Incipit carmen secundum ordinem li… Almighty and al merciable queene, To whom that al this world fleeth… To have relees of sinne, of sorwe,… Glorious virgine, of alle floures…

THE PROLOGUE. By that the Manciple his tale had… The sunne from the south line was… So lowe, that it was not to my sig… Degrees nine-and-twenty as in heig…

In days of old there lived, of mig… A valiant Prince, and Theseus was… A chief, who more in feats of arms… The rising nor the setting sun beh… Of Athens he was lord; much land…

The double 12 sorwe of Troilus to… That was the king Priamus sone of… In lovinge, how his aventures fell… Fro wo to wele, and after out of… My purpos is, er that I parte fro…

Adam scriveyn, if ever it thee bif… Boece or Troylus for to wryten ne… Under thy long lokkes thou most ha… But after my makyng thow wryte mor… So ofte adaye I mot thy werk rene…

THE PROEM I have gret wonder, be this lighte… How that I live, for day ne night… I may nat slepe wel nigh noght, I have so many an ydel thoght

‘Weeping and wailing, care and oth… I have enough, on even and on morr… Quoth the Merchant, 'and so have… That wedded be; I trow* that it b… For well I wot it fareth so by me…

Compleyne ne koude, ne might myn h… My peynes halve, ne what torment… Though that I sholde in your pres… Myn hertes lady, as wisly he me sa… That Bountee made, and Beautee li…

THE Cook of London, while the R… For joy he laugh’d and clapp’d him… ‘Aha!’ quoth he, 'for Christes pa… This Miller had a sharp conclusio… Upon this argument of herbergage.*…

‘No more of this, for Godde’s dig… Quoth oure Hoste; 'for thou makes… So weary of thy very lewedness,*… That, all so wisly* God my soule… Mine eares ache for thy drafty* sp…

Incipit Liber Quintus. Aprochen gan the fatal destinee That Ioves hath in disposicioun, And to yow, angry Parcas, sustren… Committeth, to don execucioun;

THE PROLOGUE. WHEN ended was the life of Sain… Ere we had ridden fully five mile, At Boughton-under-Blee us gan o’e… A man, that clothed was in clothes…

THE PROLOGUE. ‘Ho! ’ quoth the Knight, 'good si… That ye have said is right enough,… And muche more; for little heavine… Is right enough to muche folk, I…

Somtyme the world was so stedfast… That mannes word was obligacioun, And now it is so fals and deceivab… That word and deed, as in conclusi… Ben nothing lyk, for turned up-so-…

Prohemium. But al to litel, weylaway the whyl… Lasteth swich Ioye, y-thonked be… That semeth trewest, whan she wol… And can to foles so hir song entun…