The Summoner's Tale
Folio 81v
16 of 16 folios
Lat brynge a cartwhyle here in to this halle
But loke that it haue his spokes alle
Twelf spokes hath a carte communely
550
And brynge me thanne xij freres wot ye why
For xiij is a couent as I gesse
Your confessour here for his worthynesse
Shal performe vp the nombre of this couent
Thanne shal they knele doun by oon assent
555
And to euery spokes ende in this Manere
Ful sadly ley his nose shal a frere
Your noble confessour there god him saue
Shal holde his nose vpryght vnder the naue
Thanne shal this cherl wyth baly styf and tought
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As any tabur hider ben I broght
And set him on the whel ryght of this cart
Vpon the naue and make him lat a fart
And ye shal seen vp peril of my lif
Bi proef which that is demonstratyf
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That equaly the soun of hit wol wende
And eke the stynke vnto the spokes ende
Saue that this worthi man your confessour
By cause he is a man of gret honour
Shal han the first fruyt as resoun is
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The noble vsage of freres yit it is
The worthi men of hem shul first be serued
And certeynly he hath it wel deserued
He hath to day taught vs so mochel good
Wyth prechyng in the pulpit there he stood
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That I may vouchesafe I sey for me
He had the first smel of fartes thre
And so wolde his Couent hardily
He bereth him so feyre and holyly
The lord the lady and eche man saue the frere
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Seyde that Iankyn spak in this matere
As wel as Euclyde or Protholomee
Touching the cherl thei seyde subtelite
And heigh wit made him speke as he spak
He nys no fool ne no demonyak
585
And Iankyn hath wonne a new goun
My tale is doun we ben almost at toun