The Summoner's Tale
Folio 85v
10 of 13 folios
¶ Now help Thomas / for hym that harwed helle
400
For elles / moste we oure bookes selle
And if ye lakke / oure predicacioū
Thanne goth the world / al to destruccioū
For who so wolde / vs fro this world bireue
So god me saue / Thomas by your leue
405
He wolde bireue / out of this world the sonne
For who kan teche / and werchen as we konne
And that is nat of litel tyme quod he
But syn Ennok was / or Elise
Han freres been / that fynde I of record
410
In charitee / ythanked be oure lord
Now Thomas / helpe for seinte charitee
And doun anon / he sette hym on his knee
THis sike man / wax wel ny wood for Ire
He wolde / þt the frere had been on fire
415
With his false dissymulacioū
Swich thyng as is in my possessioū
Quod he / that may I yeuen / and noon oother
Ye sey me thus / that I am youre brother
¶ Ye certes quod the frere / trusteth weel
420
I took oure dame / oure lr~e and oure seel
¶ Now wel quod he / and som what shal I yeue
Vn to youre hooly Couent whil I lyue
And in thyn hand / thou shalt it haue anon
On this condiciou / and oother noon
425
That thou departe it so / my leeue brother
That euery frere / haue also muche as oother
This shaltou swere / on thy professioū
With outen fraude / or cauillacioū
¶ I swere it quod this frere / by my feith
430
And ther with al / his hand in his he leith
Lo heer my feith / in me shal be no lak
¶ Now thanne put In thyn hand doun by my bak
Seyde this man / and grope wel bihynde
Bynethe my buttok ther shaltow fynde
435
A thyng that I haue hyd in pryuetee
¶ A thoghte this frere / this shal go wt me
And doun his hand / he launcheth to the clifte
In hope / for to fynde there a yifte
And whan this sike man / felte this frere
440
Aboute his tuwel / grope there and heere
Amydde his hand / he leet the frere a fart
Ther nys no capul / drawynge in a Cart
That myghte haue lete a fart of swich a soun
¶ The frere vp stirte / as dooth a wood leoun
445
A fals cherl quod he / for goddes bones
This hastow for despit doon for the nones