To anfwere to the court of certain thinges. Now Lord, quod fhe, Crift Jefu, King of kinges, So wifly helpe me as I ne may: I have ben fike, and that ful many a day: I may not go fa fer (quod fhe) ne ride But I be ded, so priketh it in my fide. 7175 Yes, quod this Sompnour, pay anon, let fee, 7180 Twelf pens to me, and I wol thee acquite: I fhal no profit han therby but lite; My maifter hath the profit and not I. 7190 Yeve me twelf pens, I may no lenger tarie. 7185 For dette which thou oweft me of old 7196 Whan that thou madeft thyn husbond cokewold I paied at home for thy correction. And whan the devil herd hire curfen fo Now Mabily, min moder dere, Is this your will in ernest that ye sey? 7200 7205 The devil, quod fhe, fo fetche him or he dey, 7210 And panne and all, but he wol him repent. Nay, olde ftot, that is not min entent, Now brother, quod the devil, be not wroth; And with that word the foule fend him hent Body and foule: he with the devil went 7215 7220 7225 Lordings, I coude have told you (quod this Frere) Had I had leiser for this Sompnour here, After the text of Crist, and Poule, and John,‹ To fle the innocent if that he may. 7230 7235 7240 Difpofeth ay your hertes to withstond The fend, that you wold maken thral and bond; 7246 THE SOMPNOURES PROLOGUE. THIS Sompnour in his ftirops high he stood; Upon this Frere his herte was fo wood, That like an afpen leef he quoke for ire. Lordings, quod he, but o thing I defire; I you befeche that of your curtefie, Sin ye han herd this falfe Frere lie, Volume 111. Ꮐ 7250 And ever enquering upon every thing, Brother, quod he, wher is now your dwelling, feche? This yeman him answerd in fofte fpeche, That of min hous ne fhalt thou never misse. 6995 Now brother, quod this Sompnour, I you pray (Sith that ye ben a baillif as am 1) Now by my trouthe, brother min, faid he, As I fhal tellen thee a faithful Tale. My wages ben ful ftreit and eke ful fmale; 7000 7005 7010 And therfore by extortion I leve; Forfoth I take all that men wol me yeve: Algates by fleighte or by violence Fro yere to yere I win all my difpence: "your them; and the common opinion is that the thorne "whereupon they thus faften them and eat them is afterward "poifonfome. In Staffordthire and Shropshire the name is com"mon"-except that Cotgrave, in his Fr. Dict. explains arneat to fignify the ravenous bird called a serike, nynmurder ariangle. Sea Gloss, in v. Wariangles. I can no better tellen faithfully. Now certes (quod this Sompnour) so fare I; I spare not to taken, God it wote, But if it be to hevy or to hote. Quod this Sompnour. Right in this mene while Brother, quod he, wolt thou that I thee tell? I am a fend, my dwelling is in hell, To wote wher men wol give me any thing: 7015 7020 7025 7030 7035 A, quod this Sompnour, benedicite! what say ye? I wend ye were a yeman trewely, Ye have a mannes fhape as wel as I : *7040 7018, to heroy or to hote] We have nearly the fame exreffion in Froigurt, v i. c. 229;" ne laiffoient riens à prendre, s'il n'eftoit trop chaud, trop froid, ou trop pefant." |