The Friar's Tale
Folio 78r
2 of 10 folios
My Maister hath the profit / and nat I
Com of / and lat me ryden hastily
Yif me .xij. pens / I may no lenger tarye
¶ Twelf pens quod she / now lady Seinte Marie
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So wisly help me god / out of care and synne
This wyde world / thogh that I sholde wynne
Ne haue I nat .xij. pens / with Inne myn hoold
Ye knowen wel / that I am poure and oold
Kythe youre almesse / on me poure wrecche
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¶ Nay thanne quod he / the foule feend me fecche
If I thexcuse / theigh thow shul be spilt
¶ Allas quod she / god woot I haue no gilt
¶ Pay me quod he / or by the swete Seinte Anne
As I wol bere awey / thy newe panne
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For dette / which thow owest me of oold
Whan þt thow madest / thyn housbonde cokewold
I payde at hom / for thy correccioū
¶ Thow lyxt quod she / by my sauacioū
Ne was I neuere er now / wydwe ne wyf
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Somoned vn to youre court in al my lyf /
Ne neuere I nas / but of my body trewe
Vn to the deuel / blak and row of hewe
Yeue I thy body / and my panne also
¶ And whan the deuel / herde hir cursen so
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Vp on hir knees / he seyde in this manere
Now Mabely / myn owene moder deere
Is this youre wyl in ernest / þt ye seye
¶ The deuel quod she / so fecche hym er he deye
And panne and al / but he wol hym repente
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¶ Nay olde stot that is nat myn entente
Quod this Somnour / for to repente me
For any thyng that I haue had of thee
I wolde I hadde thy smok / and euery clooth
¶ Now brother quod the deuel / be noght wrooth
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Thy body and this panne / been myne by right
Thow shalt wt me to helle / yet to nyght
Wher thow shalt knowen / of oure pryuetee
Moore / than a maister of dyuynytee
And with that word / this foule feend hym hente
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Body and soule / he with the deuel wente