The Harleian ms. 7334 of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 527]

¶ And here bygynneth þe Secounde Nounes tale / [[No gap in the MS.]]

[THE PROEM.]

(1)

THe minister and þe norice vnto vices Line 1 which þat men clepe in englisch ydelnesse / The porter at þe gates is of delicis To eschiewe and by her contrary hire oppresse That is to say by leful besynesse / Line 5 wel oughte we to do al oure entente Lest þat þe fend þurgh ydelnesse vs hente / Line 7

(2)

For he þat wiþ his þousand cordes slye / Line 8 Continuelly vs wayteth to byclappe/ whan he may man in ydelnes espye / He can so lightly cacche him in his trappe / Til þat a man be hent right by þe lappe / Line 12 He is nouȝt war þe fend haþ him in honde / wel oughte we wirche and ydelnes wiþstonde / Line 14

(3)

And þough men dredde neuer for to deye Line 15 Ȝet seen men wel by resoun douteles That ydelnes is roten sloggardye Of which þer comeþ neuer good encres And sin þat slouþ her holdeþ in a lees Line 19 Oonly to sleep and for to ete and drynke And to deuoure al þat oþer swynke Line 21

[6-text p 528] Line 21

(4)

And for to put vs from such ydelne Line 22 That cause is of so gret confusioun I haue her doon my faithful busynes [folio 162b] After þe legende in translacioun Right of þis glorious lif and passioun Line 26 Thou with þi garlond wrought wiþ rose and lylye The mene I mayde and martir cecilie Line 28

(5)

And þou þat flour of virgines art alle / [Inuocacio ad marium] Line 29 Of whom þat Bernard lust so wel to write / To þe at my bygynnyng first I calle Thou comfort of vs wrecches do me endite Thy maydenes deþ þat whan þurgh hire merite Line 33 Theternal lif and of þe feend victorie As man may after reden in hir storie Line 35

(6)

Thou mayde and moder doughter of þi sone / Line 36 Thow welle of mercy synful soules cure In whom þat god of bountes chees to wone Thou humble and heyh ouer euery creature Thow nobelest so ferforþ oure nature Line 40 That no disdeyn þe maker had of kynde / his sone in blood and fleissh to cloþe and wynde / Line 42

(7)

Wiþinne þe cloyster of þi blisful sydes Line 43 Took mannes schap þe eternal loue and pees That of þe trine compas lord and guyde is whom erþe and see and heuen out of relees Ay herien and þou virgine wemmeles Line 47 Bar of þy body and dwellest mayden pure The creatour of euery creature / Line 49

[6-text p 529] Line 49

(8)

Assembled is in þy magnificence Line 50 with mercy goodnes and with such pitee That þou þat art þe soune of excellence But oonly helpist hem þat prayen þe But often tyme of þy benignite Line 54 Ful frely er þat men þin help biseche Thou gost biforn and art her lyfes leche / Line 56

(9)

Now help þou meke and blisful faire mayde / Line 57 Me flemed wrecche in þis desert of galle Thenk on þe womman canace þat sayde That whelpes ete some of þe crommes alle That from her lordes table ben I-falle / Line 61 And þough þat I vnworthy sone of Eue [folio 163a] Be synful / ȝett accepte my bileue Line 63

(10)

And for þat faith is deth wiþouten werkis Line 64 So for to werken ȝiue me witt and space / That I be quit fro þennes þat most derk is O þou þat art so fair and ful of grace / Be myn aduocat in þat hihe place / Line 68 Ther as wiþouten ende is songe Osanne Thou cristes moder douȝter deere of Anne Line 70

(11)

And of þi light my soule in prisoun light Line 71 That troubled is by þe contagioun Of my body and also by þe wight Of euerich lust and fals affeccioun O heuen of refuyt O sauacioun Line 75 Of hem þat ben in sorwe and in destresse / Now help for to my werk I wil me dresse / Line 77

[6-text p 530] Line 77

(12)

Ȝet pray I ȝou þat reden þat I write / Line 78 Forȝeue me þat I doo no diligence This ilke story subtilly to endite For boþe haue I þe wordes and sentence Of him þat at þe seintes reuerence Line 82 The story wroot and folwen hir legende / And pray ȝow þat ȝe wol my werk amende / Line 84

(13) [THE TALE.]

First wol I ȝow þe name of seint Cecile Line 85 Expoune as men may in hir story se / It is to say on englisch heuenes lilie For pure chastenesse of virginite Or for sche witnesse hadde of honeste Line 89 And grene of conscience and of good fame / The soote sauour lilie was her name Line 91

(14)

Or cecile is to say þe way of blynde / Line 92 For sche ensample was by way of techynge Or elles Cecily as I writen fynde Is ioyned by a maner of conioynynge Of heuen and lya and here in figurynge Line 96 The heuen is sette for þought of holynesse / And lya for hir lastyng besynesse / Line 98

(15)

Cecili may eek be seyd in þis manere / Line 99 wantyng of blyndnes for hir grete light [folio 163b] Of sapience and of þilke þewes cleere / Or elles lo þis maydenes name bright Of heuen and loos comes of which by right Line 103 Men might hir wel þe heuen of peple calle / Ensample of goode and wise werkes alle Line 105

[6-text p 531] Line 105

(16)

For leos peple in englissh is to say Line 106 And righ as men may in þe heuen see The sonne and moone and sterres euery way Right so men gostly in þis mayden free Seen of faiþ þe magnanimite / Line 110 And eek þe clernes hool of sapience And sondry werkes bright of excellence Line 112

(17)

And right so as þese philosofres wryte Line 113 That heuen is swyft and round and eek brennynge Right so was faire Cecily þe whyte Ful swyft and besy euer in good werkynge / And round and hool in good perseuerynge Line 117 And brennyng euer in charite ful bright Now haue I ȝow declared what sche hight Line 119

(18)

This mayden bright Cecilie as hir lyf saiþ Line 120 was comen of Romayns and of noble kynde / And from hir cradel vp fostred in þe faiþ Of crist and bar his gospel in hir mynde Sche neuer cessed as I writen fynde Line 124 Of hire prayer and god to loue and drede Byseching him to kepe hir maydenhede Line 126

(19)

And whan þis mayde schuld vnto a man Line 127 Y-wedded be. þat was ful ȝong of age which þat I-cleped was walirian And day was comen of hir mariage Sche ful deuout and humble in hir currage Line 131 vnder hir robe of gold þat sat ful faire Hadde next hir fleissh I-clad hir in an heire Line 133

[6-text p 532] Line 133

(20)

And whil þe organs made melodie / Line 134 To god alloon in herte þus sang sche / O lord my soule and eek my body gye Vnwemmed. lest þat I confounded be / And for his loue þat deyde vpon a tre [folio 164a] Line 138 Euery secound or þridde day sche faste Ay biddyng in hire orisouns ful faste / Line 140

(21)

The nyght cam and to bedde most sche goon Line 141 with hir housbond as oft is þe manere And priuely to him sche sayde anoon O swete and wel biloued spouse deere / Ther is a counseil and ȝe wold it heere / Line 145 which þat right fayn I wold vnto ȝou saye So that ȝe swere ȝe schul it not bywraye Line 147

(22)

Valirian gan fast/ vnto hir swere Line 148 That for no caas ne þing þat mighte be he scholde neuer mo bywreye hire And þanne at erst þus sayde sche I haue an aungel which þat loueþ me Line 152 That wiþ gret loue wher so I wake or slepe Is redy ay my body for to kepe Line 154

(23)

. . . . . [No gap in the MS.] Line 155 Iff ȝe me touche or loue in vilonye he right anoon wil sle ȝou wiþ þe dede And in ȝoure ȝouþe þus schulde ȝe dye And if þat ȝe in clene loue me gye Line 159 he wol ȝow loue as me for ȝour clennesse / And schewe to ȝou his ioye and his brightnesse/ Line 161

[6-text p 533] Line 161

(24)

Valirian corrected as god wolde / Line 162 Answerde agayn if I schal truste þe / Let me þat aungel se and him biholde And if þat it a verray aungel be / Than wol I doon as þou hast prayed me Line 166 And if þou loue anoþer man forsoþe Right wiþ þis swerd þan wol I slee ȝou boþe / Line 168

(25)

Cecilie answerd anoon right in þis wise Line 169 If þat ȝow list þe aungel schul ȝe see So that ȝe trowe on crist and ȝou baptise Goþ forþ to Via apia quod sche / That fro þis toun ne stant but myles þre Line 173 And to þe pore folkes þat þer duelle Saith hem right þus. as þat I schal ȝou telle / Line 175

