fille upon hir brest
In curtesy was sette ful mochil hir lest
Hir overelippe wipid she so clene
That in hir cuppe was no ferthing sene
Of grees, whan she drunke had hir draught
Ful semeli aft hir mete she raught
And sicurli she was of gret disport
And ful plesaunt and amiable of port
And peyned hir to countirfete chere
Of court, and to be stately of manere
And to be holden digne of revererence
But forto speke of hir conscience
She was so cheritable and so pitous
She wold wepe if that she sawe a mouse
Caught in a trappe, if it were dede or blede
Of smale houndis had she that she fedde
with rostid flessh or milke and wastil brede
But sore wept she is eny of hem were dede
Or if men smote it with a yerde smert
And all was conscience and tendir hert