The Hengwrt ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

                                  
                                       [6-text p 317] 
                                    
                                    But though my self be gilty in that synne
                                  
                                    Yet kan I make / oother folk to twynne
                                  
                                    ffrom Auarice / and soore to repente
                                  
                                    But that is nat my principal entente
                                    Line 432 
                                  
                                    I preche no thyng but for coueitise
                                  
                                    Of this matere / it oghte ynow suffise
                                  
                                    ¶ Thanne telle I hem / ensamples many oon
                                  
                                    Of olde stories / longe tyme agoon
                                    Line 436 
                                  
                                    ffor lewed peple / louen tales olde
                                  
                                    Swiche thynges / kan they wel reporte & holde
                                  
                                    What trowe ye / þat whiles I may preche
                                  
                                    And wynne / gold and siluer / for I teche
                                    Line 440 
                                  
                                    That I wol lyue in pouerte / wilfully
                                  
                                    Nay nay / I thoghte it neuere trewely
                                  
                                    ffor I wol preche / and begge / in sondry landes
                                  
                                    I wol nat do no labour / with myne handes
                                    Line 444 
                                  
                                    Ne make baskettes / and lyue ther by
                                  
                                    By cause / I wol nat beggen ydelly
                                  
                                    I wol / none of the Apostles countrefete
                                  
                                    I wol haue moneye / wolle / chese / and whete
                                    Line 448 
                                  
                                    Al were it yeuen / of the pouerest page
                                  
                                    Or of the pouereste widwe / in a Village
                                  
                                    Al sholde hir children / sterue for famyne
                                  
                                    Nay I wol drynke / licour of the vyne
                                    Line 452 
                                  
                                    And haue a ioly wenche / in euery toun
                                  
                                    But herkneth lordynges / in conclusioun
                                  
                                    Youre likyng is / þat I shal telle a tale
                                  
                                    Now haue I dronke / a draghte of corny Ale
                                    Line 456 
                                  
                                    By god I hope / I shal yow telle a thyng
                                  
                                    That shal by reson / been at youre likyng
                                  
                                    ffor thogh my self be / a ful vicious man
                                  
                                    A moral tale / yet I yow telle kan
                                    Line 460 
                                  
                                    Which I am wont to preche / for to wynne
                                  
                                    Now holde youre pees / my tale I wol bigynne

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Title: The Hengwrt ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.
Author: Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400.
Canvas: Page 454
Publication: London :: Published for the Chaucer Society by N. Trübner,; 1868-1879.

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/agz8233.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/agz8233.0001.001/480:10

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Full citation: "The Hengwrt ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/agz8233.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 18, 2025.

The Hengwrt ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

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