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

[6-text p 560]

[THE TALE.]

Ther is a chanon of Religioun Amonges vs wolde enfecte al a toun Line 973 Thouȝe it as grete were as was Nyniue Rome. Alisaundre . Troie & oþer þre his scleightes and his infinite falsnesse Ther couþe no man writen as I gesse Line 977 Thouȝe þat he myȝt lyuen a thousand ȝere In al þis world of falsenesse nys his pere ffor in his teermes he wil hym so wynde And speke his wordes in so scleȝe a kynde Line 981 Whan he comune shal wiþ eny wiȝt That he wil make hym dote anon riȝt But it þe feende be as hym seluen is fful mony a man haþ he bygyled er þis Line 985 And wil if þat he may lif a while And ȝit men riden and goon ful mony a myle Hym forto seke and haue of a-queyntaunce Nat knowing of his fals gouernaunce Line 989 And ȝif ȝe lust to ȝeue me audience [folio 204b] I wil it tellen in wiþ ȝoure presence But worshipful Chanon Religious Ne demeþ not I sclaundere ȝour hous Line 993 Al-þouȝe my tale of a chanon be Of euery ordere som shrewe is parde And god forbede þat all a companye Shulde rewe a syngule mannys foly Line 997 To sclaundere ȝou is nat myn entent But to correcten þat mys I-ment

[6-text p 561] This tale was not only told for ȝou But eke for oþer moo ȝe wote wel howe Line 1001 That amonges cristes apostels twelue þer ne was no traitour but Iudas selue Than whi shulde þe remenaunte all haue blame þat giltlees were be ȝou saye I þe same Line 1005 Sauf only þis if ȝe wil harken me If eny Iudas in ȝoure couent be Remeueth hym be tyme I ȝou rede If shame or losse may causen eny drede Line 1009 And beþ no þinge displesed I ȝou pray But in this caas herkneþ what I say In london was a preest an annuelere That þerInne dwelled had mony a ȝere Line 1013 Which was so plesaunt and so seruisable Vnto þe wiff where he was att table That she wolde suffre hym no þing forto paye ffor borde ne . cloþinge went he neuere so gay Line 1017 And spending siluere had he riȝt ynowe Therof no force I wil procede as nowe And telle forþ my tale of þe chanon þat brouȝt þis preest to confusion Line 1021 This fals chanon came vpon a day Vnto þe preestes chambere þer he lay Bysechinge hym to lene hym a certeyn Of golde and he wolde quyte hym ageyn Line 1025 Leneþ me a marke quod he but daies þre [folio 205a] And at my day I wil it quite þe And it so be þow fynde me fals An oþer day honge me by þe hals Line 1029 This prest him toke a marke and þat as swithe And þis chanon hym þonked ofte sithe And toke his leue and went forþ his way And at þe þred day brouȝt his monay Line 1033 And to þis preest he toke his gold ageyn Therof þis preest was glad and fayn

[6-text p 562] Certes quod he no þinge anoyeþ me To lene a man a noble or twoo or þree Line 1037 Or what þinge were in my possession Whan he so trewe is of condicion That in no wise he breke wil his day To such a man I can neuere say nay Line 1041 What quod þis chanon shuld I be vntrewe ¶ Nay þat were þinge fallen al of nwe Treuþe is a þing þat I wil euer kepe Vnto þe day in which þat I shal crepe Line 1045 Into my graue and ellis god forbede Bileueþ þis as siker as is ȝoure crede God thonke I and in good tyme be it seide That þer was neuere man ȝit euel apaide Line 1049 ffor gold ne siluere þat he to me lent Ne neuere falshede to myne hert I ment And sire quod he nowe in my privete Siþens ȝe so goodly haue bene to me Line 1053 And kyþed to me so grete gentilnesse Somwhat to quiten wiþ ȝour kyndenesse I wil ȝou shewe and ȝif ȝou lust to lere I shal it shewe to ȝou anon riȝt here Line 1057 How I can worchen in philosophie Takeþ good hede ȝe shullen see wel at ye That I wil done a maistrie er I goo Ȝe quod þe preest ȝe sir and wil ȝe so Line 1061 Marie þerof I prei ȝou hertely [folio 205b] At ȝoure comaundement sir trewly Quod þe chanon and ellis god forbede Loo howe þis þeef kouþe his seruise bede Line 1065 fful soþ it is þat such propferd seruise Stynkeþ as witnessen þise olde wise And þat ful sone I wil it verefie In þis chanōn is rote of al trecherye Line 1069 That euere more delite haþ and gladnesse Such feendly þouȝtes in his hert empresse

