The Friar's Prologue
Folio 68r
1 of 2 folios
That myght do him plesance or lykyng
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¶ And thus thei lyue vn to lyues ende
In parfyt Ioy and Iħu crist vs sende
Housbondes meke and yonge and fressh a bedde
And gace to ouerbyde hem that we wedde
And ek I pay Iħu short hir lyues
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That nought wil be gouerned bi hir wyues
And old and angry nygardes of dispence
God sende hem sone verry pestilence.
Here endeth the wyfes tale of bathe
Here bygynneth the prolog of the freris tale .
This worthi limitour this noble frere
He made alwey a maner louryng chere
Vpon the Sompner but for honeste
No vileyns word as yit to him spake he
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But atte last he seyde vnto the wif
Dame quod he god yeue yow ryght good lif
Ye han here touched also mot I the
In scole matere gret difficultee
Ye han seyde moche thing ryght wel I sey
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But dame here as we ryden bi the wey
Vs nedeth not to speken but of game
And lat auctoritees in goddes name
To preching and to scole of clergye
But if it like to this compaignye
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I wil of a Sompnour telle a game
Parde ye may wel know by the name
That of a Sompnour may no good be seide
I prey that noon of yow be yuel apeyde
A Sompnour is a renner vp and doun
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With maundementz for fornicacioun
And is I bete at euery tounes ende
Owre oost tho spake a . syr ye shold be hende
And curtaise as a man of your estate
In compaignye we wil no debate
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Telleth your tale and let the sompnour be
Nay quod the sompnour let him sey to me
What so him lest whan hit comth to my lot