The Summoner's Tale
Folio 241v
14 of 14 folios
I coude telle for a goune cloth
540
To ȝow sere frere be so ȝe ben not wroth
How þt þis fart schulde euene delid be
A mong ȝoure couent ȝif it lyke me
Telle quod þe lord & þu schat haue a non
A goūne cloth by god & be seynt Ioħn
545
Myn lord quod he whā þt þe wedir is fayr
With oute wynd or perturbȳge of eyr
Lat brȳge a carte whel here / in to þis halle
But loke þt it haue hyse spokys alle
Twelue spokys haue a carte whelx trowe I
550
And brȳge me þāne twelve frerys wet ȝe why
For trettene is a couent as I gesse
The cōfessor here for his worthynesse
Schal parforme vp þe nombre of his couent
Thāne schul þey knele don be on asent
555
And to euery spokys ende in his manere
Ful sadly leye his nose schal a frere
Ȝoure nobele cōfessour þere god hȳ saue
Schal holde his nose vpryght vndyr þe naue
Thāne schal þis cherl wt bely sterne & stout
560
As ony tabour ben hedyr brought \out/
And sette hȳ on þe whil ryȝt off þis carte
Vp on þe naue & make hȳ lete a farte
And ȝe schuln seen vp peryl of myn lyf
By pref which þt is demonstratyf
565
That equally þe soun of it wele wēde
And ek þe stynk vnto þe spokys ende
Saue þt þis worthy man þis confessour
By cause he is a man of gret honour
Schal hā þe ferste freut as worthy is
570
And as þe nobele vsage ȝit of frerys is
The worthy men of hē schul ferst be servid
And serteynly he hath it wel deseruyd
He hath to day tauȝt vs so meche good
With prechȳge in þe pulput þere he stod
575
That I may vouche saf I sey for me
He hadde þe ferste smel of fartys thre