¶ Here bygynneth þe ¶ ffreres tale
Whilom þer was dwellyng in Couentre
An erchedekne a man of heih degre
That boldely dide execuciōn
In punysschyng of fornicacion
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Of wichcraf and eek of Bawderie
Of diffamacion and auoutrie
Of chirche reeues and of testamentes
Of contractes and of lak of sacramentes
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Of vsure and Symonye also
But certes lecchours dede he grettest wo
They scholden syngen if þey were hent
And smale tyþeres weren foule y-schent
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If eny person wolde vpon hem pleyne
Ther might astirte him no pecunial peyne
ffor smale tyþes and eek for smal offrynge
he made þe poeple spitously to synge
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ffor or þe bisschop caught hem wiþ his hook
They weren in þe Erchedeknes book
And þanne hadde he þurgh his Iurdiction
Power to don on hem correction
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he hadde a somnour redy to his hande [folio 116a]
A sleyere boy was non in engelande
ffor sotilly he hadde his especiaile
That taughte him where þat him mighte auayle
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he coude spare of lecchours on or tuo
To techen him to foure and twenty mo
ffor þough þis somnour wood were as an hare
To telle his harlottrie I wil not spare
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