[THE TALE.]
Ther is a chanoun of religioun
Amonges vs wold infecte al a toun
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Though it as gret were as was Niniue
Rome alisaundre troye and oþer þre /
his sleight and his infinite falsnesse /
Ther couþe no man writen as I gesse
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Though þat he mighte lyuen a þousand ȝeer
Of al þis world of falsheed nys his peer
For in his termes he wol him so wynde [folio 175a]
And speke his wordes in so sleygh a kynde
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whan he comune schal wiþ eny wight
That he wil make him dote anoon right
But it a feend be as himseluen is
Ful many a man hath he bygiled er this
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And wol if þat/ he lyue may a while /
And ȝet men ryde and goon ful many a myle /
Him for to seeke and haue his aqueintaunce /
Nought knowyng of his false gouernaunce
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And if ȝow list to ȝeue me audience
I wol it telle here in ȝoure presence
But worschipful chanouns religious
Ne demeþ nought þat I sclaundre ȝoure hous
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Al þough my tale of a chanoun be /
Of euery ordre som schrewe is par dee /
And god forbede þat al a companye
Schulde rewe a singuler mannes folye
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To sclaundre ȝow is no þing myn entent/
But to correcten þat is mys I-ment
