The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 200v
8 of 19 folios
Herkne felawes we þre ben aƚƚ ones
Let eche of vs halde vp his hand to oþer
370
And eche of vs bycome oþeres broþer
And we woln slee þis false traytour deþ
He schal be slayn he þat so many sleþ
By goddes dignite er it be nigħt
To gidre haue þese þre here hertes higħt
375
To lyue and deye ilk of hem to oþer
As þougħ he were his owen sworne broþer
And vp þey sterte al drunken in þis rage
And forþ þey gon toward þat village
Of which þe tauerner haþ spoke byforn
380
And many a grisly oþ þenne haue þey sworn
And cristes blessed body þey torent
Deth schal be deed if þat we may him hent /
Whan þey han goon nougħt fully a myle /
Right as þey wolde haue treden ouer a style
385
And olde and a pore man with hem mette
Þis olde man ful mekely hem grette
And seyde þus now lordes god ȝou se
Þe proudest of þese ryettoures þre
Answered agayn what carle wiþ harde gace
390
Why art þou al forwrapped saue þy face
Why lyuest þou so longe in so gret age /
Þis olde man gan loke in his visage
And sayde þus for I can nougħt fynde
A man þougħ þat I walked in to ynde
395
Neyþer in Cite ne in village
That wol chaunge his ȝouþe for mȳ age
And þerfore moot I haue myn age stille
As lange tyme as it is goddes wille
Ne deþ allas nel nougħt haue my lyf
400
Þus walke I lyk a resteles kaytyf
And on þe ground which is my moodres gate /
I knokke wiþ my staff erly and late
And saye leeue mooder lete me Inne lo how I wause