The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 176r
12 of 15 folios
225
And þoruhe þi drongen nose semeþe þi soune
As þouhe þou ay said Samson samsoūe
And ȝit goode wotte Samson dranke neuer wyne
Þou falest as a dronken swyne
Þi tonge is loste & al þine honest cures
230
For dronkenes is verreie sepultures
Of mannes witte & his discrecion
In whome þat drinke haþ dnācion
He can no counsel kepe it is no dred
Now kepe ȝowe fro þe white & fro þe reede
235
Namely fro þe white wyne of lepe
Þat is to sel in fische strete or in chep
Þis wyne of Spayne crepeþ Sotelly
In oþer wynes groweinge fast by
Of whiche þere riseþ suche fumosite
240
Þat whan a man haþ dronke drauhtes þre
And weneþ þat he be att home in chepe
He is in spayne riht atte þe toune of lepe
Nouht att þe Rochel ne att Bordeux toune
And þan wille þei seyn Sampsoūe Sampsone
245
Bot herken lordeynges o worde .I. ȝow preie
Þat al þe souereigne attes dar .I. seie
Of victories in þe olde testamentes
Þat þoruhe verrey god þat is omnipotentes
Weere done in abstinence & in preiere
250
Loke þe bible & þere ȝe maie it leere .
Loke Atthela þe grete conqueroure
Deyed in his slepe wiþ schame & dishonoure
Bledeynge aye att is nose in dronkenesse
A Capeteigne schold leue in soburnesse
255
And ouer al þis a vise ȝow riht wele
What was comand vn to Lamuele
Nouht Samuel bot Lamuel saie .I.
Redeþe þe bible & findeþ it expresly
Of wyne ȝifinge to hem þat han Iustice
260
No mor of þis for it mai wele suffice
A now þat .I. haue spoke of glotonye
Nowe wil .I. defend ȝowe hasardye
Hasard is verreye moder of lesinges
And of deceyte Cursed forswereinges
265
Blaspheme of criste & man sleinges also
Of bataile oft time and of oþer mo