Et sequitur pars secunda . [THE TALE.]
Ther was / a Chanon of Religioun
Amonges vs / wolde infecte al a toun
Line 973
Thogh it as greet were / as was Nynyuee
Rome / Alisaundre / Troye / and othere three
His sleighte / and his infinit falsnesse
Ther koude no man / writen as I gesse
Line 977
Though þat he lyue myghte a thousand yeer
In al this world / of falshede nas his peer
ffor in hise termes / so he wolde hym wynde
And speke hise wordes / in so sly a kynde
Line 981
Whanne he commune shal with any wight
That he wol make hym doten anon right
But it a feend be / as hym seluen is
fful many a man / hath he bigiled er this
Line 985
And wole / if that he lyue may a while
And yet men ride and goon ful many a Mile
Hym for to seke / and haue his Aqueyntaunce [folio 201a]
Noght knowynge / of his false gouernaunce
Line 989
And if yow list. to yeue me Audience
I wol it telle heere / in youre presence
¶ But worshipful Chanons Religious
Ne demeth nat. that I desclaundre youre hous
Line 993
Al-though that my tale / of a Chanoun bee
Of euery ordre / som shrewe is pardee
And god forbede / that al a compaignye
Sholde rewe / o. singuleer mannes folye
Line 997
To sclaundre yow / is no thyng myn entente
But to correcten / that is mys I-mente
