The Friar's Tale
Folio 106r
7 of 11 folios
And som tyme we . ben seruaūt vnto man
As to therchebisschop seynt Dunstan
And to thapostalis seruaunt was I
Ȝit tel me quod þe sompnour faithfully
205
Make ȝe ȝow . newe bodies alway /
Of elementz . þe fend answerde nay
Som tyme we feyne . and somtyme we ryse
Wiþ dede bodies . in ful wonder wyse
And speke renably . and as fair and wel
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As to þe Phitonissa dede Samuel
And ȝit wol sōme say . it was not he
I do no fors . of ȝour diuinite
But oon þing warne I þe I wol not iape .
Þou . wilt algates wite how we ben schape .
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Thow schalt her afterward my broþer deere
Come wher þe nedith no þing for to leere
For þou schalt by þin oughn experience
Conne in a chayer reden of þis sentence
Bet þan vigile whils he was on lyue /
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Or Daunt also / now let vs ryde blyue
For I wol holde company with þe
Til it be so þat þou forsake me
Nay quod þe sompnour þat schal nought betyde
I am a ȝiman þat knowen is ful wyde
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My trouþe wol I hold as in þis caas
For þough þou be þe deuyl Sathanas
My trouþe wol I holde . to þe my broþer
As I am swore . and ech of vs to oþer
For to be trewe breþeren in þis caas
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For boþe we goon abouten oure purchas
Tak þou þi part and þat men wil þe ȝyuen
And I schal myn þus may we boþe lyuen
And if eny of vs . haue more þan oþer
Let him be trewe . and part it wiþ his broþer
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I graunte quod þe deuel by my fay /
And wiþ þat word þay riden forþ her way
And right at þentryng of a townes ende /
To which þis sompnour schope him for to wende