The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 318]

Here begynnyth the Pardounner his tale [[Painting of the Pardoner.]] [folio 306a]

[[The I runs the length of the page]] IN flanderys whilhom dwellede a cumpaynye Of ȝonge folk that hauntedyn folye Line 464 As ryot hasard stewys & tauernys Where as with harpys lutys & geternys They daunce & pleye at deis bothe day & nyght And ete & drynke also ouyr here myȝt Line 468 Thoure whiche they don the deuyl sacryfise With-inne that deuyll ²temple in² [[^2_2 corrected]] cursede wyse By superfluyte / abominable Here othis been so greete & so dampnable Line 472 That it is gresely for to here hem swere Oure blyssede lordis body they to-tere Hem thouȝte that Iewis rente hym not I-nough And eche of hem at otherys synne lough Line 476 And thanne ryȝt a-non / comyn Tumbesteris ffetyse & smale & ȝynge frutesteris Syngeris with harpis / Baudis wafereris Line 479 Whiche been / the ³werray devill offiserys³ [[^3_3 corrected]] To kyndele & blowe the fyr of lecherye [folio 306b] That is annexed on-to Glotenye The holy writ take I to witnesse That luxurye is in wyn & dronkenesse Line 484 Lo how that dronkyn looth vnkyndely Lay by his doughterys two on-wityngely So dronke he was he nyste what he wrouȝte Herodes who so weel the storyis souȝte Line 488 . . . . . [no spurious lines in this MS.]

[6-text p 319] Whan he of wyn was replet at his feste Line 489 Rygh at his owene table he ȝaf his heste To slen the Baptist Iohn ful gilteles Senek seyth a good word douteles [Seneca.] Line 492 He seyth he can no difference fynde By-twixe a man that is out of his mynde And a man which that is dronkelewe But that wodnesse I-fallyn in a schrewe Line 496 Perseueryth lengere than doth dronkenesse O glotenye ful of cursedenesse O cause fyrst of oure confusioun O original of oure dampnacioun Line 500 Til Cryst hadde bouȝt vs with his blod a-geyn Lo how deere schortely for to seyn Abovghte was thilk cursede vilanye Corrup was al this world for glotenye Line 504 Adam oure fadyr & his wif also ffrom paradys to labour & to wo Were dreuyn for that vice it is no drede ffor whil that adam fasted as I rede Line 508 He was in paradys / & thil that he Eet of the freut defendit of the tre A-non he was out cast to wo & pyne O glotenye on the / wel ouȝte vs pleyne Line 512 O wiste a man how manye maladyis ffolewyn [[e inserted]] of exces & of glotenyis He wolde been the moore mesurable Of his dyete syttynge at his table Line 516 Allas the schorte throte the tendere mouth Makyth that est & west & north & South In erthe in Ayr / in watyr men to swynke [folio 307a] To gete a glotoun / deinte mete & drynke Line 520 Of this matire / O paul weel canst thow trete Mete on-to wombe / & wombe weel vn-to mete Schal god distroyen / bothe as paul seyth Allas a foul thyng is it / be myn feith Line 524

[6-text p 320] Line 524 To seye this word / & foulere is the dede Whan man so drynkyth / of the white & reede That of his throte / he makyth his priue Thurgh thilke cursede / superfluite Line 528 The apostele wepynge / seyth ful pytously T[h]ere walkyn manye / of whiche ȝow told haue I I seye it now / wepynge with pitous woys There been enemyis / of crystis croys Line 532 Of whiche the ende is deth / wombe is here god O wombe / O bely / O stynkynge Cod ffulfyld of dunge & of corrupcioun At eythyr ende of the foul is the soun Line 536 How greet labour & cost is the to fynde These cookis [[is corr.]] how they stampe & streyne & grynde And turnyn substauns in-to accident To fulfille al the lykerous talent Line 540 Out of the harde bonys knokke they The mary for thei caste nat a-wey That may goon thurgh the golet softe & soote Of spicerye / of lef / of bark / of roote Line 544 Schal been his saus / makyd bi delyt To make hym ȝit / a newere apetit But certis he that / hauntyth swyche delicis Is ded whil that he / lyuyth in swiche vicis Line 548 A lecherous thyng / is wyn and [[and later]] dronkenesse Is ful of stryuyng & of wrechedenesse O dronke man / disfigured is thyn face Sour is thyn breth / foul art þou to enbrace Line 552 And thour thyn dronke nose / semyth the soun As thow þou seydyst euere / sampsoun Sampsoun And ȝit god wot/ Sampsoun drank neuere no wyn Thow fallist / as it weere a stekyd swyn Line 556 Thyn tunge is lost & al thyn honeste cure [folio 307b] ffor drunkenesse is verray sepulture Oof mannys wit & his discrecioun In whom that drynk hath dominacioun Line 560

