The Summoner's Tale
Folio 82v
7 of 15 folios
xx xure chapitre / praye we day and nyght
To crist that he thee sende / heele and myght
Thy body / for to welden hastily
240
¶ God woot quod he / no thyng ther of feele I
As help me crist as I in fewe yeres
Haue spended / vp on diuerse manere freres
Ful many a pound / yet fare I neuere the bet
Certeyn / my good haue I almoost biset
245
Farwel my gold / for it is al ago
¶ The frere answerde / o Thomas doostow so
What nedeth yow / diuerse freres seche
What nedeth hym / that hath a parfit leche
To sechen / othere leches in the town
250
Youre inconstance / is youre confusioun
Holde ye thanne me / or ellis oure Couent
To preye for yow / been insufficient
Thomas / that Iape / nys nat worth a myte
Youre maladye / is for we han to lyte
255
A yif that Couent / half a quarter otes
A yif that Couent .xxiiij. grotes
A yif that frere a peny / and lat hym go
Nay nay Thomas / it may no thyng be so
What is a ferthyng worth / parted in twelue
260
Lo / ech thyng / that is oned in hym selue
Is moore strong than whan it is to scatered
Thomas / of me / thow shalt nat been yflatered
Thow woldest han oure labour / al for noght
The hye god / that al this world hath wroght
265
Seith / that the werkman / worthy is his hire
Thomas / noght of youre tresor I desire
As for my self / but that al oure Couent
To praye for yow / is ay so diligent
And for to buylden / cristes owene chirche
270
Thomas / if ye wol lernen for to wirche
Of buyldyng vp of chirches / may ye fynde
If it be good / in Thomas lyf of Inde
Ye lye heere / ful of Anger and of Ire
With which / the deuel set youre herte afire
275
And chiden heere / the sely Innocent /
Youre wyf / that is so meke and pacient