The Corpus ms (Corpus Christi coll., Oxford) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 560]

[THE TALE.]

Ther is a chanoun of Religioun Amonges vs wolde enfecte al a toun Line 973 þough it as gret were as was Nynyue / Rome Alisandre . Troye and oþre þre his sleightes and his infinite falsnesse / þer couþe noman writen as I gesse / Line 977 þough þat he mighte lyuen a þousend ȝeer In alle þis world of fal[s]nesse nys his peer ffor in his termes he wole him so wynde And speke his wordes in so sleigh a kynde Line 981 Whan he commune schal wiþ ony wight What he wol make him dote anon right But it þe feend be as his seluen is / fful many a man haþ he begyled er þis Line 985 And wile if þat he may lyue a while / And ȝit men ryden and gon ful many a myle him for to seeke and haue his aqueyntance Nouȝt knowyng of his false gouernance / Line 989 And if ye lust to ȝiue me audience I wol it tellen here in ȝoure presence [folio 184a] But worschipful Chanon religious Ne demeþ nouȝt þat I sclaundre ȝour hous Line 993 Al þough my tale of a Chanon be Of euery ordre som schrewe is parde And god forbede þat alle a compaignie Scholde rewe a synguler mannes folye Line 997 To sclaundre ȝou it is not myn entent But to correcten þat mys I-ment

[6-text p 561] This tale nas nat oonly told for ȝou But eek for oþer mo ȝe wot wel how Line 1001 That amonges cristes apostles twelue Ther was no traytour but Iudas himselue þanne why scholde þe remenant alle haue blame That gulteles were by ȝou sey I þe same Line 1005 Sauf oonly þis if ȝe wiln herkne me If ony Iudas in ȝoure couent be Remeueþ him by tyme I ȝou rede If schame or losse may causen ony drede Line 1009 And beþ no þing displesed I ȝou pray But in þis caas herkneth what I say

IN london was a prest an annueler That þer-Inne dwelled hadde many a ȝeer Line 1013 Which was so plesant / and so seruisable / Vnto þe wyf wher he was at þe table That sche wolde suffre him no þing for to pay ffor bord nor cloþing wente he non so gay Line 1017 And spendyng siluer had he right ynough þer-of no force I wol procede as now / And telle forþ my tale of þe Chanon þat brouȝte þis prest to confusion Line 1021 This false Chanon cam vpon a day vnto þe prestes chambre þer he lay Byseching him to lene him a certeyn Of golde and he wold quite it him ageyn Line 1025 leneþ me a mark quod he but dayes þre And at my day I wol it quite þe [folio 184b] And if so be þat þou fynde me fals Anoþer day hang me vp by þe hals Line 1029 This prest him tok a mark and þat as swiþe And þis Chanoun him þanked often siþe And took his leue and wente forth his wey And atte þridde day brouȝt his money Line 1033 And to þis prest he took þis gold aȝein Ther-of þis prest was glad and fayn

[6-text p 562] Certes quod he no þing anoyeth me To lene a man a noble or tuo or þre Line 1037 Or what þing were in my possession Whan he so trewe is of condicion þat in no wise he breke wole his day To swich a man I can neuer say nay Line 1041 What quod þis Chanon scholde I be vntrewe Nay þat were þing fallen al of þe newe Trouþe is a þing þat I wol euer kepe / Vnto þe day in which þat I schal crepe Line 1045 in to my graue and elles god forbede Bileeueþ þis as siker as is ȝoure Crede God þanke I and in good tyme be it sayd þat þer was neuer man ȝit euel payd Line 1049 ffor gold ne siluer þat he to me lente Ne neuere falshede in myn herte I mente And sire quod he now of my priuyte Siþens ȝe so goodlich haue ben to me Line 1053 And kiþed to me so gret gentilnesse Somwhat to quite with ȝoure kyndenesse I wol ȝou schewe and if ȝou lest to leere / I schal it schewe to ȝou anon right heere Line 1057 how I kan worchen in philosophie Takeþ good heed ȝe schuln seen wel at ye That I wol don a maystry ar I go ȝe quoþ þe prest / ȝe sire and wil ȝe so Line 1061 Marie þer of I pray ȝou hertily At ȝoure comaundement sire trewely [folio 185a] Quoþ þe Chanon and elles god forbede lo how þis þeef couþe his seruise beede Line 1065 fful soþ it is þat such profred seruise Stynkeþ as witnessen þise olde wise And þat ful sone I wol it verefye In þis Chanon is roote of alle treccherie Line 1069 þat eueremore delyt haþ and gladnesse/ Suche feendly þoughtes in his herte impresse /

