The Friar's Tale
Folio 103v
2 of 11 folios
Thay schulde synge if þay were hent
And smale tyþers þay were fouly schent
If eny persoun wold vpon hem pleyne
Ther might astert him no pecunial peyne
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For smale tyþes and for smal offrynge
He made þe poeple pitously to synge
For er þe bisschop caugħt him in his hook
Þay weren in þe archedeknes book
And hadde þurgh his iuredicciou~
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Power to haue of hem correcciou~
He had a sompnour redy to his hond
A slyer boy was noon in Engelond
Ful priuely he had his espiaile
That taughte him wher him might auayle
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He couþe spare of lecchours oon or tuo
And techen him to four and twenty mo
For þougħ þis sompnour wood were as an hare
To telle his harlottry I wol not spare
For we ben out of here correccioun
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Thay haue of vs no iurediccioun
Ne neuer schul to terme of alle her lyues
Peter so been þe wōmen of þe styues
Thay beþ I put al out of oure cures
Pees with meschaunce and wiþ mesauentures
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Þus sayd our host and let him telle his tale /
Now telleþ forþ al þough þe sompnor gale
Ne spareþ nought myn owne maister deere
Þis false þeef þe sompnour quoþ þe frere .
Had alway bawdes redy to his hond
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As eny hauk to lure in engelond
Þat told him al þe secre þat þay knewe
For here acqueintaunce was not come of newe
Þay were his approwors priuely
He took himself a gret profyt þer by
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His maister knew nat alway what he wan
Wiþoute maundement / a lewed man
He couþe sompne vp peyne of cristes curs
And þay were glad to fille wel his purs .