(26)

Telle hem I cecilie. ȝow vnto hem sent Line 176 To schewen ȝow þe good vrban þe olde / [folio 164b] For secre needes and for good entente / And whan þat ȝe seint vrban han byholde / Tel him þe wordes which þat I to ȝow tolde / Line 180 And whan þat he haþ purged ȝou fro synne Than schul ȝe se þat aungel er ȝe twynne / Line 182

(27)

Valirian is to þe place y-goon Line 183 And right as him was taught by his lernynge He fond þis holy old vrban anoon Among þe seyntes buriels lotynge And he anoon wiþoute taryinge Line 187 Did his message and whan þat he it tolde vrban for ioye his handes gan vp holde Line 189

[6-text p 534] Line 189

(28)

The teres from his eyȝen let he falle Line 190 Almyȝty lord O. ihū crist quod he / Sower of chaste counseil herde of vs alle The fruyt of þilke seed of chastite That þou hast sowe to Cecilie tak to þe Line 194 loo lik a busy bee wiþouten gyle / The serueþ ay þin owne þral Cecile Line 196

(29)

For þilke spouse þat sche took right now Line 197 Ful lyk a fers lyoun sche sendeþ here As meek as euer was eny lamb to ȝow And wiþ þat word anoon þer gan appere / An old man clad in white cloþes clere Line 201 That had a book wiþ lettres of gold in honde / And gan to-forn Valirian to stonde / Line 203

(30)

Valirian as deed fyl doun for drede Line 204 whan he him say / and he him vp hente þo And on his book right þus he gan to rede / O lord. o feith oon god wiþouten mo On cristendom and oon fader of alle also Line 208 Abouen alle and ouer alle euery where . . . . . Line 210

(31)

. . . . . Line 211 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 215 . . . . . [no gap in the MS.] And pope vrban him cristened right þere Line 217

[6-text p 535] Line 217

(32)

Valirian goþ home and fint Cecilie Line 218 wiþinne his chambre with an aungel stonde / This aungel had of Roses and of lilie Corounes tuo þe which he bar in honde And first to Cecilie as I vnderstonde [folio 165a] Line 222 he ȝaf þat oon and after can he take / That oþer to valerian hir make Line 224

(33)

Wiþ body clene and wiþ vnwemmed þought Line 225 kepeþ ay wel þese corounes þre Fro paradys to ȝou I haue hem brought Ne neuer moo ne schul þey roten be Ne leese here soote sauour trusteþ me Line 229 Ne neuer wight schal seen hem wiþ his ye But/ he be chast and hate vilonye Line 231

(34)

And þou valirian for þou so soone Line 232 Assentedist to good counseil also Say what þe list and þou schalt haue þi boone I haue a broþer quod Valirian þo That in þis world I loue no man so Line 236 I pray ȝow þat my broþer may haue grace To knowe þe trouþe as I doo in þis place Line 238

(35)

The aungel sayde god liketh þy request Line 239 And boþe with þe palme of martirdom Ȝe schullen come vnto his blisful feste / And with þat word tiburce his broþer com And whan þat he þe sauour vndernom Line 243 which þat þe roses and þe lilies cast wiþinne hir hert/ he gan to wondre fast / Line 245

[6-text p 536] Line 245

(36)

And sayde I wondre þis tyme of þe ȝer Line 246 whennes þat soote sauour comeþ so Of Rose and lilies þat I smelle her For þough I had hem in myn hondes tuo The sauour might in me no depper go Line 250 The swete smel þat in myn hert I fynde Hath chaunged me al in anoþer kynde Line 252

(37)

Valirian sayd tuo corouns haue we Line 253 Snow whyt and rose reed þat schinen cleere / whiche þat þine eyȝen han no might to see / And þou smellest hem þurgh my prayere So schalt þou seen hem my lieue broþere deere Line 257 If so be þou wilt wiþouten slouþe Bilieuen aright and knowen verray trouthe / Line 259

(38)

Tyburce answerde says þou þus to me [folio 165b] Line 260 In soþenes or in drem I herkne þis In dremes quod valirian han we be Vnto þis tyme broþer myn I-wys As now at erst in trouþe oure duellyng is Line 264 how wost þou þis quod tyburce and in what wise Quod valirian þat schal I þe deuyse Line 266

(39)

The aungel of god haþ me trouþe y-taught Line 267 which þou schalt seen if þat þou wilt reneye The ydols and be clene and elles nouȝt And of þe miracles of þese corones tweye Seynt ambrose in his prefas list to seye Line 271 Solempnely þis noble doctour deere Comendeþ it and saiþ in þis maneere Line 273

[6-text p 537] Line 273

(40)

The palme of martirdom for to receyue / Line 274 Seynt Cecilie fulfilled of goddes ȝifte The world and eek hir chamber gan sche weyue / witnes tyburces and Cecilies schrifte To whiche god of his bounte wolde schifte Line 278 Corounes tuo of floures wel smellynge And made his aungel home þe croune brynge Line 280

(41)

The mayde haþ brought þis men to blisse aboue / Line 281 The world haþ wist what it is worþ certeyn Deuocioun of chastite to loue Tho schewed him Cecilie al open and pleyn That alle ydoles nys but þing in veyn Line 285 For þay ben doumbe and þerto þey ben deue And chargeþ him his ydoles for to leue Line 287

(42)

Who so troweþ not þis a best he is Line 288 Quod tyburce if þat I schal not lye And sche gan kisse his brest þat/ herde þis And was ful glad he couþe trouþe espye This day I take þe for myn allye Line 292 Sayde þis blisful faire mayde deere / And after þat sche sayde as ȝe may heere Line 294

(43)

Lo right so as þe loue of crist/ quod sche Line 295 Made me þy brotheres wyf right in þat wyse Anoon for myn allye heer take I þe / Sin þat þou wilt thyne ydoles despise [folio 166a] Go with þi broþer now and þe baptise Line 299 And make þe clene so þat þou mowe biholde The aungeles face of which þy broþer tolde Line 301

[6-text p 538] Line 301

(44)

Tyburce answerde and sayde broþer dere/ Line 302 First tel me whider I schal and to what man To whom quod he / com forth with good cheere / I wol þe lede vnto þe pope vrban Til vrban broþer myn quod valirian Line 306 Quod tyburce wilt þou me þider lede / Me þenkeþ þat it were a wonder dede / Line 308

(45)

Ne menist þou nat vrban quod he þo Line 309 That is so ofte dampned to be deed And woneþ in halkes alway to and fro And dar nouȝt oones putte forþ his heed Men schold him brenne in a fuyr so reed Line 313 If he were founde or if men might him spye And we also to bere him companye Line 315

(46)

And whil we seken þilke diuinite Line 316 That is I-hyd in heuen priuely Algate I-brent in þis world schal we be To whom Cecilie answerde bodyly Men mighten wel and skilfully Line 320 This lyf to lese myn oughne dere brother If þis were lyuyng oonly and noon oþer Line 322

(47)

But þer is better lif in oþer place Line 323 That neuer schal be lost drede þe nouȝt which goddes sone vs tolde þurgh his grace The fadres sone þat alle þing hath wrought And al þat wrought is wiþ a skilful þought Line 327 The gost þat fro þe fader gan procede haþ sowled hem wiþouten eny drede Line 329

[6-text p 539] Line 329

(48)

By word and miracle hihe goddes sone Line 330 whan he was in þis world declared heere / That þer was oþer lyf þer men may wone / To whom answerde Tyburce of suster deere Ne seydest þou right now in þis manere Line 334 Ther nys but oo god. o .lord. in soþfastnesse And now of þre how maystow bere witnesse [folio 166b] Line 336

(49)

That schal I telle quod sche er þat I go Line 337 Right as a man haþ sapiences þre Memorie eyen and intellect also So in oo being in diuinite Thre persones may þer right wel be Line 341 Tho gan sche him ful besily to preche / Of cristes come and of his peynes teche / Line 343

(50)

And many pointes of his passioun Line 344 how goddes sone in þis world was wiþholde To doon mankynde pleyn remissioun That was I-bounde in synne and cares colde / Al þis þing sche vnto Tyburce tolde / Line 348 And after þis thiburce in good entente wiþ valirian to pope vrban he wente / Line 350

(51)

