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From The Summoner's Tale, lines 190-220:
The friar says he saw his death in revelation and explains this friarly power of sudden revelation by strict abstinence
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Summoner's Tale
lines 221-229: The abstinence of Moses


       Lo, Moyses fourty dayes and fourty nyght
Fasted, er that the heighe God of myght
Spak with hym in the mountayne of Synay.
With empty wombe, fastynge many a day,
225Receyved he the lawe that was writen
With Goddes fynger; and Elye, wel ye witen,
In mount Oreb, er he hadde any speche
With hye God, that is oure lyves leche,
He fasted longe, and was in contemplaunce.
       Lo, Moses forty days and forty nights
Fasted before the mightiest God of mights
Spoke with him on the Mountain of Sinai.
With empty belly, fasting long, say I,
225Received he there the law that had been writ
By God's hand; and Elias, you know of it
On Mount Horeb, ere he had any speech
With the High God, Who is our spirits' leech,
He fasted long and deep his contemplation.




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From The Summoner's Tale, lines 230-239:
The abstinence of Aaron
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