The Introduction to the Pardoner's Tale
Oure hooste gan to swere as he were wood; Line 287
Harrow! quod he, by nayles and by blood! Line 288
This was a fals cherl and a fals justise. Line 289
As shameful deeth as herte may devyse Line 290
Come to thise juges and hire advocatz! Line 291
Algate this sely mayde is slayn, allas! Line 292
Allas, to deere boughte she beautee! Line 293
Wherfore I seye al day that men may see Line 294
That yiftes of fortune and of nature Line 295
Been cause of deeth to many a creature. Line 296
Hire beautee was hire deth, I dar wel sayn. Line 297
Allas, so pitously as she was slayn! Line 298
Of bothe yiftes that I speke of now Line 299
Men han ful ofte moore for harm than prow. Line 300
But trewely, myn owene maister deere, Line 301
This is a pitous tale for to heere. Line 302
But nathelees, passe over, is no fors. Line 303
I pray to God so save thy gentil cors, Line 304
And eek thyne urynals and thy jurdones, Line 305
Thyn ypocras, and eek thy galiones, Line 306
And every boyste ful of the letuarie; Line 307
God blesse hem, and oure lady seinte marie! Line 308
So moot I theen, thou art a propre man, Line 309
And lyk a prelat, by seint ronyan! Line 310
Seyde I nat wel? I kan nat speke in terme; Line 311
But wel I woot thou doost myn herte to erme, Line 312
That I almoost have caught a cardynacle. Line 313
By corpus bones! but I have triacle, Line 314
Or elles a draughte of moyste and corny ale, Line 315
Or but I heere anon a myrie tale, Line 316
Myn herte is lost for pitee of this mayde. Line 317
Thou beel amy, thou pardoner, he sayde, Line 318
Telle us som myrthe or japes right anon. Line 319
it shal be doon, quod he, by seint ronyon! Line 320
But first, quod he, heere at this alestake Line 321
I wol bothe drynke and eten of a cake. Line 322
but right anon thise gentils gonne to crye, Line 323
Nay, lat hym telle us of no ribaudye! Line 324
Telle us som moral thyng, that we may leere Line 325
Som wit, and thanne wol we gladly heere. Line 326
I graunte, ywis, quod he, but I moot thynke Line 327
Upon som honest thyng while that I drynke. Line 328