The Corpus ms (Corpus Christi coll., Oxford) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 385]

¶ Here begynneþ þe Somnours tale

LOrdynges þer is in york schire / as I gesse A mersshy countre called Holdernesse In which þer wente a lymytour aboute / To preche and eek to begge it is no doute Line 1712 And so bifelle þat on a day þis frere Hadde preched atte cherche in þis manere And specially abouen euery þing [folio 121b] Excited he þe poeple in his preching Line 1716 To trentales and for goddes sake Ther-with men mighten holy houses make Ther as diuin seruice is honoured Nought þer as it is wasted and deuoured Line 1720 Ne þer it nedeþ not for to be ȝiue As to possessioners þat may elles lyue þanked be god in wele and habundance Trentales seyde he deliuereþ fro penance Line 1724 here frendes soules as wel olde as ȝonge If þat þey ben hastily y-songe Nought for to holde a prest ioly and gay he syngeþ not but o messe in a day Line 1728 Delyuereþ out quod he anon þe soules fful hard it is wiþ fleisshook oþer with oules Now speed ȝou hastely for cristes sake Line 1732 to kepe ȝou fro peynes of feendes blake Line 1731 And whan þe frere hadde seyde al his entente Wiþ Qui cum patre forþ he wente Whan folk in chirche hadde ȝiue him what hem leste he wente his way no lenger wolde he reste Line 1736

[6-text p 386] Line 1736 Wiþ scrippe and tipped staf tukked ful hye 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 Line 1740 A payre of tabeles of yuory And a poyntel polisshed fetously And wrot þe names alwey as he stood Of any folk þat ȝaf hem eny good Line 1744 Ascance þat he wolde for hem preye ȝiue vs a busshel whete malt/ or reye A goddes kechil or a trippe of chese Oþer elles what ȝow list we may nat cheese Line 1748 A goddes halpeny oþer a masse peny Oþer ȝiue vs of ȝour bran if ȝe haue eny A dagoun of ȝour blanket leeue dame [folio 122a] Oure suster deere here I write ȝoure name Line 1752 Bacon or beef or such þing as ȝe fynde A sturdy harlot wente hem ay behynde That was here hostes man and bar a sakke And what men ȝaf hem leyde it on his bakke Line 1756 And whan he was out at þe dore anoon he planed awey þe names euerychoon That he bifore hadde writen in his tables he serued hem with nyfles and with fables Line 1760 Nay þer þou lixt þou somnour quod þe frere / Pees quod oure host for cristes moder deere Telle forþ þi tale spare it not at al So þryue I quod þis somnour so I schal Line 1764 So longe he wente hous by hous quod he Til he come to an hous þer he was wont to be Refresshed more þan in an .C. places Seke lay þe bonde man whos þe place is Line 1768 And vpon a kowche lowe he lay Deus hic quod he / O Thomas frend good day Seyde þis frere curteysly and softe Thomas sayde he god ȝelde ȝow ful ofte Line 1772

[6-text p 387] Line 1772 haue I vpon þis benche faren wel heere haue I eten many a mery meel And fro þe benche he drof awey þe cat And leyde doun his potent and his hat Line 1776 And eek his scrippe and sette him softe a doun his felawe was go walked in þe toun fforþ with his knaue in-to þat ostelrie Wher as he schop him þilke night to lye Line 1780 O deere maister quod þis seeke man how han ȝe fare siþenes þat marche bigan I say ȝow nought þis fourtenight and more God woot quod he laboured haue I ful sore Line 1784 And specially for þy Saluacion haue I seyde many a precious orison And for oure oþer frendes god hem blesse [folio 122b] I haue to day don at ȝoure chirche a messe Line 1788 A sayd a sermon after my simple wit nought alle after þe text of holy writ ffor it is hard to ȝou as I suppose þerfore wol I teche to ȝou al þe glose Line 1792 Glosyng is a glorious þing certein ffor lettre sleeþ so as clerkes sein þer haue I taught hem to be charitable And spende here good þer it is resonable Line 1796 There I sawh oure dame a wher is sche yonde in þe yerde I trowe þat sche be / Seyde þis man and sche wil come anon Ey mayster welcome be ȝe by seint/ Iohn Line 1800 Seyde þis wijf how fare ȝe hertely þe frere ariseþ vp ful curteisly And hir enbrased in his armes narwe And kisseþ hir swete and chirkeþ as a sparwe Line 1804 Wiþ his lippes dame quod he right wel As he þat is your seruant eueridel I-þanked be god þat ȝou ȝaf soule and lyf ȝit/ sawh I not to day so fair a wijf Line 1808