[6-text p 563] how cristes poeple he may to meschief bringe God kepe vs from his fals dissimilynge Line 1073 What wiste þis prest wiþ whom þat he delte Ne of his harm comynge no þing he felte O sely prest o sely Innocent Wiþ coueytise anon þou schalt be blent Line 1077 O graceles ful blynd is þy conceyt No þing artow war of þe deceyt Which þat þis fox y-schapen haþ to þe his wyly wrenches þou mayst nouȝt fle Line 1081 Wher-fore to go to þe conclusion þat referreþ to þi confusion vnhappy man anon I wol me hiȝe To telle þin vnwitte and þy folye Line 1085 And eek þe falsnesse of þat oþer wrecche As ferforþ as my connynge wol strecche This Chanon was my lord ȝe wolde weene Sire oste in faith and by þe heuen quene Line 1089 It was anoþer chanoun and nat he That can an hundred fold more sotyltee he haþ bytrayed folkes many tyme Of his falsnesse it/ dulleþ me to Ryme Line 1093 Euer whan I speke of his falshede ffor schame of him my chekes wexen reede Algates þey bygynne for to glowe ffor reednesse haue I now right wel I knowe Line 1097 In my visage for fumes diuerse Of metals whiche ȝe haue herd me reherce [folio 185b] Consumed and wasted han my reednesse / Now take heede of þis Chanons cursednesse Line 1101 Sire quod he to þe prest lat ȝoure man gon ffor quyk siluer þat we it hadde anon And lat him bringe vnces tuo or þre And whan he comeþ as faste schul ȝe see Line 1105 A wonder þing which ȝe say neuer ar þis Sire quod þe prest it schal ben don y-wys

[6-text p 564] he bad his seruant fechen him his þing And he al redy was at his biddyng Line 1109 And wente him forþ and cam anon agayn Wiþ þis quyk siluer schortly for to sayn And tok þis vnces þre to þe Chanon And he it leyde faire and wel a doun Line 1113 And bad þe seruant coles for to bringe þat he anon mighte go to his worchinge The coles right anon weren y-fette And þis chanon tok out a crosselette Line 1117 Of his bosom and schewed it þe prest This Instrument quod he which þat þou seest Tak in þin hond and put þiself þer Inne Of þis quyk siluer an vnce and here bygynne Line 1121 In þe name of crist to wexe a Philosophre Ther ben ful fewe which þat I wolde profre To schewen hem þus mochel of my science ffor ȝe schuln seen heere by experience Line 1125 þat þis quyk siluer I wol mortefye Right in ȝoure sight anon wiþoute lye And make it as good siluer and as fyn As þer is ony in ȝoure purs or myn Line 1129 Or elles where and make it malliable/ And elles holde me fals and vnable Amonges folk euere to appere I haue a poudre here þat coste me deere Line 1133 schal make al good for it is cause of all My connynge which þat I ȝou schewe schall [folio 186a] Voydeth ȝoure man and lat him be þeroute / And schitte þe dore whiles we ben aboute / Line 1137 Oure pryuyte þat noman vs espie Whiles we werken in þis philosophie / Al as he bad fulfilled was in dede / This ilke seruant anon right out ȝede Line 1141 And his maistrer schitte þe dore anon And to here labour speedily þey gon

