The Harleian ms. 7334 of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 385]

¶ Narrat

LOrdyngs þer is . in Engelond I gesse A mersschly lond called holdernesse In which þer went a lymytour aboute To preche and eek to begge it is no doubte Line 1712 And so bifel it . on a day þis frere had preched at a chirch in his manere And specially abouen euery þing Excited he þe poepul in his preching Line 1716 To trentals and to ȝiue for goddis sake wher that men mighten holy soules make Ther as diuine seruys is honoured Nought þer as it is wasted and deuoured Line 1720 Neither it needeþ not for to be ȝiue As to possessioneres þat mow lyue Thanked be god in wele and abundaunce Trentals sayd he delyuereth fro penaunce Line 1724 her frendes soules as wel eld as ȝonge Ȝe whanne þat þay hastily ben songe Nought for to hold a prest iolif and gay [folio 109a] he syngith not but oon masse in a day Line 1728 Delyuerith out quod he þe soules Ful hard it is wiþ fleischhok or with oules To ben y-clawed . or brend or I-bake Now speed ȝow hastily for cristes sake Line 1732 And whan þis frere had sayd al his entent with Qui cum patre . forþ he went whan folk in chirch had ȝiue him what hem lest he went his way no lenger wold he rest Line 1736

[6-text p 386] Line 1736 with scrip and pyked staf y-touked hye In euery hous and gan to pore and prye And beggyd mele or chese or ellis corn his felaw had a staf typped with horn Line 1740 A payr of tablis al of yuory And a poyntel y-polischt fetisly And wroot þe names alway as he stood Of alle folk that ȝaf him eny good Line 1744 Ascaunce þat he wolde for hem preye Ȝif vs a busshel . whet or malt or reye A goddes kichil or a trip of chese Or elles what ȝow list we may not chese Line 1748 A goddes halpeny or a masse peny Or ȝif vs of ȝoure braune if ȝe haue eny A dagoun of ȝour blanket leeue dame Oure suster deer . lo her I write ȝour name Line 1752 Bacoun or beef or such þing as we fynde A stourdy harlot ay went hem by hynde That was her hostis man and bar a sak And what men ȝaf hem layd it on his bak Line 1756 And whan þat he was out atte dore anoon he planed out þe names euerychoon That he biforn had writen in his tablis He serued hem wiþ nyfles and wiþ fablis Line 1760 Nay þer þou lixt þou sompnour sayd þe frere Pees quod our host for cristes moder deere Tel forþ þy tale and spare it not at al So thriue I quod þe sompnour so I schal Line 1764 So long he wente hous by hous til he [folio 109b] Cam til an hous þer he was wont to be Refresshid mor þan in an hundrid placis . Syk lay þe housbond man whos þat þe place is . Line 1768 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 Line 1772

[6-text p 387] Line 1772 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 Line 1776 And eek his scrip and set him soft a-doun his felaw was go walkid in þe toun Forth with his knaue to þe ostelrye / wher as he schop him þilke night to lye Line 1780 O deere maister quod þe seeke man how haue ȝe fare siþþe march bygan I saygh ȝow nouȝt þis fourtenight or more God wot quod he labord haue I ful sore Line 1784 And specially for þy saluacioun haue I sayd many a precious orisoun And for myn oþer frendes god hem blesse / I haue to day ben at your chirche at messe Line 1788 And sayd a sermoun 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 Line 1792 Glosyng is a ful 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 Line 1796 And þer I seigh our dame wher is sche / Ȝond in þe ȝerd I trowe þat sche be Sayde þis man . and sche wil come anoon ¶ Ey mayster welcome be ȝe by seint Iohn Line 1800 Sayde þis wyf how fare ȝe hertily Þe frere ariseþ vp ful curteysly And hir embracith in his armes narwe [folio 110a] And kist hir swete . and chirkith as a sparwe; Line 1804 with his lippes dame quod he right wel . As he þat is ȝour seruaunt euery del Thankyd be god þat ȝow ȝaf soule and lif Ȝit saugh I not þis day so fair a wyf Line 1808

