The Lansdowne ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 560]

[THE TALE.]

THer is a chanon of religion [.ij^a. pars] Amonges vs wolde enfecte al a toune Line 973 þouhe it as grete were as nynyue Rome Alisander . Troy . and oþer þre His sleihtes and his infinite falsenesse There couþe no man writen as .I. gesse Line 977 þouhe þat he myht leuen a . þowsande ȝere In al þis of fals-nesse ne is his pere For in his termes he wil him so winde And speke his wordes in so slyhe a kynde Line 981 Whan he comun schal wiþ any wiht What he wil make him dote anone riht Bot it þe fende be as his seluen is Ful mony a man haþe he bigiled ar þis [folio 163b] Line 985 And will if þat he maie leue a while And ȝit men riden and gon ful mony a myle Him for to seeke and haue acqueyntance Nat knoweinge of his fals gouernance Line 989 And if þe luste to ȝeue me audience .I. will it tellen here in ȝoure presence Bot worschipful chanon religious Ne demeþ nouht þat .I. sclander ȝoure house Line 993 Al þouhe my tale of chanon be Of euery order some schrewe is parde And god for-bede þat al a companye Sholde rewe a singuler mannes folye Line 997 To sclander ȝowe is not myne entente Bot to Corretten þat mys yment

[6-text p 561] This tale was nouȝt onely tolde for ȝowe Bot eke for oþere mo ȝe woote wele howe Line 1001 þat amonge cristes posteles twelue Þere nas no traytur bot Iudas him selue Than whi scholde þe remenant al haue blame That giltles were . by ȝowe say .I. þe same Line 1005 Sauf only þis if ȝe wil herken me If any Iudas in ȝoure Couent be Remoueþ him be time .I. ȝowe rede If schame or losse maie causen any drede Line 1009 And buþe noþinge displesed .I. ȝowe preie Bot in þis caas herkeneþ what .I. wil seie

IN Londen was a preste an annuellere þat þer-inne dwelled had mony a ȝere Line 1013 Whiche was so plesant and so seruisable Vn-to þe wiff where he was att table That sche wolde suffur him no þinge for to paye For borde ne for cloþeinge wente he neuer so gaye And spendinge siluer hadde he riht ynouhe þere-of no force .I. wol procede as nowhe And tel forþe my tale of þe Chanon þat brouht þis prest to confusion Line 1021 This fals chanon cam vppon a daye Vnto þe prestes chambre þer he laye Besecheinge him to lene him a certeine Of golde and he wolde white him a-ȝeine Line 1025 Lene me a marke quod he bot daies þre And att my daie .I. wil it quyte þe [folio 164a] And it so be þou finde me fals Anoþer daie honge me be þe hals Line 1029 This preste him toke a marke and þat als swiþe And þis chanon him þonked oft siþe And toke his leue and went forþe his weie And att þe þered daie brouht his monye Line 1033 And to þis preste he toke þis golde aȝeine There-of þis prest was glad and feine

[6-text p 562] Certes quod he no þinge anoyeþ me To lene a man a noble or tuo or þre Line 1037 Or what þinge were in myn possessione Whan he so trewe is of condicione þat in no wise breke wil his daie To suche a man .I. can neuer saie naye Line 1041 What quod þis chanon schold .I. be vntrewe Naye it were þinge fallen al of þe newe Treuþe is a þinge þat .I. wil euer kepe In to þe daie in whiche þat [I] schal crepe Line 1045 In to my graue and elles god for-bede Beleueþ þis as seker as is ȝoure crede God þonke .I. and in goode time be it seide þat þer was neuer man ȝit yuel appaide Line 1049 For golde ne siluer þat he to me lent And neuer falsed in myne herte y ment And sir quod he nowe of my priuete And seþen . ȝe so goodly haue bue to me Line 1053 And kiþed to me so grete gentillesse Som whatte to whiten wiþ ȝoure kindenesse .I. wil ȝowe schewe .&. if ȝowe lust to lere .I. schal it schewe to ȝowe anone riht here Line 1057 Howe .I. kan worchen in filosophie Takeþ goode hede ȝe scholn sene wele att ye þat .I. wil do a maistre ar .I. goo Ȝe sir quod þe preste . ȝe sire and wil ȝe so Line 1061 Mary þere-of .I. praie ȝowe hertely Att ȝoure commandement sir treuly Quod þe chanon and elles god for-bede Lo how þis þef couþe . his seruise bede Line 1065 Ful soþe it is þat suche proferd seruise Stinkeþe as wittenes þis olde wyse And þat ful sone .I. wil . it verifie In þis chanone is rote of al trecherie [folio 164b] Line 1069 That euermore delite haþe and gladnesse Suche fendely þouhtes in his hert empresse

