Incipit fabula questoris.
LOrdynges quod he in cherches whan .I. preche
.I. peyne me to haue an haunteine speche
Hereynge oute as rounde as goþe a bell
For .I. kan be roote þat .I. tell
Line 332
My teme is alweie one and euer was
Radix omnium malorum est/ cupiditas;
fferst .I. pronounce wense þat .I. come
An[d] þan my billes schewe .I. al and somme
Line 336
Oure liege lorde seal is my patent
þat schewe .I. first my body to warent
þat no man be so bolde preste ne clerke
Me to destorble of cristes holy werke
Line 340
And after þat tel .I. forþe my tales
Bulles of popes and of Cardinales
Of Patriarkes and of Bischopes .I. schewe
And in latine .I. speke wordes a fewe
Line 344
To sauern wiþ my predicacione
And for to ster men to deuocione
þan schewe .I. forþe my longe cristal stones
Y-crammed ful of cloutes and of bones
Line 348
Relekes þei buen as ween þei euerychon
Than haue .I. in laton a scholdere bone
Whiche þat was an holy Iewes schepe
Goodmen saie .I. takeþe of my wordes kepe
Line 352
If þat þis bone bue wasche in any welle
Of cowe or calfe schepe or oxe swelle
þat worme haþe y-ete or y-stonge
[Take watir of that welle and wasshe his tonge [Harl. 7335 folio 159a] [[Not in Addit. 25,718]] ]
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