The Summoner's Tale
Folio 121v
17 of 18 folios
And specially abouen euery þing
Excited he þe poeple in his perching
To trentales and for goddes sake
10
Ther with men mighten holy houses make
Ther as diuin seruice is honoured
Nought þer as it is wasted and deuoured
Ne þer it nedeþ not for to be ȝiue
As to possessioners þat may elles lyue
15
Þanked be god in wele and habundaūce
Trentales seyde he deliuereþ fro penaūce
Here frendes soules as wel olde as ȝonge
If þat þey ben hastily y songe
Nougħt for to holde a prest ioly and gay
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He syngeþ not but o messe in a day
Delyuereþ out quod he anon þe soules
Ful hard it is wiþ fleisshook oþer with oules
to kepe ȝou fro peynes of feendes blake
Now speed ȝou hastely for cristes sake
25
And whan þe frere hadde seyde al his entente
Wiþ Qui cum patr~~e forþ he wente
Whan folk in chirche hadde ȝiue him what hem leste
He wente his way no lenger wolde he reste
Wiþ scrippe and tipped staf tukked ful hye
30
In euery hous he gan to pore and prye
And beggeþ mele or chese or elles corn
His felaw had a staf typped with horn
A payre of tabeles of yuory
And a poyntel polisshed fetously
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And wrot þe names alwey as he stood
Of any folk þat ȝaf hem eny good
Ascance þat he wolde for hem preye
Ȝiue vs a busshel whete malt or reye
A goddes kechil or a trippe of chese
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Oþer elles what ȝow list we may nat cheese
A goddes halpeny oþer a masse peny
Oþer ȝiue vs of ȝour braū if ȝe haue eny