[6-text p 321] Line 560 He can no conseyl kepe it is no drede Now kepe ȝow from the white & from the reede And namely from the white wyn of lepe That is to selle in fiche streete or in Chepe Line 564 This wyn of spayne crepyth subtily In othere wynys growynge faste by Of which there rysith swich fumosite That whan a man haue dronkyn drauȝtis thre Line 568 And weneth that he be at hom in chepe He is in spayne ryȝt at the toun of leepe Nat at rochel / ne at burdeux toun And thanne wele he seye sampsoun sampsoun Line 572 But herkenyth lordyngis o word I ȝow preye That alle the souereyn actis dar I seye Of victoryis in the olde testament Thurgh verray god that is omnypotent Line 576 Were don in abstinence & in preyere Lokyth the bible & there ȝe may it leere Loke attilla the greete conquerour Deyede in his slep / with schame & dishonour Line 580 Bledynge at his nose in dronkenesse A Capitayn schulde leue in soberenesse And ouyr al this / aviseth ȝow ryȝt weel What was comaundit to Lamuel Line 584 Nat Samuel but Lamuel seye I Redyth the byble / & fynde it expresly Of wyn ȝeuynge to hem that han iustise Namore of this for it may I-nough suffyse Line 588 And now that I haue spokyn of glotenye Now wele I ȝow defende hasarderye Hasard is verray modyr of lesyngis And of disseyd & cursede forsweryngis Line 592 Blaspheme of Cryst manslauȝt & wast also Of catel of tyme / & ferthere mo ¶ It is repref & contrarye to honour [folio 308a] ffor to ben holdyn a comoun hasardour Line 596

[6-text p 322] Line 596 And euere the heyere he is of ¹estat¹ [[^1_1 corrected]] The moore is he holdyn desolat ȝif that a prynce vseth hasarderye In alle gouernaunce & polycie Line 600 He is as be comune opinioun I-holde the lesse in reputacioun Stilboun þat was a wys Embassadour Was sent to Corenthe in ful greet honour Line 604 ffrom latidomye to makyn hire allyaunce And whan he cam hym happede par chaunce That alle the gretteste that were of that lond Pleyinge at the hasard he hem fond Line 608 ffor which as soone as it myghte be He stal hym hom a-geyn in-to his cuntre ¶ And seyde there wel I nat leese myn name Nay wil nat take on me so greet diffame Line 612 Ȝow for to a-lye vn-to none hasardourys Sendyth othere wyse embassadourys ffor be myn trouthe me were leuere dye Than I ȝow schulde to hasardourys alye Line 616 ffor ȝe that been so gloryous in honourys Schal not a-lye ȝow to hasardourys By myn wil ne as bi myn tretee This wyse philisophere thus seyde he Line 620 Loke ek that to the kyng demetryus The kyng of Parthes as the bok seyth vs Sente hym a payre of deis of gold in scorn ffor he hadde vsed hasard there by-forn Line 624 ffor which he held his glorye or his renoun At no valu or reputacioun ¶ Lordis may fynde other maner pley Honeste I-now to dryue the day a-wey Line 628 Now wele I speke of othes false & greete A word or two as olde bokys trete Greet swerynge is a thyng abhominable And fals swerynge ²is ȝit² [[^2_2 corrected]] more repreuable Line 632

