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THE PARDONERS TALE. THE PARDONERS TALE.
In Flaundres whylom was a companye Of yonge folk, that haunteden folye, As ryot, hasard, stewes, and tavernes, Wher-as, with harpes, lutes, and giternes, They daunce and pleye at dees bothe day and night, And ete also and drinken over hir might, Thurgh which they doon the devel sacrifyse With-in that develes temple, in cursed wyse, By superfluitee abhominable; Hir othes been so grete and so dampnable, That it is grisly for to here hem swere; Our blissed lordes body they to-tere; Hem thoughte Iewes rente him noght y-nough; And ech of hem at otheres sinne lough. And right anon than comen tombesteres Fetys and smale, and yonge fruytesteres, Singers with harpes, baudes, wafereres, Whiche been the verray develes officeres To kindle and blowe the fyr of lecherye, That is annexed unto glotonye; The holy writ take I to my witnesse, That luxurie is in wyn and dronkenesse. In Flaundres whylom was a companye Of yonge folk, that haunteden folye, As ryot, hasard, stewes, and tavernes, Wher-as, with harpes, lutes, and giternes, They daunce and pleye at dees bothe day and night, And ete also and drinken over hir might, Thurgh which they doon the devel sacrifyse With-in that develes temple, in cursed wyse, By superfluitee abhominable; Hir othes been so grete and so dampnable, That it is grisly for to here hem swere; Our blissed lordes body they to-tere; Hem thoughte Iewes rente him noght y-nough; And ech of hem at otheres sinne lough. And right anon than comen tombesteres Fetys and smale, and yonge fruytesteres, Singers with harpes, baudes, wafereres, Whiche been the verray develes officeres To kindle and blowe the fyr of lecherye, That is annexed unto glotonye; The holy writ take I to my witnesse, That luxurie is in wyn and dronkenesse.

Original Text

Modern Text

THE PARDONERS TALE. THE PARDONERS TALE.
In Flaundres whylom was a companye Of yonge folk, that haunteden folye, As ryot, hasard, stewes, and tavernes, Wher-as, with harpes, lutes, and giternes, They daunce and pleye at dees bothe day and night, And ete also and drinken over hir might, Thurgh which they doon the devel sacrifyse With-in that develes temple, in cursed wyse, By superfluitee abhominable; Hir othes been so grete and so dampnable, That it is grisly for to here hem swere; Our blissed lordes body they to-tere; Hem thoughte Iewes rente him noght y-nough; And ech of hem at otheres sinne lough. And right anon than comen tombesteres Fetys and smale, and yonge fruytesteres, Singers with harpes, baudes, wafereres, Whiche been the verray develes officeres To kindle and blowe the fyr of lecherye, That is annexed unto glotonye; The holy writ take I to my witnesse, That luxurie is in wyn and dronkenesse. In Flaundres whylom was a companye Of yonge folk, that haunteden folye, As ryot, hasard, stewes, and tavernes, Wher-as, with harpes, lutes, and giternes, They daunce and pleye at dees bothe day and night, And ete also and drinken over hir might, Thurgh which they doon the devel sacrifyse With-in that develes temple, in cursed wyse, By superfluitee abhominable; Hir othes been so grete and so dampnable, That it is grisly for to here hem swere; Our blissed lordes body they to-tere; Hem thoughte Iewes rente him noght y-nough; And ech of hem at otheres sinne lough. And right anon than comen tombesteres Fetys and smale, and yonge fruytesteres, Singers with harpes, baudes, wafereres, Whiche been the verray develes officeres To kindle and blowe the fyr of lecherye, That is annexed unto glotonye; The holy writ take I to my witnesse, That luxurie is in wyn and dronkenesse.