The Summoner's Tale
Folio 236v
4 of 14 folios
They may now god be thanked of his lone
Makyn here Iubyle & walkyn a lone
155
And vp I ros & al oure couent ek
With manye a tere trynkelynge on myn cheke
With outyn noyse or claterȳge of bellis
Te deū was oure song & no thyng ellis
Saue þt to cryst I seyde an orysoū
160
Thankynge hȳ of myn reuelacioū
For sere & dame trostith to me wel
Oure orisounys ben more effectuel
And more we sen of secre thȳgis
Than burel folk al þow þey were kyngis
165
We lyue in pouert & in abstinence
And burel folk in rychesse & dispence
In mete & drynk & in here foule delyt
We han þis wordelis lust al in dispit
Lazar & dyuers leuedȳ dyuers lyf
170
And dyuers gerdoū haddȳ þey þerby
Ho so wele preye / hȳ muste faste & be clene
And fattyn his soule & make his body leene
We faryn as seyth þeappostele cloth & fode
Suffyseth vs / þow þey been not ful goode
175
The clennesse & þe fastȳge of vs frerys
Makyth þt cryst / acceptyth oure preyerys
Lo moyses forty dayis & forty nyȝt
Fastid er þt þe hyghe god of myȝt
Spak with hȳ in þe moūt of synay
180
With emty wōbe / fastȳge manye a day
Resseyuede he þe lawe þt was wretyn
With godis fyngir & elye wolde wetyn
In Mount oreb er he hadde any speche
With hye god þt is oure lyuys leche
185
He fastede longe & was in contēplaūce
Aaron þt hadde þe temple in gouernaūce
And ek þe oþere postellis euerychon
In to þe temple whan þey schulde gon
To preye for þe peple & do seruyse
190
The nolde drynke in no manere wyse