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

[6-text p 527]

GROUP G. FRAGMENT VIII.

§ 1. THE SECOND NUN'S TALE.

CORPUS MS.

[THE PROEM.] [[No breaks in the Corpus MS between the stanzas.]]

[And next bigynneth the seconde nonne hir tale. &c. [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 215a]

(1)

The ministre and norice / vn-to vices Line 1 which that men clepen / in englissh / Idelnesse that porter of the gate is / of delices to eschewen / and bi hir contrarie to oppresse Line 4 that is to seyne / bi leoful besynesse wel oughte we to don / al oure entente lest that the fende / thorugh Idelnesse vs hente. Line 7

(2)

ffor he that with his thousand cordes slighe Line 8 contenuelly vs waiteth / to bi-clappe whan he may man/ in Idelnesse aspie he can so lightly cacche him / in his trappe Line 11 til that a man be hente / right bi the lappe he nys not ware / the fende hath him in honde wel oughte vs werche / and Idelnesse with-stonde. Line 14

(3)

And though men dradden neuere / for to die Line 15 yit se men wel bi reson / doutelese that Idelnesse is hoten / slogardie of whiche cometh neuere / noon encrese Line 18 and sithen that slouth hir holdith in a lese only for to slepe / and ete and drynke and to devouron / al that other swynke [MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 folio 215b] Line 21

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(4)

¶ And for to putten vs / from suche Idelnesse [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] that cause is / of so grete confusion I haue here don / my feithful besynesse after the legende / in translacion Line 25 right after thi glorious liff / and passion thow with thi garland / wroughte of rose and lylye the mene I / maide / and martir / seynt Cecelye. Line 28

(5)

¶ And thow that floure art / of virgynes alle Line 29 of whom that Bernard / list so wel to write to the at my bigynnyng / first I calle thow comforte of vs wrecches / do me endite Line 32 thi maidens deth / that was thorugh hir merite the eternal liff / and of the fende victorie as men mow after rede / in hir storie. Line 35

(6)

¶ Thow maiden and moder / doughter of thi sone] [[Arch. Seld. B. 14 extr. ends]] Thou welle of mercy synful soules cure [folio 171a] In whom þat god for bounte chees to wone Thou humble and heih ouer euery creature Line 39 Thou nobledest so ferre oure nature That no desdeyn þe makere hadde of kynde his sone in blood and fleissch to cloþe and wynde Line 42

(7)

¶ Wiþinne þe cloystre blisful of þine sydes Line 43 Took mannes schap þe eterne loue and pees That of þe trine compas lord and gyde is Whom erþe and see and heuene out of reles Line 46 Ay herien and þou virgine wemmeles Bare of þy body and dwelledest/ mayde pure The creatour of euery creature Line 49

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(8)

¶ Assembled is in þi magnificence Line 50 Wiþ mercy goodnesse and with such pite þat þou art þe sonne of excellence Nouȝt only helpest hem þat prayen þe Line 53 But ofte tyme of þin benignite fful frely er þat men þin helpe beseche þou gost byforn and art here lyfes leche Line 56

(9)

¶ Now help þou meke and blisful faire mayde Line 57 Me flemyd wrecche in þis desert of galle Thenk on þe womman Canane þat sayde That whelpes eten some of þe crommes alle Line 60 þat from here lordes table ben y-falle And þough þat I þe vnworþy sone of eue be synful ȝit accepte my byleeue Line 63

(10)

And for þat feiþ is deed wiþoute werkes Line 64 So for to worchen ȝif me witte and space þat I be quyt from place þat most derk is O þou þat art so fair and so ful of grace Line 67 Be myn aduocate in so heih a place Ther as wiþouten ende is longe Osanna Thou cristes moder and doughter of Anna Line 70

(11)

And of þin light my soule kepe in prison Line 71 That troubled is by þe contagioun [of my body / & also bi the wighte [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] of erthely lust / & fals affeccion] Line 74 O heuene o refute O saluacion [folio 171b] Of hem þat ben in sorwe and in destresse / · Now help for vnto my werk I wol me dresse / Line 77

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(12)

¶ ȝet pray I ȝou þat reden þat I write Line 78 fforȝeueþ me for I do no diligence þis ilke story subtil to endite ffor boþe haue I þe wordes and þe sentence / Line 81 Of hem þat atte seyntes reuerence / The story wroot & solewen hir legende And pray I ȝou þat ȝe woln my werk amende Line 84

(13) [THE TALE.]

fferst wolde I ȝou þe name of seint Cecile Line 85 Expoune as men may in here stories se It is to say on englissh heuene lylye ffor pure chastnesse of virginite / Line 88 Oþer for sche witnesse hadde of honeste Of greue of conscience and of good fame The soote sauour lilye was hire name Line 91

(14)

Ouþer Cecile is to say þe way to blynde Line 92 ffor sche ensample was by good techynge Or elles. Cecile is as I writen fynde Is ioyned by a maner conioygnynge Line 95 Of heuen and lya and heiher in figuringe The heuen is set for þought of holynesse And lya for hire lastyng busynesse / Line 98

(15)

Cecile may eek be sayd in þis manere Line 99 Wantynge of blyndnesse for hire grete light Of sapiens and for hir þewes clere Oþer elles þis maydenes name bright/ Line 102 Of heuen and leos comeþ for which by right men mighte þe heuene of poeple hire calle Ensample of goode and wise werkes alle Line 105

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(16)

ffor leos poeple in englissch is to say Line 106 And right as men may in þis heuene se þe sonne and moone and þe sterres euery way Right so gostly in þis mayden fre Line 109 Seyen þe feiþ of magnificence And ekyng of helþe and of sapience [folio 172a] And sondry werkes bright of excellence / Line 112

(17)