That þanked god and wiþ glad hert and light Line 351 he cristened him and made him in þat place / Parfyt in his lernynge goddes knyght And after þis thiburce gat such grace / That euery day he say in tyme and space / Line 355 The aungel of god and euery maner boone / That he god asked / it were sped ful soone Line 357

[6-text p 540] Line 357

(52)

IT were ful hard by ordre for to sayne Line 358 how many wondres Ihc for hem wroughte But atte last to tellen schort and playne · The sergeantȝ of þe toun of Rome hem soughte And hem byforn almache þe prefect broughte Line 362 which hem apposed and knew alle here entente And to þe ymage of Iubiter hem sente Line 364

(53)

And saide who-so wil not sacrifise Line 365 Swope of his heued þis my sentence heere Anoon þese martires þat I ȝou deuyse Oon maximus þat was an officere / Of þe prefectes and his counceilere / Line 369 hem hent . and whan he forþ þe seyntes ladde him self he wept for pite þat he hadde / Line 371

(54)

Whan maximus had herd þe seintes lore Line 372 he gat him of his tormentoures leue And bad hem to his hous wiþouten more [folio 167a] And with her preching er þat it were eue Thay gonne fro þe tormentoures to reue Line 376 And fro maxime and fro his folk echoone The false faith to trowe in god alloone Line 378

(55)

Cecilie cam whan it was waxen night Line 379 with prestis þat hem cristenid alle in feere / And afterward whan day was waxen light Cecilie hem sayde with a ful stedefast chere / Now cristes owne knyȝtes leef and deere Line 383 Cast al away þe werkes of derknes And armith ȝou in armur of brightnes Line 385

[6-text p 541] Line 385

(56)

Ȝe han forsoþe y-doon a greet batayle / Line 386 Ȝoure cours is doon ȝoure faith han ȝe conserued Goþ to þe coroun of lyf þat may not fayle / The rightful iugge which þat ȝe han serued Schal ȝeue it ȝow as ȝe han it deserued Line 390 And whan þis þing was sayd as I deuyse Men ladde hem forþ to doon þe sacrifise / Line 392

(57)

But/ whan þey were to þe place y-brouȝt Line 393 To telle schortly þe conclusioun They nolde encense ne sacrifice right nought But on her knees þey setten hem adoun wiþ humble hert and sad deuocioun Line 397 And leften boþe her heedes in þe place here soules wenten to þe king of grace / Line 399

(58)

This maximus þat say þis king betyde / Line 400 wiþ pitous teeres tolde it anoon right That he here soules saugh to heuen glyde with aungels ful of clernes and of light And with his word conuerted many a wight Line 404 For which almachius dede him so bete with whippes of leed til he his lif gan lete / Line 406

(59)

Cecilie him took and buried him anoon Line 407 By Thiburce and valirian softely wiþinne hire berieng place vnder þe stoon And after þis almachius hastily Bad his ministres fecchen openly Line 411 Cecilie. so þat sche might in his presence [folio 167b] Doon sacrifice and Iubiter encense / Line 413

[6-text p 542] Line 413

(60)

But þey conuerted at hir wise lore Line 414 wepten ful sore and ȝauen ful credence Vnto hir word and cryden more and more Crist goddes sone wiþouten difference Is verray god þis is al oure sentence / Line 418 That haþ so good a seruaunt him to serue This with oon vois we trowen þough we sterue Line 420

(61)

Almachius þat herd of þis doynge Line 421 Bad fecchen Cecilie þat he might hir se And alþer first lo þis was his axinge what maner womman art þou quod he I am a gentil womman born quod sche Line 425 I axe þe quod he though þe it greue Of þi religioun and of þi byleue / Line 427

(62)

Ȝe han bygonne ȝour questioun folily Line 428 Quod sche þat wolden tuo answers conclude / In oo demaunde ȝe axen lewedly Almache answerde to þat similitude Of whens comeþ þin answering so rude Line 432 Of whens quod sche whan sche was I-freyned Of conscience and good faith vnfeyned Line 434

(63)

Almachius sayde takest þou noon heede / Line 435 Of my power and sche answerde him þis / Ȝoure might quod sche ful litel is to drede / For euery mortal mannes power nys But lyk a bladder ful of wynd I-wis Line 439 For with a nedeles poynt what it is blowe / May al þe bost of it be layd ful lowe / Line 441

[6-text p 543] Line 441

(64)

Ful wrongfully bygan þou quod he / Line 442 And ȝet in wrong is þy perseueraunce wostow nough how oure mighty princes fre han þus comaunded and maad ordinaunce That euery cristen wight schal haue penaunce / Line 446 But if þat he his cristendom wiþseye And goon al quyt if he wil it reneye / Line 448

(65)

¶ Ȝoure princes erre as ȝoure nobleye doþ Line 449 Quoþ þo Cecilie and with a wood sentence / [folio 168a] Ȝe make vs gulty and it is nouȝt soþ For ȝe þat knowen wel oure Innocence For as moche as we doon reuerence / Line 453 To crist and for we bere a cristen name ȝe putten on vs a crym and eek a blame / Line 455

(66)

But we þat knowen þilke name so Line 456 For vertuous we may it not wiþseye Almache sayde cheese oon of þese tuo Do sacrifice and cristendom reneye þat þou mow now eschapen by þat weye Line 460 At which þe holy blisful faire mayde / Gan for to laughe and to þe Iugge sayde / Line 462

(67)

O Iugge confus in þis nycete Line 463 wilt þou þat I refuse Innocence To make me a wikked wight quod sche / lo he dissimuleþ heer in audience he starith and woodith in his aduertence Line 467 To whom almachius sayde vnsely wrecche / Ne wostow nought how fer my might may strecche Line 469

[6-text p 544] Line 469

(68)

Han nought our mighty princes to me y-ȝiuen Line 470 Ȝe bothe power and eek auctorite To make folk to deyen or to lyuen why spekestow so proudly þan to me I speke not but stedefastly quod sche Line 474 Nought proudly for I say as for my syde / we haten deedly þilke vice of pryde Line 476

(69)

And if þou drede nouȝt a soþ to heere Line 477 Than wol I schewe al openly by right That þou hast maad a ful greet lesyng heere Thou saist þy princes han I-ȝiue þe might Boþe for to sleen and eek to quike a wight Line 481 Thou þat ne maist but oonly lif byreue Thou hast noon oþer power ne no leue Line 483

(70)

But þou maist sayn þi princes han þe maked Line 484 Minister of deþ for if þou speke of moo Thow liest for þy power is ful naked Do way þy lewednes sayd almachius þo And do sacrifice to oure goddes er þou go [folio 168b] Line 488 I recche nought what wrong þat þou me profre / For I can suffre it as a philosophre Line 490

(71)

But þilke wronges may I not endure Line 491 That þou spekis of oure goddis her quod he Cecilie answered. O nice creature Thou saydest no word sins þou spak to me / That I ne knew þer-wiþ þy nicete / Line 495 And þat þou were in euery maner wise / A lewed officer a vein Iustise/ Line 497

[6-text p 545] Line 497

(72)

Ther lakketh no þing to þin outer eyen Line 498 That þou art blynd for þing þat we seen alle That it is stoon þat men may wel aspien / That ilke stoon a god þou wilt it calle / I rede þe let þin hond vpon it falle / Line 502 And tast it wel and stoon þou schalt it fynde Siþ þat þou seest / not wiþ þin eyȝen blynde Line 504

(73)

IT is a schame þat þe poeple schal Line 505 So scorne þe and laughe at þi folye / For comunly men woot it wel ouer al That mighty god is in his heuen hye And þese ymages wel þou mayst espie Line 509 To þe ne to hemself may nought profyte For in effect. þey ben nouȝt worþ a myte Line 511

(74)

Thise wordes and such oþer sayde sche Line 512 And he wax wroþ and bad men schold hir lede hom to hir hous / and in hir hous quod he / Brenne hir right in a bath of flammes rede / And as he bad right so was doon þe dede / Line 516 For in a bath þay gonne hir faste schetten And nyght and day great fuyr þey vnder betten Line 518

(75)

The longe night and eek a day also Line 519 For al þe fuyr and eek þe baþes hete Sche sat al cold and felte of no woo Hit made hir not. oon drope for to swete But in þat bath hir lif sche moste lete Line 523 For he almachius with ful wikke entente To sleen hir in þe baþ his sondes sente Line 525

[6-text p 546] Line 525

(76)