[6-text p 563] Howe cristes peple he maie to meschief bringe God kepe vs fromme his fals discimulinge Line 1073 What wist þis preste wiþ whome he delte Ne of his harme comynge noþinge he felte O cele preste o celi Innocent Wiþ Couetise anone þou schalt be blent Line 1077 O graceles ful blinde is þi conceite No þinge ert þow war of þi deceit Whiche þat þis fox schapen haþ to þe His wyle wrenches þou maiste nouht flyhe Line 1081 Wher-fore to go to þe conclusion þat referreþ to þi confusion Vnhappe man anone .I. wil me hihe To tellen þin vnwitte and þi folye Line 1085 And eke þe falsenesse of þat oþer wreche As ferfor as my connynge wil streche þis chanon was my lorde ȝe wolde wene Sir oft in faiþe and bue þe heuen quene Line 1089 It was anoþer chanon and nouht he þat can an .C. folde more sotelte He haþ be-traied folke mony a time Of his falsnesse it deliteþ me to rime Line 1093 Euer whan .I. speke of his falsede For schame of him my cheke waxen rede Al gates þei be-gon for to glowe For redenes haue .I. riht nowe wele .I. knowe Line 1097 In my vesage for sinnes diuers Of Metals whiche ȝe haue herd me reherce Consumed and wastede haþe myne redenesse Now takeþ hede of my chanons cursednesse Line 1101 Sir quod he to þe preste lat ȝoure man gone Fo[r] whiksiluer þat we is had anone And latte him bringe vnces tuo or þre And whan he commeþ als fast schal we se Line 1105 A wonder þinge whiche ȝe sawe neuer ar þis Sir quod þe preste it schal be done ywisse

[6-text p 564] He bad his seruant fechen him his þinge And he al rede was at his bedynge Line 1109 And went him for and cam anon aȝeine Wiþ þis whike siluer schortly for to seyne [folio 165a] And toke þes vnces þre to þe chanone And he it leide faire and wele adoune Line 1113 And bad þe seruant coles for to bringe þat he anone myht go to his wirkeinge þe coles riht anone weren yfet And þis chanon toke oute a croselet Line 1117 Of his bosome and schewe it þe prest This quod he whiche þat þou sest Take in þine hande and put þi self þere inne Of þis whike siluere an vnce and here beginne Line 1121 In þe name of crist to wex a philosofer Ther bene ful fewe whiche þat .I. wil profer To schewe hem þus muche of my science For ȝe schol seen here be experience Line 1125 þat þis siluer .I. wil mortifie Riht in ȝoure siht anone wiþ oute lye And maak it as god siluer and als fyne As þer is any in ȝoure porce or in myne Line 1129 And þerto als doulcete and malliable And elles holde me fals and vn-able Amonge folk euer to appere .I. haue a pouder here . it cost me dere Line 1133 Schal make al good for it is cause of al Mi konnynge whiche . þat .I. ȝowe schew shall Voideþ ȝoure man and lat him be þer oute An schette þe dore whiles we bene aboute Line 1137 Oure priuete þat no man vs aspie Whiles we werken in þis philosophie Al as he bad ffulfilled was in dede þis ilke seruant anon riht oute ȝede Line 1141 And his maister schett þe dore anone An to her laboure spedely þei gone