And right as þis philosophres wryte Line 113 That heuen is swyft round and brynnyng Right so was faire Cecile þe whyte fful swift and besy euer in good werkyng Line 116 And round & hool in good perseueryng And brenne euere in charite lighte / Now haue I declared ȝou what sche highte Line 119

(18)

This mayden bright Cecile as hire lyf saiþ Line 120 Was comen of Romayns and of noble kynde And so forþ fostred vp in þe faiþ Of crist and bar his gospel in hire mynde Line 123 Sche neuer cessede as I writen fynde Of hire prayere and god to loue and drede Besechinge him to kepe hire maydenhede / Line 126

(19)

And what þis mayden schulde vnto a man Line 127 y-wedded be þat was ful ȝong of age Which þat y-cleped was valerian And þe day was comen of hire mariage Line 130 Sche fil deuoute and humble /in hire corage Vnder hire robe of gold þat sat ful faire And next hire fleissh sche clad hire in an haire Line 133

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(20)

And whiles þe Orgles maden melodye Line 134 To god allone þus in herte sang sche O lord my soule and eek my body gye Vnwemmed lest þat I confoundid be Line 137 And for his loue þat deyde vpon a tre Euery secounde or þridde day sche faste Ay byddyng in hire orisons ful faste Line 140

(21)

The night com and to bedde sche moste gon Line 141 Wiþ hire housbonde as often is þe manere And pryuely sche sayde to him anon O swete and wel biloued spouse dere Line 144 Ther is a counseil and ȝe wolde it here / Which þat right fayn I wol vnto ȝou sayn So þat ȝe me assure it nought to bewrayn [folio 172b] Line 147

(22)

Valerian gan faste / vnto hire swere Line 148 That for no cas ne þing þat mighte be he scholde for no þing neuer bywreyen hire And þanne at erst þus to him sayde sche Line 151 I haue an aungel which þat loueþ me That wiþ gret loue wheþer so I wake or slepe Is redy ay my body for to kepe Line 154

(23)

And if þat he may felen out of drede Line 155 [that ye me touche / or loue in vilonye [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] he right anoon wol sle yow / with the dede and in youre youthe / thus shul ye die Line 158 and if that ye / in clene loue me guye] he wolde ȝou loue as me for ȝour clennesse And schewe ȝou of his ioye and his brightnesse Line 161

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(24)

valerian corrected as god wolde Line 162 Answerde aȝein if I schal truste to þe / let me þat aungel see and him biholde And if þat it a verray aungel be Line 165 Thanne wol I don as þou hast preyed me And if þou loue anoþer man for soþe / Right wiþ þis swerd I wol sle ȝou boþe Line 168

(25)

Cecily answerde anon in þis wise Line 169 If þat ȝou luste þat aungel schul ȝe se So þat ȝe trowe on crist and ȝou baptise Goþ forþ to via apia quod sche Line 172 þat from þis toun ne stant by myles þre / And to þe pouere folkes þat þere dwelle / Sey hem right þus as þat/ I schal ȝou telle / Line 175

(26)

Telle hem þat I Cecile ȝou to hem sent Line 176 To schewen ȝou þe goode vrban þe olde ffor secre needes and fro good entent And whan þat ȝe seint vrban han byholde / Line 179 Telle him þe wordes whiche þat I ȝou tolde / And whan þat he haþ purged ȝou from synne þanne schal ȝe see þat aungel er ȝe twynne Line 182

(27)

Valerian is to þat place y-gon Line 183 And right as him was taught by his lernyng he fond þis holy Vrban þer anon Among þese seyntes buriels lotying [.i. latitans] Line 186 And he anon wiþoute tarying [folio 173a] Dide his message and whan he hadde tolde Vrban for ioye gan his handes vpholde Line 189

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(28)

The teeres from his eyhen leet he falle / Line 190 Almighty god O Ihesu crist quod he Sowere of chaste counseille and herde of vs alle þe fruyt of þilke seed of chastite / Line 193 þat þou hast sowe in Cecile tak to þe Lo y-like a busy bee wiþoute gyle The serueþ ay þin oughne þralle Cecile Line 196

(29)

¶ ffor þilke spouse þat sche tok but now / Line 197 fful like a fiers leon sche sendeþ heere / As meke as eny lambe was to ȝow / And wiþ þat word anon þer gan apeere / Line 200 An olde man clad wiþ white cloþes cleere And hadde a book wiþ lettres of gold in honde And gan biforn Valerian to stonde Line 203

(30)

Valerian as deed fel doun for drede Line 204 Whan he him saugh and him vp hente þo And on his book right þus he gan to rede / O lord o feiþ o god wiþoute mo [Et lamentat [is the next line]] Line 207 Of cristendom and fader of al also Abouen alle and ouer alle euery where This wordes alle with golde writen were / Line 210

(31)

Whan þis was rad þan sayde þis olde man Line 211 leeuest þou þis þing or no sey ȝe or nay I leeue alle þis þing þan þis [quod tho Valerian [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] for sother thing than this /] I dar wel say Line 214 Vnder þe heuene no wight/ ne þenke may þo vanyssched þe olde man he nyste where And pope vrban him cristned right þere Line 217

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(32)

Valerian goþ hom and seint Cecile Line 218 Wiþinne his chambre an aungel stande þis aungel hadde of Rose and of lylie Corounes tuo þe which he bar in hande Line 221 And ferst to Cecile as I vnderstande / he ȝaf þat oon and after gan he take [folio 173b] þat oþer to Valerian hire make Line 224

(33)

With body clene and wiþ vnwemmyd þouȝt / Line 225 kepeþ ay wel þis corounes quod he ffrom paradys to ȝou haue I hem brouȝt Ne neuer more schulle þey roten be Line 228 ¶ Ne leese here swete sauour trusteþ me Ne neuere wight schal seen hem wiþ his yhe But he be chaste and hate vilonye / Line 231