[6-text p 565] This prest at þis cursed chanōns byddyng Vpon þe fire anon sette þis þing Line 1145 And blew þe fyr and busyed him ful faste And þis chanon in to þis Crosselet caste A poudre not I wher-of þat it was I-maad oþer of chalk oþer of glas Line 1149 Or som what elles was not worþ a flye To blynde wiþ þis prest and bad him hye þise coles for to couchen al aboue þe cresselet for in tokne þat I þe loue Line 1153 Quoþ þis Chanon þine hondes tuo Schulle worche alle þing which as schal be do Graunt mercy quod þe prest and was ful glad And couchede coles as þe Chanon bad Line 1157 And whils he besy was þis feendly wrecche þis false Chanon þe foule feend him fecche Out of his bosom took a bechene cole / In which ful sotilly was maad an hole Line 1161 And þer Inne put was of siluer lymaille An vnce and stopped was wiþoute faille This hole wiþ wex to kepe þe lymaille In And vnderstondeþ þat þis false gyn Line 1165 Was not made þere but it was maad bifore And oþere þinges I schal telle more / here aftirward which þat he wiþ him broughte Er he cam þer to begyle him he þoughte Line 1169 And so he dide er þey wente a twynne / Til he hadde torned him couþe he not blynne [folio 186b] It dulleþ me whan þat I of him speke On his falshede fayn wolde I me wreke / Line 1173 If I wiste how . but he is heer and þere / he is so variaunt þat he abyt no where / But takeþ heed now sires for goddes loue He took his cole of which I spak aboue Line 1177 And in his hond he bar it priuely And whiles þe prest couchide busily

[6-text p 566] The coles as I tolde ȝou er þis / This Chanon sayde freend ȝe don amys Line 1181 This is nought couched as it oughte be But sone I schal amenden it quod he Now lat me medle þerwiþ but a while ffor of ȝou haue I pite by seint Gyle Line 1185 ȝe ben right hoot I se wel how ȝe swete haue heer a cloþ and wype awey þe wete And while þat þe prest him wyped has This Chanon took his cole I schrewe his fas Line 1189 And leyde it vppon abouen þe myddeward Of þe Crosselet and blew wel aftirward Til þat þe coles gonne faste brenne Now ȝif vs drinke quod þe Chanon þenne Line 1193 as swiþe it schal be wel I vndertake Sitte we doun and let vs merie make And whan þe Chanons bechene cole Was brent alle þe lymail out of þe hole Line 1197 In to þe Crosselet anon fel doun And so it moste neede by reson Syns it so euene aboue couched was But þerof wiste no þing þe prest allas Line 1201 he demed alle þe coles liche goode ffor of þe sleight no þing he vnderstoode And whan þis alkamistre say his tyme Riseþ vp sire prest and stondeþ byme Line 1205 And for I wot wel Ingot haue ȝe non Goþ walkeþ forþ and bring a chalk ston [folio 187a] ffor I wol make it of þe same schappe þat is an Ingot if I may haue happe Line 1209 And bring wiþ ȝou a bolle oþer a panne fful of water and ȝe schul see þanne How þat oure busynesse schal happe & preeue And ȝit for ȝe schul haue no mysbyleeue Line 1213 Ne wrong conceyt of me in ȝoure absence I wol not ben out of ȝoure presence

