The Friar's Tale
Folio 105r
4 of 9 folios
And to þe Apostles seruant was .I.
Ȝit teƚƚ me qd Somnor feiþfully
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Maake ȝe ȝowe bodys þus alwey
Of Elementes þe fende seid naye
Som time we feine & sum time we rise
Wiþ dede bodies in ful sundre wyse
And speke as renably faire & wele
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As to þe phitonessa did Samuele
And ȝit wil sum men saie it was nouht he
.I. do no fors of ȝoure diuinite
Bot o þinge warne .I. þe .I. wil nouht Iape
Thou wilt algates wite howe we be schape
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Thou schalt her after ward my broþer dere
Come where þe nedeþ not of me to lere
For þou schalt be þin owen experience
Com in to þe chaier to rede þis sentence
Better þan virgile while he was on lyue
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Or dante also nowe lat us ride belyue
For .I. wil holde company wiþ þe
Til it be so þat þou for sake me
Naie qd Somnor þat schal not be tide
.I. am a ȝoman knowe is ful wide
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Mi trouþe wil .I. holde to þe as in þis caas
For þeih þou were þe deuel Sathanas
My trouþe wiƚƚ .I. holde to my broþer
As .I. am sworne and iche of vs to oþere
For to be trewe broþer in þis caas
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And broþer wee goon to owre purchas
Take þu þi part what men wil þe ȝeue
And .I. schal myne þus maye we boþe leuen
And if þat any of vs haue more þan oþer
Lat him be trewe & part it wiþ his broþer
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.I. gaunte qd þe deuel be my feye
And wiþ þat worde þei reden forþe þeire weie
And riht att þe entringe of þe tounes ende
To whiche þe somnor schope him for to wende
He sawhe a cart þat charged was wiþ haye
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Whiche þat a carter droue forþ on his waye
Dep was þe way for whyche þe cart stode
Þis carter smote & striued as he war woode
Heyt brok heyt scotte what spare we fore þe stones
The fende qd he ȝowe fette boþe bodi & bones