The Friar's Tale
Folio 80r
8 of 9 folios
I may nat go so fer quod she ne ryde
But I be deed / so priketh it in my syde
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May I nat axe a libel / sir Somonour
And answere there / by my procutour
To swich thyng as men wole opposen me ;
¶ Yis quod this Somonor / pay anon lat se
Twelf pens to me / and I wol thee acquite
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I shal no profit han ther by / but lite
My maister hath the profit and nat I
Com of / and lat me ryden hastily
Yif me .xij. pens / I may no lenger tarye
¶ Twelf pens quod she / ; now lady seinte Marie
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So wisly help me god / out of care and synne
This wyde world / thogħ þt I sholde wynne
Ne haue I nat .xij. pens wt Inne myn hoold
Ye knowen wel / that I am poure and oold
Kithe youre Almesse / on me poure wrecche
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¶ Nay thanne quod he / the foule feend me fecche
If I thexcuse / though thou shul be spilt
¶ Allas quod she / god woot I haue no gilt
¶ Pay me quod he / or by the sweete Seinte Anne
As I / wol bere awey thy newe panne
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For dette / which that thou owest me of old
Whan þt thou madest / thyn housbonde cokewold
I payde at hoom / for thy correccioū
¶ Thou lixt quod she / by my sauacioū
Ne was I neuere er now / wydwe ne wyf
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Somoned vn to youre court in al my lyf
Ne neuere I nas / but of my body trewe
Vn to the deuel / blak and rougħ of hewe
Yeue I thy body / and my panne also
¶ And whan the deuel / herde hir cursen so
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Vp on hir knees / he seyde in this manere
Now Mabely / myn owene mooder deere
Is this youre wyl / in ernest þt ye seye ;
¶ The deuel quod she / so fecche hym er he deye
And panne and al / but he wol hym repente
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¶ Nay olde Stot that is nat myn entente
Quod this Somonor / for to repente me
For any thyng that I haue had of thee
I wolde I hadde thy smok and euery clooth
¶ Now brother quod the deuel / be nat wrootħ
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Thy body and this panne / been myne by rigħt
Thou shalt with me to helle / yet to nygħt
Wher / thou shalt knowen / of oure piuetee
Moore / than / a maister of dyuynytee
And wt that word / this foule feend hym hente
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Body and soule / he with the deuel wente