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HERE BEGYNNETH THE COOKES TALE
A prentys whilom dwelled in oure sitee,
And of a crafte of vitellers was he.
Gaylerd he was as gyldfynch in the shawe,
Broun as a bery, a propre short folawe
With lokkys blake y-kembed ful fetisly.
Dauncen he kowde so wel and jolyly
That he was cleped Perkyn Reveloure.
He was as ful of love and paramoure
As is the hyve ful of hony swete.
Wel was the wench that hym myght mete,
And at every bridale wolde he synge and hoppe.
He loved bet the taverne than he dede the shoppe,
For when ther was eny rydyng in Chepe,
Out of the shoppe theder wolde he lepe,
Til that he hedde al the sight y-seyn,
And daunced wel - he nold not come agayn -
And gadered hym a mayny of his sort
To hoppe and synge and make such disport.
With Rech-never and Recheles this lessoun he lerys 1
With Waste and with Wranglere, his owne pley-ferys,
With Lyght-honde and with Likorouse-mowth, with Unschamfast;
With Drynke-more and with Drawe-abak, her thryst is y-past,
With Malaperte and with Mysseavysed - such meyny they hight, 2
That wolle do but a lytull tylle her dyner be dyght.
Thus they stevyn whan they myght mete
To pley at the dyse in suche a prevey strete,
For in Londoun ther was none apprentyse
That feirer couth caste a scharpe peir of dyse
Than couthe Perkyn, and therto he was free,
Large of his dispence in place of prevytee
With Magot and with Mylsent, whan that he mette.
The bagge with the powder anon was unknette.
His purs was inperfit, he couthe not welle kepe:
"Yet let us be mery, while oure sire is aslepe!"
With pyes and with pykrels, with wynes moste swete,
With loche and with lamprey the childe myght not ete.
The tapster, the taverner, the koke was nedy,
Wolde clepe on Perkyn, for his purs was so redy -
And that fownde his Maister welle in his chaffare,
For every other day his boxe was lefte bare.
An unthryfty begynnyng, for yong or for olde,
A prentyse to be a reveloure and paramours to holde.
That bargeyn no man so sore schalle abye
As his Maister that hath no parte of his melodye.
For theft and ryot, they beth inconvertyble,
Alle-thogh he can pley on getern and rybible;
Ravelle and trouthe as in a lowe degree,
They mow not acorde; al day men it see.
When thy purs is penyles, where schalt thou have more,
Thou that wylt not the occupie no thyng therfore?
Revell ys ordeyned to hem that mow pay,
But prentise ne pore man, they mowe not away;
Evelle-sponne woole at the laste wolle come oute,
Though thou kepe it never so prevey in a lytelle cloute.
Thus the joly prentyse with his maister abode,
Tylle he was nye oute of his prenteshode,
Alle-thogh he were snybbyd both erly and late.
Yet sometyme he was ladde with revell to Newgate.
But at the laste as his Maister hym bethought
To over-se his papire and hym thorow sought
Uppon a proverbe that seith this same worde:
"Better ys rotten appulle out of an hurde
Than for to let hem rote alle the remenaunte."
And ryght so it fareth by a ryotes servaunte;
It is lasse harme for to let hym pace
Then for to schende al the servaunts in the place.
Even as a scabbed schepe in the folde
Alle a flocke wolle defyle, both yonge and olde,
Ryght even so a febel servaunt may
Distruye fourty of his felaws in a day.
Therfore his Maister gaffe hym acquytaunce
And bade hym goe with sorowe and meschaunce:
"Better ys betyme to voyde suche a clerke;
The lenger he abydeth, the wors is his werke.
He that his maister no profite wolle wynne,
Y holde hym better out of the hous than withynne."
And thus the joly prentys had leve;
Now let hym revell alle the nyght, or leve.
Ther ys no thiffe without a lowke
That helpeth hym to waste and to sowke,
Or that he brybe can or oght borowe may.
Anon he sent his bedde and alle his araye
Unto a compere of his owne sorte
That loved welle the dyse, ryot and disporte.
A wife he hadde that helde her contenaunce
A schoppe, and ever sche pleyed for his sustenaunce.
What thorowe hymselfe and his felawe that sought,
Unto a myschefe bothe they were broght.
The tone y-dampned to presoun perpetually,
The tother to deth for he couthe not of clergye.
And therfore, yonge men, lerne while ye may
That with mony dyvers thoghtes beth prycked al the day.
Remembre you what myschefe cometh of mysgovernaunce.
Thus mowe ye lerne worschep and come to substaunce.
Thenke how grace and governaunce hath broght hem a boune,
Many pore mannys sonn, chefe state of the towne.
Ever rewle the after the beste man of name,
And God may grace the to come to the same.
HERE ENDETH THE COKES TALE
HERE FOLOWEN THE WORDES OF THE HOOST
UNTO THE MAN OF LAWE
Oure Host saugh wel that the bryght sonne
The arke of his artificial day hath y-ronne . . .
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apprentice once; city
food-sellers
Merry; thicket; (see note)
well-proportioned; fellow
locks; combed; neatly
knew how
Peter (dim.)
womanizing
wedding party
better; did
horse display; Cheapside; (see note)
thither
wouldn't
company
sport
(see note)
playmates
Shameless
their thirst
their; prepared
arranged
dice; secret
could; tricky
generous
spending; private places
(see note)
opened up; (see note)
could
i.e., the master
young pikes
loach; eel-like fish; (see note)
cook
call; since
business
money-coffer
(see note)
profligate
pay for
who; entertainment
interchangeable
guitar; fiddle
Revelry; honesty
(see note)
yourself
them who may
don't move on
Badly spun; unravel; (see note)
securely; rag; (see note)
remained
apprenticeship
scolded
led; Newgate Prison; (see note)
thought to himself
indenture contract; presently
barrel
unruly
go away
corrupt
skin-diseased
infect
gave; document of discharge
misfortune
speedily
within
permission to leave
leave off
thief; accomplice
Who; suck
steal
baggage
companion
for appearance; (see note)
Whatever presently
The one condemned
The other; could not read; (see note)
Who; agitated
wealth
them a reward
man's; highest office
model yourself; reputation
thee
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