The+Friar's+Tale

The Friar's Tale
 Whilom ther was dwellynge in my contree And **erchedeken**, a man of heigh degree, He hadde a somonour redy to his hond; His maister knew nat alwey what he wan. He koude somne, on peyne of cristes curs, And they were glade for to fille his purs, He was, if I shal yeven hym his laude, A **theef**, and eek a somnour, and baude.  Thanne wolde he seye, freend, I shal for thy sake Do striken hire out of oure lettres blake; Thee thar namoore as in this cas travaille. I am thy freend, ther I thee may availle.

Certeyn he knew of briberyes mo And for that was the fruyt of al his rente, And so bifel that ones on a day This somnour, evere waityng on his **pray**, media type="file" key="Friar - Whilom.mp3"

Rood for to somne an old wydwe, a ribibe, Feynynge a cause, for he wolde brybe. And happed that he saugh before hym ryde A gay yeman, under a forest side Seyde this yeman, wiltow fer to day? Nay; Heere faste by, quod he, is myn entente To ryden, for to reysen up a rente That longeth to my lordes duetee. Artow thanne a bailly? ye, quod he. Thou art a bailly, and I am another. And eek of bretherhede, if that yow leste. I have **gold and silver** in my cheste; Everych on ootheres hand his trouthe leith, For to be sworne bretheren til they deye. Brother, quod he, where is now youre dwellyng Brother, quod he, wiltow that I thee telle?

media type="file" key="Friar - Rood.mp3"

'I graunte,' quod the devel, 'by my fey.' "Agreed then," said the devil,"by my fay" and with that word the ryden frotn hir wey. And with that word they rode upon their way. and right at the entrying of the townes ende. As they drew near the town-it happened so- to which the somonour shoop hym fur to wende. To which this summoner had planned to go, They saugh a cart that charged was with hey, They saw a cart that loaded was with hay, Which that a cartere droof forth in his wey. The which a carter drove along the way. Deep was the wey, for which the carte stood. Deep was the mire; for which the cart now stood. The cartere smoot, and cryde as he were wood, The carter whipped and cried as madman would, "Hayt, brok! Hayt, scot! what spare ye for the stones? "Hi, Badger, Scot! What care you for the stones? The feend, quod he, yow fecche, body and bones, The devil,"he cried,"take body of you and bones, As ferforthly as evere were ye foled, As utterly as ever you were foaled! So muche wo as I have with yow tholed! More trouble you've caused me than can be told!

The devel have al, bothe hors and cart and hey! Devil take all, the horses, cart, and hay!" This somonour seyde, heere shal we have a pley. This summoner thought,"Here shall be played a play." And neer the feend he drough, as noght ne were, And near the demon he drew, as naught were there, Ful prively, and rowned in his ere: And unobserved he whispered in his ear:

media type="file" key="Friar - Graunte.mp3"

Herkne, my brother, herkne, by thy feith! Herestow nat how that the cartere seith? Hent it anon, for he hath yeve it thee, Bothe hey and cart, and eek his caples thre. Nay, quod the devel, God woot, never a deel! It is nat his entente, it thou nat trowest me; Or elles stynt a while and thou shalt see. This cartere thakketh his hors upon the croupe, And they bigonne to drawen and to stoupe. Heyt! now, quod he, ther jhesu crist yow blesse, And al his handwerk, bothe moore and lesse!

Thou lixt! Quod she, by my savacioun, Ne was I nevere er now, wydwe ne wyf, Somoned unto youre court in al my ly; Ne nevere I nas but of my body trewe!

media type="file" key="Friar - Herkne.mp3"

  Unto the devel blak and rough of hewe  Yeve I thy body and my panne also! And whan the devel herde hire cursen so Upon hir knees, he seyde in this manere, Now, mabely, myn owene mooder deere, Is this youre wyl in ernest that ye seye? The devel, quod she, so fecche hym er he deye, And panne and al, but he wol hym **repente**!    Nay, olde stot, that is nat myn entente, Quod this somonour, for to repente me For any thyng that I have had of thee. I wolde I hadde thy smok and every clooth! Now, brother, quod the devel, be nat wrooth; Thy body and this **panne** been myne by right. Thow shalt with me to helle yet to-nyght, Where thou shalt knowen of oure privetee

media type="file" key="Friar - Unto.mp3"

<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Verdana"> Middle English Text: Scenes 1 & 2 - http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/gchaucer/bl-gchau-can-fri-m.htm Scene 4 - [|http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-old?id=Cha2Can&images=images/modeng&data=/lv1/Archive/mideng-parsed&tag] [|=public&part=16&division=div1]

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