The Summoner's Tale
Folio 79v
5 of 15 folios
¶ Here bygynneth the Somnours tale ~
LOrdynges / ther is in Yorkshire / as I gesse
A Merssh contree / called holdernesse
In which / ther wente a lymytour aboute
To perche / and eek to begge / it is no doute
5
And so bifel / that on a day this frere
Hadde perched at a chirche / in his manere
And specially / abouen euery thyng
Excyted he the peple / in his perchyng
To trentals / and to yeue for goddes sake
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Wher with men myghte / holy houses make
Ther as dyuyne seruice / is honoured
Nat ther / as it is wasted and deuoured
Ne ther / it nedeth nat to be yeue
As to possessioners / that mowen lyue
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Thanked be god / in wele and habundaunce
Trentals seyde he / deliuereth from penaunce
Hir freendes soules / as wel olde as yonge
Ye / whan that they / been hastily ysonge
Nat for to holde a preest Ioly and gay
20
He syngeth nat but o masse in a day
Deliuereth out quod he / anon the soules
Ful hard it is / wt flessh hook / or wt oules
To been y clawed / or to brenne / or bake
Now spede yow hastily / for cristes sake
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And whan this frere / hadde seyd al his entente
With qui cum patre / forth his wey he wente
Whan folk in chirche / hadde yeue hym / what hem leste
He wente his wey / no lenger wolde he reste
With scryppe and typped staf / y tukked hye
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In euery hous / he gan to poure and prye
And beggeth Mele / and chese / or ellis corn
His felawe hadde a staf / typped with horn
A peyre of tables / al of yuory
And a poyntel / polysshed fetisly
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And wroot the names / alwey as he stood
Of alle folk / that yaf hem any good