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The Prologe of the Freres tale.
THIS worthy limitour, this noble Frere, | |
| He made alwey a maner louring chere | |
| Upon the Somnour, but for honestee | |
| No vileyns word as yet to him spak he. | |
| But atte laste he seyde un-to the Wyf, | 5 |
| ‘Dame,’ quod he, ‘god yeve yow right good lyf! | |
| Ye han heer touched, al-so moot I thee, | |
| In scole-matere greet difficultee; | |
| Ye han seyd muchel thing right wel, I seye; | |
| But dame, here as we ryden by the weye, | 10 |
| Us nedeth nat to speken but of game, | |
| And lete auctoritees, on goddes name, | |
| To preching and to scole eek of clergye. | |
| But if it lyke to this companye, | |
| I wol yow of a somnour telle a game. | 15 |
| Pardee, ye may wel knowe by the name, | |
| That of a somnour may no good be sayd; | |
| I praye that noon of you be yvel apayd. | |
| A somnour is a renner up and doun | |
| With mandements for fornicacioun, | 20 |
| And is y-bet at every tounes ende.’ | |
| Our host tho spak, ‘a! sire, ye sholde be hende | |
| And curteys, as a man of your estaat; | |
| In companye we wol have no debaat. | |
| Telleth your tale, and lat the Somnour be.’ | 25 |
| ‘Nay,’ quod the Somnour, ‘lat him seye to me | |
| What so him list; whan it comth to my lot, | |
| By god, I shal him quyten every grot. | |
| I shal him tellen which a greet honour | |
| It is to be a flateringe limitour; | 30 |
| And his offyce I shal him telle, y-wis.’ | |
| Our host answerde, ‘pees, na-more of this.’ | |
| And after this he seyde un-to the Frere, | |
‘Tel forth your tale, leve maister deere.’
Here endeth the Prologe of the Frere. | |
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