The Monk's Tale
Folio 208r
2 of 20 folios
25
¶ Sampson þis nobble & myhty champioū
Wiþ outen wepe saue his hondes tueye
He slowhe & al to rent þe lyoū
To ward his weddynge walkinge be þe waie
He false wif couþe him plese & preie
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Til sche his counseile knewe & sche vntrewe
Vn to his foos his consel gan be wreye
And him for soke & toke a noþer newe
¶ An .C. foxes to Sampson for ire
And al her tailes he to geder bonde
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And sette þe fox tailes al on fire
For he in euery taile hadde putt a bronde
And þei brente al þe cornes in þat lande
And al here Oliues & here vines eke
A þousand men eke he slowhe wiþ his honde
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And hadde no wepen bot an asse cheke
¶ When þei were sleine so þersted him þat he
Was nyhe lorne for whiche he gan to preie
Þat god wolde of his peine sum pite
And send him drinke or elles most he dye
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And of þis asse cheke þat was so drye
Oute of a wange toþe spron a none a welle
Of whiche he dranke . ynouhe schortly to seie
Thus help him god as Iudicū can teƚƚ
¶ Be verrei force att Gasan in a nyhte
50
Maugre þe felistiens of þat Cite
The gates of þe toune he haþe vp pliht
And on his bakke ; y karid hem haþ he
Hihe on \a/ hulle wher as men miht se
O noble al myhty sampson leue & dere
Þat stronge & noble haþ bue
In al þis werlde ne was þer neu þi pere
¶ This Sampsoū neuer siþer dranke ne wyne
Ne on hi hede cam rasure none ne schere
Be percepte of þe messagier diuine
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For al his strenkeþ was in his here
And Fully tuenty ȝere be ȝere
He hadde of Israel þe gouernance