(34)

And þou valerian for þou so sone Line 232 Assentedest to good counseil also Sey what þe luste and þou schalt haue þy bone / I haue a broþer quod valerian þo Line 235 þat in þis world I loue no man so I pray ȝou þat my broþer may han grace To knowe þe trouþe as I do in þis [place] Line 238

(35)

The aungel answerde god likeþ ȝoure requeste Line 239 And boþe with þe palme of martirdome ȝe schulle come vnto þe blisful feste And wiþ þat word Tiburce his broþer come Line 242 And whan þat he þe sauour vndernome Which þat þe roses and þe lylies caste / Wiþinne his herte he gan to wondre faste / Line 245

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(36)

And seyde in þis tyme I wondre of þe ȝeere Line 246 Whenne þis swote sauour comeþ so / And Rosis and lilyes þat I smelle heere ffor þough I hadde hem in myn hondes tuo Line 249 The sauour might in me no deppere go þe swete smelle þat in myn herte I fynde haþ chaunged me al in anoþer kinde Line 252

(37)

valerian sayde tuo corounes han we Line 253 Snow whit and Rose Reed þat schyneþ cleere Which þat þin yhe haþ no might to see And as þou smellest hem þorugh my preyere Line 256 So schalt þou seen hem leeue broþer deere If it/ so be þat þou wolt wiþouten slouþe Bileeue aright and knowe verray trouþe [folio 174a] Line 259

(38)

Tiburce answerde saist þou þis to me Line 260 In soþnesse or in drem herkne ȝe þis In dremes quod valerian han we be vnto þis tyme broþer myn y-wys Line 263 But now at erste oure trouþe dwellyng is how wost þou quod Tiburce and in what wyse / Quod valerian þat I schal þe deuyse / Line 266

(39)

þe aungel of god haþ me þe trouþe y-taught Line 267 Which thou schalt seen if þat þou wolt reneye þe ydolis and be clene and elles naught And of þe miracles of þise corounes tweye Line 270 Seint ambrose in his preface lust to seye Solempnely þis noble doctor deere Comendiþ it/ and saiþ in þis maneere Line 273

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(40)

The palme of martirdom for to receyue Line 274 Seint Cecile fulfilde of goddes ȝifte þe worlde and eek hire chambre gan sche weyue Witnesse Tiburce and Cecyles schrifte/ Line 277 To which god of his bounte wolde schifte Corounes two of floures wel smellynge / And made þe aungel hem þo corounes brynge Line 280

(41)

¶ þe mayde haþ brought þise men to blisse aboue Line 281 The world haþ wist what it is worþ certeyn Deuocion of chastite to loue þo schewed him Cecile open and pleyn Line 284 That alle ydolis nys but þing in veyn ffor þey ben dombe and þer-to þey ben deue And charged him his ydolis for to leue Line 287

(42)

¶ Who þat þis troweþ not a beste he is / Line 288 Quod þo Tiburce if þat I schal not lye Sche gan þanne kisse his breste and þat herde þis And was ful glad he couþe trouþe aspye Line 291 This day take þe for myn allye Seyde þis blisful mayde fair and deere ffor after þat sche sayde as ȝe may heere Line 294

(43)

Lo right so þe loue of crist quod sche [folio 174b] Line 295 made me þin broþeres wyf right in þat wyse Anoon for myn allye here take I þe Siþenes þat þou wolt [[ink spilt over the page]] þine ydolis despise Go with þy broþer now and þe baptise / And make þe clene so þat þou mayst beholde þe aungels face of which þy broþer tolde Line 301

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(44)

Tiburce answerde and seyde broþer deere Line 302 fferst telle me whider I schal and to what man To whom quod he com forþ with right good cheere I wol þe lede vnto þe pope vrban Line 305 To Vrban broþer myn Valerian Quoþ þo Tiburce wilt þou me þider lede Me þinkeþ þat it were a wonder dede Line 308

(45)

¶ Remenest þou nouȝt vrban quod he þo Line 309 That is so ofte dampned to be deed And woneþ in halkes to & fro / And dar nouȝt ones putte forþ his heed Line 312 Men schulle him brenne in a fir so reed If þat he were founde if þat men might him spye And we also þat bere him companye Line 315

(46)

And whiles we seken þilke diuinyte Line 316 þat is y-hyd in heuene priuely Algate y-brent in þis world schul we be To whom Cecile answerde bodyly Line 319 Men mighte drede wel and skilfully þis lyf to lese myn owne deere broþer yif þis were lyuynge oonly and non oþer Line 322

(47)

But þer is bettere lyf in oþer place Line 323 þat neuer schal be lost ne drede þe nought Which goddes sone vs tolde þorugh hi^s grace [that the fadris sone / hath al thing wrought [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] and al that wrought is / with a skilful thought the goost that from the fader / gan procede hath souled hem / withouten eny drede. Line 329

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(48)

¶ By worde & bi myracle / godis sone [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] whan he was in this world / declared here that ther was other liff / there men may wone to whom answerde Tyburce / O suster dere Line 333 ne seidist thow right now / in this manere ther nas but O god / lord in sothfastnesse and now of thre / how maist thow bere witnesse. Line 336

(49)

¶ That shal I telle quod she or that I go] [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14 extract ends]] Right as a man haþ sapiences þre / Memorie Ingenie and Intellecte also So in o beynge of diuynite / Line 340 Thre persones right wel þer may be Tho gan sche him besyliche preche / Of cristes come. and of his peynes teche [folio 175a] Line 343

(50)

And many poyntes of his passion Line 344 how goddes sone in þis world was wiþholde To do mankynde pleyn remission That was y-bounde in synne and cares colde Line 347 Al þis þing sche vnto Tiburce tolde And after þis Tiburce in good entent To pope vrban wiþ Valerian he went Line 350