[6-text p 388] Line 1808 In al þe chirche god so saue me ȝe god amende defautes sir quod sche Algates welcome be ȝe by my fey Gramercy dame þis haue I founde alwey Line 1812 But of ȝour grete goodnes by ȝour leeue I wolde pray ȝou þat ȝe nought ȝou greue I wole with Thomas speken a litel þrowe þese curates ben ful necligent/ and slowe Line 1816 To grope tendrely a conscience In schrifte and in preching is my diligence And studye in petres wordes and in poules I walke and fisshe mennes soules Line 1820 To ȝelde ihesu crist/ his propre rente To sprede his wordes is sette al myn entente ¶ Now by ȝour leeue o deere sire quod sche [folio 123a] Chydeþ him wel for god in trinite Line 1824 he is as angry as a pissemire þey þat he haue al þat he can desire þey I him wrye a night and make him warm And ouer him leye my legg or arm Line 1828 he groyneþ lik oure boor gronyng in sty Oþer desport of him right non haue I I may not plesen him in no maner caas ¶ Ieo vous dy trescher & bien amy O Thomas Line 1832 This makeþ þe feende þis mot ben amended Ire is a þing þat heye god defended And þer-of wol I speke a word or tuo Now maister quod þe wijf or þat I go Line 1836 What wol ȝe dyne I wole go þer aboute Now dame quod he Ieo vous dye sanz doute haue I not of a Capon but þe lyuere And of ȝour softe brede but a schyuere Line 1840 And after þat a rosted pigges heed But þat I wolde for me no beeste were deed þanne hadde I wiþ ȝou holly suffisance I am a man of litel sustenance / Line 1844

[6-text p 389] Line 1844 My spirit is fostred in þe bible þe body is ay so redy and penyble To wake þat my stomak is destroyed I pray ȝou dame þat ȝe be nought anoyed Line 1848 þey I so frendly my counseil to ȝou schewe By god I wolde not telle it/ but a fewe Now sire quod sche but oo word or I go my child is deed wiþinne þise wikes tuo Line 1852 Siþþen þat ȝe wente out of þis toun his deþ saugh I by reuelacion Seiþ þis frere at home in oure dortour I dar wel seyn þat/ er þat half an hour Line 1856 after his deþ I sawh him born to blisse In myn avision so god me wisse So dede our sextein and oure fermorer [folio 123b] That han ben trewe freres. fyfty ȝeer Line 1860 They may now god by þanke of his lone maken here Iubile and walken allone And vp I ros and alle oure couent eeke With many a teere trillyng on my cheeke Line 1864 Wiþouten noyse or clateryng of bellis Te deum was oure song and no þing elles Saue þat to crist I seyde an orison Thankyng him of his reuelacion Line 1868 ffor sire and dame trusteþ me right wel Oure orisons ben more spirituel And more we se of cristes secre þinges Line 1871 Than burel folk [though they were kynges [Harl. 1758 folio 109a] We lyue in pouerte & in abstynence. And borell solke] in richesse and wynnynges [[in dispence. Harl. 1758]] Of mete and drynk and in here foul delit/ We han þis worldes lust al in despit Line 1876 Lazar and Diues liueden dyuersely And dyuerse guerdon hadde þey þerby Who-so wol preye he moot faste and be clene And fatte his soule and make his cheekes lene Line 1880

[6-text p 390] Line 1880 We fare as seiþ þapostil cloþ and foode Sufficeþ vs þeyȝ þey ben not goode The clennes and þe fastyng of ous ffreres makeþ þat crist accepteþ oure prayeres Line 1884 lo moyses .xl. dayes and .xl. nyght ffasted or þat þe heihe god of might Spak wiþ him in þe mount of Synay With empty wombe fastyng many a day Line 1888 Receyued he þe lawe þat was writen Wiþ goddes fynger and helthe wel ȝe witen In þe mont or elles er he hadde eny speche With heyhe god þat is oure lyues leche Line 1892 he fasted longe and was in contemplance And aaron þat hadde þe temple of god in gouernance And eek þat oþer prestes euerichon In-to þe temple whan þey scholden gon Line 1896 To praye for þe poeple and do seruise [folio 124a] They nolden drynken in no maner wise/ No drynk þe which hem mighte drunke make But euere in abstynence to preye and wake Line 1900 lest þat þey deyede tak heede what I seye But þey ben sobre þat for þe poeple preye Ware þat I say no more for it suffiseþ Oure lord ihesus / as holy god deuyseþ Line 1904 ȝiueþ ous ensample of fastyng and prayeres Therfore we mendinantz we pouere freres Ben wedded to pouert and to continence To charite humblesse and also pacience Line 1908 To persecucion for rightwisnesse / To wepyng misericorde and clennesse And þerfore may ȝe see þat oure prayeres I speke of vs we mendenante ffreres Line 1912 Ben to þe hihe god more acceptable Than ȝoures wiþ ȝoure feste at þe table ffro paradys first if I schal nought lye Was man out chaced for his glotonye Line 1916

