The Friar's Tale
Folio 78r
4 of 9 folios
¶ If that thee happe / to comen in oure shire
Al shal be thyn / right as thou wolt desire
¶ Grantmercy quod this Somonor / by my feith
Euerych in ootheres hand / his trouthe leith
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For to be sworn bretheren / til they deye
In daliance / they ryden forth hir weye
¶ This Somonor / that was as ful of Iangles
As ful of venym been thise waryangles
And euere enqueryng vp on euery thyng
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Brother quod he / where is now your dwellyng
Another day / if þt I sholde yow seche
This yeman hym answerde / in softe speche
¶ Brother quod he / fer in the North contree
Wher as I hope / som tyme I shal thee see
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Er we departe / I shal thee so wel wisse
That of myn hous / ne shaltow neuere mysse
¶ Now brother quod this Somonor / I yow preye
Teche me / whil þt we ryden by the weye
Syn þt ye been / a baillif as am I
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Som subtiltee / and tel me feithfully
In myn office / how I may moost wynne
And spareth nat for conscience ne synne
But as my brother / tel me / how do ye
¶ Now by my trouthe / brother deere seyde he
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As I shal tellen thee / a feithful tale
My wages / been ful streite and ful smale
My lord is hard to me / and daungerous
And myn office / is ful laborous
And therfore / by extorcions I lyue
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For sothe / I take al that men wol me yeue
Algate / by sleyghte / or by violence
Fro yeer to yeer / I wynne al my dispence
I kan no bettre telle / feithfully
¶ Now certes quod this Somonor / so fare I
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I spare nat to taken / god it woot
But if it be / to heuy or to hoot
What I may gete / in conseil piuely
No maner conscience / of that haue I
Nere myn extorcioū / I mygħte nat lyuen
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Nor of swiche Iapes / wol I nat be shryuen
Stomak / ne conscience / ne knowe I noon
I shrewe thise shriftefadres euerychoon
Wel be we met / by god / and by seint Iame
But leeue brother tel me thanne thy name
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Quod this Somonor / in this meene while
This yeman / gan a litel for to smyle
¶ Brother quod he / wiltow / þt I thee telle
I am a feend / my dwellyng is in helle