[6-text p 567] But go with ȝou and come with ȝou agayn The chambre dore schortly for to sayn Line 1217 þey opeynd and schette and wente forþ here weye And forþ wiþ hem þey caryed þe keye And comen agayn wiþouten eny delay What scholde I tarie al þe longe day Line 1221 he took þe chalk and schoop it in þe wyse Of an yngot as I schal ȝou deuyse I say he took out of his owne sleeue A teyne of Siluer euele mote he cheeue Line 1225 Which þat was but an vnce of weight And takeþ heede now of his cursed sleight he schop his Ingot in lengþe and in brede Of þe theyne wiþouten eny drede Line 1229 So slyly þat þe prest it not aspyde And in his sleeue again he gan it hyde And from þe fyre took vp his matiere / And in to þe Ingot it putte wiþ merye cheere Line 1233 And in to þe watir vessel he it caste Whan þat him liste and bad þe prest as faste loke what þer is / put in þin hond and grope Thou schalt fynde þere siluer as I hope Line 1237 What deuyl of helle schuld it elles be Schafyng of siluer siluer is parde he putte in his hond and took vp a teyne Of siluer fyn and glad in euery veyne Line 1241 Was þis prest whan he saugh þat it was so Goddes blessyng and his modres also [folio 187b] And alle halwes haue ȝe sire Chanon Seyde þe prest and I here malison Line 1245 But and ȝe vouche sauf to teche me þis noble crafte and þis sotilte I wol be ȝoure in alle þat euer I may Quoþ þe Chanon ȝit wol I make assay Line 1249 The seconde tyme þat ȝe mowe take heede And ben expert of þis and in ȝoure neede

[6-text p 568] Anoþer day in myn absence / þis discipline and þis crafty science Line 1253 ¶ let take anoþer vnce quod he þo Of quyk siluer wiþoute wordes mo And do þerwiþ as ȝe han don ar þis Wiþ þat oþer which þat now siluer is Line 1257 þis prest him busieþ in al þat he can To don as þis Chanōn þis cursede man Comaundeþ him and faste blew þe fire ffor to come to þeffecte of his desire Line 1261 And þis Chanōn right in þe mene while Al redy was þis prest eft to begyle And for a contynaunce in his hond bar An holough stikke tak heede and be war Line 1265 In þe ende of which an vnce and no more Of siluer lymaile put was al bifore Was in his coole and stopped wiþ wex wel ffor to kepe in his lymayl euery del Line 1269 And whiles þis prest was in his businesse This Chanon wiþ his stikke gan him dresse To him anon and his poudre caste In As he dede er þe deuel out of his skyn Line 1273 him torne I pray to god for his falshede ffor he was euer fals in oþe and dede And wiþ his stikke aboue þe crosselette þat was ordeigned wiþ þat false gette Line 1277 he stereþ þe coles til it relente gan The wax agayn þe fyr as euery man [folio 188a] But it a fool be woot wel and moot neede And al þat in þe hole was out ȝede Line 1281 And in to þe Crosselet hastily it fel The prest supposede noþing but wel But busyed him faste and was wonder fayn Supposyng nouȝt but trouþe soþ to sayn Line 1285 he was so glad I can nouȝt expresse In no maner his merþe and his gladnesse

[6-text p 569] And þe chanon he profred eft sone Body and good ȝe quod þe Chanōn soone Line 1289 þough pore I be crafty þou schalt/ me fynde I warne þe ȝit is þer more behynde Is þer eny coper here Inne seyde he ȝe sire quod þe prest I trowe þer bee Line 1293 Elles go bey som and þat as swithe Now sire go forþ þy way and hy the And went his way and wiþ þis coper he cam And þis Chanōn in his hond it nam Line 1297 And of þat coper weyde out but an vnce Al to symple is my tonge to pronounce his moustre and his wit þe doublenesse Of þis Chanon roote of Cursednesse Line 1301 he semyd freendly to hem þat knewe him nought But he was feendly boþe in werk and þouȝt It wyrieþ me to telle of his falsnesse And naþeles ȝet wol I it expresse Line 1305 To þat entent þat men may be war þerby And for non oþer cause trewely he putte þis vnce of coper in to þe Crosselette And of þe fyur as swiþe he haþ it sette Line 1309 And kast in poudre and made þe prest to blowe And in his worching for to stoupe lowe As he dide erst and al nas but a Iape Right as him liste þe prest he made his ape Line 1313 And afterward in to þe Ingot he it caste And in þe panne putte it atte laste / [folio 188b] Of water and in he put his owne hand And in his sleeue as ȝe byforn hand Line 1317 herde me telle he hadde a siluer teyne he slyly took it out þis cursed heyne vnwetyng þis prest of his false craft And in þe pannes botme he haþ it laft Line 1321 And in þe water rombleþ to and fro And wonder pryuyly tok it vp also

