The Friar's Tale
Folio 77v
3 of 10 folios
Heyt now quod he / ther Iħu crist yow blesse
And al his handes werk bothe moore and lesse
That was wel twight myn owene lyard boy
I pray god saue thee / and Seint loy
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Now is my Cart out of the slow pardee
¶ Lo brother quod the feend / what tolde I thee
Heere may ye se / myn owene deere brother
The Carl spak o thyng but he thoghte another
Lat vs go forth / abouten oure viage
270
Heere wynne I no thyng vp on cariage
¶ Whan that they coomen / som what out of towne
This Somnour / to his brother gan to rowne
Brother quod he / here woneth an old rebekke
That hadde almoost as leef to lese hir nekke
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As for to yeue a peny / of hir good
I wol han .xij. pens / thogh that she be wood
Or I wol somne hir / vn to oure office
And yet god woot of hir knowe I no vice
But for thow canst nat as in this contree
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Wynne thy cost taak heer ensample of me
This Somnour / clappeth at the wydwes gate
Com out quod he / thow olde viritrate
I trowe thow hast som frere / or preest with thee
¶ Who clappeth seyde this wyf / benedicitee
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God saue yow sire / what is youre swete wille
¶ I haue quod he / of somonce a bille
Vp peyne of cursyng looke that thow be
To morn / bifore the Erchedeknes knee
Tanswere to the court of certeyn thynges
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¶ Now lord quod she / crist Iħu kyng of kynges
So wisly helpe me / as I ne may
I haue been syk and that ful many a day
I may nat go so fer quod she / ne ryde
But I be deed / so priketh it in my syde
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May I nat axe a libel / sir Somnour
And answere there / by my procutour
To swich thyng as men wole opposen me
¶ Yis quod this Somnour / pay anon lat see
Twelf pens to me / and I wol thee acquyte
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I shal no profit han ther by / but lyte