The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 174r
1 of 15 folios
And sires also it heleþ Ielousye
And þouhe aman befal in Ielowsie rage
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Lat make wiþ þis water his potage
And neuer schal he more his wif mestruste
Þouhe he þe soþe a defaute by hire wiste
Al hadde sche taken perstes tueyne or þre
Here is a Metaine eke ȝe maye see
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He þat his honde wil put in þat Metane
He schaƚƚ haue multipliinge of his greine
Whan he haþe sowen be it whete or otes
So þat of pens oþer of grotes
And men & wemmen o þinge warn .I. ȝowe
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If any whight be in þis cherche nowe
Þat haþ done sinne orrible þat he
Dare nouht fo schame schriuen be
Or any wōman be sche ȝonge or olde
Þat haþ ymaad hir husbond cokwolde
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Suche folke schal haue no ipowere no gace
To offer to my relikes in þis place
And who so findeþ him oute of suche blame
Þei wil come vp & offer in goddes name
And .I. assoile him be þe auctorite
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Suche as be bul was gaunted me
Be þis Gaude haue .I. wonne euery ȝere
An .C. Mark seþen .I. was pardonere
.I. stonde like a clerke in mony a pulpitt
And schewe þe lewde peple & doune þei sitt
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.I. preche so as ȝe haue herde be fore
And tel an hundreþ Iapes more
Than peyne .I. me to strecche forþe my nekke
And est and west vppon þe peple .I. bekke
As doþe a doue sittinge vpon a berne
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Myne hondes & my tonge go so ȝerne
Þat it is Ioye to see my besinesse
Of avarise & suche oþer cursednesse
Is as mi preccheinge to make hem fre
To ȝeue her pens namely vnto me
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For myne entent is nouht bot for to wynne
And no þinge for correccion of sinne
.I. reke neuer whan þat þei be buried
Þouhe þat her soules gone a blakberied
For certes mony a predicaciōne
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Souneþ oft time of yuel entencione