The Friar's Tale
Folio 78v
1 of 10 folios
Wher as that Somnours / han hir heritage
And god / that made after his ymage
Mankynde / saue / and gyde vs alle and some
And leue thise Somnors / goode men to bicome
345
¶ Lordynges / I koude han told yow / quod this frere
Hadde I had leyser / for this Somnor heere
After the text / of crist Poul and Ioħn
And of oure othere doctours / many oon
Swiche peynes / that youre hertes myghte agryse
350
Al be it so / no tonge may it deuyse
Thogh that I myghte / a thousand wynter telle
The peynes / of thilke cursed hous of helle
But for to kepe vs / fro that cursed place
Waketh / and preyeth Iħu for his grace
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So kepe vs / fro the temptour Sathanas
Herketh this word / beth war as in this cas
The leou sit in his awayt alway
To sle the Innocent if that he may
Disposeth ay youre hertes / to withstonde
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The feend / that yow wolde maken thral and bonde
He may nat tempte yow / ouer your myght /
For crist wol be youre champion and knyght
And prayeth / that this Somnors hem repente
Of hir mysdedes / er that the feend hem hente
¶ Here endeth / the freres tale ~