The Friar's Tale
Folio 69r
2 of 11 folios
For theigh this sompnour wod were as an hare
To tellen him herlotrye I wil not spare
For we ben out of his correccioun
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Thei han of vs no Iurisdiccioun
Ne neuer shul terme of al hir lyues
¶ Petyr so ben wommen of the styues
¶ Quod the Sompnour I put oute of our cure
¶ Pees wyth meschaunce and wyth mis auenture
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Thus seyde our host and lat him telle his tale
Now telleth forth thogh that the sompnour gale
Ne spareth nat myn owne maister dere
¶ This fals theef this sompnour quod the frere
Had alway baudes redy to his hond
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As any hauke to lure in Engelond
That tolde him al the secre that thei knewe
For her acqueyntance was not come of newe
Thei weren his aprowours priuely
He toke him self a gret profite ther by
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His maister knew not alwey what he wan
With outen maundement a lewde man
He couth sompne vp peyne of cristes curs
And thei were glad for to fille his purs
And made him gret festes atte nale
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And ryght as Iudas had purses smale
And was a theef ryght swich a theef was he
His maister had but half his duete
He was yif I shal yeuen him his laude
A theef and eke a sompnour and a baude
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He had ek wenches at his retenue
That whether syr Robert or syr hewe
Or Iakke or Raufe or who so that it were
That lay bi hem thei tolde it in his ere
¶ Thus was the wenche and he of on assent
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And he wold fecch a feyned maundement
And sompne hem to chapiter bothe two
And pil the man and lat the wenche go .