The Summoner's Tale
Folio 116r
16 of 17 folios
Tel quod þe lord and þou schalt haue anoon
A goune cloþ by god and by seint Ioħn
545
My lord quod he whan þat þe wedir is fair
Wiþoute wynd or pertourbyng of ayr
Let bring a large whel in to þis halle /
But þat it haue his spokes alle
Twelf spokes hath a cart whel comunly
550
And bring me .xij. freres wit ȝe why
For þrettene is a couent as I gesse /
Ȝour noble confessour her god him blesse
Schal parfourn vp þe nombre of þis couent
Thanne schal þay knele doun by oon assent
555
And to euery spokes ende in þis manere
Ful sadly lay his nose schal a frere
Ȝour noble confessour þer god him saue
Schal hold his nose vpright vnder þe naue
Than schal þis churl with bely stif and tought
560
As eny tabor hider ben y brougħt
And sette him on þe whele of þis cart /
Vpon þe naue and make him lete a fart
And ȝe schul seen vp peril of my lif
By verray proef þat is demonstratif
565
That equally þe soun of it wol wende /
And eek þe stynk vnto the spokes ende
Saue þat þis worþy man ȝour confessour
By cause he is a man of gret honour
Schal haue þe firste fruyt as resoun is
570
The noble vsage of freres is þis
The worthy men of hem first schal be serued
As certeynly he haþ it wel deserued
He hath to day taught vs so mochil good
With preching in þe pulpit þer he stood
575
That I may vouche sauf I say for me
He hadde þe firste smel of fartes þre
And so wold al his couent hardily
He berith him so fair and holily
The lord þe lady and ech man sauf þe frere
580
Sayde þan Iankyn spak in þis matiere