The Friar's Tale
Folio 82v
3 of 9 folios
Rod for to sompne / an old wyf orrible
Feynyng a cause / for he wold hire brydle
And happed that he saw / byforñ hī ryde
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A gay ȝoman / vnder a forest syde
A bowe he bar / and arwes brigħt and kene
He had vp on / a courteby of Grene
An hat vp on his hed / with frenges blake
Sire qd this sompnour / heyl and wel a take
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Welcome qd he / and euery good felawe
Whider ridest þu / vnder this grene wode shawe
Seide this ȝoman / wylt þu fer to day
This Sompnour answered / and seide nay
Heere fast by qd he / is myn entent
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To riden / for to reysen vp / a rent
That longetħ to my lordes / duete
A / art thow thanne a bayly / ȝe qd he
He durst nat for verray velanye / and shame
Sey that he was a Sompnor / for the name
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Depardeux qd this ȝoman / dere brother
Thow art a Bailly / and I am a nother
I am vnknowen / as in this contree
Of thyn acqueyntaunce / I wold preye the
And eke of brotherhede / if that thow list
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I haue gold and siluer / in my chest
If that the happed / to come in to oure shire
Al shal by thyn / rigħt as thow wolt desire
Graunt mercy qd this Sompnour / be my feitħ
Euerycħ in otheres hand / his trouthe leitħ
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For to be sworñ bretheren / til that they deye
In daliaunce they reden fortħ / and pleye
This Sompnour whicħ þt was / as ful of Iangles
As ful of venym ben / theise wariangles
And euere enqueryng / vp on euery thyng
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Brother qd he / where is now / ȝoure dwellyng
A nother day / if that I shuld ȝow seche
This ȝeman hī answered / in softe speche
Brother qd he / fer in the Nortħ contree
Where as I hope / somtyme I shal the se
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Er we departe / I shal the so wel wysse
That of myn hous / ne shalt þu neuere mysse
Now Brother qd this Sompnour / I ȝow preye
Teche me / whil we riden by the weye
Syn that ȝe ben / a Bailly / as am I
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Som sotiltee / and telle me feitħfully
In myn office / how that I may most wynne
And sparetħ nat / for conscience or for Synne