Thre strokes in þe nek he smot hir þo [folio 169a] Line 526 The tormentour but for no maner chaunce / he might nouȝt smyte hir faire necke a-tuo / And for þer was þat tyme an ordinaunce That no man scholde do man such penaunce Line 530 The ferþe strok to smyten softe or sore / This tormentour ne dorste do no more / Line 532

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But half deed with hir nekke coruen there Line 533 he laft hir lye and on his way he went The cristen folk which þat about hir were / wiþ scheetes han þe body ful faire y-hent þre dayes lyued sche in þis torment Line 537 And neuer cessed hem þe faith to teche / That sche had suffred hem sche gan to preche Line 539

(78)

And hem sche ȝaf hir moebles and hir þing Line 540 And to þe pope Vrban bytook hem þo / And sayd I axe þis of heuen kyng To haue respit þre dayes and no mo To recomende to ȝow er þat I go Line 544 These soules lo and þat I mighte do wirche heer of myn hous perpetuelly a chirche Line 546

(79)

Seynt vrban wiþ his Dekenes priuely Line 547 The body fette and buried it by nighte / Among his oþer seyntes honestely hir hous þe chirch of seynt Cecily ȝit highte Seynt vrban halwed it as he wel mighte Line 551 In which in to þis day in noble wyse Men doon to crist and to his seint seruise / Line 553 Here endeth þe secounde Nonne hir tale of þe lif of seint Cecilie [[No break in the MS.]]

[6-text p 547]

And here bygynneth þe tale of þe Chanouns ȝeman [¶ prologus]

Whan ended was þe lif/ of seynt Cecile Er we fully had riden fyue myle At/ Boughtoun vnder blee vs gan atake A man þat cloþed was in cloþes blake Line 557 And vnder þat he had a whit surplice his hakeney þat was a pomely grice So swete þat it wonder was to se It semed he hadde priked myles þre / Line 561 The hors eek þat his ȝyman rood vpon [folio 169b] So swette þat vnneþes might he goon Aboute þe peytrel stood þe foom ful hye he was of foom as flekked as a pye Line 565 A male tweyfold on his croper lay It semed þat he caried litel array And light for somer rood þis worþy man And in myn herte wondren I bigan Line 569 what þat he was til þat I vnderstood how þat his cloke was sowed vnto his hood For which whan I long had auysed me / I demed him som chanoun for to be Line 573 his hat heng at his bak doun by a laas For he had riden more þan trot or paas / He had I-pryked lik as he were wood A cloote leef he had vnder his hood Line 577 For swoot and for to kepe his heed from hete But it was ioye for to se him swete His forhed dropped as a stillatorie were ful of plantayn and of peritorie Line 581

[6-text p 548] Line 581 And whanne þat he was com he gan to crie God saue quod he þis ioly compaignye/ Fast haue I priked quod he for ȝour sake / By cause þat I wolde ȝou atake Line 585 To ryden in þis mery companye / his ȝeman eek was ful of curtesye / He seid sires now in þe morwe tyde / Out of ȝour ostelry I saugh ȝou ryde / Line 589 And warned heer my lord and my souerayn which þat to ryden with ȝow is ful fayn For his desport/ he loueth daliaunce Frend for þy warnyng god ȝeue þe good chaunce Line 593 Sayde oure host for certes it wolde seme Thy lord were wys and so I may wel deme he is ful iocound also dar I leye Can he ought telle a mery tale or tweye Line 597 with which he glade may þis companye who sire my lord / ȝe ȝe / wiþoute lye / He can of merthe and eek of Iolite [folio 170a] Not but ynough also sir trusteþ me Line 601 And ȝe him knewe / as wel as do I ȝe wolde wonder how wel and þriftily he couþe werke and þat in sondry wise he haþ take on him many sondry emprise / Line 605 which were ful hard for eny þat is heere To bringe aboute but þay of him it leere / As homely as he ryt amonges ȝow If ȝe him knewe it wolde be ȝoure prow Line 609 Ȝe nolde nought forgon his aqueyntaunce For moche good I dar lay in balaunce Al þat haue in my possessioun he is a man of heigh discressioun Line 613 I warne ȝow wel he is a passyng man ¶ wel quod our oost/ I pray þe tel me þan Is he a clerk / or noon tel what he is Nay he is gretter þan a clerk I-wis; Line 617

[6-text p 549] Line 617 Sayde þe ȝyman and in wordes fewe / Ost and of his craft somwhat I wil ȝou schewe I say my lord can such subtilite But al his craft ȝe may nought wite of me / Line 621 And somwhat helpe I ȝit to his worchynge That al þis ground on which we ben ridynge Til þat we comen ro Caunterbury toun he couþe al clene turnen vp so doun Line 625 And paue it al of siluer and of gold And whan þis ȝeman hadde þus I-told vnto oure oost / he seyde benedicite This is wonder merueylous to me Line 629 Syn þat þis lord is of so heigh prudence By cause of which men schuld him reuerence / That of his worchip rekkeþ he so lite his ouer slop it is not worþ a myte Line 633 As in effect/ to him so mot / I go It is al bawdy and to-tore also why is þi lord so slottisch I þe preye And is of power better cloþis to beye / Line 637 If þat his dede accorde with þy speehe / [folio 170b] Telle me þat and þat I þe biseche / ¶ why quod þis ȝyman / wher-to axe ȝe me God help me so for he schal neuer þe Line 641 But I wol nought avowe þat I say And þerfor kep it secre I ȝou pray he is to wys in faith as I bileue That at is ouer-don it wil nouȝt preue / Line 645 a right. as clerkes sein it is a vice wherfore in þat I holde him lewed and nyce For whan a man haþ ouer greet a witte Ful ofte him happeth to mysvsen itte Line 649 So doth my lord and þat me greueþ sore God it amende I can say now nomore Ther-of no fors good ȝeman quod oure Ost Syn of þe connyng of þi lord þou wost Line 653

[6-text p 550] Line 653 Tel how he doþ I pray þe hertily Sin þat he is so crafty and so sly wher duellen ȝe if it to telle be In þe subarbes of a toun quod he / Line 657 lurking in hirnes and in lanes blynde wher as þese robbours and þeues by kynde / holden here prive ferful residence As þay þat dor nouȝt schewen her presence / Line 661 So faren we if I schal say þe soþe Now quod oure ost ȝit let me talke toþe why artow discoloured on þy face Peter quod he god ȝiue it harde grace Line 665 I am so vsed in þe fuyr to blowe That it haþ chaunged my colour I trowe I am not wont in no mirour to prie But swynke sore and lerne to multiplie Line 669 we blondren euer and pouren in þe fuyr And for al þat we faile of oure desir For euer we lacken oure conclusioun To moche folk we ben illusioun Line 673 And borwe gold be it a pound or tuo Or ten or twelue or many sommes mo And make hem wenen atte leste weye [folio 171a] That of a pound we conne make tweye Line 677 Ȝit is it fals and ay we han good hope It for to doon and after it we grope / But þat science is so fer vs biforn we mowen nouȝt al þough we had it sworn Line 681 It ouertake it slyt away so fast It wol vs make beggers atte last Whil þis ȝeman was þus in his talkyng This chanoun drough him ner and herd al þing Line 685 which þat þis ȝiman spak for suspeccioun Of mennes speche euer hadde þis chanoun For Catoun saiþ þat he þat gulty is Demeþ al þing be spoke of him I-wis Line 689

[6-text p 551] Line 689 By cause of þat / he gan so neigh to drawe his ȝeman þat he herde al his sawe / And þus he sayd vnto his ȝeman þo Hold now þi pees and spek no wordes mo Line 693 For if þou do þou schalt it deere abye Thow sclaundrest me here in þis companye And eek discouerest þat þou schuldest hide Ȝe quod oure ost tel on what so bytyde Line 697 Of alle þis thretyng recche þe nought a myte In faiþ quod he no more do I but lite And whan þis chanoun seih it wold not be But his ȝeman wold telle his priuete Line 701 He fledde a way for verray sorwe and schame A quod þis ȝeman her schal arise game Al þat I can anoon now wol I telle Sin he is goon þe foule feend him quelle Line 705 For neuer her after wol I wiþ him meete For peny ne for pound I wol byheete he þat me broughte first vnto þat game Er þat he deye sorwe haue he and schame Line 709 For it is ernest to me by my fayth That fele I wel what so eny man saith And ȝet for al my smert and al my greef For al my sorwe and labour and mescheef Line 713 I couþe neuer leue it in no wise [folio 171b] Now wolde god my wyt mighte suffise To tellen al þat longeþ to þat art/ But naþeles ȝet wil I telle ȝou part Line 717 Sin þat my lord is goon I wol nought spare Such þing al þat I knowe I wol declare [[No break in the MS.]]