[6-text p 388] Line 1808 In al þe chirche god so saue me . Ȝe God amend defautes sir quod sche / Algates welcome be ȝe by my fay Graunt mercy dame þis haue I found alway Line 1812 But of ȝour grete goodnes by ȝoure leue I wolde pray ȝow þat ȝe ȝow not greeue I wil wiþ Thomas speke a litel þrowe These curates ben ful negligent and slowe Line 1816 To grope tendurly a conscience In schrift and preching is my diligence Study in petres wordes and in poules And walk and fissche cristen mennes soules Line 1820 To ȝelde Ihu crist his propre rent To spreden his word is al myn entent Now by ȝour leue o deere sire quod sche Chyd him right wel for seinte trinite Line 1824 he is as angry as a pissemyre Though þat he haue al þat he can desire Though I him wrye on night and make him warm And ouer him lay my leg oþer myn arm Line 1828 he groneth lik our boor that lith in sty . Othir disport of him right noon haue I I may please him in no maner caas . O Thomas Ieo vous dy Thomas Thomas . Line 1832 This makþ þe feend . þis moste ben amendid Ire is a þing þat highe god defendid And þer of wold I speke a word or tuo Now maister quod þe wyf er þat I go / Line 1836 what wil ȝe dyne . I wil go þer aboute Now dame quod he Ieo vous dy saunȝ doute haue I not of a capoun but þe lyuere And of ȝour softe brede but a schiuere Line 1840 And after þat a rostyd pigges heed [folio 110b] But þat I wold for me no best were deed Than had I wiþ ȝow homly suffisaunce I am a man of litel sustinaunce Line 1844

[6-text p 389] Line 1844 My spirit haþ his fostryng on þe bible / Þe body is ay so redy and penyble To wake þat my stomak is destroyed I pray ȝow dame þat ȝe be not anoyed Line 1848 For I so frendly ȝow my counseil schewe By I nold not telle it but a fewe / Now sir quod sche but o word er I go My child is deed wiþinne þise wykes tuo Line 1852 Soon after þat ȝe went out of þis toun his deth saugh I by reuelacioun Sayde þis frere at hoom in oure dortour I dar wel sayn er þat half an hour Line 1856 After his deth . I seigh him born to blisse In myn auysioun so god me wisse . So did our sextein . and our fermerere That han ben trewe freres many a ȝere Line 1860 Þay may now god be thanked of his lone Maken her Iubile . and walk alloone But vp I roos and al our couent eeke With many a teere trilling on my cheeke · Line 1864 Te deum was our song and no þing ellis wiþouten noys or clateryng of bellis Saue þat to crist I sayd an orisoun Thankyng him of my reuelacioun Line 1868 For sire and dame trustith me right wel Our orisouns ben more effectuel And more we se of goddis secre þinges Than borel folk alþough þat þay ben kinges Line 1872 we lyue in pouert and in abstinence And borel folk in riches and dispence Of mete and drink and in her ful delyt we han al þis worldes delit in despyt Line 1876 lazar and Diues lyueden diuersely And diuers guerdoun hadde þay þerby who-so wol praye . faste . and be clene . [folio 111a] And fatte his soule and make his body lene Line 1880

[6-text p 390] Line 1880 we faren as saith þapostil cloþ and foode Sufficeþ vs . þough þay ben not goode The clennes and þe fastyng of vs freres Makith þat crist acceptith oure prayeres Line 1884 lo moyses fourty dayes and fourty night Fasted er þat þe highe 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 with goddis fynger and holy wel ȝe w In mount oreb or he had eny speche with highe god þat is oure lyues leche Line 1892 He fastid and was in contemplacioun Aron þat had þe temple in gouernacioun And eek þe oþer prestes euerychoon In to þe temple whan þay schulden goon Line 1896 To preye for þe poeple and doon seruise Thay nolden drinken · in no maner wise / No drynke which þat dronke might hem make / But þer in abstinence prey and wake Line 1900 lest þat þay dedin . tak heed what I say But þay ben sobre þat for þe pepul pray war þat I say no mor . for it suffisith Oure lord Ihu as oure lore deuysith Line 1904 Ȝaf vs ensampil of fastyng and prayeres Þerfore we mendinauntȝ we cely freres Ben wedded to pouert and to continence To charite · humblesse and abstinence Line 1908 To persecucioun for rightwisnesse To wepyng misericord and clennesse And þerfor may ȝe seen þat oure prayeres I speke of vs we mendeaunts . we freres Line 1912 Ben to þe hihe god mor acceptable Than ȝoures with ȝour festis at ȝour table Fro paradis first if I schal not lye was man out chaced for his glotonye Line 1916