[6-text p 570] þe coper teyne nought knowyng þis prest/ And hidde it and hente him by þe breest Line 1325 And to him spak and þus sayde in his game Stowpeþ a doun by god ȝe ben to blame helpeþ me now as I dide ȝou whiler Put in ȝoure hand and lokeþ what is þer Line 1329 þis prest tok vp þis siluer teyne anon And þanne seyde þe chanōn let vs gon Wiþ þise þre teynes whiche þat we haue wrought To som goldsmith and wite if it be ought Line 1333 ffor by my faiþ I nolde for myn hond But if þei were siluer fyn and good And þat as swiþe proued schal it be Vnto þe goldsmith wiþ þise teynes þre Line 1337 þey wente and putte þise teynes in assay To fyr and hamer might no man say nay But þey were as hem ouȝte for to be þis sottide prest who was gladder þan he Line 1341 Was neuer bryd gladder aȝeins þe day Ne nightyngale in þe seson of May Was neuere non þat liste better to synge Ne lady lustiere in Carolynge / Line 1345 And for to speke of loue and wommanhede Ne knight in armes don an hardy dede To stonden in grace of his lady deere þan hadde þis prest þis craft to lere Line 1349 And to þe chanon þus he spak and sayde ffor þe loue of god þat for vs alle deyde / [folio 189a] And as I may deserue it vnto ȝow What schal þis receyt coste telleþ now / Line 1353 By oure lady quod þe chanon it is deere I warne ȝou for saue I and a frere / In Engelond þer can no man it make No fors quod he now sire for goddes sake Line 1357 What schal I paye tel me I ȝou pray I-wys quod he it/ is ful deere I say

[6-text p 571] Sire at oo word if þat þe list it haue ȝe schulle paye fourty pound so god me saue Line 1361 And ne were þe frendschipe þat ȝe dide er þis To me ȝe scholde paye more y-wys This prest þe somme of .xl. pound anon. Of nobles fette and took hem euerychon Line 1365 To þis chanon for þis ilke receyt Al his worchinge was fraude and deceyt Sire prest he seyde I kepe for to haue no loos Of my craft for I wolde it were kept cloos Line 1369 And as ȝe loueþ me kepeþ it secre ffor and men knewen al my subtilte By god men wolde haue so gret envye To me by cause of my philosophie Line 1373 I scholde be deed þer were non oþer weye God it forbede quod þe preest what seye ȝet hadde I leuer spenden al þe good Which þat I haue and elles waxe I wood Line 1377 þan þat ȝe schulde falle in such mescheef ffor ȝoure good wil sire haue ȝe right good preef Quoþ þe chanon and sire wol graunt mercy he wente his way and neuer þe prest he sey Line 1381 After þat day and whan þat þis prest scholde maken assay at swich tyme as he wolde Of þis receyt far wel it wolde not be lo þus byiaped and bygyled was he Line 1385 þus makeþ he his introduccion To bringe folk to here destruccion [folio 189b] Considereþ sires how þat in eche astate Bitwixe men and gold þer is debate Line 1389 So ferforþ þat vnneþes þer is non This multiplyȝing blendeþ so many oon þat in good faiþ I trowe þat it be þe cause grettest of þis skarsete Line 1393 This philosophres speken so mystily In þis craft þat men can not come þerby