[6-text p 391] Line 1916 And chast was man in paradys certayn But herkne þere what I schal ȝou sayn I haue no text of þat as I suppose But I schal fynde it in a maner glose Line 1920 That specially oure swete lord Ihesus Spak þus by vers whan he seyde þus Blessed ben þey þat pore in spirit/ ben And so forþ al þe gospel may ȝe seen Line 1924 Wher it be like oure profession Or hem þat swymmen in possession ffy on here pompe and on here glotonye And for here lewednesse I hem diffye Line 1928 Me þinkeþ þey ben like Iovinian ffatte as a whale and walking as a swan As vynolent as botel in þe spence here prayer is ful of gret reuerence Line 1932 Whan þey for soules sein þe psalme of dauid [folio 124b] lo buff þey sain cor meum eructauit Who folweþ cristes gospel and his lore But we þat humble be and chaste and pore Line 1936 Werkers of goddes word and eek auditoures / þerfore right as an hauke rype at a sours vp springeþ vnto þe ayre right so prayeres Of charitable and chaste besy freres Line 1940 maken here sours to goddes eeren and who Thomas þerfore so mote I ride or go And by þat god þat cleped is seint yue Nere þou oure broþer schuldest þou not þriue Line 1944 In oure chapitre praye we day and night To crist þat he sende þe hele and might Thy body for to welden hastily God wot quod he noþing þer-of wot I Line 1948 As helpe me crist as in fewe ȝeeres haue I spended vpon diuers maner freres fful many a pound ȝit fare I neuer þe bett Certein my good haue I almost bisett Line 1952

[6-text p 392] Line 1952 ffar wel my golde for it is al a-go The ffrere answerde o Thomas why dost þou so What needeþ ȝou diuerse freres to seche What needeþ him þat haþ a parfit leche Line 1956 To sechen oþer leches in þe toun ȝour inconstance is ȝour confusioun holde ȝe þen me or elles oure couent To preye for ȝou ben insufficient Line 1960 Thomas þat Iape is not worþ a myte ȝoure maladye is for ȝe han ȝiuen vs so lite A ȝif þat couent half a quarter otes A ȝiue hem one or tuo grotes Line 1964 A ȝiue þe frere a peny and let him go Nay nay Thomas it may no þing be so What is a ferþing worþ parted in twelue lo eche þing þat is oned by himselue Line 1968 Is more straunge þen when it is skatered [folio 125a] Thomas of me þou schalt nat be flatered þou woldest oure labour haue for nought The hihe god þat al þis world haþ wrought Line 1972 Seiþ þat þe werkman is worþi his hyre Thomas nought of ȝour tresore I desire As for my self but þat alle oure couent To pray for ȝou is ay so diligent Line 1976 And for to bulden cristes oughne chirche Thomas if ȝe wol lerne for to wirche Of buldyng vp of chirches may ȝe fynde If it be good in Thomas lijf of Inde Line 1980 Ȝe ligge heer ful of anger and of Ire With þe which þe deuyl sette ȝoure ers a fyre And chyden heere þis sely Innocent Ȝoure wijf þat is so meeke and pacient Line 1984 And þerfore Thomas trowe me if ȝou list Ne stryue not wiþ þy wijf al for þe beste And bere þis word awey now by þy feith Touchinge such þing lo what þe wise man seiþ Line 1988