[6-text p 563] How cristes puple he may to meschief bringe / God kepe vs from his fals dissimulynge Line 1073 What wist þis preest wiþ whom þat he delte Ne of his harme commyng no þing he felte O sely preest o. sely Innocent Wiþ couetise anon þou shalt be blent Line 1077 O gracelees ful blynde is þi conseite No þing art þow war of þe deceite Which þat þis fox shapen haþ to þe His wily wrenches þou maist not flee Line 1081 Wherfore to goo to þe conclusion þat referreþ to þe confusion Vnhappy man anon I wil me hye To tellen þine vnwitte and þi foly Line 1085 And eke þe falsenesse of þat oþer wrecche As ferforþ as my conyng wil strecche þis chanon was my lorde ȝe wolde wene Sir Oost in feiþ and by þe Heuene quene Line 1089 It was anoþer chanon and nat he þat can an hundred fold more sotilte he haþ bytraied folk mony tyme Of his falsnesse it dulleþ me to ryme Line 1093 Euere whan I speke of his falshede ffor shame of him my chekes wexen rede Algates þei bygonne forto glowe ffor redenesse haue I now riȝt wel I knowe Line 1097 In my visage for fumes dyuers [folio 206a] Of metalles which ȝe han herde me rehers Consumed and waasted han my Redenesse / Take nowe hede of þi[s] chanons cursednesse Line 1101 Sir quod he to þe preest lat ȝour man gone ffor quyk siluere þat we it had anōn And lat hym brynge vnces twoo or þre And whan he commeþ as fast shul ȝe se Line 1105 A wonder þinge whiche ȝe see neuere er þis Sir quod þe preest it shal be done ywis

[6-text p 564] He bad his seruaunte fecchen him þis þinge And he al redy was at his biddynge Line 1109 And went hym forþ and come anon ageyn wiþ þis quyk siluere shortely forto seyn And toke þise vnces þre to þe chanoun And he it laide faire and wel adoun Line 1113 And bad þe seruaunte colys forto brynge Þat he anoon myȝt goo to his worchis The Colis riȝt anoon weren sette And þis Chanon toke out a croslette Line 1117 Of his bosom and shewed it þe preest This instrument quod he which þat þou seest Take in þine hond and pitt þiself þerInne Of þis quyk siluer an vnce an here bygynne Line 1121 In þe name of crist to wex a philosophre Þer bene ful fewe whiche þat I wold profre To shewen hem þus mochel of my science ffor ȝe shullen see here by experience Line 1125 That þis quik siluer I wil mortefie Riȝt in ȝoure siȝt anoon wiþ-out lye And made it as good siluer and as fyne As þer is eny in ȝoure purs er myne Line 1129 Or ellis where and make it malliable And ellis holde me fals and vnable Amonges folke euer to apere I haue a powder here þat cost me dere Line 1133 Shal make al good for it is cause of all [folio 206b] My konynge which þat I ȝou shewe shall Voideþ ȝour man and lat hym be þer out And schitte þe door þe whiles we bene aboute Line 1137 Our privete þat no man vs espie Whiles we worchen in þis philosophie Al as he bad fulfilled was in dede This ilke seruaunte anoon riȝt out ȝede Line 1141 And his maistere shitte þe dore anone And to her laboure spedely þei gone

