The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 177v
9 of 15 folios
For to bne war of suche an aduersarie
355
Beþ rede for to mete him euermore
Thus tauht me my dame .I. seie no more
Be seinte Marie seyde þis tauernere
This childe seiþe soþe for he haþ sleine to ȝere
Hennes ouere a Mile wiþ inne a gret village
360
Boþe man & wōman childe & page
I trowe his habitacione be þere
To been avisede grete wisdome it weere
Ere þat he dide a man dishonoure
Ȝe goddes armes qd þis Rietoure
365
Is it suche perile wiþ him for to mete
.I. schal him seeke be waie & eke be strete
.I. make avowe be goddes deyne bones
Herkeneþ felawes we þre been al ones
Lat iche of vs holde vp his honde to oþere
370
And iche of vs becōme oþers broþere
And we wil sle þis false traitur deþe
He schal be sleyne he þat so mony sleþe
Be goddes dignite ar it be nihte
To geder haue þes þre her hertes hihte
375
To leue & deie ilke of hem wiþ oþere
As þouhe he ware his owen sworne broþer
And vpe þei stert al dronken in þis rage
And forþe þei gone to warde þat vilage
Of whiche þe tauerner haþ spoken be forne
380
And mony a grisely oþe þen haue þei sworne
And cristes blissed bodie þei to rent
Deþ schal be dede if þat we maie him hent
Whan þei haue gone nouht fully a myle
Riht as þe wolde haue troden ouere a style
385
An olde & a pouer man wiþ hē he mette
This olde man ful mekely hem grette
And seide þus nowe lordes god ȝowe see
Þe proudeste of þes ryetoures þre
Anseward aȝeine what carle wiþ hard grace
390
Whi art þou al for wrapped saue þi face
Whi leuest þou so longe in so grete age
This oldeman gan loke in his visage
And seid þus ; for .I. can nouȝt finde
Aman þouhe þat .I. walked vnto ynde
395
Neyþer in Cite ne in village .