The Summoner's Tale
Folio 113r
13 of 15 folios
God ȝelde ȝow a downe in ȝoue vilage
470
Þat in þis werlde þere is none so pouer apage
Þat he nolde haue abhomynacioūe
Of þat .I. haue reseyuede in ȝowre toune
And ȝit me greueþ no þinge so sore
As þat þis olde cherle wiþ lokkes hore
475
Blasphemed haþ oure holy Couent eke
Now mayster qd þis lorde .I. ȝowe beseke
No maystere qd he bot a seruitoure
Þeih .I. haue had in scole þat honoure
God lykeþ nouht þat men vs Raby caƚƚ
480
Neyþer in Market ne in ȝoure haƚƚ
No force qd he bot tel me of ȝoure greue
Sir qd þis frere an hydous mescheue
This daie be tidde is to myne order & to me
And so par consequence to iche degre
485
Of holy cherche god amend it sone
Sir qd þe lorde ȝe wote what is to done
Distempar ȝowe nouȝte ȝo be my confessoure
Ȝe bue þe salt of þe erþe & þe sauoure
For goddes loue ȝoure paciens ȝe holde
490
Telleþ me ȝoure greue & he anone him tolde
Ais ȝe haue herde befor ȝe wote wele whatt
The lady of þe hous ay stil satt
Til sche herde what þe frere seide
Ey goddes moder qd sche blisful meide
495
Es þere nouht elles telleþ me feiþfully
Madame qd he howe þinke ȝowe þer by
Howe þat me þenkeþ qd sche so god me spede
.I. seie a cherle haþe done a cherles dede
What scholde .I. sei god lat him neuere þe
500
His seeke hede is ful of vanite
.I. holde him in amaner franseye
Ma x dame qd he be god .I. schal nouȝt lye
Bot .I. on oþere wyse mai bene a wreke
.I. schal sclander him ouer al where .I. speke
505
Þe false blasphemor þa charged me
To parte þat myht nouht departed be
To euery man y liche wiþ meschaunce
The lorde satte stille as he lay in a traunce
And in his hert he rolle vp & doune
510
Howe had þis cherle ymaginaciounce