[6-text p 565] This preest at þis cursed chanons biddynge Vppon þe fure anon sette þis þinge Line 1145 And blewe þe fire and busied hym ful fast And this chanon into þis croslette cast A powdere I note wherof it was I-made eiþer of chalk or ellis of glasse Line 1149 Or somwhat ellis was not worþ a flie To blynde wiþ þis preest and bad hym hie Thise coles forto cowchen al aboue The crosselette; for in token þat I þe loue Line 1153 Quod þis Chanon þine hondes twoo Shal worche al þing which as shal be doo Graunt mercy quod þe preest and was ful glad And cowched coles as þe chanon bad Line 1157 And þe whilys he bisy was þis feendly wreche This fals chanon þe foule fende hym fecche Out of his bosom toke a bechen cole In which ful sotilly was made an hole Line 1161 And þer-in pitte was of siluere lymaille An vnce and stopped was wiþ-out faille This hoole wiþ wex to kepe þe lymaille Inne And vnderstondeþ þat þis fals gynne Line 1165 was not made þere but it was made bifore And oþer þingges I shal telle more Here-afterward which þat he wiþ hym brouȝt Ere he come þere to begile hym he þouȝt Line 1169 And so did er þei went atwynne [folio 207a] Til he had turned hym couþe he nat blynne It dulleþ me whan þat I of hym speke On his falshede fayn wolde I be a-wreke Line 1173 If I wist howe but he is here and there He is so variaunt he bitte no where But takeþ hede nowe sirs for goddys loue He toke his cole of whiche I speke aboue Line 1177 And in his honde he bare it prively And whiles þe preest couched bisyly

[6-text p 566] þe coles as I tolde ȝou er þis þis Chanon seide frende ȝe done a-mys Line 1181 þis is not couched as it ouȝt be But sone I shal amende it quod he Now lat me medle þerwiþ but a while ffor of ȝou haue I pite be seint gyle Line 1185 Ȝe bene riȝt hoote I se wel howe ȝe swete Haue here a cloþe and wipe away þe wete And whilys þe preest his wy haas þis chanon toke his cole I shrewe his faas Line 1189 And laide it vpon abouen þe mydward Of þe Crosselette and blewe wel afterward Til þat þe Coles gonne fast brenne Nowe ȝeue vs drynk quod þe chanon þen · Line 1193 As swith . al shal be wel I vndertake Sitte we a-doun and lat vs mery make And whan þe chanons bechen cole Was brentte al þe lymaille out of þe hole Line 1197 Into þe Crosselette anon fille adoun And so it most nedes by resoun Siþ it so euen aboue couched was But þerof wist no þing þe preste allas Line 1201 He demed al þe coles liche good ffor of þe scleiȝt no þinge he vnderstood And whan this Alkamystere segh his tyme Riseþ vp sire preest and stondeth by me . Line 1205 And for I wote wele Ingot haue ȝe none [folio 207b] Goþ walkeþ forþ and bringeþ a chalk stone ffor I wil make it of þe same shap That is an Ingot ȝif I may haue happe Line 1209 And bringe wiþ ȝou a bolle or a panne fful of water and ȝe shul see þan Howe þat oure bysynesse shal happe and preue And ȝit for ȝe shul haue no mysbileue Line 1213 Ne wronge conceite of me in ȝoure absence I wil not bene out of ȝoure presence

