The Summoner's Tale
Folio 114r
15 of 15 folios
Schal parforme vp þe nombre of his Couent
Than schal þei knele adoune be on assent
555
And to euery spokes ende in þis manere
Ful saddely scholden lay her nose iche a frere
Ȝoure noble Confessoure þere god him saue
Schal holde his vpriht in to þe naue
Than schal þis cherle wiþ bely styffe & touht
560
As any tabur hider buen brouht
And sett him on þe whele riht on þis carte
Vpoñ þe naue & late him maake a farte
And ȝe schol see vp peril of my lif
Be preue whiche þat is demonstratif
565
Þat equali þe soune of it wil wende
And eke þe stynk to þe spokes ende
Saue þat þis worþi man þis confessoure
Because he is a man of grete honoure
Schal haue þe first fruyte as reson is
570
The noble vsaga of freres ȝit is þis
The worþi men of hem scholen first be serued
And Serteynly he haþ it wele deserued
He haþ to day tauht vs so muche goode
Wiþ percheinge in þe pilput þer he stoode
575
Þat .I. maie vouche saue .I. saie for me
He hadde þe first smel of fartes þre
And so wolde al his couent hardely
He bereþ him so faire & so holyly .
The lorde þe lady & eche mon saue þe frere
580
Saiden þat Iankyn spak in þis matiere
As wele as Euclide or plholome
Toucheinge þe cherle subtelite
And by hihe make him speke as he spak
He is no fule ne none demoniak
585
And Ianky haþ wonne a newe gowne
Mi tale is done we buen almost att towne
Expicit fabula Aperitoris
¶ Incipit prologus clta .
Sir Clerc of Oxenforde owre Oste seide
Ȝe ride as stiƚƚ & coie as doþ amaide
Weer newe spowsed sittinge att þe borde
This daie ne herde .I. of ȝoure tounge a worde
5
.I trowe þat ȝe stody aboute some sophime
Bot Salomon seiþe euery þinge haþe time
For godes sake beþe of Better chier
It is no time for to stodie here .