The Summoner's Tale
Folio 108r
3 of 15 folios
A stordy harlote went hem aie behinde
Þat was he osteman & bare a sakke
And what men ȝaue hem laide oñ his bakke
And he was out att þe dore anone
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He pleyned a waie þe names euerychon
Þat he be fore had wreten in his tables
He serued hem wiþ nifles & wiþ fables
Nay þere þou lext þou Somnor qd þe frere
Pes qd oure host for criste moder dere
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Tel forþ . þi tale Spare it nouht att al
So þriue .I. qd þe Somnor so .I. schal
So longe he went hous be hous qd he
Til he com come to an hous þer he was wonte to be
Refressched more þat in an hundreþ place
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Seke laye bonde man wos þe place is
And vpon a couche lowe he laye
Deus hic qd he O Thomas frende good daie
Seide þis frere curtasly & soft
Thomas seide he god ȝelde ȝowe ful oft
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Have .I. vpon þis benche fare wele
Here haue .I. ete mony a mery mele
And fro þe benche he drove a waie þe catt
And laide adoune his potent & his hatt
And eke his scripe & sett him soft a doune
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His felowe was go walked in þe toune
Forþe wiþ his knaue in to þat hostlerie
Where as he schope him þilke nyht to lye
Odere maister qd þis seke man
Howe haue ȝe fare seþ marche began
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.I. sauhe ȝou nouht þis fourtenyht & more
God wote qd he labourde haue .I. ful sore
And speciali for þin saluacione
Haue .I. seide mony a percious orisone
And for oure oþere frendes god hem blesse
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.I. haue to daie done at ȝoure cherche a messe
And seide a seremon after my simple witte
Nouht al after þe text of holy wrytte
For it is harde to ȝowe as .I. suppose
Ther fore wil .I. teƚƚ al þe glose
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Glosinge is a glorious þinge certeine
For letters sleþe so as clerkes seine
Þer haue .I. tauht hem to be charitable