[6-text p 567] But go wiþ ȝou and come wiþ ȝou agayn þe Chambere door shortely to sayn Line 1217 They opned and shette and went forþ her way And forþ wiþ hem þei karied þe kay And comme ageyn wiþ-out eny delay What shuld I tary al þe longe day Line 1221 He toke þe chalk and shope it in þe wise Of an Ingot as I shal ȝou deuyse I saie he toke out of his owne scleue A teyne of siluere euel mote he cheue Line 1225 Whiche þat was but an vnce of weiȝt And takeþ hede nowe of þis cursed scleiȝt He shope his Ingot in length and in brede Of þe teyne wiþ-out eny drede Line 1229 So sclyȝly þat þe preest it not aspied And in his scleue agayn he gan it hide And from þe fire toke vp his matere And into þe Ingot it pitt with mery chere Line 1233 And into þe water vessel he it cast whan þat him list and bad þe preest as fast Loke what þer is pitte in þine honde and grope Thow shalt fynde þere siluer as I hope Line 1237 What deuel of helle shuld it ellis be Shavynge of siluere . siluere is parde He pitte In his honde and toke vp a teyne Of Syluere fyne and glad in euery veyne Line 1241 was þis preest whan he segh þat it was so [folio 208a] Goddys blessing and his moders also And alle halowes haue ȝe sir chanōn Saide þe preest and I her malyson Line 1245 But and ȝe vouche-sauf to teche me This noble craft and þis sotilte I wil be ȝour in all þat euere I may Quod þe Chanon ȝit wil I make assay Line 1249 The secounde tyme þat ȝe mow take hede And bene expert of þis and in ȝour nede

[6-text p 568] Anoþer day [assaie] in myne absence This disciplyne and þis crafty science Line 1253 ¶ Lat take anoþer vnce quod he þoo Of quik siluer wiþ-out wordes moo / And doo þerwiþ as ȝe han done er þis With þat oþer which þat now siluer is Line 1257 This preest hym busieþ in al þat he can To done as þis chanon þis cursed man Comaundeþ hym and fast bloweþ þ^e fuyre fforto come to þe effecte of his desire Line 1261 And þis chanon riȝt in þe mene while Al redy was þis preest eft to begile And for a countenaunce in his hand bare An holowe stik take hede and be ware Line 1265 In þe eende of which an vnce and no more Of syluere lymaille put was al bifore was in his cole and stopped with wex wel fforto kepe in his lymaille euery dell Line 1269 And whilis þis preest was in his bysynesse This Chanon wiþ his stik gan hym dresse To hym anon and his powdere cast Inne As he did eer þe deuel out of his skynne Line 1273 Hym turne I prey to god for his falshede ffor he was euer fals in oþe and dede And wiþ his stik aboue þe crosselette That was ordeyned wiþ þat fals gette. Line 1277 He stireþ þe coles til relente gan [folio 208b] The wex a-gayn þe fuyr as euery man But it a fool be wote wele & mote nede And alle þat in þe hole was . out ȝede Line 1281 And into þe crosselette hastely it felle The preest supposed no þing but wel But bisied him fast and was wonder fayn Supposing nouȝt but trouþe soþ to sayn Line 1285 He was so glad I can not expresse In no manere his myrth and his gladnesse

[6-text p 569] And to þe Chanōn he profred eft sone Body and good ȝe quod þe chanon sone Line 1289 þouȝe poor I be crafty þow shalt me fynde I warne þe ȝit is þer more behinde Is þere eny copoure here In saide he Ȝe sir quod þe preest I trowe þer be Line 1293 Ellis goo by some and þat as swithe Now sir go forþ þi way and hithe. And went his way and with þis coper he cam And þis chanon it in his honde it nam. Line 1297 And of þat copere weyed out but an vnce Al to symple is my tunge to pronunce His monstre as his witte þe doublenesse Of þis Chanon roote of cursednesse Line 1301 He semed frendely to hem þat knewe hym nouȝt Bot he was feendly boþ in werk and þouȝt It werieþ me to telle of his falsenesse And nathelees ȝit wil I it expresse Line 1305 To þat entent men may be ware þerby And for noon oþere cause trewly He putt þis vnce of copere into þe crosselette And on the fuyre as swithe he haþ it sette Line 1309 And kest In powdere and made þ^e preest to blowe And in his worching for to stoupe lowe As he did erst and al nys but a Iape Riȝt as him list þe preest he made his Ape Line 1313 And afterward into the Ingot he it cast [folio 209a] And in þe panne pitt it atte last Of watere and in he pitte his owne honde And in his scleue as ȝe to-fornhonde Line 1317 Herd me telle he had a siluer teyne He sclily toke it out þis cursed heyne Vnwetinge þis preest of his fals craft And in þe pannes botme he haþ it laft. Line 1321 And in þe watere rombleþ too and froo / And wondere prively toke it vp also

