The Friar's Tale
Folio 75v
7 of 10 folios
¶ If that thee happed / to come in oure shire
Al shal be thyn / right as thow wolt desire
¶ Graunt mercy quod this Somnor / by my feith
Euerich in ootheres hond / his trouthe leyth
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For to be sworn bretheren / til they deye
In daliaunce / they ryden forth and pleye
¶ This Somnor / which þt was / as ful of Iangles
As ful of venym / been thise waryangles
And euere enqueryng vp on euery thyng
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Brother quod he / wher is now youre dwellyng
Another day / if þt I sholde yow seche
This yeman hym answerde / in softe speche
¶ Brother quod he / fer in the North contree
Wher as I hope / som tyme I shal thee see
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Er we departe / I shal thee so wel wisse
That of myn hous / ne shaltow neuere mysse
¶ Now brother quod this Somnor / I yow preye
Teche me / whil þt we ryden by the weye
Syn þt ye been a Baillyf / as am I
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Som subtiltee / and tel me feithfully
In myn office / how I may moost wynne
And spareth nat for conscience ne synne
But as my brother / tel me how do ye
¶ Now by my trouthe / brother deere / seyde he
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As I shal tellen thee / a feithful tale
My wages been / ful streyte / and ful smale
My lord is hard to me / and daungerous
And myn office / is ful laborous
And therfore / by extorcions I lyue
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For sothe I take / al that men wol me yeue
Algate / by sleighte / or by violence
Fro yeer to yeer / I wynne al my dispence
I kan no bettre tellen / feithfully
¶ Now certes quod this Somnor / so fare I
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I spare nat to taken / god it woot
But it be to heuy / or to hoot
What I may gete / in conseil piuely
No manere conscience / of that haue I
Nere myn extorcioū / I myghte nat lyuen
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Ne of swiche Iapes / wol I nat be shryuen