[6-text p 565] þes preste att þis cursed chanons bydynge Vpon þe fire a-none sett þis þinge Line 1145 And blewe þe fire and besid him ful fast And þis chanon in to þis croselett cast A pouder note .I. wher-of it was .y.-maade of chalk oþere of glas Line 1149 Or sum whatte elles was nouht worþe a flie To blinde wiþe þis preste and badd him hihe þes coles for to cowchen al aboue This Croslet for in token þat .I. þe loue [folio 165b] Line 1153 Quod þis chanon þine hondes tuoo Schal worche al þinge whiche as schal be doo Gremercy quod þe preste and was ful gladde And couched coles as þe Chanon badd Line 1157 And whiles he besy was þis fendely wrecche þis fals chanon þe foule fende him fecche Oute of his bosom toke a bechen cole In whiche ful sotelly was maad an hole Line 1161 And þereinne pitt was of siluer limaile An vnce and stopped was wiþ oute faile This hole wiþ wex to kepe the limal inne An[d] vnderstondeþ þat þis false gynne Line 1165 Was not maade þere bot it was maade to fore And oþer þinges .I. schal tel more Here after warde whiche þat he wiþ him brouht Ar he com þere to begile him he þouht Line 1169 And so he dide are he went a twynne Til he had tornyd him kouþe he not blinne It dulleþ me whan þat .I. of him speke On his fals hede faine wolde .I. me awreke Line 1173 If .I. wist howe bot he is here and þere He is so variant he bideþ no where Bo[t] takeþ hede nowe sires for goddes loue He toke his cole of whiche .I. spak aboue Line 1177 And in his honde he bare it priuely And whiles þe priste couched besili

[6-text p 566] þe coles as .I. tolde ȝow er þis þis Chanon seide frende ȝe done amys Line 1181 þis is nouht couched as it ouht to be Bot sone .I. schal amend it quod he Nowe lat me medel þere-wiþ bot a while For of ȝoue haue .I. pete be sein gile Line 1185 ȝe been riht hote .I. see wele how ȝe swete Haue here a cloþe and wype aweie þe wete And whan þe prest him wyped haas This Chanon toke his cole .I. schrewe his face Line 1189 And leid it vpon abouen þe Midward Of þe croselett . And blewe wele afterward Til þat þe Coles gan fast berne Now ȝif vs drinke quod þe Chanone þann Line 1193 Als swiþe al schal be wele .I. vndertake. Sit we doune and lete vs mery make [folio 166a] And whann þe chanons bechen cole Was brente al þe limal oute of the hole Line 1197 Into þe croselet anone fel adoune And so it mot nedes be resoune Seþþen it so heuen aboue couched was Bot þere-of wist no þinge þe preste alas Line 1201 He demed al þe coles ylyche goode For of þe sleyht no þinge he vnderstode And whan þis Alkamistrie sauhe is time Riseþ vp sir priste and stonde be me Line 1205 And for .I. wote Ingote haue ȝe none Goþe walkeþ forþe and bringeþ a chalke stone For .I. wil make it of þe same schappe þat is an Ingote if .I. maie haue happe Line 1209 And bringe wiþe ȝowe a bol or a panne Ful of water and ȝe schal see þanne How þat oure besines schal happe and preue And ȝit for ȝe schal haue no mysbeleue Line 1213 Ne wronge conseite of me in ȝoure absence I wil nouht bue oute of ȝoure presence

