The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 220v
6 of 21 folios
¶ Now he is goon I dar sey boldely
For men sayn he can do craftily
185
Algate I woot wel he hath swich a name
And yit ful ofte he renneth in a blame
And wit ye how ful ofte it happeth so
The pot to breketh and fare wel al is go
This metals ben of so gret violence
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Our walles mow nat make hem resistence
But yif thei weren wrought of lyme and ston
Thei percen so and thurgh the wal the gon
And some of hem synken in to the ground
Thus han we lost by tymes many a pound
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And sum ar scatered al the floor aboute
Som lepe in to the roof with outen doute
Thogh that the feend nat in our sight him shewe
I trowe he with vs be that ilke shrewe
In helle where that he is lord and sire
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Nis ther more wo ne more rancour ne Ire
Whan that our pot is broke as I haue saide
Euery man chit and halt him euel apaide
¶ Somme seide it was longe on the fire makyng
Somme seide nay it was on the blowyng
205
Than was I ferd for that was myn office
¶ Strawe quod the .iijõ. ye ben lewde and nyce
It was nat tempred as it aught to be
¶ Nay quod the fourth stynte and herkene me
Bi cause our fire ne was nat made of beche
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That is the cause and other non so theche
I kan nat telle where on it was long
But wel I woot gret strif is vs among
¶ What quod my lord ther nys no moore to done
Of this perils I wol be war eft sone
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I am right siker that the pot was crased
Be as be may / be ye no thing amazed
As vsage is lat swepe the floor as swithe
Pluk vp your hertes and beth glad and blithe
The Mullok on an hepe I swepid was
220
And on the floor I cast a Canevas