The Second Nun's Tale
Folio 162r
1 of 15 folios
As wel as eny of ȝou it is no drede
Sire I relesse þe þy þousand pound
As þou right now were crope out of þe ground
Ne neuer er now ne haddest knowen me /
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For sire I wol not take a peny of þe
For al my craft ne nought for my trauayle /
Thou hast y payed wel for my vitayle /
It is ynough and far wel haue good day
And took his hors and forþ he goþ his way
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¶ Lordynges þis questioū wolde I axe now /
Which was þe moste free as þinkeþ ȝow
Now telleþ me er þat I ferþer wende /
I can no more my tale is at an ende /
¶ Here endeth þe Frankeleynes tale
¶ And here bygynneth þe Secoūde Nonnes tale
THe minister and þe norice vnto vices
Which þat men clepe in englisch ydelnesse /
The porter at þe gates is of delicis
To eschiewe and by her contrary hire oppresse
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That is to say by leful besynesse /
Wel oughte we to do al oure entente
Lest þat þe fend þurgh ydelnesse vs hente /
For he þat wiþ his þousand cordes slye /
Continuelly vs wayteþ to byclappe /
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Whan he may man in ydelnes espye /
He can so lightly cacche him in his trappe /
Til þat a man be hent right by þe lappe /
He is nouȝt war þe fend haþ him in honde /
Wel ougħte we wirche and ydelnes wiþstonde /
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And þough men dredde neuer for to deye
Ȝet seen men wel by resoū douteles
That ydelnes is roten sloggardye
Of which þer comeþ neuer good encres
And sin þat slouþ her holdeþ in a lees
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Oonly to sleep and for to ete and drynke
And to deuoure al þat oþer swynke /
And for to put vs from such ydelnes
That cause is of so gret confusioun