The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 175r
8 of 21 folios
For in his termes he wol him so wynde
And speke his wordes in so sleygh a kynde
Whan he comune schal wiþ eny wigħt
That he wil make him dote anoon rigħt
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But it a feend be as him seluen is
Ful many a man hath he bygiled er þis
And wol if þat he lyue may a while /
And ȝet men ryde and goon ful many a myle /
Him for to seeke and haue his aqueintaunce /
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Nought knowyng of his false gouernaunce
And if ȝow list to ȝeue me audience
I wol it telle here in ȝoure presence
But worschipful chanoūs religious
Ne demeþ nought þat I sclaundre ȝour hous
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Al þough my tale of a chanoun be /
Of euery ordre som schrewe is par dee /
And god forbede þat al a companye
Schulde rewe a singuler mannes folye
To sclaundre ȝow is no þing myn entent
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But to correcten þat is mys I ment
This tale was not oonly told for ȝow
But eek for oþer moo ȝe woot wel how
That among criste apostles twelue /
Ther was no traytour but Iudas himselue
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Than why schulde þe remenaunt haue a blame
That gulteles were by ȝow say I þe same
Saue oonly þis if ȝe wol herkene me
If any Iudas in ȝoure couent be
Remewe him by tyme I ȝow rede /
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If schame or los may causen eny drede /
And beþ no þing displesed I ȝou pray
But in þis caas herkeneþ what I say
IN londoū was a prest an annueler
That þer In duelled hadde many a ȝer
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Which was so plesaunt and so seruisable /
Vnto þe wyf wher as he was at table
That sche wolde suffre him no þing for to pay
For bord ne cloþing went he neuer so gay