[6-text p 393] Line 1988 Wiþinne þin hous ne be þou no leoun To þy subiectis do non oppressioun Ne make þin acqueintance not for to fle And Thomas ȝit eft sones say I þe Line 1992 Be war for hire þat in þy bosom slepeþ Be war of þe serpent þat so slyly crepeþ vnder þe grasse þat styngeþ subtilly Be war my sone and herkene paciently Line 1996 That xx^ti. þousand men han lost here lyues / ffor þat þei han ben spitous to here wyues Now siþ ȝe han so holy and so meeke a wijf What needeþ ȝou Thomas to make strif Line 2000 þer is y-wys no serpent so cruel Whan men trede on his tail ne half so fel As womman is whan sche haþ caught an Ire Vengance is þanne al þat þey desyre Line 2004 Ire is a synne on of þe grete of seuene [folio 125b] Abhominable vnto þe god of heuene And to himself it is destruction þis euery lewed vicary or parson Line 2008 Can say how Ire engendreþ homicide Ire in soþ is executor of pryde I couþe of Ire seye so mochil sorwe My tale scholde laste til to morwe Line 2012 And þerfore I praye god boþe day and night An Irous man sende him litel might It is gret harm and certes gret pite To sette an Irous man in heih degre Line 2016 ¶ Whilom þer was an Irous potestat As seiþ Senek durynge his estat Vpon a day out riden knightes tuo And as fortune wolde it were so Line 2020 That oon of hem cam home þat oþer nought Anon þe knight bifore þe Iuge is brought And seyde þus þou hast þy felaw slayn ffor which I deme þe to deþ certain Line 2024

[6-text p 394] Line 2024 And to anoþer knight comaunded he Go lede him to þe deþ I charge þe And happed as þey wente by þe weye Toward þe place þer as he schulde deye Line 2028 The knight cam which þey wend hadde be deed Thenne þoughten þey it were þe beste reed To lede hem boþe to þe Iuge aȝein þey seyden lord þe knight ne haþ not sleyn Line 2032 his felawe here he stant on lyue ȝe schulle be deed quod he so mot I þriue þis is to say boþe oon and tuo and þre And to þe firste knight right þus spak he Line 2036 I dampned þe þou most algate be deed And þou also most needes lese þin heed ffor þou art cause why þy felaw deyþ And to þe þridde knight right þus he seiþ Line 2040 Thou hast not don þat I comaunded þe [folio 126a] And þus he dede do slee hem alle þre Irous kambises was eek drunkelewe And ay delited him to ben a schrewe Line 2044 And so bifelle a lord of his meigne That loued vertuous moralite Sayde on a day vnto himself right þus A lord is lost if he be vicious Line 2048 And drunkenesse is eek a foul record Of any man and namly in a lord Ther is ful many an ey and many an eere Awaytyng on a lord and he not where Line 2052 ffor goddes loue drynkeþ more attemperelly Wyn makeþ a man to lese wrecchedly his mynde and eek his lymes euerychon The reuers schalt þou see quod he anoon Line 2056 And proue it by þin owne experience That wyn doþ to folk no such offence Ther is no wyn byreueþ me my might Of hande ne foot ne of myn eyȝen sight Line 2060

[6-text p 395] Line 2060 And for despite he dranke ful moche more An hundred part þan he had don bifore And right anon þis cursede wrecche lete þis knightes sone biforn him fecche Line 2064 And commaundyng hem þey schulde biforn him stonde And sodeinly he took his bowe on honde And vp þe streng he pulled to his eere And wiþ an arwe he slough þe child right þere Line 2068 Now wheþer haue I a siker hond or non Quoþ he is al my might and my witte agon haþ wyn byreued me myn yhe sight What schulde I telle þe answere of þe knight Line 2072 his sone was slayn þer is namore to say Beþ war þerfore wiþ lordes how ȝe play Syngeþ placebo and I schal if I can But if it be vnto a pouere man Line 2076 To a pouere man men scholde his vices telle / [folio 126b] But not to a lord þei he schulde go te helle / Lo Irrous Sirus þilke Percien how he destroyed þe ryuer of Gysen Line 2080 ffor þat an hors of his was dreynt þerinne Whan þat he wente Babilon to wynne he made þat þe ryuer was so smal That wommen mighten waden oueral Line 2084 lo what seyde he þat so wel teche can Ne he no felawe to an yrous man Ne wiþ no wood man walke by þe way leste þe repente I wol nomore say Line 2088 Now Thomas leeue broþer leue þin Ire Thou schalt me fynde as iuste as is a squire holde nought þe deueles knyf ay at þin herte / Thin anger doþ þe al to sore smerte Line 2092 But schewe to me alle þy confession Nay quod þis seeke man by seint Symon I haue ben schriuen þis day at my curate I haue him tolde al holly myn estate Line 2096