[6-text p 570] þe Copere teyne nat knowing þis preest And hid it and hente hym by þe breest Line 1325 And to hym spake and þus seide in his game ./ Stowpeþ a-downe by god ȝe be to blame. Helpeþ me nowe as I did ȝowe whilere Putte Inne ȝoure honde and lokeþ what is þere Line 1329 This preest toke vp þis siluere teyne anone And þan seide þe chanon lat vs gone Wiþ þise þre teynes whiche þat we han wrouȝt To somme goldsmyth and wit ȝif it be ouȝt Line 1333 ffor be my feiþe I nolde for myne hode But if þei were siluere fyne and goode And þat as swiþe proued shal it be Vnto þe goldsmythe wiþ þise teynes þre Line 1337 went þei and pitte þise teynes in assay To fyre and hamere myȝt no man say nay But þei were as hem ouȝte to be This sotted preest who was glad but he Line 1341 Was neuere bridde gladdere aȝeinst þe day Ne nyȝtyngale in þe seson of may. was neuere noon þat list better to synge Ne lady lustyer in Carolynge. Line 1345 And forto speke of loue and wommanhede Ne knyght in armes done an hardy dede To stonden in grace of his lady dere. Than had þis preest þis craft to lere. Line 1349 And to þe chanon þus he speke and saide ffor þe loue of god þat for vs deyde ./ And as I may deserue it vnto yowe [folio 209b] What shal þis Receyte cost telleþ nowe Line 1353 By oure lady quod þis chanon it is dere / I warne ȝou . for saaf I and a frere In Engelonde þer can no man it make No fors quod he nowe sir for goddys sake / Line 1357 What shal I paye telle me I þe pray Iwis quod [he] it is ful dere I saie /

[6-text p 571] Sir at oon woord if þat þe lest it haue Ȝe shul paye xl. li. so god me saue. Line 1361 And ne were þe frendship þat ȝe did er þis To me / ȝe shuld paie more ywis ./ This preest þe some of fourty pounde anon Of nobles fette and toke hem euerechon Line 1365 To þis Chanon for þis ilk receite All his worchinge was strawe and deceite Sir preest he saide I kepe forto haue no loos Of my craft for I wold it were kept cloos Line 1369 And as ȝe loue me kepeþ it secre ffor and men knewe al my sotilte By god men wolde haue so grete envie To me by cause of my philosophie Line 1373 I Shuld be dede þer nys noon oþer waye God it for-bede quod þe preest what say ȝe. Ȝit had I leuere spenden al þe good Which þat I haue and ellys wexe I wood / Line 1377 Than þat ȝe shuld fallen in such meschief ffor ȝoure good wille sir haue ȝe riȝt good preef Quod þe Chanōn . and sir . oft graunt mercy He went his way þat neuere þe preest hym sie Line 1381 Aftere þat day and whan þis preest shulde Maken assay at suche tyme as he wolde Of þis Receite . fare wel it wold nat be Loo þus byiaped and begiled was he Line 1385 Thus makeþ he his Introducciōn To bringe folk to her destructiōn Considereþ surs howe þat in eche astaat Bytwix men and gold þer is debaat Line 1389 So fer forþ þat vnneþes þer is oon [folio 210a] This multiplyinge so blendeþ mony ōn That in good faiþ I trowe þat it be The cause grettest of þe grete scarcete Line 1393 Thise philosophres speken so mystely In þis craft þat men can not come þerby

