The Monk's Tale
Folio 228r
3 of 21 folios
45
And out of his asses cheke þat was so dreye
Out of a woung toþ sprong anon a welle
Of which he dronk ynougħ schortly to seye
Thus halp him god as Iudicū can telle
By verray fors of algason on a night
50
Maugre þe philistiens of þat cite
The gates of þe toun he haþ vp pligħt
And on his bak caried hem haþ he /
Heigh vpon an hil wher men might hem se
O noble almighty Sampson leef and deere
55
Haddest þou nougħt to wommen told þy secre
In al þe world ne hadde be þy peere
This sampson neyther siser dronk ne wyn
Ne on his heed com rasour noon ne schere
By precept of . þe messager diuyn
60
For aƚƚ his strengþes in his heres were
And fully twenty wynter ȝer by ȝere /
He hadde of Ierlm þe gouernaunce
But soone he schal wepe many a teere
For wȳmen schuln him bringe to meschaunce
65
Un to his lemman Dalida he tolde
That in his heres al his strengþe lay
And falsly to his foomen sche him solde
And slepyng in hir barm vpon a day
Sche made to clippe or schere his heres away
70
And made his foomen al his craft espien
And whan þay fond him in þis array
Thay bound him fast and put out boþe his yen
But er his heer clipped was or I schaue
Ther was no bond wiþ which men might him bynde
75
But now is he in pisoun in a caue
Ther as þay made him at þe querne grynde
O noble Sampson strengest of al man kynde
O whilom iugge in glory and in richesse /
Now maystow wepe wiþ þine eyȝen blynde
80
Sith þou fro wele art falle to wrecchednesse
Thend of þis caytif was as I schal say
His foomen made a fest vpon a day