[6-text p 567] Bot go wiþ ȝowe and com wiþ ȝow ageine The chamber dore schortly to seine Line 1217 Thei opened and schette and went forþe her waie And forþe wiþ hem þei caried þe keie And comen aȝeine wiþ outen any delaye What scholde .I. tary al þe longe daie Line 1221 He toke · þe chalke and schoppe it in þat wise Of an Ingote as .I. schal ȝowe deuise .I. seye he tok out of his owen sleue A cheyne of siluer . yuel mot he cheue Line 1225 Whiche þat was bot an vnce of wheyht And takeþ hede nowe of his cursede sleyht He schop his Ingote in lengeþ and in brede Of þe cheyne wiþ outen any drede Line 1229 So slely þat þe preste it nouht aspide And in his sleue aȝeine he gan it hide An[d] frome þe fire toke vp his matier And in to þe yngote it putte wiþ meri chere Line 1233 And in to þe water vessel he it kest Whan þat him lust and badde þe preste as fast Loke what þere is put in þine honde and grope Thou schalte finde þer siluer as .I. hope [folio 166b] Line 1237 What deuel of hel scholde it elles be Chaueynge of siluer silue is parde He putte in his honde and tok vp a teyne Off siluer fyne and glad in euery veine Line 1241 Was þis priste whan he sauhe þat it was so Goddes blissinge and his moders also And al halowes haue ȝe sir Chanon Seid þe preste and .I. here Malison Line 1245 Bot and ȝe vouche sauf to teche me This noble craft and þis soteltie .I. wil be ȝoures in al þat euer .I. maie Quod þe chanone ȝit wil .I. make asaie Line 1249 þe secunde time þat ȝe mowe take hede And bee experte of þis and in ȝoure nede

[6-text p 568] Anoþer daie in Mine absence This discipline and þis crafte science Line 1253 Lat take anoþer vnce quod he þo Of whiche siluer wiþþe outen wordes moo And do þerwiþ as ȝe haue done ar þis Wyþe þat oþere whiche þat nowe siluere is Line 1257 This preste him besieþ in al þat he can To done as þis chanone þis cursed man Commandeþ him . and fast blewe þe fire For to come to þeffette of his desire Line 1261 And þis chanon riht in þe mene while Al redi was þis preste oft to begile And for a countenance in his honde bare An holowe stikke take hede and be ware Line 1265 In þe ende of whiche an vnce and no more Of siluer lymal put was al be-fore Was in his coule and stopped wiþ wax wele for to kepe inne his lymal euereydele Line 1269 And while þis preste was in his besinesse This chanon wiþ his stike gan him dresse To him a-none and his pouder kast inne As he dide ere þe deuel out of his kinne Line 1273 Him torne .I. praie to god for his false-hede For he was euer fals in worde and dede And wiþ his stikke a-boue þe croselett That was ordeygned wiþ þat fals gett Line 1277 He stireþ þe coles til relent gan The wex aȝeine þe fire as euery man [folio 167a] Bot it a fole be; wote wele and mot nede And al þat in þe hole was oute ȝede Line 1281 And in to þe croselet hastely it fel þe preste supposed nouht bot wele Bot busid him fast and was wonder feyne Supposinge nouht bot treuþe soþe to seine Line 1285 He was so glad .I. can nouht expresse In no manere his merþe and his gladnesse

[6-text p 569] And to þe Chanon he proferd eft sone Body and goode ȝe quod þe chanone sone Line 1289 þouhe poure .I. be crafte þou schalt me finde .I. warne þe ȝit is þere more be-hinde Is þere any coper here inne seide he ȝe sir quod þe preste .I. troue þere be Line 1293 Elles go by sum and þat aswyþe Nowe sir go for þi waie and hyhe þe And went his waie and wiþ his coper he came And þis chanon in his hode it name Line 1297 And of þat coper weyde oute bot an vnce Al to simple is my tonge to pronounce His mostre and his witte þe doublenesse Of þis chanone rote of Corsednesse Line 1301 He semed frendly to him þat knewe him nouht Bot he was fendely boþe in werke and þouht It werieþ me to telle of his falsenesse And neþeles ȝit wil .I. it expresse Line 1305 To þat entent þat men maie be war þere bye And for none oþer cause treulye He putte þis vnce of coper in to þe crosellet And on þe fire also swiþe he haþe it sett Line 1309 And kest in pouder and maade þe preste to blowe And in his worcheinge for to stoupe lowe As he dide erst and al was bott a Iape Riht as him lust þe preste he maade his ape Line 1313 And afterwarde in to þe Ingote he it kest And in þe panne put it att þe last Of water and inne he put his owen honde And in his sleue as ȝe beforne honde Line 1317 Herde me tell he had a siluer cheyne He slyhely toke is oute þis cursed hyne Vnwetinge þis preste of his fals craft And in þe pannes bothom he haþ it left [folio 167b] Line 1321 And in þe water rumbleþ to and fro And wonder priuely toke it vpp also

