The Monk's Tale
Folio 352v
2 of 22 folios
Loo Sampson that was annūciat
By aūgel longe er his natyuite
And was to god almyghty cōsecrat
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And stood in noblesse whil he myȝte see
Was neuere swich a nothir as was hee
To speke of strenthe & therwyth hardynesse
But to hise wiuys tolde he his secree
Thorw whiche he slow hȳ self for wrechedenesse
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Sampson this noble almyghty champioū
With outȳ wepene saue hise handis tweye
He slow & al to rente the lyoū
Toward his weddyng walkȳge by the weye
His false wif coude hȳ so pleese & preye
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Til sche his conseyl knew & sche vntrewe
Vn to hise fois his conseyl gan be wreye
And hȳ forsok & tok a nothir newe
Thre hunderede foxis tok Sampson for yre
And alle here taylys he to gedere bond
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And sette the foxis taylys alle on feere
For he on euery tayl hadde knyt a brond
And they brende alle the corn in that lond
On alle hire oliuers & vinys ek
A thousent men ek slow he with his hond
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And hadde nō wepene but an assis cheeke
Whan they were slayn so trustede hȳ that he
Was wol nygħ lorn for which he gā to preye
That god wolde on his peyne han sū pete
And sende hȳ drynk / or ellis muste he deye
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And of this Assis cheke that was dreye
Owt of a wange tooth / sprong a noon a welle
Of which he drank I nough schortely to seye
Thus helpede hȳ god as Iudicū can telle
By verray force at a Gazan on a nyght
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Maugere philistienys of that Citee