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=The prologe of the Freres Tale.=
This worthy limitour, this noble Frere, 1265
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,
‘Dame,’ quod he, ‘god yeve yow right good lyf! 1270
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, 1275
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.
Pardee, ye may wel knowe by the name, 1280
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.’ 1285
HEADING. _So_ E. Hn. 1266. E. chiere. 1267. E. Somonour; Hn.
Somnour. 1273. E. Hn. muche; Ln. muchel; _rest_ mochel. 1274. E.
ryde; _rest_ ryden. 1277. Hl. scoles. E. Hn. Hl. _om._ eek. 1278.
K. And; _rest_ But. 1284. E. Hn. mandementz.
Our host tho spak, ‘a! sire, ye sholde be hende
[358: T. 6869-6882.]
And curteys, as a man of your estaat;
In companye we wol have no debaat.
Telleth your tale, and lat the Somnour be.’
1286. Hl. oste (_om._ tho).
‘Nay,’ quod the Somnour, ‘lat him seye to me 1290
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 (29)
It is to be a flateringe limitour; [T. 6876
And his offyce I shal him telle, y-wis.’ [T. 6879
_After_ l. 1294 _all but_ Hl. _wrongly insert_ ll. 1307 _and_ 1308;
_which see_. Tyrwhitt _also inserts them._
Our host answerde, ‘pees, na-more of this.’ 1296
And after this he seyde un-to the Frere,
‘Tel forth your tale, leve maister deere.’
=Here endeth the Prologe of the Frere.=
1298. E. Hn. leeue; Hl. my; Cp. Ln. my leue; Pt. my owen. COLOPHON.
_From_ Hn.; _so_ Pt.(_with_ Thus _for_ Here).
[359: T. 6883-6902.]
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