[6-text p 570] þe coper teyne nouh[t] knoweinge þe preste And hid it and hent him be þe breste Line 1325 And to him spak and þus seide he in his game Stoupeþe adoune be god ȝe be to blame Helpeþe me nowe as .I. dide ȝowe whilere Put in ȝoure honde and loke what is þere Line 1329 This preste toke vppe þis siluer teyne anone And þan seide þe Chanon latt vs gone Wiþ þes þre teynes whiche þat we haue wrouht To summe gōlsmyþe and wit if it be owhte Line 1333 For be my feiþe .I. nolde for myne hode Bot if þei were siluer fine and gode And þat as swyþe proued schal he be Vnto þe goldsmythe wiþ þes teynes þre Line 1337 Thei wente and put þes teynes in assaie To fire and hamur myht no man seie naie Bot þei were as hem ouht to be þis soted preste who was gladder þan he Line 1341 Was neuer bridde gladder aȝeines þe daie Ne nyhtgale in þe seson of maie Was neuere none þat lust better to singe Ne lady lustier in Carolynge Line 1345 And for to speke and loue and wommanhede Ne knyhte in armes done an hardy dede To stonden in grace of his ladie dere þan hadde þis preste þis craft to lere Line 1349 And to þe chanon þus he spak and seide For þe loue of god þat for us al deyde And as .I. maye deserue it vn to ȝowe What schal þis receyte cost telleþ nowe Line 1353 Be oure lady quod þis chanon. it is dere .I. warne ȝowe bot saue .I. and a frere In. yngelonde þere can no man it make No fors quod he now sir for goddes saake Line 1357 What schal .I. paye tel me .I. þe preye .I.-wys quod he it is ful dere .I. seie.

[6-text p 571] Sire att o worde if þat þe list it haue Line 1360 ȝe schal paie fourte [[a later þ added]] pounde so god me saue And ne were þe frindeschippe þat ȝe dide ar þis. To me ȝe scholde paie more ywys [folio 168a] This preste þe summe of .xl. pounde anone Of nobles fette . & toke hem euerychone Line 1365 To þis Chanon for þis ilke receit Al his worcheinge was fraude and deceite Sire preste he seide .I. kepe for haue no los Of my craft for .I. wolde it were kepped clos Line 1369 And as ȝe loueþe me kepeþ it secre For and men knewe al my subtilite Be god men wolde haue so grete envie To me be cause of my philosophie Line 1373 .I. scholde be dede þere were none oþere weye God it for-bede quod þe preste what ȝe seye ȝit had .I. leuer spende all þe goode Whiche þat .I. haue and elles wex .I. woode Line 1377 þan þat ȝe scholde fall in suche meschife For ȝoure goode wil sire haue ȝe riht good prefe Quod þe chanone wele graunt mercie He went his waye and neuer þe priste him sihe Line 1381 After þat daie and whan þat þis preste schold Maken assay . att suche time as he wolde Of þis receyte fare wele it wil nouht be Lo þus be-Iaped and begiled was he Line 1385 Thus makeþ he his introduccion To bringe folke to hire destruccion ¶ Considereþ sires howe þat myche astate Be-twex men and golde þar is debate Line 1389 So ferforþe þat vnneþes þere is one This multepliynge blindeþ · so mony one þat in good feiþe I trowe þat it be þe cause grettest of al subtilite Line 1393 This Phylosophres speken so mystelye In þis craft þat men can nouht com þer bye

