The Summoner's Tale
Folio 109v
3 of 17 folios
So long he wente hous by hous til he
Cam til an hous þer he was wont to be
Refresshid mor þan in an hundrid placis .
60
Syk lay þe housbond mā whos þat þe place is
Bedred vpon a couche lowe he lay
Deus hic quod he O thomas frend good day
Sayde þis frere al curteysly and softe /
O . Thomas god ȝeld it ȝow ful ofte
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Haue I vpon þis bench I fare ful wel
Her haue I eten many a mery mel
And fro þe bench he drof away þe cat
And layd a doun his potent and his hat
And eek his scrip and set him soft a doun
70
His felaw was go walkid in þe toun
Forth with his knaue to þe ostelrye /
Wher as he schop him þilke night to lye
O deere maister quod þe seeke man
How haue ȝe fare siþþe march bygan
75
I saygh ȝow nouȝt þis fourtenight or more
God wot quod he labord haue I ful sore
And specially for þy saluaciou~
Haue I sayd many a precious orisoun
And for myn oþer frendes god hem blesse /
80
I haue to day ben at ȝour chirche at messe /
And sayd a sermoū after my simple wit
Nought al after þe text of holy wryt
For it is hard for ȝow as I suppose
And þerfor wil I teche ȝow ay þe glose
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Glosyng is a glorious þing certayn
For letter sleþ so as we clerkes sayn
Þer haue I taught hem to be chariteable
And spend her good . þer it is resonable
And þer I seigh our dame wher is sche
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Ȝond in þe ȝerd I trowe þat sche be
Sayde þis man and sche wil come anoon
¶ Ey mayster welcome be ȝe by seint Ioħn
Sayde þis wyf how fare ȝe hertily
Þe frere ariseþ vp ful curteysly