The Friar's Tale
Folio 103r
8 of 9 folios
Pes wiþ meschaunce & wiþ misauenture
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Thus seid owre oste & late him tel his tale
Now telleþ forþe & lete þe Somnor gale
Ne spareþ nouht myne owen meister dere
This false þef þis somenor qd þe frere
Hadde alweie baudes redye to his honde
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As any hauke to lure in Ingelonde
Þat tellen him al þe secree þat þei knewe
Of hire acqueyntance was nat come of newe
Þei weren his approwers piuely
He toke him self a grete profit þer by
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His maister knewe nat alweie what he wan
Wiþ outen maūdement of a lewed man
He couþe Somne of pein cristes curs
And þei weere glad to fiƚƚ his purs
And maade him grete festis att nale
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Riht as Iudas had purse smale
And was a þeef riht suche a þeef was he
His maister had bot half his dewte
He was . if .I. schal ȝeuen him his laude
An þeef & eke a somnor & abaude
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He had eke wenches of his retenue
That wheþer sir Robert or ser hewe
Or Iohñ or Raufe or who þat it wer
Þat lei by hem þei tolde it in his ere
Þus was þe wenche & he of on assent
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Ande he wolde feche a feyned maundement
And somone hem to chapeter boþ tuo
And pil þe man & latt þe wenche go
Than wolde he seie frend .I. sal for þi sake
Do strike þe oute of owre letter blake
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Þe þar no more as in þis caas trauaile
.I. am þi frende þere .I. þe maie availe
Sertein he knewe of briburs mo
Þan possible is to teƚƚ ȝou to
For in þis werlde is no doge for þe bowe
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Þat knowe an hurt dere fro an holde bet cowe
Þan þis Somenor knewe alicor
Or a vouter or elles a paramor
And for þat was þe fruyte of al þe rente
Ther for on it he set al his entente
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And so be fel þat ones on adaie
Þis Somnor euere wayteinge one his perye