[6-text p 396] Line 2096 It needeþ nomore speke of it sayde he But if me luste of myn humilite Ȝiue me þenne of þy gold to make oure cloystre Quod he for many a muscle and many an oystre Line 2100 haþ ben our foode oure cloystre for to reyse Whan oþer men han ben ful wel at eyse And ȝit god wot vnneþes þe foundement Parformed is ne of oure pauyment Line 2104 Nis nought a tile ȝit wiþinne oure wones By god we owen fourty pound for stoones/ Now helpe thomas for him þat harwed helle Or elles moote we oure bokes selle Line 2108 And if we lacke oure predicacion þanne goþ þe world al to destruccion ffor whos wolde fro þis world vs byreue So god me saue Thomas by ȝoure leeue Line 2112 he wolde byreue out of þe world þe sonne / [folio 127a] ffor who can teche and werchen as we konne And þat is not of litel time quod he But sethyns Elye was or Elyze Line 2116 han freres ben þat fynde I of record In charite I-þanked be oure lord Now Thomas help for seinte charite A-doun anon he sette him on his kne Line 2120 This sike man wex wel neigh wood for Ire he wolde þat þe frere hadde ben a fuyre With his fals dissimilacion Such þing as is her in my possession Line 2124 Quod he þat I may ȝiue and non oþer ȝe sein me þus / þat I am ȝour broþer ȝe certes quod þe ffrere trusteþ me wel I took oure dame oure lettres wiþ oure seel Line 2128 ¶ Now wel quod he and somwhat schal I ȝiue vnto ȝour holy couent whil I lyue And in þin hand þou schalt it han anon vp þis condicion and oþer non Line 2132

[6-text p 397] Line 2132 þat þou depart it so myn owne deere broþer That euery frere haue as moche as oþer þis schalt þou swere on þy profession Wiþouten fraude or cauellacion Line 2136 I swere it quod þis frere vpon my feiþ And þer wiþal his hond in his he leiþ lo heer my feiþ in me schal be no lacke þan putte þin hond doun by my bakke Line 2140 Sayde þis man and grope wel byhynde Byneþe my buttok þere schalt þou fynde A þing þat I haue hidde in priuete A þought þis frere þat schal go wiþ me Line 2144 And doun his hande he launceþ vnto þe clifte he hopede þere for to fynden a ȝifte And þanne ful besy was þis frere Abouten his tuwel gropyng here and þere Line 2148 ¶ Amydde his hand he leet þe frere a fart [folio 127b] Ther is no capel drawyng in þe cart þat might haue lete a fart of such a soun þe frere vp sterte as it were a fers leoun Line 2152 A false cherl quod he for cokkes bones This hast þou for despite doon for þe nones þou schalt abeye þi farte if þat I may his meigne which þat herden þis affray Line 2156 Cam lepynge in and chased out þe ffrere And forþ he goþ wiþ a ful angry cheere And fette his felawe þer as lay his store he loked as it were a wilde boor Line 2160 he grynded his teeþ so was he wroþ A stourdy paas doun to þe court he goþ Wher as þer woned a man of gret honour To whom þat he was alwey confessour Line 2164 This worþy man was lord of þat village þis frere cam as þough it were in a rage Wher as þis lord sat etyng at his bord vnneþes might þe frere speke a word Line 2168

[6-text p 398] Line 2168 Til atte laste he seyde god ȝou se þis lord gan loke and seyde benedicite Quod he frere Iohn what maner world is þis I see wel þat som þing is amys Line 2172 ȝe loken as þe woode were ful of þeeues Sit doun anon and telle me what ȝour greef is And it schal ben amended if þat I may I haue quod he had a despit to day Line 2176 God ȝelde ȝou a-doun in ȝoure village þat in þis world is non so pore a page þat he nolde han abhominacion Of þat I haue receyued in þis toun Line 2180 And ȝit me greueþ no þing so sore As þat þis olde cherl wiþ lokkes hore Blasphemed haþ oure holy couent eeke Now maister quod þis lord I ȝou beseke Line 2184 No maister quod he but a seruitour [folio 128a] þey I haue had in scole þat honour God likeþ nouȝt þat men vs Raby calle neiþer in market ne in ȝour halle Line 2188 No force quod he but telle me of ȝour greef sire quod þis frere an ydious mescheef This day betidde is to myn ordre and to me And so par consequens to eche degre Line 2192 Of holy chirche god amende it sone Sire quod þe lord ȝe wot what is to doone Distempre ȝou nought ȝe be my confessour ȝe ben þe salt/ of þerþe and þe sauour Line 2196 ffor goddes loue ȝoure pacience ȝe holde Telleþ me ȝour greef and he anon him tolde As ȝe han herd byfore ȝe wot wel what The lady of þe hous ay stille sat Line 2200 Til sche hadde herde what þe frere sayde Ey goddes moder quod sche blisful mayde Is þer nouȝt elles telleþ me feiþfully ¶ madame quod he how þenke ȝou þerby Line 2204

