The Summoner's Tale
Folio 116v
17 of 17 folios
As wel as euclide or elles protholome
Touchand þe clerk þay sayd þat subtilte
An higħ wyt made him speken as he spak
He nas no fool ne no demoniak /
585
And Iankyn haþ I wonne a newe goune
My tale is don . we ben almost at toune
¶ Here endith the sompnors tale
¶ And here bygynneth þe Clerk of Oxenford prolog
SIr clerk of Oxenford our hoste sayde
Ȝe ryde as stille and coy as doþ a mayde
Were newe spoused sittyng at a bord
This day ne herd I of ȝour mouth a word
5
I trowe ȝe study aboute som sophime
But Salomon saith euery þing hath tyme
For goddis sake as beth of better cheere
It is no tyme for to stody hiere
Tel vs som mery tale by ȝour fay
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For what man is entred vnto play
He moot nedes vnto þat play assent
But prechith not as freres doon in lent
To make vs for our olde synnes wepe
Ne þat þy tale xx tale make vs for to slepe
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Tel vs som mery þing of aduentures
Ȝoure termes ȝour colours and ȝour figures
Keep hem in stoor til so be þat ȝe endite
High style as whan þat men to kynges write
Spekith so playn at þis tyme we ȝow pray
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That we may vnderstonde þat ȝe say
This worþy clerk benignely answerde
Sir host quod he I am vnder ȝour ȝerde
Ȝe haue of vs as now þe gouernaūce /
And þerfor wol I do ȝow obeissaūce
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Als fer as resoun askith hardily
I wil ȝow telle a tale which þat I
Lerned at Padowe of a worþy clerk
As prouyd by his wordes and his werk
He is now deed and nayled in his chest
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Now god ȝiue his soule wel good rest