The Summoner's Tale
Folio 113v
14 of 15 folios
To schew suche a probleme to þe frere
Neuer arst or nowe herde .I. of suche matiere
.I. trowe þe deuel put it in his mynde
In ars metrike schal þere no man finde
515
Be for þis daie of suche a questione
Who schold make a demonstracione
Þat euery man scholde haue .I. like his parte
Of a sowne or of a sauoure of a farte
O nyce proude cherle .I. schrewe his face
520
Lo sires qd þis lorde wiþ harde grace
Who euer herde of suche a þinge or nowe
To euery man .y. lyke tel me howe
It is an impossible it mai nouȝt be
A nyce cherle god lat him neuer þe
525
The rumblinge of a farte & euery sowne
Ne es bot bot of eyre reuelacioune
And þere wiþ wasteþ lytel & lyte a waie
Ther is no man can deme bemy faie
If þat it were departed equali
530
What lo my cherle lo ȝit howe schrewdelye
Vn to my confessor to daie he spak
.I. holde him certeine a demonyak
Nowe eteþ ȝoure mete & let him go pleie
Latt him go honge him self a deuelweie
535
Nowe stoode þe lordes swyer att þe borde
Þat kerue here mete & herde worde for worde
Of aƚƚ þinge of whiche .I. haue ȝowe seide
My lorde qd he be nouht heuel a paide
.I. couþe tell for a gone cloþe
540
To ȝow ser frere so ȝe benouht wroþe
How þat þis scholde euen ydelt be
Amonge ȝoure Couent if it lykeþ me
Tel on qd þe lorde & þou schalt haue anone
A goune cloþe be god & be god & be seint Iohñ
545
Mi lorde qd he whan þis weder is feire
Wiþ owten wynde or pertubeinge of eyre
Lat bringe a carte whele here in to þis haƚƚ
Bot loke he haue his spokes aƚƚ
Twelue spokes haþ a cart whele comūly
550
And bringe me þan .xij. freres witte ȝe why
For twelue is a Couent as .I. gesse
Ȝowre Confessor hede for his worþinesse