[6-text p 391] Line 1916 And chast was man in paradis certeyn [folio 111b] But now herk/ thomas . what I schal þe seyn I ne haue no tixt of it as I suppose / But I schal fynd it in a maner glose / Line 1920 That specially our swete lord ihc Spak þis by freres whan he sayde þus Blessed be þay þat pouer in spirit ben And so forþ in þe gospel ȝe may seen Line 1924 wheþer it be likir oure professioun Or heris þat swymmen in possessioun Fy on her pomp and on her glotenye And on her lewydnesse I hem defye Line 1928 Me þinkith þay ben lik Iouynian Fat as a whal and walken as a swan Al vinolent as botel in þe spence her prayer is of ful gret reuerence Line 1932 whan þay for soules sayn þe psalm of dauid lo boef þay say . Cor meum eructauit who folwith cristes gospel and his fore But we þat humble ben and chast and pore Line 1936 werkers of goddes word and auditours Ther-for right as an hauk vpon a sours vpspringeth in to þaer right so prayeres Of charitabil and chaste busy freres Line 1940 Maken her sours to goddis eeres tuo Thomas thomas so mote I ryde or go And by þat lord þat clepid is seint Iue Ner þou oure broþer schuldestow neuer þriue Line 1944 In oure chapitre pray we day and night To crist þat he þe sende hele and might Thy body for to welden hastily God wot quod he þer-of nought feele I . Line 1948 As help me crist as I in fewe ȝeeres haue spendid vpon many diuers freres Ful many a pound ȝit fare I neuer þe bet Certeyn my good haue I almost byset/ Line 1952

[6-text p 392] Line 1952 Far wel my gold for it is almost a go The frere answerd // O thomas dostow so what needith ȝow dyuerse freres seche [folio 112a] what needith him þat haþ a parfyt leche / Line 1956 To sechen oþir leches in þe toun Ȝoure inconstance is ȝoure confusioun holde ȝe þan me or oure couent To praye for ȝow insufficient Line 1960 Thomas þat iape is not worth a myte Ȝoure malady is for we haue to lite ¶ A ȝiue þat couent half a quarter otes A ȝiue þat couent four and twenty grotes Line 1964 A ȝiue þat frere a peny and let him go . Nay nay thomas. it may nought be so what is a ferthing worth depart in tuelue lo ech þing þat is ooned in himselue Line 1968 Is more strong þan whan it is to-skatrid Thomas of me þou schalt not ben y-flatrid Thow woldist haue our labour al for nought The hihe god þat al this world hath wrought Line 1972 Saith þat a werkman is worþy his hyre Thomas nouȝt of ȝour tresor I desire For my self. but for that oure couent/ To pray for ȝow is ay so diligent Line 1976 And for to buylden cristes holy chirche Thomas if ȝe wil lerne for to wirche / Of buyldyng vp on chirches may ȝe fynde If it be good in thomas lyf of ynde Line 1980 Ȝe lye her ful. of anger and of Ire wiþ which þe deuel set ȝour hert on fuyre And chyden her þe holy Innocent Ȝour wyf þat is. so meke and pacient / Line 1984 And þerfor trow me thomas if þou list Ne stryue nought wiþ þy wif as for þi best And ber þis word away now by þy faith Touchinge such þing lo þe wise man saith Line 1988

[6-text p 393] Line 1988 ¶ wiþinne þin hous be þou no lyoun To þy subiects. do noon oppressioun Ne make þyn acqueyntis fro þe fle And ȝit thomas eftsons I charge þe / Line 1992 Be war for hir þat in þy bosom slepith [folio 112b] war for þe serpent þat so priuely crepith vnder þe gras and styngith priuely Be war my sone and werk paciently Line 1996 For twenty þousend men han lost her lyues For stryuyng wiþ her lemmans and her wyues. Now syns ȝe han so holy and meeke a wif what nedith ȝow thomas to make strif Line 2000 Ther nys I-wis no serpent so cruel when men trede on his tail ne half so fel As womman is when sche haþ caught an Ire Vengeans is þanne . al þat þay desire Line 2004 Schortly may no man by rym and vers Line 2004b Tellen her thoughtes þay ben so dyuers Line 2004c Ire is a þing oon þe grete of seuene Abhominable to þe god of heuene And to himself it is destruccioun This euery lewed vicory or parsoun Line 2008 Can say how Ire engendrith homicide Ire is in soth executour of pride I couþe of Ire seyn so moche sorwe My tale schulde laste til to morwe Line 2012 Ire is þe grate of synne as saith þe wise Line 2012b To fle þer fro ech man schuld him deuyse Line 2012c And þer-for pray I god boþe day and night An Irous man god send him litil might It is greet harm. and also gret pite To set an Irous man in high degre Line 2016 ¶ whilom þer was an Irous potestate As seith senek þat duryng his estaat / vpon a day out/ riden knightes tuo And as fortune wolde right as it were so Line 2020 That oon of hem cam home þat oþer nouȝt Anoon þe knight bifore the iuge is brouȝt That sayde þus. þou hast þy felaw slayn For which I deme þe to deth certayn Line 2024