[6-text p 323] Line 632 The hye god [[first good]] forbad swerynge at al [folio 308b] Witnesse of Mathew but in special Of swerynge seyth the holy Ieremye Thow schalt swere soth thynne othis & not lye Line 636 And swere in dom & ek in ryghtwysnesse But ydele swerynge is a cursedenesse Bi-hold & se that in the ferste table Of heye goddys hestis honurable Line 640 How that the secounde heste of hym is this Take nat myn name in idil or a-mys Lo rathere he forbedyth sweche swerynge Than homyside or manye a cursede thyng Line 644 I seye that as by ordere thus it standith This knowith that his bokys vndirstonde How that the secunde heste of god is that And ferthere ouyr / I wele the telle al plat Line 648 That vengeaunce schal nat passe from his hous That of hise othis is to outrageous By godys precyus herte & by hise naylys And by the blod o crist that is in haylys Line 652 Seuene is myn chaunce / & thyn is synk & treye By godys armys ȝif thow falsely pheye This daggar schal thorgh out thyn herte go This freut comyth of þe bicche bonys two Line 656 fforswerynge Ire falsenesse homysyde Now for the loue of cryst þat for vs deyede Leveth ȝoure swerynge bothe greete & smale But serys now wele I telle forth myn tale Line 660 Theise riotourys thre of whiche I telle Longe erst er pryme rong the belle Were sett hem in a tauerne to drynke Line 663 And as the[y] sat / they herde a belle ²clynke² [[^2_2 later]] By-forn a cors was caryed to his graue That on of hem gan callyn to his knaue Go bet quod he and axe redyly What cors is this that caryed is forby Line 668

[6-text p 324] Line 668 And loke that thow reporte his name wel Sere quod this boy it nedyth neuere a deel It was me told er ȝe cam here thre ouris [folio 309a] He was parde an old felawe of ouris Line 672 And sodeynly he was I-slayn to nyght ffor-dronke as he sat on his bench vp ryȝt There cam a priue thef men clepyn deth That in this cuntre al the peple sleth Line 676 And with his spere he smot his herte atwo And wente his weie with-outyn wordis mo And maystir er ȝe come in his presence Line 680 He hath a thousent slayn this pestelence Line 679 Methynkyth that it were necessarye ffor to ben war of swich an aduersarye Beth redy for to mete hym euere more Thus thaute me myn dame I seye nomore Line 684 Be seynte marie seyde this tauernere The child seyth soth for he hath slayn this ȝere Hene ouyr a myle with-inne a greet village Bothe man & woman child & hewe & page Line 688 I trowe his habitacioun be there To been a-vised greet wisdam it weere Er that he deyede a man a dishonour ¶ Ye goddis armys quod this riotour Line 692 Is it swich peril with hym for to mete I schal hym seeke by woye & ek bi streete I make a wow to goddys digne bonys Herkenyth felawis we thre been a-lonys Line 696 Lat ych of vs holdyn vp his hand to othir And eche of vs bi-comyn otherys brothir And we wele sleen this false traytour deth He schal been slayn he that so manye sleth Line 700 By godis dygnete er it be nygh To-gederys han these thre here treuthes plyght To lyuyn & deyen eche of hem with othyr As though he were his owe bore brothir Line 704

