The Summoner's Tale
Folio 81r
15 of 16 folios
And in his hert he rolled vp and doun
510
¶ How that this cherle had ymaginacioun
To shew such a probleme to a frere
Neuer erst or now herd I such a matere
I trow the deuel put it in his mynde
In ars metrik shal ther no man fynde
515
By fore this day such a questioun
Who sholde make a demonstracioun
That euery man shold haue I lyke his part
As of a soun or sauour of a fart
O nyce proude cherl I shrew thi face
520
Lo syrs quod the lord wyth hard grace
Who euyr herd of swich a thing or now
To euery man I lyk telle me how
It is an inpossible it may nat be
Ey nyce cherle god lat him neuer the
525
The rombelyng of a fart and euery soun
Nis but of eyr reuerberacioun
And euer it wasteth lyte and lite awey
Ther nys no man can deme it bi my fey
Thogh that it were departed equaly
530
What lo my cherl lo yet how shrewdely
Vnto my confessour to day he spak
I holde him certeynly a demonyak
Now ete your mete and lete the cherl go pley
Let him go heng him self a deuel wey
535
Now stood the lordes squyer at the bord
That carf his mete and herd word by word
Of al thing of which I haue yow seyde
My lord quod he be ye noght euel apeyde
¶ I couth telle for a goune cloth
540
To yow syr frere so ye be nat wroth
How that this fart shold euyn I deled be
A mong your couent yif it lyked me
¶ Telle quod the lord and thou shalt han anon
A goun cloth bi god and bi seint Ioħn
545
My lord quod he whan that the weder is feyr
Wyth outen wynt or parturbyng of eyr