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[The Tale of the Priest who was waited on by a Dead Lord whom he afterwards sang out of Purgatory.]
þer was a prest, Felyx was hys name;
Bysyde hys wonyng yn a paþ
was a wasshyng yn an hote baþ
Þys prest þedyr oftë ȝede
To wasshe hym whan he haddë nede.
Þys prest þere euer redy fonde
A man þat serued hym to fote and honde;
he drogh hys hosen of, and hys shone,
And efte was redy hem on to done;
At euery tyme þat he þedyr cam,
hys shone and hys hosen, of he nam,
And serued hym at euery a tyde,
Yn þe water, and eke besyde.
Bysyde hys wonyng yn a paþ
was a wasshyng yn an hote baþ
Þys prest þedyr oftë ȝede
To wasshe hym whan he haddë nede.
Þys prest þere euer redy fonde
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he drogh hys hosen of, and hys shone,
And efte was redy hem on to done;
At euery tyme þat he þedyr cam,
hys shone and hys hosen, of he nam,
And serued hym at euery a tyde,
Yn þe water, and eke besyde.
Þys prest, þat cam þedyr so ofte,
Þat þys man serued so softe,
he ne asked hym neuer more
when he was, ne how he come þore;
But euery tymë was redy
And serued hym peynyblëly.
Þat þys man serued so softe,
he ne asked hym neuer more
when he was, ne how he come þore;
But euery tymë was redy
And serued hym peynyblëly.
Þys prest þoȝt he serued hym weyl,
“hys trauayle wyl y quyte sum deyl.”
On o day he þedyr þoȝt,
And, twey loues with hym he broȝt;
yn-to þe baþ, ȝede þe prest,
And, wesshe hym, as he dyd neste:
Þys man was þere hym aȝayne;
To serue hym weyl, he dyde hys mayne;
“hys trauayle wyl y quyte sum deyl.”
On o day he þedyr þoȝt,
And, twey loues with hym he broȝt;
yn-to þe baþ, ȝede þe prest,
And, wesshe hym, as he dyd neste:
Þys man was þere hym aȝayne;
To serue hym weyl, he dyde hys mayne;
Þys preste, whan he shuld furþë go,
He ȝaue þe man þese louës two,
And þanked hym moche, hys seruyse,
And more he wuldë ouþer wyse.
He ȝaue þe man þese louës two,
And þanked hym moche, hys seruyse,
And more he wuldë ouþer wyse.
Þys man answered þe prest aȝeyn:
“Þys brede þou broȝtest to me yn veyn,
For neuer morë shal y ete
Bredë, ne noun ouþer mete.
Y am a man, þat ys dede,
Þat neuer more shal etë brede.”
“Þys brede þou broȝtest to me yn veyn,
For neuer morë shal y ete
Bredë, ne noun ouþer mete.
Y am a man, þat ys dede,
Þat neuer more shal etë brede.”
Þe preste asked “on what manere
Ys hyt þat þou wonest þus here?”
Þys yche man answered and seyd,
“Y was lorde here, are y deyde;
And þys seruyse þat y am ynne,
ys þe peynë for my synne;
But y pray þe, pur charyte,
Offre on þe auter þese loues for me;
And y beseche þe, ouer alle þyng,
Þat syxe messys for me þou synge,
For, were þey sunge, y hope to wende
Yn-to þe ioye with-outen ende.
whan þe syxtë messe ys lefte,
Ȝyf þou ne fyndë me here efte,
know þou þan soþëly ywys
Þat for þy prayere y am broȝt yn blys.”
Ys hyt þat þou wonest þus here?”
Þys yche man answered and seyd,
“Y was lorde here, are y deyde;
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ys þe peynë for my synne;
But y pray þe, pur charyte,
Offre on þe auter þese loues for me;
And y beseche þe, ouer alle þyng,
Þat syxe messys for me þou synge,
For, were þey sunge, y hope to wende
Yn-to þe ioye with-outen ende.
whan þe syxtë messe ys lefte,
Ȝyf þou ne fyndë me here efte,
know þou þan soþëly ywys
Þat for þy prayere y am broȝt yn blys.”
þys prest, alle þat wokë long,
Fór þys same man preyd and song;
And whan þe wokë was alle gone,
Þe prest cam þedyr, and fondë none.
he beleued þan weyl þat he was broȝt
To blys, for, he fonde hym noȝt.
Fór þys same man preyd and song;
And whan þe wokë was alle gone,
Þe prest cam þedyr, and fondë none.
he beleued þan weyl þat he was broȝt
To blys, for, he fonde hym noȝt.
By þys tale þan mowe ȝe se,
þat hyt ys grete charyte,
Messes for the dede to synge,
Þe soulës oute of þyne to brynge.
þat hyt ys grete charyte,
Messes for the dede to synge,
Þe soulës oute of þyne to brynge.
Passyng alle þyng, hyt haþ powere,
Þe sacrament of þe autere,
And namëly whan hyt ys doun
with godë mannes deuocyun;
Hym, wyl God sunner here
þan one þat ys nat hym so dere.
Þe sacrament of þe autere,
And namëly whan hyt ys doun
with godë mannes deuocyun;
Hym, wyl God sunner here
þan one þat ys nat hym so dere.
yn þe seuenþe comaundement
Toucheþ to þys sacrament,
Yn a talë of a knyȝt,
How þe prest þat lyueþ nat ryȝt,
Of hys preyer ys lytyl prowe,
And þere telleþ hyt weyl how;
And y shal telle a-nouþer here,
Of a messë of a frere.
Toucheþ to þys sacrament,
Yn a talë of a knyȝt,
How þe prest þat lyueþ nat ryȝt,
Of hys preyer ys lytyl prowe,
And þere telleþ hyt weyl how;
And y shal telle a-nouþer here,
Of a messë of a frere.
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