[6-text p 325] Line 704 And vp they stertyn & dronkyn in this rage And forth they gon towardys that village Of whiche the tauerner hadde spoke by-forn And manye a gresely oth thanne han they sworn Line 708 And crystis blyssede body they to-rente [folio 309b] Deth schal ben ded ȝif they may hym hente Whan they han goon nat fully half a myle Ryght as they woldyn a trodyn ouyr a style Line 712 An old man & a poure ¹with hem¹ [[^1_1 corrected]] mette This olde man ful mekely hem grette And seydyn thus now lordis god ȝow see The proudeste of these ryatourys three Line 716 Answerede a-gayn what cherl with sory grace Why art thow for-wrappid saue thyn face Why lyggist thow so longe in so greet age This olde man gan lokyn in his visage Line 720 And seyde thus for I ne can nat fynde A man thow I walkede in-to ynde Neythir in cete ne in non village That wolde chaunge his ȝouthe for myn age Line 724 And therfore mote I holde myn age stylle As long tyme as it is godys wille Ne deth allas wele nat han myn lyf Thus walke I lych a recheles caytyf Line 728 And on the ground whiche is myn moderys gate I knokke with myn staf bothe erly & late And seye leue modyr lete me in Lo how I vanyche bothe flesch & blood & skyn Line 732 Allas whanne schal myne bonys been at reste Modyr with ȝow wolde I schaunge myn cheste That in myn chaumbre long tyme hath be Ȝa for an heyre clout to wrappe me Line 736 But ȝit to me ȝe wele nat do that grace ffor which ful pale & welkid is myn face But syrys to ȝow it is no curteysye To spekyn to an old man vilanye Line 740

[6-text p 326] Line 740 But he trespace in word or ellis in dede In holy wryt ye may youre seluyn weel reede [A-geyns an olde man / hoor vp-on his hed Ȝe shulde aryse / wherfore I ȝeue ȝow red [Cambr. MS Dd. 4. 24 folio 147a] ] Line 744 Ne doth vn-to an old man noon harm now Na more than ȝe wolde men dede to ȝow In age ȝif that ȝe so longe a-byde And god be wyth ȝow where ȝe go or ryde Line 748 I mot go thedyr there I haue to go [folio 310a] ¶ Nay olde cherl by god thow schat nat so Seyde this othir hasardour a-non Thow partist nat so lyȝtely by seynt Iohn Line 752 Thow speke ryȝt now of thilke traytour deth That in oure cuntre alle oure frendys sleth Haue here myn treuthe as thow art his espie Telle where he is / or / thow schalt it a-bye Line 756 By god & by holye sacrement ffor sothly thow art of his assent To sleen vs ȝonge folk thow false thef Now seris quod he syn that ye be so lef Line 760 To fynde deth turne vp this crokede wey ffor in that groue I lefte hym by myn fey Vndyr a tre & there he wolde a-byde Nat for youre bost he wele hym nat hyde Line 764 Se ye that ook ryȝt there ye schul hym fynde God saue yow that boughte a-ȝen man-kynde And ȝow a-mende thus seyde this olde man ¶ And eueryche of these ryotourys ran Line 768 Til they come to that tre & there they founde Of floreynys fyne of gold I-coynede rounde Wel nygh an viij buschellis as hem thouȝte No lengere thanne aftyr deth they souȝte Line 772 But eche of hem so glad was of the syght ffor that floreynys been so fayre & bryȝt That doun they sette hem by this precious hord The werste of hem spak the ferste word Line 776

[6-text p 327] Line 776 Bretheryn quod he thyng what I seye Myn wit is greet thow that I borde & pleye This tresore hath fortune vn-to vs ȝeuyn In myrthe & Iolyte oure lyf to leuyn Line 780 And lyghtely as it comyth so wele we spende Ey godys precyous dignetee ho wende To day that we schuldyn han so fayr grace But myghte this gold been caryed from this place Line 784 Hom to myn hous or ellys vn-to ȝourys ffor weel ȝe wot that al this gold is ourys Thanne were we in high felicite [folio 310b] But treweli by day it may nat be Line 788 Men woldyn seyn that we were thevis stronge And for oure owene tresore doon vs honge This tresore muste Icaryede been by nyght As wysely & as slyly as men myght Line 792 Therefore I rede that cut a-mong vs alle Be drawe & lat se where the cut wele falle And he that hat the cut with herte blythe Schal renne to tounne & that ful swythe Line 796 And brynge vs breed & wyn pryuyly And two of vs schal kepen subtily This tresor wel / if he wele nat tarye Whan it is nyght we wele this tresore carye Line 800 By on assent / where as vs thynkyth best That on of hem the Cut brouȝte in his fest And bad hem drawe & loke wheere it wolde falle And it fel on the ȝongest of hem alle Line 804 And forth toward the toun he wente a-non And al so soone as þat he was goon That oon of hem spak on-to that othyr Thow knowyst weel thow art myn swore brothir Line 808 Thyn profyt wele I telle the a-noon Thow wist weel that oure falawe is goon And heere is gold & that ful greet plentee That schal departid be a-mong vs three Line 812