(51)

which þanked god and wiþ glad herte & light Line 351 he cristned him and made him in þat place Parfyt in his lyuynge goddes knight And after þis Tiburce gat such grace Line 354 þat euery day he seyh in tyme and space þe aungel of god and euery maner bone þat he god asked it was sped ful sone Line 357

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(52)

¶ It were ful hard by ordre for to seyn Line 358 how many wondres ihesu for him wrouȝt But atte laste to telle schort and pleyn þe sergeaunt of þe toun of Rome hem sought Line 361 And hem byforn Almache þe prouost brought Which hem opposede and knew al here entent And to þe ymage of Iubiter he hem sent / Line 364

(53)

And sayde who so wol not Sacrifise Line 365 Swap of his heed þis is my sentence heere / Anon þise martires þat I ȝou deuyse / On Maximius þat was an officere / Line 368 Of þe Prefectis and of Corniculere hem hente and when he forþ þe seintes ledde himself he weep for pite þat he hadde Line 371

(54)

¶ Whan maximine hadde herde þe seintes lore / Line 372 he gat hem of þe tormentoures leue / And hadde hem in his hous wiþoute more And wiþ here prechyng er þat it/ were eue Line 375 þey gonne from þe tormentours to reue / And from Maximius and from his folk ilkon þe false feiþ to trowe in god allon Line 378

(55)

Cecile cam whan it was woxen night [folio 175b] Line 379 Wiþ prestes þat hem cristned alle in feere And aftirward. whan day was waxen light Cecile hem sayde wiþ a sobre chere Line 382 Now cristes owne knightes leeue and deere Casteþ alle a wey þe werkes of derknesse / And armeþ ȝou in armure of lightnesse Line 385

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(56)

ȝe han forsoþe ydon grete bataille Line 386 ȝoure is doon ȝoure feiþ han ȝe conserued Goþ to þe coroune of lyf þat may nouȝt faille þe rightful Iuge which þat ȝe han [served [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] Line 389 shal yeue hit yow / as ye han it] deserued And whan þis þing was sayd as I deuyse men ladde hem forth to don þe sacrifise / Line 392

(57)

But whan þey were vnto þe place y-brouȝt / Line 393 To telle schortly þe conclusion þey nolde encense no sacrifice right nouȝt But on here knees þey setten hem adoun Line 396 Wiþ humble herte and sad deuocion And losten boþe here hedes in þe place here soules wenten to þe kyng of grace Line 399

(58)

This maximius þat say þis þing betyde / Line 400 Wiþ pitous tales tolde it/ anon right þat he here soules saugh to heuen glyde With aungels ful of clernes and of light Line 403 And wiþ his word conuerted many a wight ffor which Almachus dede him so to bete Wiþ whippe of leed til he his lyf gan lete / Line 406

(59)

Cecile him took and buried him anon Line 407 By Tyburce and Valerian softely Wiþinne hire heryinge place vnder þe ston And after þis Almachius hastily Line 410 Bad his mynistres fecchen openly Cecile so sche mighte in his presence Do sacrifice and Iubiter encense Line 413

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(60)

But þey conuertid þorugh hire wise lore Line 414 Wepten sore and ȝauen credence / Vnto hire word and cryden more and more [folio 176a] Crist goddes sone wiþouten difference Line 417 his verray god þis is alle oure sentence þat haþ so good a seruant him to serue þus wiþ oo vois we trowe þeyȝ we sterue Line 420

(61)

Almachius þat herde al þis speking Line 421 Bad fecche Cecile þat he might hir se And alþer first lo þis was his askyng What maner womman artow þo quod he / Line 424 I am a gentil womman born quod sche / I aske quod he þouȝ it þe greue Of þin religion and of þin byleeue Line 427

(62)

Whi þanne bygan ȝoure question folily Line 428 Quod sche þat woldest tuo answers conclude / In oo demaunde ȝe askide lewedly Almachie answerde to þat similitude / Line 431 [of whens cometh thin answere / so rude] [[MS Arch. Seld. B. 14]] Of whennes quod sche. whan þat sche was refreyned Of conscience and of good feiþ vnfeyned Line 434

(63)

Almachius sayde takest þou non heede / Line 435 Of þin answere and sche him answerde þus Ȝoure might quod sche litel is to drede / ffor euery mortel mannes power nys Line 438 But y-like a bladdre ful of wynd y-wys / ffor wiþ a neldis poynt/ when þat is blowe may al þe bost of it be leyd ful lowe / Line 441

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(64)

fful wrongfully bigan þou quod he Line 442 And ȝit in wrong is þin perseuerance Wost þou nouȝt how oure mighty princes fre Ben þus comaundid and maken ordinannce Line 445 That euery cristne wight schal han penannce But if þat he his cristendom wiþ-seye And gon al quyt if he wol it receyue Line 448

(65)

¶ Ȝoure princes erren as ȝoure noblen doth Line 449 Quod þo Cecile / and a wood sentence ȝe make vs gulty and it nys nouȝt soþ ffor ȝe þat knowen wel oure Innocence Line 452 ffor as moche as we don a reuerence [folio 176b] To crist. and for we bere a cristene name ȝe putte on vs a cryme and eek a blame Line 455

(66)

But we þat knowen þilke name so Line 456 ffor vertuous we may it not say Almachie answerde chese on of þise tuo Do sacrifice or cristendom reneyne Line 459 þat þou mow now skapen by þat wey At which þe holy blisful mayde gan for to laughe and to þe Iuge sche sayde Line 462

(67)

O Iuge confuse in þy nycete Line 463 Wolt þou þat I reneye Innocence / To make me a wicked wight quod sche loo he dissimileþ here in audience / Line 466 he stareþ and woodeþ in his aduertence To whom almachius O Vnseely wrecche / Ne wost þou nought how fer my might may strecche Line 469