[6-text p 399] Line 2204 how þat me þenkeþ quod sche so god me spede I say a cherl haþ don a cherles deede what schulde I say god let him neuer þe his seeke heed is ful of vanite Line 2208 I holde him in a maner frenesye Madame quod he by god I schal not lye but I on oþer wise may ben awreke I schal sclaundre him oueral wher I speke Line 2212 The false blasphemour þat charged me To parte þat might nouȝt departed be To euery man y-liche wiþ meschaunce þe lord sat stille as he lay in a traunse Line 2216 And in his herte he rolled vp and doun how hadde þis cherl ymaginacioun To schewe such a probleme to þe frere Neuer erst er now herde I of such matere Line 2220 I trowe þe deuyl putte it in his mynde [folio 128b] In ars metrik schal þer no man fynde Biforn þis day of such a question Who schulde make a demonstracion Line 2224 þat euery man schulde haue y-lik his part Of a soun or of a sauour of a fart O nyce proude cherle I schrewe his face lo sires quod þe lord wiþ harde grace Line 2228 Who herde euer of such a þing er now / To euery man ylike telle me how It is a impossible it may not be O nyce cherle god let him neuer þe Line 2232 þe rublyng of a fart and euery soun Nys but of eyre reuellacioun And þer-wiþ wasteþ litel and litel away þer is no man can deme by my fay Line 2236 If þat it/ were departed equaly What lo my cherle lo ȝit how schrewedely vnto my confessour to day he spak I holde him certein a demoniak Line 2240

[6-text p 400] Line 2240 Now eteþ ȝoure mete and leteþ him go pleye lete him go hange himself a deuelweye [[The Solution of the "Probleme" by the Lord's Squire. No break in the MS.]] Now stood þe lordes squier at þe bord þat karf here mete and herde word for word Line 2244 Of alle þing of which I haue ȝou sayd my lord quod he beþ not yuele payd I couþe telle for a gowne cloþ To ȝou sir frere so ȝe ben nat wroþ Line 2248 how þat þis fart scholde euene deled be Among ȝour couent/ if it like me Telle on quod þe lord and þou schalt haue anon A gowne cloþ by god and by seint Iohn Line 2252 My lord quod he whan þat þe weder is faire Wiþouten wynd or pertourbyng of ayre let bringe a cart whel heer in-to þis halle But loke þat he haue his spokes alle Line 2256 xij. spokes haþ a carte whel comunly [folio 129a] And bringe me þanne .xij. freres wite ȝe why ffor .xiij. is a couent as I gesse ȝoure confessour hede for his worþinesse Line 2260 Schal performe vp þe nombre of his couent þanne schullen þey knelen doun by oon assent And to euery spokes ende in þis manere fful sadly leye his nose schal þe freere Line 2264 ȝoure noble confessour þere god him saue Schal holde his nose vpright vnto þe naue þanne schal þis cherl wiþ bely styf and touȝt As any tabour hider ben y-brought Line 2268 And sette him on þe wheel right on þis carte vpon þe naue and make him lete a farte And ȝe schuln se vp peril of my lijf By preof which þat is demonstratif Line 2272

[6-text p 401] Line 2272 þat equaly þe soun of hit wole wende And eeke þe stynke vnto þe spokes ende Saue þat þis worþi man þis confessour By cause he is a man of gret honour Line 2276 Schal haue þe ferste fruytes as reson is þe noble vsage of freres ȝit is þis þe worþy men of hem schuln ferst be serued And certeinly he haþ it wel disserued Line 2280 he haþ to day taught vs so mochil good Wiþ preching in þe pulpit þer he stood þat I may vouche sauf I say for me he hadde þe firste smelle of fartes þre Line 2284 And so wolde alle his couent hardily he bereþ him so faire and holyly þe lord þe lady & eche man saue þe ffrere Sayden þat Iankyn spak in þis matiere Line 2288 As wel as euclide or protholome Touchinge þe cherle þey seyden subtilite And by heyh witte make him speke as he spake he is no fool ne no demonyake Line 2292 And Iankyn haþ y-wonne a newe goune [folio 129b] My tale is doon we ben almost at towne

¶ Here endeþ þe Somnours tale