The Friar's Tale
Folio 115(b)v
1 of 11 folios
And is y bete at euery townes ende
Oure host þo spak a sire ȝe scholde ben heende
And curteys as a man of ȝour astat
In companye we wille no debat /
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Telleþ ȝoure tale and lateþ þe somnor be
Nay quod þe somnour lat him seye to me
What so him list whan it comþ to my lot
By god I schal him quiten euery grot
I schal him telle such a gret honour
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It is to be a flateryng lymytour
And eek of ful many an oþer cryme
Which nedeþ nat rehersen at þis tyme /
And his office I schal him telle y wys
Oure host answerde pees nomore of þis
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And afterward he seyde vnto þe frere /
Telle forþ ȝoure tale my leue mayster deere /
¶ Here bygynnetħ þe ¶ Freres tale
Whilom þer was dwellyng in Couentre
An erchedekne a man of heih degre
That boldely dide execucioū
In punysschyng of fornicacioū
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Of wichcraf and eek of Bawderie
Of diffamacioū and auoutrie
Of chirche reeues and of testamentes
Of contractes and of lak of sacramentes
Of vsure and Symonye also
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But certes lecchours dede he grettest wo
They scholden syngen if þey were hent
And smale tyþeres weren foule y schent
If eny persoū wolde vpon hem pleyne
Ther might astirte him no pecunial peyne
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For smale tyþes and eek for smal offrynge
He made þe poeple spitously to synge
For or þe bisschop caugħt hem wiþ his hook
They weren in þe Erchedeknes book
And þanne hadde he þurgħ his Iurdiccioū
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Power to don on hem correccioū he hadde a somnor