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The prologe of the Somnours Tale.
THIS Somnour in his stiropes hye stood; | |
| Up-on this Frere his herte was so wood, | |
| That lyk an aspen leef he quook for yre. | |
| ‘Lordinges,’ quod he, ‘but o thing I desyre; | |
| I yow biseke that, of your curteisye, | 5 |
| Sin ye han herd this false Frere lye, | |
| As suffereth me I may my tale telle! | |
| This Frere bosteth that he knoweth helle, | |
| And god it woot, that it is litel wonder; | |
| Freres and feendes been but lyte a-sonder. | 10 |
| For pardee, ye han ofte tyme herd telle, | |
| How that a frere ravisshed was to helle | |
| In spirit ones by a visioun; | |
| And as an angel ladde him up and doun, | |
| To shewen him the peynes that ther were, | 15 |
| In al the place saugh he nat a frere; | |
| Of other folk he saugh y-nowe in wo. | |
| Un-to this angel spak the frere tho: | |
| “Now, sir,” quod he, “han freres swich a grace | |
| That noon of hem shal come to this place?” | 20 |
| “Yis,” quod this angel, “many a millioun!” | |
| And un-to Sathanas he ladde him doun. | |
| “And now hath Sathanas,” seith he, “a tayl | |
| Brodder than of a carrik is the sayl. | |
| Hold up thy tayl, thou Sathanas!” quod he, | 25 |
| “Shewe forth thyn ers, and lat the frere see | |
| Wher is the nest of freres in this place!” | |
| And, er that half a furlong-wey of space, | |
| Right so as bees out swarmen from an hyve, | |
| Out of the develes ers ther gonne dryve | 30 |
| Twenty thousand freres in a route, | |
| And thurgh-out helle swarmeden aboute; | |
| And comen agayn, as faste as they may gon, | |
| And in his ers they crepten everichon. | |
| He clapte his tayl agayn, and lay ful stille. | 35 |
| This frere, whan he loked hadde his fille | |
| Upon the torments of this sory place, | |
| His spirit god restored of his grace | |
| Un-to his body agayn, and he awook; | |
| But natheles, for fere yet he quook, | 40 |
| So was the develes ers ay in his minde, | |
| That is his heritage of verray kinde. | |
| God save yow alle, save this cursed Frere; | |
My prologe wol I ende in this manere.’
Here endeth the Prologe of the Somnours Tale. | |
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