The Friar's Tale
Folio 119v
9 of 11 folios
Broþer quod he her woneþ an old rebekke
That hadde almost as leef to leese hir necke
275
As for to ȝiue a peny of hire good
I wil haue twelue pens þough þat sche be wood
Or I wille sompne hire to oure office
And ȝit god woot of hire knowe I no vice
But for þou canst nat as in þis contre
280
Wynne þi coste tak here ensample of me
This somnour clappeþ at þe wydowes gate
Com out he seyde þou olde viritrate
I trowe þou hast som frere or prest wiþ þe
Who clappeþ seyde þis wijf bñdicite
285
God saue ȝou sire what is ȝour swete wille
I haue quod he a somonĂ« of þe here a bille
Vp peyne of cursyng loke þat þou be
To morwe biforn oure erchedekenes kne
To answere to þe court of certein þinges
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Now lord quod sche crist ihū heuen kinges
So wisly helpe me as I ne may
I haue ben syk and þat ful many a day
I may nat gon so fer quod sche ne ryde
But I be deed so prikeþ it in my syde /
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May I nat axe a libel sire somonor
And answere þere by my procutour
To swich a þing as men wolde appose me /
Ȝis qd þis somnor pay anon lat se
Twelue pens to me and I wil þe aquite
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I schal no profyt haue þer by but lite
My maister haþ þe profyt and nat I
Come of and late me ryden hastily
Ȝeue me twelue I may no lenger tarye
Twelue quod sche lady seinte marie
305
So wisly help me out of care and synne
Þis wyde world þough þat I scholde it wynne
Ne haue I not xij. pens wiþinne myn holde
Ȝe knowen wel þat I am pouer and olde