The Friar's Tale
Folio 69v
3 of 11 folios
¶ Thanne wold he seyn frende I shal for thi sake
Do stryke the oute of our lettres blake
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The thar no more as in this cas trauaile
I am thi frende there I the may auayle
Certeyn he knew of bribryes mo
Than possible is to tellen in yeres two
For in this world nys dogge for the bowe
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That can an hurt dere from an hole knowe
Bet than this sompnour knew a slygh lechour
Or an auouter or a paramour
And for that was the fruyte of al his rente
Ther fore on it he sette al his entente
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¶ And so bifel that oones on a day
This sompnour euer waytyng on his pay
Rood for to sompne a widewe an olde ribibe
Feynyng a cause for he wold han a bribe
And happed that he say bifore him ryde
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A gay yoman vnder a forest syde
A bowe he bar and arwes bright and kene
He had vpon a courtpye of grene
An hat vpon his hed wyth frenges blake
¶ Syr quod the sompnour haile and wel atake
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¶ Welcome quod he and euery good felawe
Wher rydestow vnder this grenewode shawe
Seide this yoman wiltow fer to day
¶ This Sompnour him answerd and seyde nay
Here fast by quod he is myn entente
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To riden for to reysen vp a rente
That longeth to my lordes duete
¶ Artow thanne abayly ye quod he
He dorste not for verrey filth and shame
Sey he was a Sompnour for the name
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¶ Depardieux quod this yoman dere brother
Thow art a bayly and I am a nother
I am vnknowen as in this contre
Of thyn aqueyntance I wol prey the
And ek of britherhed yif that yow list
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I haue gold and seluer in my chist