The Friar's Tale
Folio 232r
7 of 8 folios
255
Nay quod þe deuyl neuere a del
It is not his entente troste wel
Axe hȳ thyn self ȝif þu not trostiste me
Or ellis stynte a while & þu schat se
260
This cartere thakkyth hise hors vp on þe croupe
And þey be gūne to drawe & to stoupe
Hayt now quod he now Iħu cryst ȝow blysse
And al hise hondwerk boþe more & lesse
That was wel twyȝt myn owene lyard boy
265
I preye god saue þe body & seynt loy
Now is myn carte out of the slow perde
Lo broþer quod þe fend what tolde I the
Heere may ȝe seen myn owene dere broþer
The cherl spak on thyng & mente a noþer
270
Lat vs gon forth a boutȳ oure viage
Here wȳne I no good vp on caryage
Whā þt þey comȳ sūwhat out of toūne
This somenour to his broþer gan to roūne
Broþer quod he here wonyth an old rebekke
275
That hadde almost as lef to lese his nekke
As for to ȝeue a peny of hire good
I wele haue twelue penys thow sche be wood
Or I wele somoūne hyre to oure offys
And ȝit god wot can I no vys
280
But for þu canyst not as in þis cūtre
Wȳne thȳ cost take here ensaūple at me
This somenour clepith at þe wedewis gate
Come out quod he þu olde verye trate
I trowe þu hast sū frere or prest with the
285
Ho clepith þere seyde þis widew bñdicice
God saue ȝow syre what is ȝoure swete wille
I haue quod he of somoūnys a bille
Vp peyne of cursȳge loke þt þu be
To morwe by fore þe Erchedekenys kne
290
To answere to þe court of serteyn thȳgis
Now lord quod sche Ihū kyng of kyngis
So wysely helpe me as I ne may
I haue be sek & þt ful many a day