[THE TALE.]
// There is a chanoun of religioun
A-mongis vs wolde enfecte al a toun
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They it as gret were as was nynyue
Rome Alysaundir Troye / & othere thre
Hise sleyghtis & his infinit falsenesse
There coude no man write as I gesse
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Thow that he myghte leue a thousend ȝeer
In al this world of falshed nys his per
ffor in hise termys he so wel hym wyndis
And spekyn hise wordis in so slye kyndis
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Whan he comune schal with ony wight
That he wele make hym dote a-non ryght
But it a fend be as hym seluyn is
fful manye a man hath he begyled er this
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And wele ȝif that he leue may a while [folio 387a]
And ȝit men ride & goon ful manye a myle
Hym for to seke & haue his acqueyntaunce
Not knowynge of his false gouernaunce
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And ȝif ȝow liste to ȝeue me audyence
I wole it telle / here in ȝoure presence
But worschepful Chanony[s] relygious
Ne demyth nat that I slau[n]dere ȝoure hous
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Al thow myn tale of a chanoun be
Of euery ordere sum schrewe is pardee
That god forbede that al a cumpayny
Schulde rewe a synguler manys foly
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To slaundere ȝow is nothyng myn entent
But to correcte that is mys I-ment