[6-text p 394] Line 2024 And to anothir knight comaundid he / Go lede him to þe deth I charge þe / And happed as þay wente by þe weye [folio 113a] Toward þe place þer he schulde deye Line 2028 The knight com which. men wend hadde be deed Than þoughten þay it were þe beste reed To lede hem boþe to þe iuge agayn Thay sayden lord þe knight haþ not slayn Line 2032 his felaw lo. heer he stont hool on lyue Ȝe schal be deed quod he so mote I þriue That is to sayn boþe oon. tuo. and þre And to þe firste knyȝt right þus spak he Line 2036 I deme þe þou most algate be deed Than þoughte þay it were þe beste rede Line 2037b To lede him forþ in to a fair mede Line 2037c And quod þe iuge also þou most lese þin heed For þou art cause why þy felaw deyth And to þe þridde felaw þus he seith Line 2040 Thou hast nought doon þat I comaundid þe And þus he let don sle hem alle þre Irous Cambises was eek dronkelewe And ay delited him to ben a schrewe Line 2044 And so bifel a lord of his meigne That loued vertues and eek/ moralite Sayd on a day bitwix hem tuo right þus A lord is lost if he be vicious Line 2048 An Irous man is lik a frentik best Line 2048b In which þer is of wisdom noon arrest Line 2048c And dronkenes is eek a foul record Of any man and namly of a lord Ther is ful many eyȝe and many an eere Awaytand on a lord and he not where Line 2052 For goddes loue drynk more attemperelly wyn makith man to lese wrecchedly his mynde and eek. his lymes euerichoon The reuers schaltow seen quod he anoon Line 2056 And proue it by þin owne experience That wyn ne doþ to folk non such offence Ther is no wyn. byreueth me my wit Of hond of foot ne of myn eyȝe sight Line 2060

[6-text p 395] Line 2060 And for despyt he dronke moche more [folio 113b] An hundrid part þan he had doon byfore And right anoon þis irous cursid wrecche / Let þis knightes sone anoon biforn him fecche Line 2064 Comaundyng hem þay schuld 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 wheþir haue I a sikur hond or noon Quod he is al my mynde and might agoon hath wyn byreuyd me myn eye sight what schuld I telle þe answer of þe knight Line 2072 his sone was slayn þer is no more to say Be war þerfor. wiþ lordes how ȝe play Syngith placebo. and I schal if I can But if it be. vnto a pore man Line 2076 To a pore man men schuld his vices telle But not to a lord þey he schuld go to helle lo Irous Cirus þilke Percien how he destruyed þe ryuer of Gysen Line 2080 For þat an hors of his was dreynt þer Inne. whan þat he wente Babiloyne to wynne he made þat þe ryuer was so smal Þat wommen mighte wade it ouer al Line 2084 lo what sayde he þat so wel teche can Ne be no felaw . to an irous man Ne with no wood man walke by þe way lest þe repent I wol no lenger say Line 2088 Now thomas leue broþer leue þin Ire Thow schalt me fynde as iust as is a squire Thyn anger doth þe al to sore smerte hald not þe deueles knyf alway at þyn herte Line 2092 But schewe to me al þy confessioun Nay quod þis syke man by seynt symoun I haue ben schriuen þis day of my curate I haue him told holly al myn estate/ Line 2096

