The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 175r
2 of 15 folios
The superfluys abhomynable
Here oþes bene so grete & dampnable
145
Þat it is grisely for to here hem swere
Oure blissed lordes body þei to tere
Hem þouht . Iewes rent him nouht y nowhe
And yche of hem att oþer sinnes lowhe
And riht a none þan came tomblesters
150
Fetis & smal & ȝonge fruytsters
Singers wiþ harpes baudes waferes
Suche bien þe deuel officiers
To kendel & blowe þe fire of lychery
Þat is annexed to glotonye
155
Þe holy writte take .I. to wittenesse
Þat lycherie is in wyne & dronkennesse
Lo howe þat droñken lothe vnkindelye
Lay be his douhtres tuo vnweteynglye
So dronke he was he nest what he wrouht
And þerfore sore repent him ouhte
160
Herodes who so wil þe story seche
Þere maie ȝe leren & be ensample teche
Whan he of wine was replete att his feste
Riht att his owen table ȝaf his heste
To slene þe Baptiste Iohñ ful gilteles
Senec seiþe eke good wordes douteles
165
He seiþe he kan no difference finde
Betuex a man þat is oute of his mynde
And a man þat is drongelewe
Bot wodenes is falne in a schrewe
Perseuereþ longer þan doþ dronkennesse
170
O glotony ful of cursednesse
O cause firste of oure confusione
O originale of owre dampnacione
To criste hadde bouht owte wiþ his blode aȝeine
Lo howe dere & schortly was to seine
175
A boute was þe cursed velanye
Corrupte was al þis werld þoruhe glotonye
Adam oure fadere & his wif also
Fro paradise to labour & to woo
Were dreue for þat vixce it is no drede
180
For whiles þat Adam x fasted as .I. rede
He was in paradise & x whan þat hee
Ete of þe fruyte x defended on a tree