The Summoner's Tale
Folio 109r
2 of 17 folios
Nought for to hold a prest iolif and gay
20
He syngith not but oon masse in a day
Delyuerith out quod he þe soules
Ful hard it is wiþ fleischhok or with oules
To ben y clawed . or brend or I bake
Now speed ȝow hastily for cristes sake
25
And whan þis frere had sayd al his entent
With Qui cū pr~e . forþ he went
Whan folk in chirch had ȝiue him what hem lest
He went his way no lenger wold he rest
With scrip and pyked staf y touked hye
30
In euery hous and gan to pore and prye .
And beggyd mele chese or ellis corn
His felaw had a staf typped with horn
A payr of tablis al of yuory
And a poyntel y polischt fetisly
35
And wroot þe names alway as he stood
Of alle folk þat ȝaf him eny good
Ascaunce þat he wolde for hem preye
Ȝif vs a busshel . whet or malt or reye
A goddes kichil or a trip of chese
40
Or elles what ȝow list we may not chese
A goddes halpeny or a masse peny
Or ȝif vs of ȝoure braune if ȝe haue eny
A dagoun of ȝour blanket leeue dame
Oure suster deer . lo her I write your name
45
Bacoun or beef or such þing as we fynde
A stourdy harlot ay went hem by hynde
That was her hostis man and bar a sak
And what men ȝaf hem layd it on his bak
And whan þat he was out atte dore anoon
50
He planed out þe names euerychoon
That he biforn had writen in his tablis
He serued hem wiþ nyfles and wiþ fablis
Nay þer þou lixt þou sompnor sayd þe frere
Pees quod our host for cristes moder deere
55
Tel forþ þy tale and spare it not at al
So thriue I quod þe sompnour so I schal