[6-text p 396] Line 2096 Nedith no more to speken of it saith he / But if me list of myn humilite. Ȝif me þan of þy good to make our cloyster [folio 114a] Quod he for many a muscle and many an oyster Line 2100 haþ ben oure foode our Cloyster to arreyse whan oþer men han ben ful wel at eyse And ȝit god wot vnnethe þe foundement Parformed is ne of oure pauyment Line 2104 Is nought a tyle ȝit wiþinne our wones By god we owe ȝit fourty pound for stones Now help Thomas for him þat harewed helle Or elles moote we oure bookes selle Line 2108 And ȝif ȝow lakke oure predicacioun Thanne goþ þe world al to destruccioun For who-so wold vs fro þe world byreue So god me saue Thomas by ȝoure leue Line 2112 he wolde byreue out of þis world þe sonne For who can teche. and werken as we conne And þis is not of litel tyme quod he But siþþen Elye was her or ele Line 2116 han freres ben fynde I of record In charite I-þanked be oure lord Now Thomas help for seynte charite A-doun he sette him anoon on his kne Line 2120 This sike man wex welneigh wood for Ire he wolde þat þe frere had ben on fuyre with his fals dissimulacioun Such þing as is in my possessioun Line 2124 Quod he þat may I ȝeue ȝow and noon oþer Ȝe sayn me þus how þat I am ȝour broþer Ȝe certes quod þe frere trusteth wel I took our dame þe letter vnder oure sel Line 2128 Now wel quod he and som what schal I ȝiue Vnto ȝour holy couent whils þat I lyue And in þyn hond þou schalt it haue anoon On þis condicioun and oþer noon Line 2132

[6-text p 397] Line 2132 That þou depart it so my deere broþer That euery frere haue as moche as oþer Thy schaltow swere on þy professioun wiþouten fraude or cauillacioun Line 2136 I swere it quod þis frere vpon my faith [folio 114b] And þer-with his hond in his he laith lo her myn hond in me schal be no lak Now þanne put þyn hond doun at my bak Line 2140 Sayde þis man and grope wel byhynde Bynethe my buttok þere schaltow fynde A þing þat I haue hud in priuete A þought þis frere þat schal go with me / Line 2144 And doun his hond he launched to þe clifte In hope for to fynde þer a ȝifte And whan þis syke man felte þis frere Aboute his tuel grope þer and heere Line 2148 Amyd his hond he leet þe freere a fart Ther is no capul drawyng in a cart That might haue let a fart of such a soun The frere vpstart as doth a wood lyoun Line 2152 A false cherl quod he for goddes bones This hastow in despit don for þe noones Thou schalt abye þis fart if þat I may his meyne which þat herd of þis affray Line 2156 Com lepand In and chased out þe frere And forth he goþ wiþ a foul angry cheere And fat his felaw þere lay his stoor he lokid as it were a wylde boor Line 2160 And grynte with his teeþ so was he wroth A stordy paas doun to þe court he goth wher as þer wonyd a man of gret honour To whom þat he was alway confessour Line 2164 This worþy man was lord of þat / village This frere com as he were in a rage wher þat þis lord sat etyng at his bord Vnneþe might þe frere speke a word Line 2168

[6-text p 398] Line 2168 Til atte last he sayde god ȝow se This lord gan loke and sayde benedicite What frere Iohn what maner world is þis / I se wel. þat som þing is amys Line 2172 Ȝe loke as þough þe woode were ful of þeuys Sit doun anoon and tel me what ȝour gref is And it schal ben amendit if þat I may [folio 115a] I haue quod he had a despit to day Line 2176 God ȝelde ȝow a-doun in ȝoure vilage That in þis world is noon so pore a page/ That he nold haue abhominacioun Of þat I haue receyued in ȝoure toun Line 2180 And ȝet ne greuith me no þing so sore As þat þis elde cherl wiþ lokkes hore Blasphemed haþ our holy couent eeke Now maister quod þis lord I ȝow biseke Line 2184 No maister sir quod he but seruitour Þough I haue had in scole such honour God likith not þat Raby men vs calle Neither in market neyther in ȝour large halle Line 2188 No fors quod he tellith me al ȝour greef Þis frere sayd sire an odious meschief This day bytid is to myn ordre and to me And so par consequens to ech degre Line 2192 Of holy chirche god amend it soone Sir quod þe lord ȝe wot what is to doone Distempre ȝow nought ȝe ben my confessour Ȝe ben þe salt of þerþe and sauyour Line 2196 For goddes loue ȝoure pacience ȝe holde Tel me ȝour greef and he anoon him tolde As ȝe han herd bifore ȝe wot wel what The lady of þat hous ay stille sat Line 2200 Til sche had herd what þe frere sayde Ey goddes moodir quod she blisful mayde Is þer ought elles tel me faithfully Ma dame quod he how þynke ȝow þerby Line 2204

