The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 197r
15 of 19 folios
For I wole do no labour wiþ mȳ handes
And make basketes and lyue þerby
By cause I wol not beggen ydelly
I wole none of þe aposteles countrefete
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I wole haue money chese and whete
Al were it ȝeuen of þe porest page
Oþer of þe porest wydewe in a village
Al scholde here children sterue for famyne
Nay I wol drynke þe likour of þe vyne
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And haue a Ioly wenche in euery toun
But herkneþ lordynges in conclusioū
Ȝoure liking is þat I schal telle a tale
Now I haue drunke a draugħt of corny ale
By god I hope I schal telle ȝou a þing
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Þat schal by resoun ben at ȝour liking
For þougħ my selue be a vicious man
A more ille tale ȝit I ȝou telle can
Which I am wont to perche for to wynne
Now holde ȝoure pees my tale I wol begynne
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IN Flaundres whilom was a companye
Of ȝong folk þat haunteden folye
As Ryot hasard stewes and tauernes
Where as whyþ harpes lutes and gyternes
They daunce and pleye at dyse boþe day and nigħt
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And eeten also and drunken ouer al here migħt
Þorugħ which þey doon þe deueles sacrifise
Wiþinne þe deueles temple in cursed wyse
Þe Superflues abhominable
Here oþes ben so grete and dampnale
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Þat it is grisly for to here hem swere
Oure blessed lordes body they to tere
Hem þoughte Iewes rent him nougħt ynougħ
And ilke of hem at oþer synnes lowħ
And right anon þenne come tomblisteres
150
Fetys and smal ȝong fruytesteres /
Syngers with harpes bawdes wafereres