THE TALE（第19页）

untomyconfessourto-dayhespake;

iholdhimcertainadeniac.

noweatyourmeat，andletthechurlgoplay，

lethimgohanghimselfadevilway!"

nowstoodthelordessquierattheboard，

thatcarvdhismeat，andheardewordbyword

ofallthisthing，whichthatihaveyousaid.

"mylord，"quothhe，"beyenot*evilpaid，**displeased*

icouldetelle，foragowne-cloth，**clothforagown*

toyou，sirfriar，sothatyebenotwrot，

howthatthisfartshouldeven*dealedbe*equally

angyourconvent，ifitlikedthee."

"tell，"quoththelord，"andthoushalthaveanon

agowne-cloth，bygodandbysaintjohn."

"mylord，"quothhe，"whenthattheweatherisfair，

withoutewind，orperturbingofair，

let*bringacart-wheelhereintothishall，cause*

butlookethatithaveitsspokesall;

twelvespokeshathacart-wheelnly;

andbringmethentwelvefriars，knowyewhy?

forthirteenisaconventasiguess;

yourconfessorhere，forhisworthiness，

shall*performup*thenumberofhisconvent.*plete*

thenshalltheykneeladownbyoneassent，

andtoeachspokesend，inthismannere，

fullsadly*layhisnoseshallafrere;*carefully，steadily

yournobleconfessorthere，godhimsave，

shallholdhisnoseuprightunderthenave.

thenshallthischurl，withbellystiffandtought**tight

asanytabour，*hitherbey-brought;*drum

andsethinthewheelrightofthiscart