[6-text p 328] Line 812 But natheles If I can speke it so That it departyd were a-mong vs two Hadde I nat doon a frendys turn to thee That othir answerde I not how that may bee Line 816 He wot that the gold is with vs tweye What schal we do what schal we to hym seye Schal it be conseyl seyde the ferste schrewe And I schal tellyn in a wordys fewe Line 820 What we schal doon & brynge it weel a-boute I graunte quod that othyr out of doute That by myn trouthe I wele the nat by-wrye Now quod he thow wost weel that we ben twye Line 824 And two of vs schal strengere been than oon [folio 311a] Loke whan he is set that ryȝt a-noon Arys as thow woldys with hym pleye And I schal ryue hym thour the sydys tweye Line 828 Whil that thow strogelyst with hym as in game And with thyn daggere loke thow do the same And thanne schal al this gold departid be Myn deere frend be-twixe me & the Line 832 Thanne may we bothe oure lustis al fulfylle And pleye at the deis ryȝt at oure owene wille And thus acordede been these schrewys tweye To sleen the thredde as ȝe han herd me seye Line 836 ¶ This ȝongeste wyght that wente to the toun fful ofte in hese [[se corrected]] herte he rollede vp & doun The beute of the floreynys newe & brighte O lord quod he If so were that I myȝte Line 840 Haue al thes tresor to myn self a-lone There is no man that lyuyth vndyr the trone Of good that schulde liue so merye as I And at the laste the fend oure enemy Line 844 Put in his herte / that he schulde poysounne ²beye² [[^2_2 corr.]] With whiche he myghte sleen hise felawis tweye ffor why the fend fond hym in swich lyuynge That he hadde leue hem to sorwe brynge Line 848

[6-text p 329] Line 848 This was vttyrly his entente To slen hem bothe & neuere to repente And forth he goth no lengere wolde he tarye In-to the toun vn-to a potecarye Line 852 And preyede hym that he hym wolde selle Sum poysoun that he myȝte hise rattis quelle And eek there was a polkat in his hawe That as he seyde his capounnys hadde he slawe Line 856 And fayn he wolde wreke hym ȝif he myȝte On vermyn that destroyede hym be nyghte ¶ The potecarye answerde & thow schalt haue A thyng that also god myn soule saue Line 860 In al this world there is no creature That etyn or drynk of this confyture [[y corrected]] Nat but the moutenaunce of a corn of wheete [folio 311b] That he schal his lyf a-noon for-leete Line 864 Ya sterue he schal and that in lasse while Than thow wylt gon a pas nat but a myle The poysoun is so strong & violent ¶ This cursede man hath in his hond I-hent Line 868 The poysoun in a box & sythe he ran In-to the nexte streete vn-to a man And borwede hym large botellys tre And in the two his pousoun pourede he Line 872 The thredde he kepte clene for his drynk ffor al the nygh[t] he schop hym for to swynk In caryinge of that gold out of that place And whan this ryotour with sory grace Line 876 Hadde fylled wyth wyn hise greete botellis thre To hise felas a-geyn repayrede hee ¶ What neede of it to sarmone moore ffor ryȝt as they hadde cast his deth byfore Line 880 Rygh[t] so they han hym slayn & that a-noon And whan this was doon thus spak that oon Now lat vs sitte & drynke & make vs merye And aftyr that we wele his body berye Line 884

