Introduction to the Pardoner's Tale
Folio 136r
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And demed / for to hange vpon a tree
But that Virginius / of his pitee
So preyde for hym / that he was exiled
And elles certes / he had been bigyled
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The remenant were anhanged moore & lesse
That were consentant of this cursednesse
Heere may men seen / how synne hath his merite
Beth war / for no man woot whom god wol smyte
In no degree / ne in which maner wyse
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The worm of conscience / may agryse
Of wikked lyf thougħ it so pryuee be
That no man / woot ther of / but god and he
For be he lewed man / or ellis lered
He noot how soone / þt he shal been afered
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Therfore / I rede yow / this conseil take
Forsaketh synne / er synne yow forsake
¶ Heere endeth / the Phisiciens tale ~
¶ The wordes of the Hoost to the Phisicien / and the Pardoner ~
Ovre hoost gan to swere / as he were wood
Harrow quod he / by nayles and by blood
This was a fals cherl and and a fals Iustise
As shameful deeth / as herte may deuyse
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Come to thise false Iuges / and hir Aduocatz
Algate / this sely mayde / is slayn allas
Allas / to deere bougħte she beautee
Wherfore I seye / alday / as men may see
That yiftes of Fortune and of Nature
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Been cause of deeth / to many a creature
Of bothe yiftes / that I speke of now
Men han ful ofte / moore for harm than prow
¶ But trewely / myn owene maister deere
This is / a pitous tale for to heere
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But nathelees / passe ouer / is nofors
I pray to god / so saue thy gentil cors
And eek thyne vrynals / and thy Iurdones
Thyn ypocras / and eek thy Galiones
And euery boyste / ful of thy letuarie
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God blesse hem / and oure lady Seint Marie
So moot I theen / thou art a propre man
And lyk a perlat by Seint Ronyan
Seyde I nat wel / I kan nat speke in terme
But wel I woot thou doost myn herte to erme