[6-text p 572] For any witte þat men haue nowe a dayes þei maie wele Chitter and ganglen as done þes Iayes Line 1397 And in her termes sett lust and peine Bot to here purpos schal þei neuere atteyne A man may lyhtlyche leren if he haue ouhte To multeply and bringe his good to nouht Line 1401 Lo suche a locre is in þis lusty game A mannes merþe it wil torne al to gram And empte also grete and heuy porces And make folke to purchasen curses [folio 168b] Of hem þat han þere-to here good ylente Line 1406 O fy . for schame þei þat haue be brente Alas Can þei nouht flye þe fires hete ȝe þat it vsen .I. rede ȝowe it lete Line 1409 Lest ȝe lees al · for bet þan neuer is late Neuer to þriue were to longe a date þouhe ȝe prolle aye ȝe schol it neuer finde ȝe bene als bolde as is bayer þe blynde Line 1413 þat blunderþ forþ and peril casteþ he none He is as bolde to renne aȝeine a stone As for to go be side in þe weie So fare ȝe þat multeplie .I. seie Line 1417 If þat oure yȝen kan not seen a riht Lookeþ þat ȝoure mynde lake nouht ȝoure siht For þouhe ȝe looke neuere so brode and stare ȝe schol nouht wynne a myte of þat chaffare Line 1421 Bot wasten al þat ȝe maie rappe and rinne Wiþ-drawe þe fire lest it so fast birne Medeleþe no more wiþ þat art .I. mene For ȝif ȝe done ȝoure þreft . is gone ful clene Line 1425 And riht als swiþe .I. wil ȝoue to here What þat þe Philosophres seine in þis matiere Lo þus seiþe Arnalde of þe Newtoune As his rosarie makeþ Mencioune Line 1429 He seiþe riht þus wiþ outen any . lye There maie no man Mercuri Mortifie

[6-text p 573] Bot if it be wiþ his broþer knowelecheinge Howe þat he wiche þat first seide þis þinge Line 1433 Of philosophres fader was Ermes Seiþe howe þat þe dragon douteles Ne deyeþ not bot if he he sleine Wiþ is broþer and þat is for to seyne Line 1437 Be þe dragon Mercurie and none oþer He vnderstode þat bromston were is broþere þat oute of sol and luna were ydrawe And þerfore seide he take hede to my sawe Line 1441 Latt no man besy hime þis arte for to seche Bot he þat þe entencion and speche Of Philosofres vnderstonde kan And if he doo he is a lewde man Line 1445 For þis science and þis connynge quod he . Is of secre of secretees parde [folio 169a] Also þere was a disciple of Plato þat on a time seide his maister to Line 1449 As his booke sonier wil bere wittnesse And þis was his demaunde in soþefastnesse Tel me þe name of þe priue stoone And plato ansewerd vnto him anone Line 1453 Take þat titanus men name Whiche is þat quod he Magnesia is þe same Seide Plato; ȝe sire and es it þus þis is ignotum per ignocius Line 1457 What is magnesia good sire .I. preie It is a water þat is maad .I. seie Of elementes foure quod plato Tel me þe roches good sir quod he þo Line 1461 Of þat water if it be ȝoure will Naie Naie quod plato certeine þat .I. nyll The philosophres were sworne euerychon þat þei scholde discouere it to no mon Line 1465 Ne in no booke it write in no manere For vnto criste it is so leue and dere

[6-text p 574] þat he wil nouȝt þat it discouerd be Bot where so it likeþ to his deite Line 1469 Man to enspire and eke to defende Whome þat him lykeþ lo þis is þe ende That conclude .I. þus seþen þat god of heuen Ne wil not þat þe philo[so]fres neven Line 1473 Howe þat a man schal com vn-to þis stone .I. rede as for þe beste latt it gone For who so makeþ god his aduersarie As for to worche any þinge in contrarye Line 1477 Vnto his wil certes neuer schal he þriue Thouhe þat he multiplie terme of his liue And þere a pointe for endid is my tale God sende euery trewman bote of his bale Line 1481

Explicit fabula.