[6-text p 552]

[THE PREAMBLE.] [¶ Narrat]

WIth þis Chanoun I duelled haue seuen ȝer And of his science am I neuer þe ner Line 721 Al þat I hadde I haue lost þer by And god wot/ so haþ many mo þan I / Ther I was wont to be right freisch and gay Of cloþing and of oþer good array / Line 725 Now may I were an hose vpon myn heed And where my colour was boþe freissch and reed Now it is wan and of a leden hewe who-so it vseþ sore schal he rewe Line 729 And of my swynk ȝet blended is myn ye Lo such auauntage it is to multiplie That slydynge science had me made so bare / That I haue no good wher þat euer I fare Line 733 And ȝit I am endetted so þer by Of gold I haue borwed trewely That whil I lyue I schal it quite neuer lat euery man be war by me for euer Line 737 what maner man þat casteþ him þerto If he continue I holde his þrift I-do For so help me god þer by schal he not wynne But empte his purs and make his wittes þynne Line 741 And whan he þurgh his madnes and folye / Haþ lost his owne good in ieupardie / Than he exciteþ oþer men þer-to To leese her good as he himself haþ do Line 745 For vnto schrewes ioye it is and ese / To haue here felawes in peyne and desese /

[6-text p 553] Thus was I oones lerned of a clerk / Of þat no charge I wol speke of oure werk Line 749 whan we ben þer as we schul exercise Oure eluyssh craft we seme wonder wyse Oure termes ben so clergeal and queynte / [folio 172a] I blowe þe fuyr til þat/ myn herte feynte / Line 753 what schulde I telle ech proporcioun Of þinges which þat we werke vp and doun As an fyue or six ounces may wel be / Of siluer or som oþer quantite Line 757 And besy me to telle ȝow þe names Of Orpiment brent bones yren squames That in to poudre grounden ben ful smal And in an erthen pot/ how þat put is al Line 761 And salt y-put in and also paupere Biforn these poudres þat I speke of heere And wel I-couered wiþ a lamp of glas / And of moche oþer þing what þat þer was Line 765 And of þe pot . and glas enlutyng That of þe aier mighte passe no þing And of þe esy fuyr and smert also which þat was maad and of þe care and wo Line 769 That we hadde in oure matiers sublymynge And amalgamynge and calcenynge Of quyksiluer y-clept mercury crude / For alle oure sleightes we can nought conclude / Line 773 Oure orpiment and sublyment mercurie Oure grounde litarge / eek on þe porfurye Of ech of þese of ounces a certayn Nat helpeþ vs oure labour is in vayn Line 777 Ne eek oure spirites ascencioun Ne eek our matiers þat lyn al fix a doun Mowe in oure werkyng vs no þing auayle For lost is al oure labour and trauayle Line 781 And al þe cost on twenty deuelway Is lost also which we vpon it lay

[6-text p 554] Ther is also ful many anoþer þing That is to oure craft appertenyng Line 785 Though I by ordre hem here reherse ne can By cause þat I am a lewed man Ȝet wil I telle hem as þey come to mynde / Though I ne conne nought sette hem in her kynde / Line 789 As bol armoniak verdegres boras [folio 172b] And sondry vessels maad of erþe and glas Oure vrinals and oure descensories Viols Croslets. and sublimatories Line 793 Concurbites and alembikes eeke And oþere suche deere ynough a leeke Nat needith it to rehersen hem alle watres rubisyng and boles galle Line 797 Arsnek Sal armoniak and brimstoon And herbes couþe I telle eek many oon As Egrimoigne Valirian and lunarie, And oþer suche if þat me list to tarie / Line 801 Oure lampes brennyng boþe night and day To bringe aboute oure craft if þat we may Oure fournies [[or fourmes]] eek of Calcinacioun And of watres albificacioun Line 805 Vnslekked lym salt and glayre of an ey Poudres dyuers aissches dong pisse and cley Cered poketts. Sal petre vitriole And dyuers fuyres maad of woode and cole / Line 809 Salt tartre. alcaly and salt preparat And combust matieres. and coagulat Cley maad wiþ hors or mannes her and oyle Of tartre alym. glas. berm wort and argoyle Line 813 Resalgar and oure matiers enbibing And eek of oure matiers encorporing And siluer citrinacioun Oure cementynge and fermentacioun Line 817 Oure yngottes testes and many mo I wol ȝou telle as was me taught also

[6-text p 555] The foure spiritȝ and þe bodies seuen By ordre as ofte herd I my lord neuen Line 821 The firste spirit quyksiluer called is The secound orpiment þe þridde I-wis Sal armoniac. and þe ferþe bremstoon The bodies seuen eek lo hem heer anoon Line 825 Sol gold is and luna siluer we þrepe Mars yren. Mercurie quyksiluer we clepe Saturnus leed and Iubiter is tyn [folio 173a] And Venus coper by my fader kyn Line 829 This cursed craft who so wol excercise he schal no good han þat may him suffise / For al þe good he spendeþ þer aboute he lese schal þer of haue I no doute / Line 833 who-so þat list/ outen his folye let him come forþ and lerne multiplie And euery man that haþ ought in his cofre Let him appiere and wexe a philosofre Line 837 Ascauns þat craft is so light to lere / Nay nay god wot al be he monk or frere Prest Chanoun or eny oþer wight Though he sit at his book boþe day and night Line 841 In lernyng of þis eluysch nice lore Al is in vayn and parde moche more Is to lerne a lewed man þis subtilte Fy spek not þerof. for it it wil not be Line 845 Al couþe he letterure or couþe he noon As in effect he schal fynd it al oon For boþe tuo by my sauacioun Concluden in multiplicacioun Line 849 I-liche wel whan þay han al y-do / This is to sayn þay fayle boþe tuo Ȝet forȝat I to moche rehersayle Of watres corosif and of lymayle Line 853 And of bodyes mollificacioun And also of here enduracioun

[6-text p 556] Oyles ablucioun and metal fusible / To tellen al wold passen eny bible Line 857 That owher is wherfore as for þe best Of alle þese names now wil I me rest/ For as I trowe I haue ȝow told ynowe To reyse a feend al loke he neuer so rowe / Line 861 A nay let be þy philosophre stoon Elixir clept . we sechen fast echoon For had we him þan were we syker ynough But vnto god of heuen I make avow Line 865 For al oure craft whan we han al y-do [folio 173b] And al oure sleight he wol not come vs to He haþ I-made vs spende moche good For sorwe of which almost we wexen wood Line 869 But þat good hope crepeþ in oure hert Supposing euer þough we sore smerte / To ben relieued by him afterward Supposing and hope is scharp and hard Line 873 I warne ȝou wel it is to seken euer That future temps haþ made men disseuere In trust þerof from al þat euer þey hadde / Ȝet of þat art þay conne nouȝt wexe sadde / Line 877 For vnto hem it is a bitter swete So semeþ it for nad þay but a scheete which þay mighte wrappe hem in a night And a bak to walke Inne by day light Line 881 They wolde hem selle and spenden on þis craft Thay can nought stinte til no þing be laft And euermore wher þat euer þey goon Men may hem knowe by smel of bremston Line 885 For al þe world þay stynken as a goot her sauour is so rammyssch and so hoot That þough a man fro hem a myle be / The sauour wol infecte him trusteþ me Line 889 Lo þus by smellyng and by þredbare array If þat men list þis folk þey knowe may /

