The Nun's Priest's Tale
Folio 203v
6 of 18 folios
That folk enduren in this lif persent
Ther nedeth make of this non argument
The verrey preef sheweth it in dede
165
¶ Oon of the grettest auctor that men rede
Seith thus that whilom two felawes wente
On pilgrymage with a ful good entente
And happed so thei comen in a toun
Where as ther was swich congregacioun
170
Of peple and eke so streite of herbergage
That thei ne founde as moche as a cotage
In which thei bothe myght I logged be
Wherfore the mosten of necessitee
As for that nyght departen companye
175
And eche of hem goth to his Ostelrye
And took his loggynge as it wolde falle
That on of hem was logged in a stalle
Fer in a yerd with oxen of the plow
That other man was logged wel ynow
180
As was his auenture or his fortune
That vs gouerneth alle as in comune
¶ And so bifel that longe er it were day
This man mette in his bed ther as he lay
How that his felaw gan vpon him calle
185
And seide allas for in an oxe stalle
This nyght I shal be mordred there I lye
Now helpe me dere brother or I dye
In al hast come to me he saide
¶ This man out of his slepe for fere abrayde
190
But whan that he was wakened of his sleep
He turned him and took of this no keep
Him thoght his dreme nas but a vanyte
Thus twies in his slepyng dremed he
And atte thrid yit his felawe
195
Cam as him thoght and seide I am now slawe
Byholde my blody woundes depe and wide
Aris vp erly in the morwe tyde
And at the westgate of the toun quod he
A Cart ful of dong ther shaltow se