[6-text p 330] Line 884 And with that word it happede hym percas To take the botel there the poysoun was And drank & ȝaf his felawe d[r]ynke also ffor whiche a-noon they storve bothe two Line 888 ¶ But certys I suppose that Aucyen Wrot neuere in no canoun ne in no fen Mo wondere sygnys of enpoysounnynge Than hadde these wrechis two er hire endynge Line 892 Thus endede been these homycidis two And ek the false enpoysonere also ¶ O cursede synne of alle cursedenesse O traytourys homycyde / o wikkedenesse Line 896 O glotonye / luxurye / & hasarderye Thow blasphemere of cryst with vilonye And othis greete of vsage & of pryde Allas mankynde how may it betyde Line 900 That to thyn creatour whiche that the wrough [folio 312a] And with hise precious blood the bough Thow art so fals & so vnkynde allas Now goode men god for-ȝeue ȝow ȝoure trespas Line 904 And ware ȝow from the synne of aueryce Myn holy pardoun may ȝow alle waryce So that ȝe offere / noblis or starlyngis Or ellys syluyr sponys brochis ryngis Line 908 Bowith ȝoure heed vndyr this holy bulle Comyth vp ȝe wyuys offerith of ȝoure wolle Ȝoure name I entere here in myn rolle a-non In-to the blysse of heuene schul ȝe gon Line 912 I ȝow assoyle by myn heye power Yow that wele offere as clene & eek as cleer As ȝe weryn born & lo seris thus I preche And Ihesu cryst that is oure soulys leche Line 916 So graunte ȝow his pardoun to resceyue ffor that is best I wele ȝou nat disceyue But seris on word forgat I in myn tale I haue relikys & pardoun in myn male Line 920

[6-text p 331] Line 920 As fayre as ony man in yngeland Whiche were me ȝouyn by the popis hand Ȝyf ony of yow wele of deuocyoun Offeryn & han myn absolucioun Line 924 Comyth forth anon & knelyth here a-doun And mekely resseyuyth myn pardoun Or ellis takyth pardoun as ȝe weende Al newe & frosch at euery mylys ende Line 928 So that ȝe offere alwey newe & newe Nobelis & penys whiche that been goode & trewe It is an honour to eueriche that is here That ye mowen haue a suffycient pardonere Line 932 To a-soyle ȝow in cuntre as ȝe ryde ffor auenture whiche that may be-tyde Perauenture there may falle on or two Doun of his hors & breke his nekke a· two Line 936 Loke which a seurete it is to ȝow alle That I am in ȝoure felaueschepe I-falle That may assoyle ȝow bothe more & lasse [folio 312b] Whan that the soule schal from the body passe Line 940 I rede that oure ost here schal begynne ffor he is most enuolupid in synne Come forth sere ost & offere here a-non And thow schat kysse myne relykys euerychoon Line 944 Ye for a groote vnbokele a-noon thyn pors Nay nay quodd [[d later?]] he / thanne haue I crystis curs Lat be quod he it schal nat be so theech Thow woldyst make me to kysse thynno olde brech Line 948 And swere it weere a relike of a seynt They it were with tyn fundement depeynt But by the cros that seynt elyne fond I wolde I hadde thyne colyounnys in myn hond Line 952 In stede of relikys or of seyntewarye Let kutte hem of I wele from the hem carye They schul been schrynyd in an hoggis tord This pardouner answerde nat a word Line 956

[6-text p 332] Line 956 So wroth he was he wolde no word seye Now quod oure ost I wele no lengere pleye With the ne with noon othyr angery man But rygh a-noon the worthy knygh be-gan Line 960 Whan that he saw that al the peple lough Na moore of this for it is ryght I-nough Sire pardoneer be merie & glad of cheere And sere ost that been to me so deere Line 964 I preye ȝow that ȝe kysse the pardounneer And pardounner I preye the drawe the neer And as we dede lat vs laughe & pleye Anon they kyste & rede forth here weye Line 968

Here endith the pardonneris [[? second n]] tale