[6-text p 557] And if a man wol aske hem priuely why þay ben cloþed so vnþriftily Line 893 Right anoon þay rounen in his eere / And say if þat þay espied were Men wold hem slee by cause of here science Lo þus þis folk bytrayen Innocence Line 897 Passe ouer þis I go my tale vnto Er þan þe pot be on þe fuyr y-do Of metals with a certeyn quantite My lord hem tempreþ and no man but he Line 901 Now he is goon I dar say boldely For as men sayn he can doon craftily Algate I wot wel he haþ such a name [folio 174a] And ȝet ful ofte he renneþ in blame Line 905 ¶ And wite ȝe how ful ofte it happeþ so The pot tobrekeþ and far wel al is goo These metals been of so gret violence / Oure walles may not make hem resistence Line 909 But if þay were wrought of lym and stoon Thay percen so and þurgh þe wal þay goon And some of hem synken in to þe grounde/ Thus haue we lost by tymes many a pounde Line 913 And some are skatered al þe floor aboute Some lepe in to þe roof wiþouten doute Though þat þe feend nought in oure sight him schewe / I trowe þat he wiþ vs be þat schrewe / Line 917 In helle wher þat he is lord and sire Nis þer no more woo ne anger ne Ire / whan þat oure pot is broke as I haue sayd Euery man chyt and halt him euel a payd Line 921 Som sayd it was long on þe fuyr-makyng Some sayde nay it was on þe blowyng Than was I ferd for þat was myn office / Straw quod þe þridde / ȝe been lewed and nyce Line 925 It was nouȝt tempred as it oughte be / Nay quod þe ferþe stynt and herkne me /

[6-text p 558] By cause oure fuyr was nought y-maad of Beech That is þe cause and oþer noon so þeech Line 929 I can not telle wher-on it was long But wel I woot gret stryf is vs among What quod my lord þer is no more to doone / Of þese periles I wol be war eft soone / Line 933 I am right siker þat þe pot was crased Be as be may be ȝe no þing amased As vsage is let swoope þe floor as swiþe Pluk vp ȝour hertes and beþ glad and bliþe Line 937 The mullok on an heep I-swoped was And on þe floor y-cast a caneuas And al þis mulloc in a syue I-þrowe / And sifted and y-plukked many a þrowe Line 941 Par de quod oon somwhat of oure metal [folio 174b] Ȝet is þer heer þough þat we haue nought al And þough þis þing myshapped haþ a now Anoþer tyme it may be wel ynow Line 945 Vs moste putte oure good in aduenture A marchaun / par de may not ay endure Trusteþ me wel in his prosperite Somtyme his good is drowned in þe see / Line 949 And som tyme comeþ it sauf vn-to þe londe / Pees quod my lord þe nexte tyme I wol fonde / To bringe oure craft al in anoþer plyte And but I do sire let me haue þe wyte Line 953 Ther was defaute in som what wel I woot Anoþer sayde þe fuyr was ouer hoot But be it hoot or cold I dar say þis That we concluden euermor amys Line 957 we faile of þat which þat we wolden haue And in oure madnesse euermore we raue And whan we ben togideres euerichon Eueriche man semeþ a Salamon Line 961 But al þing which þat schineþ as þe gold / Is nought gold as þat I haue herd told

[6-text p 559] Ne euery appel þat is fair at ye Ne is not good what so men clappe or crye Line 965 Right so lo fareth it amonges vs He þat semeþ wisest by Iesus Is most fool whan it/ comeþ to þe preef And he þat semeth trewest is a þeef Line 969 That schul ȝe knowe er þa I fro ȝow 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 wold infecte al a toun Line 973 Though it as gret were as was Niniue Rome alisaundre troye and oþer þre / his sleight and his infinite falsnesse / Ther couþe no man writen as I gesse Line 977 Though þat he mighte lyuen a þousand ȝeer Of al þis world of falsheed nys his peer For in his termes he wol him so wynde [folio 175a] And speke his wordes in so sleygh a kynde Line 981 whan he comune schal wiþ eny wight That he wil make him dote anoon right But it a feend be as himseluen is Ful many a man hath he bygiled er this Line 985 And wol if þat/ he lyue may a while / And ȝet men ryde and goon ful many a myle / Him for to seeke and haue his aqueintaunce / Nought knowyng of his false gouernaunce Line 989 And if ȝow list to ȝeue me audience I wol it telle here in ȝoure presence But worschipful chanouns religious Ne demeþ nought þat I sclaundre ȝoure hous Line 993 Al þough my tale of a chanoun be / Of euery ordre som schrewe is par dee / And god forbede þat al a companye Schulde rewe a singuler mannes folye Line 997 To sclaundre ȝow is no þing myn entent/ But to correcten þat is mys I-ment

[6-text p 561] This tale was not oonly told for ȝow But eek for oþer moo ȝe woot wel how Line 1001 That among criste apostles twelue / Ther was no traytour but Iudas himselue Than why schulde þe remenaunt haue a blame That gulteles were by ȝow I say þe same Line 1005 Saue oonly þis if ye wol herkene me If any Iudas in ȝoure couent be Remewe him by tyme I ȝow rede / If schame or los may causen eny drede / Line 1009 And beþ no þing displesed I ȝou pray But in þis caas herkeneþ what I say [¶ Narrat]

IN londoun was a prest an annueler That þer In duelled hadde many a ȝer Line 1013 which was so plesaunt and so seruisable / Vnto þe wyf wher as he was at table That sche wolde suffre him no þing for to pay For bord ne cloþing went he neuer so gay Line 1017 And spendyng siluer had he right ynough [folio 175b] Ther-of no force I wol procede as now And telle forþ my tale of þe chanoun That brought þis prest to confusioun Line 1021 This false chanoun cam vpon a day Vnto þe prestes chambre wher he lay Biseching him to lene him a certeyn Of gold and he wold quyt hit him ageyn Line 1025 Lene me a mark quod he but dayes þre / And at my day I wil it quyte þe / And if so be þat þou fynde me fals Anoþer day hong/ me vp by þe hals Line 1029 This prest him took a mark and þat as swithe And þis Chanoun him þankid ofte siþe And took his leue and wente forþ his wey And atte þridde day brought his money / Line 1033 And to þe prest he took þis gold agayn wher-of þis prest was wonder glad and fayn

[6-text p 562] Certes quod he no þing annoyeþ me To lene a man a noble or tuo or þre/ Line 1037 Or what þing/ were in my possessioun whan he so trewe is of condicioun That in no wise he breke wol his day To such a man I can neuer say nay Line 1041 what quod þis chanoun schold I be vntrewe; Nay þat were þing I-fallen of þe newe / Trouþe is a þing þat I wol euer kepe / Vnto þat day in which þat I schal crepe Line 1045 In to my graue and elles god forbede / Bilieueth þis as siker as ȝour crede / God þank I and in good tyme be it sayd That þer was neuer man ȝet euel a-payd Line 1049 For gold ne siluer þat he to me lent Ne neuer falshed in myn hert I ment And sire quod he now of my priuete Syn ȝe so goodlich haue be vnto me Line 1053 And kyþed to me so gret gentilesce Som-what to quyte wiþ ȝoure kyndenesse I wil ȝow schewe and if ȝow lust/ to lere [folio 176a] [¹I wil ȝow teche pleynly the manere¹ [[^1_1 In a later hand.]] ] Line 1057 how I kan werken in philosophie Takith good heed. ȝe schul seen wel at ye That I wol doon a maystry er I go Ȝe quod þe prest . ȝe sire and wol ȝe so Line 1061 Mary þer of I pray ȝow hertily At ȝoure comaundement sire trewely Quod þe chanoun and elles god forbede Lo how þis þeef couþe his seruise beede / Line 1065 Ful soth it is þat such profred seruise Stynkeþ as witnessen þese olde wise And þat ful soone I wol it verefye / In þis chanoun roote of al treccherie Line 1069 That euermor delit haþ and gladnesse / Such feendly þoughtes in his hert empresse

[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 comyng he no þing felte O seely prest . o sely Innocent / wiþ coueytise anoon þou schalt be blent/ Line 1077 O graceles ful blynd is þy conceyt No þing art þou war of þe deceyt which þat þis fox I-schapen haþ to þe his wily wrenches y-wis þou maist not fle Line 1081 wherfor to go to þe conclusioun That referreth to þy confusioun Vnhappy man anoon I wil me hie / To tellen þin vnwitte and þy folye / Line 1085 And eek þe falsnesse of þat oþer wrecche / Als ferforþ as my connyng wol strecche / This Chanoun was my lord ȝe wolde weene Sire ost in faith and by þe heuen queene / Line 1089 It was anoþer chanoun and not he That can an hundred fold more subtilte he hath bitrayed folkes many tyme / Of his falnes it dullith me to ryme Line 1093 Euer when I speke of his falshede / [folio 176b] For schame of him my cheekes wexen reede/ Algates þay bygynne for to glowe / For reednes haue I noon riȝt/ wel I knowe / Line 1097 In my visage for fumes diuerse Of metals which ȝe han me herd reherse Consumed and wasted han my reednesse Now tak heed of þis chanouns cursednesse / Line 1101 Sir quod he to þe prest let ȝour man goon For quyk siluer þat/ we it hadde anoon And let him bringe ounces tuo or thre / And whan he comeþ as faste schul ȝe see / Line 1105 A wonder þing which ȝe saugh neuer er þis Sire quod þe prest it schal be doon I-wis

