The Summoner's Tale
Folio 86v
15 of 15 folios
xoure noble Confessour / ther god hym saue
Shal holde his nose / vp right vnder the Naue
Thanne shal this cherl / with baly / stif and toght
560
As any tabour / hider been ybroght
And sette hym on the wheel / right of this Cart
Vp on the Naue / and make hym lete a fart
And ye shal seen / on peril of my lyf
By proue / which that is demonstratyf
565
That equally / the soun of it wol wende
And eek the stynk / vn to the spokes ende
Saue / that this worthy man / youre Confessour
By cause / he is a man of greet honour
Shal han the firste fruyt as reson is
570
The noble vsage of freres / yet is this
The worthy men of hem / shul first be serued
And certeynly / he hath it wel disserued
He hath to day / taught vs so muchel good
With perchyng in the pulput ther he stood
575
That I may vouche sauf / I seye for me
He hadde the firste smel / of fartes thre
And so wolde / al his Couent hardily
He bereth hym / so faire and holily
¶ The lord / the lady / ech man / saue the frere
580
Seyden / that Iankyn / spak in this matere
As wel / as Euclyde / or Protholomee
Touchynge the cherl / they seyde subtiltee
And hy wit made hym speke / as he spak
He nys no fool / ne no demonyak
585
And Iankyn hath ywonne / a newe gowne
My tale is doon / we been almoost at towne
¶ Here endeth the Somnours tale ~