The Canterbury tales

The Pardoner's Prologue

lordynges, quod he, in chirches whan I preche, Line 329 I peyne me to han an hauteyn speche, Line 330 And rynge it out as round as gooth a belle, Line 331 For I kan al by rote that I telle. Line 332 My theme is alwey oon, and evere was -- Line 333 Radix malorum est cupiditas. Line 334 first I pronounce wheenes that I come, Line 335 And thanne my bulles shewe I, alle and some. Line 336 Oure lige lordes seel on my patente, Line 337 That shewe I first, my body to warente, Line 338 That no man be so boold, ne preest ne clerk, Line 339 Me to destourbe of cristes hooly werk. Line 340 And after that thanne telle I forth my tales; Line 341 Bulles of popes and of cardynales, Line 342 Of patriarkes and bishopes I shewe Line 343 And in latyn I speke a wordes fewe, Line 344 To saffron with my predicacioun, Line 345 And for to stire hem to devocioun. Line 346 Thanne shewe I forth my longe cristal stones, Line 347 Ycrammed ful of cloutes and of bones, -- Line 348 Relikes been they, as wenen they echoon. Line 349 Thanne have I in latoun a sholder-boon Line 350 Which that was of an hooly jewes sheep. Line 351 Goode men, I seye, taak of my wordes keep; Line 352 If that this boon be wasshe in any welle, Line 353 If cow, or calf, or sheep, or oxe swelle Line 354 That any worm hath ete, or worm ystonge, Line 355 Taak water of that welle and wassh his tonge, Line 356 And it is hool anon; and forthermoore, Line 357

Line 357 Of pokkes and of scabbe, and every soore Line 358 Shal every sheep be hool that of this welle Line 359 Drynketh a draughte. Taak kep eek what I telle -- Line 360 If that the good-man that the beestes oweth Line 361 Wol every wyke, er that the cok hym croweth, Line 362 Fastynge, drynken of this welle a draughte, Line 363 As thilke hooly jew oure eldres taughte, Line 364 His beestes and his stoor shal multiplie. Line 365 and, sires, also it heeleth jalousie; Line 366 For though a man be falle in jalous rage, Line 367 Lat maken with this water his potage, Line 368 And nevere shal he moore his wyf mystriste, Line 369 Though he the soothe of hir defaute wiste, Line 370 Al had she taken prestes two or thre. Line 371 heere is a miteyn eek, that ye may se. Line 372 He that his hand wol putte in this mitayn, Line 373 He shal have multipliyng of his grayn, Line 374 Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes, Line 375 So that he offre pens, or elles grotes. Line 376 goode men and wommen, o thyng warne I yow -- Line 377 If any wight be in this chirche now Line 378 That hath doon synne horrible, that he Line 379 Dar nat, for shame, of it yshryven be, Line 380 Or any womman, be she yong or old, Line 381 That hath ymaad hir housbonde cokewold, Line 382 Swich folk shal have no power ne no grace Line 383 To offren to my relikes in this place. Line 384 And whoso fyndeth hym out of swich blame, Line 385 He wol come up and offre in goddes name, Line 386 And I assoille him by the auctoritee Line 387 Which that by bulle ygraunted was to me. Line 388 by this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer, Line 389 An hundred mark sith I was pardoner. Line 390 I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet, Line 391 And whan the lewed peple is doun yset, Line 392 I preche so as ye han herd bifoore, Line 393 And telle an hundred false japes moore. Line 394 Thanne peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke, Line 395 And est and west upon the peple I bekke, Line 396 As dooth a dowve sittynge on a berne. Line 397 Myne handes and my tonge goon so yerne Line 398 That it is joye to se my bisynesse. Line 399 Of avarice and of swich cursednesse Line 400 Is al my prechyng, for to make hem free Line 401 To yeven hir pens, and namely unto me. Line 402 For myn entente is nat but for to wynne, Line 403 And nothyng for correccioun of synne. Line 404 I rekke nevere, whan that they been beryed, Line 405 Though that hir soules goon a-blakeberyed! Line 406 For certes, many a predicacioun Line 407 Comth ofte tyme of yvel entencioun; Line 408 Som for plesance of folk and flaterye, Line 409 To been avaunced by ypocrisye, Line 410 And som for veyne glorie, and som for hate. Line 411 For whan I dar noon oother weyes debate, Line 412 Thanne wol I stynge hym with my tonge smerte Line 413 In prechyng, so that he shal nat asterte Line 414 To been defamed falsly, if that he Line 415 Hath trespased to my bretheren or to me. Line 416 For though I telle noght his propre name, Line 417 Men shal wel knowe that it is the same, Line 418 By signes, and by othere circumstances. Line 419 Thus quyte I folk that doon us displesances; Line 420 Thus spitte I out my venym under hewe Line 421 Of hoolynesse, to semen hooly and trewe. Line 422 but shortly myn entente I wol devyse -- Line 423 I preche of no thyng but for coveityse. Line 424 Therfore my theme is yet, and evere was, Line 425 Radix malorum est cupiditas. Line 426 Thus kan I preche agayn that same vice Line 427 Which that I use, and that is avarice. Line 428 But though myself be gilty in that synne, Line 429 Yet kan I maken oother folk to twynne Line 430 From avarice, and soore to repente. Line 431 But that is nat my principal entente; Line 432 I preche nothyng but for coveitise. Line 433 Of this mateere it oghte ynogh suffise. Line 434 thanne telle I hem ensamples many oon Line 435 Of olde stories longe tyme agoon. Line 436 For lewed peple loven tales olde; Line 437 Swiche thynges kan they wel reporte and holde. Line 438 What, trowe ye, that whiles I may preche, Line 439 And wynne gold and silver for I teche, Line 440 That I wol lyve in poverte wilfully? Line 441 Nay, nay, I thoghte it nevere, trewwly! Line 442 For I wol preche and begge in sondry landes; Line 443 I wol nat do no labour with myne handes, Line 444 Ne make baskettes, and lyve therby, Line 445 By cause I wol nat beggen ydelly. Line 446 I wol noon of the apostles countrefete; Line 447 I wol have moneie, wolle, chese, and whete, Line 448 Al were it yeven of the povereste page, Line 449 Or of the povereste wydwe in a village, Line 450 Al sholde hir children sterve for famyne. Line 451 Nay, I wol drynke licour of the vyne, Line 452 And have a joly wenche in every toun. Line 453 But herkneth, lordynges, in conclusioun -- Line 454 Youre likyng is that I shal telle a tale. Line 455 Now have I dronke a draughte of corny ale, Line 456 By god, I hope I shal yow telle a thyng Line 457 That shal be reson been at youre likyng. Line 458 For though myself be a ful vicious man, Line 459 A moral tale yet I yow telle kan, Line 460 Which I am wont to preche for to wynne. Line 461 Now hoold youre pees! my tale I wol bigynne. Line 462