The Monk's Tale
Folio 190r
2 of 23 folios
25
Sampson this noble almyghti champioun
With outen wepne saue his handes tweye
He slow and al to rente the leoun
Toward his weddyng walkyng bithe weye
His fals wif coude him so plese and preye
30
Til she his counseil knew and she vntrewe
Vnto his foos his counseil gan biwreye
And him forsook and took a nother newe
Thre hundred foxes took Sampson for Ire
And alle hir taylles he to geder bonde
35
And sette the foxes tailles alle on fyre
For he on euery taille had knette a brond
And thei brend alle the cornes in that lond
And alle hir Olyueres and hir Vynes eke
A thousand men he slow with his hond
40
And hadde no wepne but an asses cheke
Whan thei were slayn so thursted him that he
Was welny lorn for which he gan to preye
That god wold of his peyne haue some pitee
And sende him drynke or elles most he dye
45
And of this asses cheke that was drye
Out of a wang tooth sprange anon a welle
Of which y nogh shortly to seye
Thus helpe him god as Iudicum kan telle
By verray force at Gazan on a nyght
50
Maugre philistiens of that Citee
The gates of the toun he hath vp plight
And on his bak I caried hem hath he
Hie on an hulle where as men myght hem se
O noble almyghti sampson lief and dere
55
Had thow nat told to wommen thi secree
In al this world ne hadde been thi peere
This sampson neuer Ciser drank ne wyn
Ne on his heed cam rasour noon ne shere