[6-text p 544] Line 469

(68)

haþ nought oure mighty prince to me y-ȝouen Line 470 ȝe boþe power and auctorite / To make folk to deyen and to lyuen Why spekest þou so proudly þenne to me Line 473 I ne speke it nouȝt but stedefastly quod sche / Nought proudly for I say as for my syde I hate dedly þilke vice of pryde Line 476

(69)

¶ And if þou drede nouȝt a soþ to heere Line 477 þan wol I schewen al openly by right That þou hast/ maad a ful gret lesyng heere þou sayst þy princes han ȝeue þe might Line 480 Boþe to sleen and eek for to quike a wight þou þat ne mayst but oonly lyf here byreue þan nast þerto neyþer power ne leeue Line 483

(70)

But þou mayst see þin princes han þe maked Line 484 Ministre of deþ for if þou speke of mo / þou lyest for þy power is ful naked Do wey þy boldenesse/ seyde almachius þo Line 487 And sacrifice to oure goddes or two [folio 177a] I ne recche nouȝt what wrang þat þou me profre ffor I can suffre it as a philosophre Line 490

(71)

But þilke wronges may I nought endure Line 491 þat þou spekest of oure goddes here quod he / Cecile answerde O nyce creature þou saydest no word syns þou speeke to me Line 494 þat I ne knewe þerwith þy nycete And þat þou were in euery maner wyse / A lewed officer and a vein Iustise Line 497

[6-text p 545] Line 497

(72)

þer lackeþ noþing to þin vtter yhen Line 498 þat þou nart blynd for þing þat we seen alle That is a ston yt men wel may aspyen That ilke ston a god þou wilt it calle Line 501 I rede þe let þin hond vpon it falle And taste it wel and stoon þou schalt it fynde / Syns þat þou sixt it nought wiþ þin yȝen blynde / Line 504

(73)

It is a schame þat þe poeple schall Line 505 So skorne þe and lawhe at þy folye / ffor comunely wommen woot it wel ouer al þat mighty god is in his heuene^s hihe Line 508 And þese ymages wel þanne mayst þou aspye To þe ne to hemself may þey not profyte ffor in here effecte þey be not worþ a myte Line 511

(74)

þis and such oþer wordes seyde sche / Line 512 and he wax wroþ and bad þey schulde hire lede / home to hire hous and in hire hous quod he Brenne hire in a fire wiþ flammes reede Line 515 And as he bad right so was don in dede And in a bathe þey gan hire faste scheten And night and day gret fuyr vnder þey beetyn Line 518

(75)

Al þe longe night and eek þe day also / Line 519 ffor alle þe fuyr and eek þe baþes hete / Sche satte al colde and felt of it/ no wo Ne made hire a drop nouȝt for to swete / Line 522 But in þat baþe hire lyf sche moste lete / ffor he Almachie wiþ ful wikked entent [folio 177b] To slen hure in þe bath his sonde sent Line 525

[6-text p 546] Line 525

(76)

þre strokes in þe necke he smot hire þo Line 526 The tormentour but for no maner chaunce he might not smyten al hire necke a tuo And for þer was þat tyme an ordynaunce Line 529 That no man scholde do man such penance þe ferþe strook to smyten softe or sore þis tormentour ne durste nomore Line 532

(77)

But half ded wiþ hire necke koruen þere / Line 533 he laft hir lye and in his wey he went þe cristne folke whiche abouten hire were / Wiþ scheetes home ful faire hire hent Line 536 þre dayes lyued sche in þis torment And neuer cessed hem þe feiþ to teche þat sche hadde fostred hem sche gan to preche Line 539

(78)

And hem sche ȝaff hire moebles and hire þing Line 540 And to þe pope vrban bitok hem þo / And sayde þus I askede þis of heuen king To haue respyt þre dayes and no mo / Line 543 To recomande to ȝou er þat I go þise soules lo and þat I mighte do wirche here of myn hous perpetuelliche a chirche Line 546

(79)

Seint vrban wiþ his deaknes priuely Line 547 The body fette and buried it by nighte Among his oþere seintes honestely hire hous þe chirche of seint Cecile highte Line 550 Seynt vrban halwed it as he wel mighte In þe which in to þis day in noble wyse / Men don to cryst and to his seintz seruise Line 553

¶ Here endeþ Seint Ceciles Tale /

[6-text p 547]

¶ Hic incipit fabula Canonici [on leaf 177, back]

Whan ended was þe lyf of seint Cecile Er we fully hadde ryden fyue myle At Boghton vnder þe blee. vs gan atake / A man þat cloþed was in cloþes blake Line 557 And vnder þat he hadde a whit surplys his hakeney þat was al pomel grys [folio 178a] So swette þat it wonder was to see It semed he hadde priked myles þre Line 561 þe hors eek þat his ȝoman rood vpon So swette þat vnneþe mighte he gon Aboute þe peytrel stood þe foom ful hiȝe he was of fome al flekked as a pye Line 565 A male twyfold on his croper lay It semed þat he caryed lytel aray Al light for somer rood þis worþy man And in myn herte wondren I bygan Line 569 What þat he was til þat I vnderstood how þat his cloke was sewed to his hood ffor which whan I longe hadde avised me / I demed him som chanon for to be / Line 573 his hat hyng at his bak doun by a las / ffor he hadde ryde more þan trot or pas / he hadde ay priked lyk as he were wood A clote leef he hadde vnder his hood Line 577 ffor swot and for to kepe his heed from hete But it/ was ioye for to seen him swete / his forhed dropped as a stillatorie Were ful of plaunteyne and of peritorie Line 581

