[THE TALE.]
Ther is a chanoun of Religioun
Amonges vs wolde enfecte al a toun
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þough it as gret were as was Nynyue /
Rome Alisandre . Troye and oþre þre
his sleightes and his infinite falsnesse /
þer couþe noman writen as I gesse /
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þough þat he mighte lyuen a þousend ȝeer
In alle þis world of fal[s]nesse nys his peer
ffor in his termes he wole him so wynde
And speke his wordes in so sleigh a kynde
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Whan he commune schal wiþ ony wight
What he wol make him dote anon right
But it þe feend be as his seluen is /
fful many a man haþ he begyled er þis
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And wile if þat he may lyue a while /
And ȝit men ryden and gon ful many a myle
him for to seeke and haue his aqueyntance
Nouȝt knowyng of his false gouernance /
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And if ye lust to ȝiue me audience
I wol it tellen here in ȝoure presence [folio 184a]
But worschipful Chanon religious
Ne demeþ nouȝt þat I sclaundre ȝour hous
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Al þough my tale of a Chanon be
Of euery ordre som schrewe is parde
And god forbede þat alle a compaignie
Scholde rewe a synguler mannes folye
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To sclaundre ȝou it is not myn entent
But to correcten þat mys I-ment
