The Friar's Prologue
Folio 73v
2 of 2 folios
¶ The prologe of the Freres tale ~
This worthy lymytour / this noble frere
He made alwey / a manere louryng cheere
Vp on the Somnour / but for honestee
No vileyns word / as yet to hym spak he
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But atte laste / he seyde vn to the wyf
¶ Dame quod he god yeue yow right good lyf
Ye han heer touched / al so mote I thee
In scole matere / greet difficultee
Ye han seyd muche thyng right wel I seye
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But dame / here as we ryden by the weye
Vs nedeth nat to speken / but of game
And lete auctoritees / on goddes name
To prechyng and to scole of clergye
But if it like / to this compaignye
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I wol yow / of a Somnour telle a game
Pardee / ye may wel knowe by the name
That of a Somnor / may no good be sayd
I praye / that noon of yow / be ypayd
A somnour / is a rennere vp and doun
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With mandementz / for fornicacioun
And is ybet at euery townes ende
¶ Oure hoost tho spak / a sire ye sholde be hende