[6-text p 548] Line 581 And whan þat he cam he bigan to crye Line 582 God saue quod he þis Ioly companye ffaste haue I priked quod he for ȝoure sake By cause þat I wolde ȝou ouertake / Line 585 To ryden in þis merye companye His ȝoman eek was ful of curtesye And sires now in þe morwe tyde / Out of ȝoure ostellerye I sayȝ ȝou ryde Line 589 And warned heer my lord and my souerayn Which þat to ryde wiþ ȝou is ful fayn ffor his disport he loueþ daliaunce ffrend for þy warnyng god ȝiue þe good chaunce Line 593 Sayde oure oost certes it wolde seeme / Thy lord were wys and so I may wel deme / [folio 178b] he is ful iocunde also dar I lay Kan he ought telle a merye tale or tway Line 597 Wiþ which he glade may þis companye Who sire. my lord; ȝe ȝe wiþoute lye he can of merþe and eek of Iolite Nought but ynough also sire trusteþ to me Line 601 And ȝe him knewe als wel as do I ȝe wolde wondre how wel and þriftyly he couþe werke and þat in sondry wyse he haþ take on him many sondry aprise Line 605 Which were ful hard for eny þat is heere / To bringe aboute but þey of him it lere / As homely as he ryt amonges ȝou If ȝe him knewe it wolde be ȝoure prow / Line 609 ȝe nolde not forgon his aqueintance ffor mochil good I dar leye in balance Al þat I haue my possession he is a man of heigh discrecion Line 613 I warne ȝou wel he is a passynge man Wel quoþ oure host I pray þe telle me þan Is he a Clerk or noon telle what he is Nay he is gretter þan a clerk y-wys Line 617

[6-text p 549] Line 617 Seyde ȝe ȝoman and in wordes fewe Line 618 Ost and of his craft somwhat I wol ȝou schewe I say my lord can such a sotilte But alle his crafte ȝe may not wite at me Line 621 And somwhat helpe I ȝit to his worchinge That al þis ground which þat we ben on rydynge Til þat we come to Caunturbury toun he couþe al clene turne it/ vp se doun Line 625 And paue it al of siluer and of gold And whan þis ȝoman hadde þus y-told vnto oure hoost // he seyde benedicite þis þing is wonder merueylous to me Line 629 Siþens þat þi lord is of so heigh prudence / By cause of which men scholde him reuerence / [folio 179a] That of his worschipe rekkeþ he so lyte his ouer sloppe / nys nouȝt worþ a myte / Line 633 As in effecte to him so mote I go It is al baudy and to-tore also Whi is þi lord so sluttissche I þe prey And is of power better cloþes to bey Line 637 If þat his dede acorde wiþ þy speche Telle me þat and þat I þe byseche / Why quod þis ȝeman wherto aske ȝe me / God help me so for he schal neuer y-the Line 641 But I wol not avowe þat I say And þerfore kepe it secre I ȝou pray he is to wys in faiþ as I bileeue And þat is ouer doon it nyl not preue Line 645 And right as clerkes sein it is a vice / Wherfore in þat I holde him lewed and nyce ffor whan a ma[n] haþ ouer gret a witt fful often it happeþ to mysvsen it Line 649 So doþ my lord and þat me greueþ sore God it amende I can seye now no more Ther-of no fors goode ȝoman quod oure hoost Siþens of þe connyng of þy lord þou woost Line 653

[6-text p 550] Line 653 Telle how he doþ I pray þe hertely Line 654 Siþens þat he is so crafty and so sly Wher dwellen ȝe if to telle be In Subarbes of a toun quod he Line 657 lurkyng in hernes and in lanes blynde Where þise Robbers and þeeues be kynde holden here preuy ferful resydence As þay þat dur nat schewe here presence Line 661 So fare we if I schal saye þe soþe ȝit quod oure hoste lat me talke toþe Why art þou discoloured on þy face Peter quod he god ȝiue hit harde grace Line 665 I am so vsed in þe fyre to blowe That it haþ chaunged my colour as I trowe [folio 179b] I nam nat wont in myrour to prye But swynke sore and lerne to multiplye Line 669 We bloundren euer and pouren in þe fyr And for al þat we faillen of oure desir ffor euer we lacken oure conclusion To moche folk we ben but Illusion Line 673 And borwe gold be it a pound or tuo Or ten or twelue or manye sommes mo And make hem wenen atte leste weye þat of a pound we couþe make tweye Line 677 ȝit is it fals and ay we han good hope It for to don and after it we grope But þat science is so fer vs biforn We mowe not al þough we hadde it sworn Line 681 It ouertake it [[a second it scratcht out]] slyt awey so faste It wole us make beggeres atte laste Whil þis ȝoman was þus in þis talking þis chanon drough him ner and herde alle þing Line 685 Which þat þis ȝoman spak for suspecion Of mennes speche euere hadde þis Chanon ffor Caton seith he þat gulty is Demeþ alle þing be spoke of him ywys Line 689

[6-text p 551] Line 689 By cause of þat he gan so neigh to drawe / Line 690 his ȝoman. þat he herde alle his sawe / And þus he sayde vnto his ȝoman þo holde now þy pees and speke wordes no mo / Line 693 ffor if þou dost þou schalt it dere abye Thou sclaundrest me here in þis compaignye And eek discouerest þat þou scholdest hyde ȝee quod oure hoost telle on what so betyde Line 697 Of alle þis þretyng recche I nat a myte I faiþ quod he no more do I but a lite And whan þis Chanon say it wolde nat be But his ȝoman wolde telle his priuyte Line 701 he fledde away for verray sorwe and schame / A quod þe ȝoman here schal aryse a game [folio 180a] Al þat I can anon right/ wol I telle Siþens he is gon þe foule feend him quelle / Line 705 ffor neuer her after wol I wiþ him mete ffor peny ne for pound I ȝou biheete / he þat me broughte ferst vnto þat game / Er þat he deye sorwe haue he and schame Line 709 ffor it is ernest to me by my fayþ That feele I wel what so eny man saiþ / And ȝit for al my smert and al my greef ffor al my sorwe labour and mescheef Line 713 I couþe neuer leue it in no wyse Now wolde god my witt/ mighte suffise To tellen al þat longeþ to þat art But naþeles ȝit wol I telle a part Line 717 Syþens þat my lord is gon I wol not spare Such þing as I knowe I wol declare / [[No break in the MS.]]