[6-text p 564] He bad his seruaunt fecche him his þinges And he al redy wax at his biddynges Line 1109 And went him forth and com anoon agayn wiþ þis quyk siluer schortly for to sayn / And took þese ounces þre to þe chanoun And he it layde faire and wel a doun Line 1113 And bad þe seruaunt coles for to bringe That/ he anoon might go to his werkynge The coles right anoon weren I-fett And þis chanoun took out a croselett Line 1117 Out of his bosom and schewed it þe prest This instrument quod he which þat þou sest Tak in þin hond and put þiself þer Inne / Of þis quyksiluer an vnce and her bygynne Line 1121 In þe name of crist to wax a philosophre / Ther ben ful fewe whiche þat I wol profre To schewe hem þus moche of my science For ȝe schul seen heer by experience Line 1125 That þis quiksiluer I wol mortifye Right in ȝoure sight anoon wiþouten lye / And make it as good siluer and as fyn As þer is any in ȝoure purs or myn Line 1129 Or elles wher and make it malleable / And elles holdeth . me fals and vnable / Amonges folk for euer to appeere / [folio 177a] I haue a pouder heer þat cost me deere Line 1133 Schal make al good for it is cause of al My connyng which þat I ȝou schewe schal Voydith ȝoure man and let him be þer oute And schet þe dore whils we ben aboute Line 1137 Oure priuetee þat no man vs aspye / whiles we werken in þis philosophie / Al as he bad fulfilled was in dede / This ilke seruaunt anoon right out ȝede / Line 1141 And his maister schitte þe dore anoon And to here labour speedily þai goon

[6-text p 565] This prest/ at þis cursed chanouns biddyng Vppon þe fuyr anoon sette þis þing Line 1145 And blew þe fuyr and busied him ful fast/ And þis chanoun in to þe croslet cast A pouder noot I wher-of þat it was I-maad ouþer of chalk ouþer of glas Line 1149 Or som what elles was nouȝt worþ a flye To blynde wiþ þis prest and bad him hye These coles for to couchen al aboue; The croislet/. for in tokenyng I þe loue Line 1153 Quod þis chanoun þin oughne handes tuo Schal wirche al þing which þat schal be do Graunt mercy quod þe prest and was ful glad And couchede coles as þe chanoun bad Line 1157 And whil he besy was. þis feendly wrecche This false chanoun þe foule feend him fecche Out of his bosom took a bechen cole In which ful subtilly was maad an hole / Line 1161 And þer-In put was of siluer lymayle / And vnce and stopped was wiþoute fayle This hole with wex to kepe þe lymail In / And vnderstondith þat þis false gyn Line 1165 was not maad þer but it was maad bifore And oþer þinges I schal telle more / Her afterward which þat he with him brought Er he com þere to bigyle him he þought / Line 1169 And so he dede er þay wente atwynne [folio 177b] Til he had torned him couþe he nought blynne / It dulleþ me whan þat I of him speke / On his falshede fayn wold I me wreke / Line 1173 If I wist how but he is heer and þere he is so variant he byt 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 preste couched bysily

[6-text p 566] The coles as I tolde ȝow er þis This chanoun sayde freend ȝe doon amys Line 1181 This is not couched as it oughte be But soone I schal amenden it quod he / Now let me melle þer with but a while / For of ȝow haue I pitee by seint Gile Line 1185 Ȝe been right hoot / I se wel how ȝe swete haue heer a cloþ and wype a-way þe wete And whiles þat þis prest him wyped haas This chanoun took his cole I schrewe his faas Line 1189 And layd it abouen on þe mydward Of þe croslet/ and blew wel afterward Til þat þe coles gonne faste brenne Now ȝeue vs drinke quod þe chanoun þenne / Line 1193 Als swiþe al schal be wel I vndertake Sitte we doun and let vs mery make / And whan þe chanouns bechene cole / was brent al þe lymail out of þe hole Line 1197 In to þe crosselet anoon fel a doun And so it moste needes by resoun Sins it so euen aboue couched was But þer of wist þe prest no þing allas Line 1201 He demed alle þe colis I-liche goode For of þe sleight he no þing vnderstood And whan þis alcamister saugh his tyme Rys vp sire prest quod he and stonde byme Line 1205 And fo I wot wel Ingot haue ȝe noon Goth walkith forth and brynge a chalkstoon For I wol make it of þe same schap [folio 178a] That is an Ingold if I may haue hap / Line 1209 And bringe with ȝou a bolle or a panne Ful of water and ȝe schul wel se þanne / how þat oure besynes schal happe and preue And ȝit for ȝe schul haue no mysbileeue Line 1213 Ne wrong conceyt of me in ȝoure absence I ne wol nought ben out of ȝoure presence /

[6-text p 567] But go with ȝou and come wiþ ȝou agayn The chambur dore schortly for to sayn Line 1217 Thay opened and schette and wente forþ here weye And forth with hem þey caryed þe keye / And comen agayn wiþouten eny delay / what schuld I tary al þe longe day Line 1221 he took þe chalk/ and schop it in þe wise / Of an Ingot as I schal ȝow deuyse / I say he took out of his oughne sleeue A teyne of siluer euel mot he cheeue Line 1225 which þat was but an vnce of wight And takeþ heed now of his cursed slight he schop his Ingot/ in lengþe and in brede / Of þis teyne wiþouten eny drede Line 1229 So sleighly þat þe prest it nought aspyde And in his sleeue agayn he gan it hyde / And fro þe fuyr he took vp his mateere / And in to þe Ingot put it with mery cheere / Line 1233 And in to þe watir vessel he it cast whan þat him list and bad þis prest as fast Loke what þer is put in þin hond and grope Thou fynde þer siluer schalt as I hope / Line 1237 what deuel of helle schold it elles be / Schauyng of siluer siluer is par de He putte in his hond and tok vp a teyne Of siluer fyn and glad in euery veyne; Line 1241 was þis prest whan he saugh it was so Goddes blessyng and his modres also And alle halwes haue ȝe sire chanoun Seyde þe prest and I her malisoun Line 1245 But and ȝe vouche sauf to teche me [folio 178b] This nobil craft and þis subtilite I wil be ȝoure in al þat euer I may Quod þis chanoun ȝet wol I make assay Line 1249 The secound tyme þat ȝe mow taken heede And ben expert of þis and in ȝour neede

[6-text p 568] Anoþer day ȝour self in myn absence This discipline and þis crafty science Line 1253 Let take another vnce quod he þo Of quyksiluer wiþouten wordes mo And do þer with as ȝe haue doon er þis wiþ þat oþer which now siluer is Line 1257 The prest him busyeth in al þat he can To doon as þis chanoun þis cursed man Comaunded him and faste blew þe fuyr For to come to theffect of his desyr Line 1261 And þis chanoun right in þe mene while Al redy was þis prest eft to bygile And for a countenaunce in his hond bar An holow stikke tak keep and be war Line 1265 In þende of which an vnce and no more Of siluer lymail put was as bifore was in his cole and stopped wiþ wex wel For to kepe in his limail euery del Line 1269 And whil þe prest/ was in his besynesse This chanoun with his stikke gan him dresse / To him anoon and his pouder cast In As he dede er þe deuel out of his skyn Line 1273 him torne I pray to god for his falshede For he was euer fals in oth and deede And wiþ þis stikke alone þe croslet That was ordeyned wiþ þat false get Line 1277 He styred þe coles til relente gan The wex agayn þe fuyr as euery man But/ it a fool be woot wel it moot nede / And al þat in þe hole was out ȝede / Line 1281 And in to þe creslet hastily it fel [¹Now good sires what wol ȝe bet þen wel; whan þat þis prest thus was begiled a-gayn,¹ [[^1_1 In a later hand.]] ] Supposyng not but trouþe soþ to sayn [folio 179a] Line 1285 he was so glad þat I can nought/ expresse / In no maner his myrþe and his gladnesse

