Introduction to the Pardoner's Tale
Folio 173r
1 of 2 folios
285
Ther fore rede .I. ȝowe þis counsel take
For sakeþ sinne ar sinne ȝoue for sake
Explicit fabula Magrī Pħicores
Incipit prologus questoris
Owre Oste gan swere as he war wode
Harrowe qd he be Nayles & be blode
This was a cussed þef a fals Iustice
A schendful deþe as hert can deuise
So fal vpon his body & his bones
Þe deuel .I. be ken him al att ones
Alas to dere bouht sche hir beute
Wherefor .I. seie þat almen maie see
Þat ȝiftes of fortune or of Nature
10
Beþe cause of deþe of mony a creature
Hire beute was hir deþeþ .I. dare wele seine
Alas how pitously as sche was sleine
Bot here of wil .I. nouht procede as nowe
Men haue ful often more harme þan prowe
Bot trewly myne owen maister dere
This is a pitous tale for to here
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Bot naþeles pas ouer is no force
.I. praie to god to saue þi gentil corps
And þine vrinals & þi Iordanes
Þine ypocras & þine Galionnes
And euery box ful of þine letuarie
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God blesse hem & oure lady seint Mary
So mot .I. þe þou ert apropre man
And ylike a perlate be seinte Runyan
Sayd .I. nouht wele can .I. nouȝht speke in terme
Bot wele .I. wote þou doste myne herte to erme
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Þat .I. almost haue cauht a cardiacle
Be corpus bones bot ȝiue .I. haue triacle
Or elles adrauht of moiste & corne ale
Or bott .I. here a none a meri tale
Myne hert is loste for pete of þis maide
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Thowe belamy Ioheñ Pardoner he saide
Tel vs sum Merthes or Iapes riht anone
It schal be do qd he be seinte Ninione
Bot first qd he here þat þis ale stake
.I. wil boþe drinke & ette of a kake
35
Bot riht anone þes gentiles begon to crie
Nay lat him tel vs of no Rebaudie