| | Our counsel shal not longe be to seche | |
| 785 | Vs thoughte it was not worth to make vs wyse | |
| | And graunted hym withoute more a vyse | |
| | And bad hym saye his verdit as hym list | |
| | Lordynges qd he now herkeneth for the best | |
| | But take it not I pray you in disdeyne | |
| 790 | This is the poynt to speke it short & pleyne | |
| | That eche of you to shorte with your weye | |
| | In this viage shal telle talis tweye | |
| | To Cauntirburyward I mene it so | |
| | And homward he shal telle other talis to | |
| 795 | Of auenturis that whilom haue befalle | |
| | And whiche of you berith hym best of alle | |
| | That is to sey that tellith in this case | |
| | Tales of best sentence and most solace | |
| | Shal haue a soper of oure alther cost | |
| 800 | Here in this place sittynge by this post | |
| | Whan that ye come ayen from Caunterbury | |
| | And forto make you the more mery | |
| | I wil my self go with you and ryde | |
| | Right at myn owen cost and be your gyde | |
| 805 | And who that wol my iugement with say | |
| | Shortly shal paye all that is spent be the way | |
| | And if ye vouchesauf that it be soo | |
| | Tel me anone withoute wordis moo | |
| | And I wil hertly shape me therfore | |
| 810 | This thing was graunted & othis swore | |
| | With ful glad herte & preyen hym also | |
| | That he wolde vouchesauf to do so | |
