The Summoner's Tale
Folio 241r
13 of 14 folios
I holde hȳ in a manere of frenesye
Madame by god I schal not lye
But I on oþer whise may ben wreke
I schal de fame hȳ ouyral þere I speke
505
This false blasfemour þt chargede me
To departe þt wele not departede be
What euery man I lyche meche wt myschāuce
The lord sat stylle as he were in a trance
And in his herte he rollede vp & doun
510
How hadde þis cherl þis ymaginacioū
To schewe þis probleme to a frere
Neuere erst er now herde I of swych matere
I trowe þe deuyl put it in his mynde
In arsmatryk coude xxxxxx þere no man fȳde
515
By forn þis day schuld \swich/ a questyoū
Who schulde mak a demonstracioū
That eueryman schul haue I lyche hise part
As of þe soun or souour of a fart
O nyse proude cherl I schrewe his face
520
Lo serys quod þe lord with harde grace
Ho herde euere of swich a thyng er now
To euery man I like telle me howe
It is an inpossible it may not be
Ey nyce cherl god lete hȳ neuere the
525
The rūblyng of a fart & euery soun
Nys bot of eyr reuerberacioū
And euere it wastith lyte & lyte a wey
Þ ere is no man can deme be myn fey
Ȝif þt it were departid equally
530
What lo myn cherl lo how schrewedely
Vp to mȳ confessour to day he spak
I holde hȳ certaynly demonyak
Now ete ȝoure mete & lete þe cherl go pleye
Let hȳ gon hangȳ hī selue a deuele wey
535
Now stod þe lordys squyer at þe bord
That karf his mete & herde word be word
Of alle thȳge whiche I haue ȝow sayd
Mȳ lord quod he be ȝe not euele a payd.