[6-text p 399] Line 2204 how þat me þynkith quod sche so god me speede I say a cherl haþ doon a cherles deede what schuld I say god let him neuer þe His syke heed is full of vanyte Line 2208 I hold him in a maner frenesye / Ma dame quod he I-wis I schal not lye But I in oþir wise may be wreke I schal defame him ouer al wher I speke Line 2212 The false blasfememour þat chargid me [folio 115b] To parten þat wil not departed be To euery man yliche wiþ meschaunce The lord sat stille as he were in a traunce Line 2216 And in his hert he rollid vp and doun How had þis cherl ymaginacioun So schewe such a probleme to þe frere Neuer eft er now herd I of such matiere Line 2220 I trowe þe deuel put it in his mynde In ars metrik / schal þer no man fynde Biforn þis day of such a questioun who schulde make a demonstracioun Line 2224 That euery man schuld haue a lyk his part As of a soun or of a sauour of a fart O nyce proude cherl I schrew his face lo sires quod þe lord wiþ harde grace Line 2228 who euer herde of such a þing er now To euery man y-like tel me how It is impossible it may not be Ey nyce cherl god let him neuer þe Line 2232 The romblyng of a fart and euery soun Nis but an aier reuerberacioun And euer it wastith lyte and lyt away Ther nys no man can deme by my fay / Line 2236 If þat it were departed equally what lo my cherl what lo how schrewedly vnto my confessour to day he spak I hold him certeinly demoniak Line 2240

[6-text p 400] Line 2240 Now etith ȝour mete and let þe cherl go play / Let him go honge himself on deuel way / Now stood þe lordes squier at þe bord That carf his mete and herde word by word Line 2244 Of al þis þing which þat I of haue sayd My lord quod he be ȝe nouȝt euel payd I couþe telle for a gowne cloth To ȝow sir frere so þat ȝe be not wroth Line 2248 How þat þis fart euen / departed schuld be Among ȝour couent if I comaunded be Tel quod þe lord and þou schalt haue anoon [folio 116a] A goune cloþ by god and by seint Iohn Line 2252 My lord quod he whan þat þe wedir is fair wiþoute wynd or pertourbyng of ayr let bring a large whel in to þis halle But þat it haue his spokes alle Line 2256 Twelf spokes hath a cart whel comunly And bring me . xij . freres wit ȝe why For þrettene is a couent as I gesse / Ȝour noble confessour her god him blesse Line 2260 Schal parfourn vp þe nombre of þis couent Thanne schal þay knele doun by oon assent And to euery spokes ende in þis manere Ful sadly lay his nose schal a frere Line 2264 Ȝour noble confessour þer god him saue Schal hold his nose vpright vnder þe naue Than schal þis churl with bely stif and tought As eny tabor hider ben y-brought Line 2268 And sette him on þe whele of þis cart vpon þe naue and make him lete a fart And ȝe schul seen vp peril of my lif By verray proef þat is demonstratif Line 2272

[6-text p 401] Line 2272 That equally þe soun of it wol wende / And eek þe stynk vnto þe spokes ende Saue þat þis worþy man ȝour confessour By cause he is a man of gret honour Line 2276 Schal haue þe firste fruyt as resoun is The noble vsage of freres is þis The worthy men of hem first schal be serued As certeynly he haþ it wel deserued Line 2280 he hath to day taught vs so mochil good with preching in þe pulpit þer he stood That I may vouche sauf I say for me He hadde þe firste smel of fartes þre Line 2284 And so wold al his couent hardily he berith him so fair and holily The lord þe lady and ech man sauf þe frere Sayde þan Iankyn spak in þis matiere Line 2288 As wel as euclide or elles protholome [folio 116b] Touchand þe clerk þay sayd þat subtilte An high wyt made him speken as he spak he nas no fool ne no demoniak / Line 2292 And Iankyn haþ I-wonne a newe goune My tale is don. we ben almost at toune.

¶ Here endith the sompnours tale

Notes

• [Spurious]
• [Spurious]
• [Spurious]
• [Spurious]
• [Spurious]
• [Spurious]
• [Spurious]
• [Spurious]
• [The Solution of the "Probleme" by the Lord's Sguire. No break in the MS.]
• [No break in the MS.]