The Summoner's Tale
Folio 235r
1 of 14 folios
A godis kechil or a trip of chese
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Or ellis what ȝow lyste we may not chese
A godis halpeny or a masse pany
Or ȝeue vs of ȝoure braun ȝif ȝe han any
A dagoū of ȝoure blanket leue dame
Oure sistyr dere lo here I wryte ȝore name
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Bacoū or bef or swich þyng as ȝe fynde
A sturdy harlot wēte hē ay by hynde
That was here ostys mā & bar a sak
And what men ȝeue hē leyde it on his bak
And whā he was out at þe dore a non
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He planede a wey þe namys euerychon
That he be fore hadde wrytȳ in hyse tablis
He servede hē wt nyflys & wyth fablys
Nay þere þu lext þu somenour quod þe frere
Pes quod oure ost for cistis modyr dere
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Telle forth ȝoure tale & spare it not at al
So thryue I quod the somenour so I schal
So longe he wēte hous be hous tyl he
Cam to an hous þere he was wone to be
Refresched more þā in an hūderede placis
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Sek lay þe goode man whos þe place is
Bedrede vp on a couche lowe he lay
Deus hic quod he O tomays frend good day
Seyde þis frere curteysly & softe
Thomas quod he god ȝelde ȝow ful ofte
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Haue I vp on þis benche fare ful wel
Here haue I ete ful manye a murye mel
And fro þe bench he drof a woy þe cat
And leyde a doū his potente & his hat
And ek his scryppe & sette hȳ softe adoū
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His felawe was go walkede in þe toū
Forth with his knawe vn to þt ostelrye
Where as he schop hȳ þe ilke nyȝt to lye
O dere maystir quod þis syke man
How haue ȝe fare sythe þt March be gan
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I saw ȝow not þis fourtenyȝt or more
God wot quod he laboured haue I ful sore