[6-text p 572] ffor eny witte þat men han now adayes. Þei may wel Chitere and iangle as don þise Iaies Line 1397 And in her teemes sette lust and peyne But to her purpoos shul þei neuere atteyne A man may liȝtly lerne ȝif he haue ouȝte To multiplie and bringe his good to nouȝte Line 1401 Loo suche a lucre is in þis lusty game. A mannes merþe wil it turne al to grame And empty also grete and heuy purses. And make folk to purchasen curses Line 1405 Of hem þat han þerto her good ylent O. fy for shame þei þat han be brent Allas can þei nat flee þe fires hete Ȝe þat it losen I rede ȝe it lete Line 1409 lest ȝe lesen all. for bette þan neuere is late Neuere to þrive were to longe a date Thouȝe ȝe prolle ay ȝe shul it neuer fynde Ȝe bene as bolde as is bayard þe blynde Line 1413 That blundreþ forþ and perile casteþ non He was bolde to renne aȝeinst a ston As forto goo be sides in þe way ¶ Soo faren ȝe þat multiplien I say Line 1417 Ȝif þat oure eyen can nat seen ariȝt Lokeþ þat ȝoure mynde lak nat his siȝt ffor þouȝe ȝe loke neuere so brode and stare ȝe shul nat wynne a myte in þat chaffare Line 1421 But waasten all þat ȝe may rappe and renne Wiþdrawe þe fuyre lest it so fast brenne Medleth no more wiþ þat art I mene. ffor ȝif ȝe doon ȝoure þrift is goon ful clene Line 1425 And riȝt as swiþe I wil ȝou telle here What þat þe philosophres seyn in þis matere Loo þus seiþ alnold of þe newe toune [folio 210b] As his rosarie makeþ mencioun Line 1429 He seiþ riȝt þus wiþ-oute eny lie Ther may no man mercury mortefie

[6-text p 573] But ȝif it be wiþ his broþers knowlecchinge Howe þat he which þat ferst seide þis þinge Line 1433 Of philosophres fader was hermes He seiþ how þat þe dragon doutelees / Ne dyeþ nat but ȝif he be sclayn Wiþ his broþer and þat is forto sayne Line 1437 By þe dragon mercurye and noon oþer He vnderstood þat bremstone were his broþer þat out of sol and luna were ydrawe And þerfore saide he take hede to my sawe Line 1441 Lat no man bisie him þis arte forto seche. But he þat þe entenciōn and speche Of philosophres vnderstonde can And if he doo he is a lewde man Line 1445 ffor þis science and þis conyng quod he Is of þe secree of secrees parde Also þer was a disciple of plato þat on a tyme saide his maister too. Line 1449 As his boke somere wil bere witnesse And þis was his demaunde en soþfastnesse Tel me þe name of a priue stoōn And plato answered vnto hym anoōn Line 1453 Take þe stoon þat Titanos men name Which is þat quod he magnasia is þe same His disciple seide ȝe sire and is it þus þis is ignotum per ignocius Line 1457 What is magnasia good sire I pray It is a watere þat is made I saye Of elementes foure quod Plato. Telle me þe roche good sire quod he þoo. Line 1461 Of þat watere if it be ȝoure wille Nay nay quod Plato certeyn þat I nyll The philosophres were sworn echon þat þei shulde diskeuere it to no mon Line 1465 Ne in no booke it write in no manere [folio 211a] ffor vnto crist it is so leef and dere.

[6-text p 574] þat he wil nat þat it diskeuered be But where it likeþ to his deite Line 1469 Man to enspire and eke forto defende Whan þat him likeþ loo þis is þe ende Than conclude I þus siþens þat god of heuene Ne wil not þat þe philisophres neuene Line 1473 How þat a man shal come vnto þis stone I rede as for the best lat it gone ffor who so makeþ god his aduersarye As forto worche eny þinge in contrarie Line 1477 Vnto his wille certes neuere shal he thryve þouȝe þat he multiplie teerme of his lyue And þer a poynt for eended is my tale. God seende euery trewe man boote of his bale / Line 1481

¶ Thus endeþ þe chanons ȝeman his tale

Notes

• ¶ 2^a pars.;.