[6-text p 569] And to þe chanoun he profred eft soone Body and good ȝe quod þe chanoun soone / Line 1289 Though pore I be crafty þou schalt me fynde / I warne þe ȝet is þer more byhynde Is þer any coper her Inne quod he ȝe sir quod þis prest I trowe þer be Line 1293 Elles go bye som and þat as swithe Now goode sire go forth þy way and hythe he went/ his way and with þis coper cam And þis chanoun it in his hondes nam Line 1297 And of that coper weyed out but an ounce Al to simple is my tongue to pronounce The minister and of his witt þe doublenesse / Of þis chanoun roote of cursednesse Line 1301 he semed frendly to hem þat knew him nought But he was fendly boþe in werk and þought It werieþ me to telle of his falsnesse / And naþeles ȝit wol I it expresse Line 1305 To þat entent men may be war þer by And for noon oþer cause trewely / he put þis vnce of coper in þe croslet And on þe fuyr als swithe he haþ it set Line 1309 And cast in pouder and made þe prest/ to blowe And in his worching for to stoupe lowe As he dede er and al nas but a iape Right as him list þe prest he made his ape / Line 1313 And afterward in þe Ingot he it cast And in þe panne putte it atte last/ Of water and in he put his owne hond And in his sleeue as ȝe byforenhond Line 1317 herde me telle he had a siluer teyne he sleyghly took it out þis cursed heyne Vnwitynge þis prest of his false craft/ And in þe pannes botme he haþ it laft Line 1321 And in þe water rumbleþ to and fro And wonder priuely took vp also [folio 179b]

[6-text p 570] The coper teyne nought knowyng þis prest And hidde it and hent him by þe brest/ Line 1325 And to him spak and þus sayde in his game Stoupeth a-doun by god ȝe ben to blame helpeþ me now as I dede ȝow whil er Put in ȝour hond and loke what is þer Line 1329 This prest took vp þis siluer teyne anoon And þanne sayde þe chanoun let vs goon wiþ þese þre teynes whiche þat we han wrought To som goldsmyth and wite if it be ought Line 1333 For by my faith I nolde for myn hood But if þey were siluer fyn and good And þat as swiþe proued schal it be Vnto þe goldsmith wiþ þese teynes þre Line 1337 Thay went and putte þese teynes in assay To fuyr and hamer might no man say nay But þay were as hem oughte be This sotted prest who was gladder þan he // Line 1341 was neuer brid gladder agayn þe day Ne nightyngale in þe sesoun of may was neuer noon þat liste better to synge / Ne lady lustier in carolynge Line 1345 And for to speke of loue and wommanhede Ne knyght in armes doon an hardy deede/ To stonde in grace of his lady deere Than hadde þis prest þis craft for to lere Line 1349 And to þe chanoun thus he spak and seyde For þe loue of god þat for vs deyde And as I may deserue it vnto ȝow what schal þis receyt coste telleþ now Line 1353 By oure lady quod þe chanoun it is deere I warne ȝow wel for sire I and a freere In Engelond þer can man it make / No fors quoþ he now sire for goddes sake / Line 1357 what schal I paye telleþ me I pray I-wis quod he it is ful dere I say

[6-text p 571] Sire at a word if þat ȝe lust it haue Ȝe schul pay fourty pound so god me saue / [folio 180a] Line 1361 And nere þe frendschipe þat ȝe dede er þis To me. ȝe schulde paye more I-wys This prest þe somme of fourty pound anoon Of nobles fette and took hem euerychoon Line 1365 To þis chanoun for þis ilk receyt Al his werkyng nas but fraude and deceyt/ Sire prest he seyde I kepe haue no loos Of my craft for I wold it kept were cloos Line 1369 And as ȝe loueth me kepeþ it secre For and men knewe / al my sotilte By god men wolden haue so gret enuye To me by cause of my philosophie Line 1373 I schulde be deed þer were noon oþer weye God it forbede quoþ þe prest what seye ȝet had I leuer spenden al þe good which þat I haue and elles wax I wood Line 1377 Than þat ȝe schulde falle in such meschief For ȝour good wil sir haue ȝe right good preef Quoþ þe chanoun· and far wel graunt mercy he went his way and neuer þe prest him sey Line 1381 After þis day and whan þat þis prest scholde / Maken assay at such tyme as he wolde / Of þis receyt far wel it wold not be / lo þus byiaped and bygilt was he Line 1385 Thus makeþ he his introductioun To bringe folk to here destruccioun Considereth sires how þat in ech astaat Bitwixe men and gold þer is debaat Line 1389 So ferforth þat vnneþe þer is noon This multiplying blent so many oon That in good faith I trowe þat it be / The cause grettest of which skarsete Line 1393 Philosophres speken so mistyly In þis craft þat men conne not come þer by

[6-text p 572] For any witt þat men han now on dayes They may wel chiteren as doon þese iayes Line 1397 And in here termes sette lust and peyne But to her purpos schul þay neuer atteyne [folio 180b] A man may lightly lerne if he haue ought To multiplie and bringe his good to nought Line 1401 Lo such a lucre is in þis lusty game/ A mannes mirþe it wol torne in to grame / And empte also grete and heuy purses And make folk to purchace curses Line 1405 Of hem þat han her good þer-to I-lent O fy for schame þay þat haue be brent Allas can þay not fle þe fuyres hete ȝe þat it vsen I rede ȝe it lete Line 1409 lest ȝe lesen al for bet þan neuer is late Neuer to þriue were to long a date / Though ȝe prolle ay ȝe schul it neuer fynde Ȝe ben as bolde as is bayard þe blynde Line 1413 That blundreþ forþ and peril casteth noon he is as bold to renne a-gayn a stoon As for to go bysides in þe wey / So fare ȝe þat multiplie I sey Line 1417 If þat ȝoure yȝen can nought seen aright loke þat ȝoure mynde lakke nought his sight For þough ȝe loke neuer so brode and stare / Ȝe schul nought wynne vpon þat chaffare / Line 1421 But wasten al þat þay may rape and renne wiþdrawe þe fuyr lest it so faste brenne Medleþ no more wiþ þat art I mene / For ȝif ȝe doon ȝoure þrift is goon ful clene Line 1425 And right as swithe I wol ȝow telle heere what þat þe philosophres sein in þis mateere / ¶ lo þus saiþ arnold of þe newe toun As his Rosarie maketh mencioun Line 1429 He saith right þus wiþouten eny lye Ther may no man mercury mortifye

[6-text p 573] But hit be with his broþer knowleching how þat he which þat first sayd þis þing Line 1433 Of philosophres fader was hermes he saiþ how þe dragoun douteles he dyeþ nought but if þat he be slayn wiþ his broþer and þat is for to sayn [folio 181a] Line 1437 By þe dragoun mercury and noon oþer he vnderstood and brimstoon be his broþer That out of sol and luna were I-drawe And þerfore sayde he take heed to my sawe / Line 1441 Let no man besy him þis art to seche / But þat he thentencioun and speche / Of philosophres vnderstonde can And if he do he is a lewed man Line 1445 For þis sciens and þis connyng quod he Is of þe secre of secretȝ par de Also þer was a disciple of plato That on a tyme sayde his maister to Line 1449 As his book somer wil bere witnesse And þis was his demaunde in sothfastnesse / Tel me þe name of þe priue stoon And plato answered vnto him anoon Line 1453 Take þe stoon þat titanos men name / which is þat quod he magnasia is þe same Sayde plato ȝe sire and is it þus This ignotus per ignotius Line 1457 what is magnasia good sir I ȝou pray It is a water þat is maad I say Of elementes foure quod plato Telle me þe rooche good sire quod he þo Line 1461 Of þat water if it be ȝour wille Nay nay quod plato certeyn þat I nylle The philosophres sworn were euerich oon That thay scholde discouere it vnto man noon Line 1465 Ne in no book it write in no manere / For vnto crist it is so leef and deere

[6-text p 574] That he wil not þat it discouered be / But wher it likeþ to his deite / Line 1469 Man to enspire and eek for to defende whom þat him likeþ lo þis is þe ende Than conclude I þus syn god of heuene / Ne wol not þat þe philosophres neuene / Line 1473 how þat a man schal come vnto þis stoon I rede as for þe beste let it goon [folio 181b] For who-so makeþ god his aduersarie As for to werke eny þing in contrarie Line 1477 Vnto his wil certes neuer schal he þriue Though þat he multiplie terme of al his lyue And þer a poynt for ended is my tale God send euery trewe man boote of his bale / Line 1481

¶ Here endeth þe chanouns ȝeman his tale [[No break in the MS.]]