42 [Teofle.]
TEofle was a swyþe gret man : And guod clerk he was al-so,
hext Maister bi-fore alle oþere : under þe bischope i-do. [folio 128]
Þo þe bischop was ded : Teofle was forth ibrouȝt
to beon bischop aftur him. : ake natheles he nolde [nout], [nout added later.]
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And seide þat he nas nouȝt wuyrþe þare-to : and guod he couþe to luyte.
Þat folke made ane oþerne sone : with grete nobleye and with pruyte.
Þo þe bischop in [MS. is] his power was : to teofle wrathþe he caste,
For he was raþur to bischope i-chose : and with þe oþur bischope heold faste :
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he dude him out of his mester : and is guod him bi-nam.
So þat Teofle þare-aftur-ward : in-to grete pouerte bi-cam;
Al-so riche man ase he was er : ase pouere he was þo;
So þat he nuste ȝware-bi libbe. : welle, þat him was wo!
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Þo he was in Miseise i-brouȝt : him schamede swiþe sore :
Men þat him honoured er : þo nolden huy non-more;
Ech man tolde luyte of him— : for of þe pouere Men wollez so.
he ne miȝte for schame a-mong men come : he nuste ȝwat for-to do,
Þene deth he wilnede þingue mest. : so þat he him bi-þouȝte
Þat, ho-so þene feond serui wolde : in grete richesse he him brouȝte.
to a giv he wende a nyȝt : þat wonede þare-bi-side;
he bad him helpe of þat cas : þat gan him þare bi-tide,
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And him to serui for richesse : þene deuel a-boute wel wide.
"Wel, it schal beo," þe giv seide : "ake ȝeot þou most a-bide;
Cum oþur nyȝt þis tyme : In þis stude here to me
And i-chulle þe swuch red do : þat wel schal liki þe."
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¶ Teofle ne fur-ȝat nouȝt þis. : to þe giv he eode
In þat ilke stude þat oþur niȝt : to beten is grete neode.
"Cum forth with me," quath þe giv : "ase ich þe wolle lede.
Ake of ȝwat þu iseo oþur heore : ne haue þou none drede,
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Ne make no signe of þe creoyz : ne þeron ne þench riȝt nouȝt,