[6-text p 552]

[THE PREAMBLE.]

With þis chanon dwelled haue I seuen ȝeer And of his science am I neuer þe neer Line 721 Al þat I hadde I haue y-lost þerby And god wot so haue many mo þan I þer I was wont to be right freissch and gay Of cloþing and of good array Line 725 Now may I were an hose vpon myn heed And wher my colour was boþe freissh and reed Now is it wan and of a ledene hewe Who so it vseth sore schal he rewe Line 729 And of my swynk ȝit blered is myn yȝe lo which auauntage it is to multiplye That slydynge science haþ me maad so bare That I haue no good where þat euer I fare Line 733 And ȝit I am endetted so þer by Of gold þat/ I haue borwed trewely þat whil I lyue I schal it quite neuere / lat euery man be war by me for euere Line 737 What maner man þat casteþ him þerto If he continue I holde his þrifte y-do [folio 180b] So help me god þer-by schal he not wynne But empte his purs and make his wittes þinne Line 741 And whan he þorugh his madnesse and folye haþ lost his owne good þorugh Iepardye þanne he exciteþ oþer men þerto To lese here good as himself haþ do Line 745 ffor vnto schrewes Ioye it is and ese To haue here felawes in peyne and disese

[6-text p 553] Thus was I ones lerned of a clerk Of þat no charge I wol speke of oure werk Line 749 Whan we ben þere as we schulle exercise Oure eluysshe craft; we semen wonder wise Oure termes ben so clergeal and so queynte I blowe þe fuyr. til þat myn herte feynte Line 753 What scholde I telle eche proporcion Of þinges whiche þat we worchen vppon As on fyue or sixe vnces may wel be Of siluer or of som oþer quantite Line 757 And besye me to telle ȝou þe names Of Opyment brent bones yren squames That in to poudre grounden ben ful smal And in an erþen pot how þat put is al Line 761 And salt y-put in and also paupere Bifore þise poudres þat I speke of here And wel y-couered wiþ a laumpe of glas And of muche oþer þing what þat þer was Line 765 And of þe pot and glas englutyng That of þe aier mighte passe no þing And of þe esy fyr and smert also Which þat was mad and of þe care and wo Line 769 þat we hadde in oure matiers sublymynge And amalgamynge and Calcenynge Of quyk syluer y-cleped mercurie crude ffor alle oure sleightes we can nouȝt conclude Line 773 Oure orpymed and sublimed mercurie Oure grounde litarge eek on þe porphirie [folio 181a] Of ech of þise of vnces a certayn Nouȝt helpeþ vs oure labour is in vain Line 777 Ne eek oure spirites ascencioun Ne eek oure matieres þat lyn al fixe a doun Mowen in oure werkynge no þing vs auayle ffor lost is alle oure labour and trauaile Line 781 And al þe cost on twenty deuele wey Is lost also which we vpon it ley

[6-text p 554] þer is also many anoþer þing/ þat is to oure crafte aperteynyng Line 785 þough I by ordre hem here ne reherse can By cause þat I am a lewed man ȝit wol I telle hem as þey come to mynde Though I ne kan nat sette hem in here kynde Line 189 As boole armonyak verdegres Boras And sondry vesseles made of erþe and glas Oure vrinales and oure descensories Violes creseletes and sublimatories Line 793 Concurbites and Alembykes eeke And oþer swiche deere ynough a leeke Nat needeþ it/ to rehersen hem alle Wateres Rubysynge and boles galle Line 797 Arsynek Sal armonyak and Brymston And herbes couþe I telle eek many oon As Egrymoyne Valerian and lunarie And oþer suche if þat me luste tarie Line 801 Oure laumpes brennyng boþe night and day To bringe aboute oure craft if þat we may Oure fornays eke of Calcynacion And of watres albyficacion Line 805 vnslekked lym chalk and glaire of an ey Poudres dyuers aisshes dong pisse and cley Seryd pokettes Sal petre and vitriole And diuerse fyres made of woode and cole Line 809 Salt tartre Alcaly and Salt preparat And combust matieres and coagulat [folio 181b] Cley maad wiþ horses or mannes heer and oyle Of tartre alym glas berme wort and argoyle Line 813 Rysalgar and oþer matieres enbykynge And eek of oure matieres encorporynge And eek of Siluer Citrynacion Oure sementynge and fermentacion Line 817 Oure Ingotes testes and many mo I wol ȝou telle as was me taught also /

[6-text p 555] þe foure spirites and þe bodyes seuene / By ordre ofte as I herde my lord neuene Line 821 The fyfte spirit quyk siluer called is þe seconde orpiment. þe þridde y-wys Sal armoniak and þe ferþe bremston The bodyes seuene eek lo hem heere anon Line 825 Sol gold is and luna siluer we threpe / Mars yren mercurie quyk syluer we clepe Saturnus leed and Iubiter is tyn And venus Copur by my fader kyn Line 829 This cursede craft who so wol exercise he schal no good han þat may him suffise ffor alle þe good he spendeþ þer aboute he lese schal þer-of haue I no doute Line 833 Who so þat list to outen his folye let him come forþ and lerne to multiplie And euery man þat haþ aught in his cofre lat him appere and wexe a philosophre Line 837 As-scaunce þat craft is so light for to lere Nay nay god woot al be he monk or frere / Preste or Chanon or eny oþer wight þough he sitte at his book boþe day and night Line 841 In lernyng of þis eluyssh nyce lore / Al is in veyn and par de moche more Is to lerne a lewed man þis sotilte ffy speke nouȝt þerof for it/ wol not be Line 845 Al cowde he letterure or couþe he non As in effecte he schal fynde it al on [folio 182a] ffor boþe tuo by my saluacion Concluden in multiplicacion Line 849 I-liche wel whan þey han alle y-do This is to seyn þey faille boþe tuo ȝit forȝat I to moche rehersaille Of watres corosif and of lymaille Line 853 And of bodyes mollificacion And also of here induracion