[6-text p 572] ffor ony witte þat men han now a dayes þey may wel chitre and Iangle as don þis Iayes Line 1397 And in here termes sette lust and peyne But to here purpos schul þey neuer atteyne A man may lightliche lerne if he haþ ought To multiplye and brynge his good to nouȝt Line 1401 lo such a lucre is in þis lusty game A mannes merþe it wol torne alle to grame And empte also grete and heuye purses And make folk to purchacen curses Line 1405 Of hem þat han þerto here good y-lent O fy for schame þey þat haue be brent Allas can þey nat fle þe fyres hete ȝe þat it vsen I rede ȝe it lete Line 1409 lest ȝe lese al for bet þan neuer is late Neuer to þriue were to longe a date þough ȝe prolle ay ȝe schulle it neuer fynde ȝe ben as bolde as is bayard þe blynde Line 1413 þat blundreth forþ and peril casteþ he non he is as bold to renne a-gayn a stoon As for to go bysydes in þe weye So fare ȝe þat multiplie I seye Line 1417 If þat ȝoure yȝen may not seen aright lokeþ þat ȝoure mynd lakke nought his sight ffor þough ȝe loke neuer so brode and stare / ȝe schulle nat wynne a myte in þat chaffare Line 1421 But wasten al þat ȝe may Rappe and renne Wiþdrawe þe fir lest it so faste brenne [folio 190a] Medleþ nomore wiþ þat art I mene ffor if ȝe doon ȝour þrift is gon ful clene / Line 1425 And right as swithe I wol ȝou telle heere What þat þe philosophres sein in þis matere lo þus seiþ arnold of þe newe toun As his Rosarie makeþ mencioun Line 1429 he seiþ right þus wiþouten eny lye þer may no man mercurie mortifie

[6-text p 573] But if it be wiþ his broþeres knowleching how þat he which þat first seyde þis þing/ Line 1433 Of Philosophres fader was hermes / he saiþ how þat þe dragon douteles Ne dyeþ not but if he be slayn Wiþ his broþer and þat is for to sayn Line 1437 By þe dragon mercurie and non oþer he vnderstood þat bremston were his broþer þat on of Sol and luna were y-drawe And þerfore sayde he tak heed to my sawe Line 1441 lat no man busye him þis art for to seche But he þat þe entencion and þe speche Of philosophres vnderstonde can And if he do he is a lewed man Line 1445 ffor þis science and þis connyng quod he / Is of þe secre of Secrees parde Also þer was a disciple of Plato That on a tyme sayde his mayster to Line 1449 As his book Somer wil bere witnesse And þis was his demaunde in soþfastnesse Telle me þe name of þe pryuy stoon And plato answerde vnto him anon Line 1453 Tak þe stoon þat titanos men name Which is þat quod he magnasia þe same / Seyde Plato ȝee Sire and is it þus This is ignotum per ignocius Line 1457 What is magnasia goode sire I pray It is a water þat is maad I say [folio 190b] Of elementes foure quod Plato Tel me þe roche goode sire quod he þo Line 1461 Of þat water if it be ȝour wille Nay nay quod Plato certeyn þat I nylle. þe Philosophres were sworn echon þat þey scholde discouere it to no mon Line 1465 Ne in no book it write in no manere ffor vnto crist it is so leef and deere

[6-text p 574] þat he wil nat þat it discouered be But where it likeþ to his deite Line 1469 Man to enspire and eek for to defende Whom þat him likeþ lo þis is þe ende / Thanne conclude I þus siþens þat god of heuene Ne wole nat þat þe Philosophres neuene Line 1473 how þat a man schal come vnto þis stoon I rede as for þe beste lat it goon ffor who so maketh god his aduersarie As for to worche eny þing in contrarie / Line 1477 vnto his wille certes neuer schal he þriue þough þat he multiplie terme of his lyue And þere a poynt for ended is my tale God sende euery trewe man boote of his bale amen Line 1481