[6-text p 556] Oyles ablucion and metalle fusible To tellen alle wolde passen ony bible Line 857 þat owher is wherfore as for þe beste Of alle þise names now wole I me reste ffor as I trowe I haue ȝou told ynough To reysen a feende loke he neuer so rough Line 861 A nay let be þy philosophres ston Elixir cleped we sechen faste echoon ffor hadde we him þan were we syker ynough But vnto god of heuene I make avow Line 865 ffor alle oure craft whan we han al y-do And al oure sleighte / he wol not come vs to He haþ vs maad spende moche good ffor sorwe of which almost we wexen wood Line 869 But þat good hope crepeþ in oure herte Supposyng euere þough we sore smerte To be releuyd by him aftirward Supposyng and hope is scharp and hard Line 873 I warne ȝou wel it is to seken euere þat future temps haþ maad men disseuere In trust þer-of fram al þat euer þey hadde ȝit of þat art þey couþe not wexe sadde Line 877 ffor vnto hem it is a bitterswete So semeþ it for ne hadde þey but a scheete Which þat þey mighte wrappe hem In a night And a bak to walken in by day light Line 881 þey wolde hem sellen and spenden on þis craft They can nouȝt stynte til no þing be laft [folio 182b] And euermore wher þat euer þey gon men may hem knowe by smel of Bremston Line 885 ffor al þe world þey stynken as a goot here sauour is so Rammissh and so hoot That þough a man from hem a myle be That sauour wol enfecte him trusteþ me Line 889 lo þus by smellyng and by þred bare array If þat men list þis folk þey knowe may

[6-text p 557] And if a man wol aske him priuely Why þey ben cloþed so vnþriftily Line 893 Right anon þey wole rownen in his eere And seye if þay aspyed were Men wolde hem sle by cause of here science lo þus þis folk bytrayen Innocence Line 897 Passe ouer þis I go my tale vnto Er þen þe pot be on þe fyr y-do Of metals wiþ a certein quantite My lord hem tempreþ and no man but he Line 901 Now he is gon. I dar say boldely ffor as men sein he can do craftily Algate I wot wel he haþ such a name And ȝit ful ofte he renneþ in þe blame Line 905 And wite ȝe how ful ofte it happeþ so The pot tobrekeþ and far wel alle is go þise metals ben of so gret violence / Oure walles may not make hem resistence Line 909 But if þey were wrouȝt of lym and ston þey percen so and þoruȝ þe wal þey gon And some of hem synken in to þe ground þus haue we lost by tymes many a pound Line 913 And somme are scatered al þe floor aboute Somme lepen in to þe roof wiþouten doute þough þat þe fende nought in oure sighte him schewe I trowe þat he wiþ vs be þat schrewe Line 917 In helle wher þat he is lord and sire / Ne is þer no more woo ne angur nor Ire [folio 183a] Whan þat oure pot is broke as I haue sayd Euery man chit and halt him yuel payd Line 921 Som seyde it was long on þe fyr makyng Somme sayde nay it was on þe blowyng þan was I fered for þat was myn office Straw quod þe þridde ȝe ben lewed and nyce Line 925 It was not tempred as it oughte be / Nay quod þe ferþe stynt and herkne me

[6-text p 558] By cause oure fyr was nat made of bech þat is þe cause non oþer so peech Line 929 I can not telle wher-on it is a long But wel I wot gret stryf is vs among What quod my lord þer is nomore to done / Of þise periles I wil be war eft sone / Line 933 I am right syker þat þe pot was crased Be as be may be ȝe no þing amased As vsage is let swope þe floor as swyþe Pluk vp ȝour herte and be ȝe glad and bliþe Line 937 The mullok on an heep y-swoped was And on þe floor cast a kaneuas And al þis mullok in a Syue y-þrowe And y-sifted and y-plucked many a þrowe Line 941 Parde quod oon som what of oure metal ȝet is þer heere þough we haue not all And þough þis þing myshapped haþ as now Anoþer tyme it may be wel ynow Line 945 vs moste putte oure good in aduenture / A marchant parde may not ay endure / Trustneþ me wel in his prosperite Som tyme his good is drowned in þe see / Line 949 And som tyme comeþ it sauf vnto þe londe Pees quod my lord þe nexte tyme I wol fonde To bringe oure crafte alle in anoþer plyt And but I do sires lat me haue þe wyte Line 953 Ther was defaute in somwhat wel I woot Anoþer seyde þe fyr was ouer hoot [folio 183b] But be it hoot or cold I dar seye þis þat we concluden eueremore amys / Line 957 We faille of þat which þat we wolde haue / And in oure madnesse eueremore we raue And whan we ben togidere euerich on Euery man semeþ as wys as Salomon Line 961 But alle þing which þat semeþ as þe goolde / Is nat golde as I haue herd it tolde /

[6-text p 559] Ne euery appul þat is fair at ye Ne is not good what so men clappe or crye / Line 965 Right so lo fareþ it amonges vs he þat semeþ þe wysest by Ihesus Is most fool whan it comeþ to þe preef And he þat semeþ trewest is a þeef Line 969 That schul ȝe knowe er þat I fro ȝou wende / By þat I of my tale haue maad an ende [[No break in the MS.]]

[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