The Canon Yeoman's Prologue
554: Whan ended was the lyf of seinte cecile, 
555: Er we hadde riden fully fyve mile, 
556: A tboghtoun under blee us gan atake 
557: A man that clothed was in clothes blake, 
558: And under-nethe he hadde a whyt surplys. 
559: His hakeney, that wasal pomely grys, 
560: So swatte that it wonder was to see; 
561: It semed as he had priked miles three. 
562: The hors eek that his yeman rood upon 
563: So swatte that sunnethe myghte it gon. 
564: Aboute the peytrel sood the foom ful hye; 
565: He was of foom al flekked a a pye. 
566: A male tweyfoold on his croper lay; 
567: It semed that he caried lite array. 
568: Al light for somer rood this worthy man, 
569: And in myn herte wondren I bigan 
570: What that he was, til that I understood 
571: How that his cloke was sowed to his good; 
572: For which, whan I hadde longe avysed me, 
573: I demed hym som chanoun for to be. 
574: His hat heeng at his bak doun by a laas, 
575: For he hadde riden moore than trot or paas; 
576: He hadde ay priked lik as he were wood. 
577: A clote-leef he hadde under his hood 
578: For swoot, and for to keep his heed from heete. 
579: But it was joye for to seen hym swete! 
580: His forheed dropped as a stillatorie, 
581: Were ful of plantayne and of paritorie. 
582: And whan that he was come, he ban to crye, 
583: God save, quod he, this joly compaignye! 
584: Faste have I priked,!quod he, for youre sake, 
585: By cause that I woldeyow atake, 
586: To riden in this myrie compaignye. 
587: His yeman eek was ful of curteisye, 
588: And seyde, sires, now in the morwe-tyde 
589: Out of youre hostelrie I saugh yow ryde, 
590: And warned heer my lord and my soverayn, 
591: Which that to ryden with yow is ful fayn 
592: For his desport; he loveth daliaunce. 
593: freend, for thy warnyng God yeve thee good chaunce! 
594: Thanne seyde oure hoost, for certein it wolde seme 
595: Thy lord were wys, and so I may wel deme. 
596: He is ful jocunde also, dar I leye! 
597: Can he oght telle a myrie tale or tweye, 
598: With which he glade may his compaignye? 
599: Who, sire? my lord? ye, ye, withouten lye, 
600: He kan of murthe and eek of jolitee 
601: Nat but ynough: also, sire, trusteth me, 
602: And ye hym knewe as wel as do I, 
603: Ye wolde wondre how wel and craftily 
604: He koude werke, and that in sondry wise. 
605: He hath take on hym many a greet emprise, 
606: Which were ful hard for any that is heere 
607: To brynge aboute, but they of hym it leere. 
608: As hoomly as he rit amonges yow, 
609: If ye hym kniewe, it wolde be for youre prow. 
610: Ye wolde nat forgoon his aqueyntaunce 
611: For muchel good, I dar leye in balaunce 
612: Al that I have in my possessioun. 
613: He is a man of heigh discrecioun; 
614: I warne yow wel, he is a passyng man. 
615: Wel, quod oure hoost, I pray thee tel me than, 
616: Is he a clerk, or noon? telle what he is. 
617: Nay, he is gretter than a clerk, ywis, 
618: Seyde this yeman, and in wordes fewe, 
619: Hoost, of his craft somwhat I wol yow shewe. 
620: I seye, my lord kan swich subtilitee -- 
621: But al his craft ye may nat wite at me, 
622: And somwhat helpe I yet to his wirkyng -- 
623: That al this ground on which we been ridyng, 
624: Til that we come to caunterbury toun, 
625: He koude al clene turne it up-so-doun, 
626: And pave it al of silver and of gold. 
627: And whan this yeman hadde this tale ytold 
628: Unto oure hoost, he seyde, benedicitee! 
629: This thyng is wonder merveillous to me, 
630: Syn that thy lord is of so heigh prudence, 
631: By cause of which men sholde hym reverence, 
632: That of his worshipe rekketh he so lite. 
633: His overslope nys nat worth a myte, 
634: As in effect, to hym, so moot I go! 
635: It is al baudy and totore also. 
636: Why is thy lord so sluttissh, I the preye, 
637: And is of power bettre clooth to beye, 
638: Of that his dede accorde with thy speche? 
639: Telle me that, and that I thee biseche. 
640: Why? quod this yeman, wherto axe ye me? 
641: God help me so, for he shal nevere thee! 
642: (but I wol nat avowe that I seye, 
643: And therfore keepe it secree, I yow preye.) 
644: He is to wys, in feith, as I bileeve. 
645: That that is overdoon, it wol nat preeve 
646: Aright, as clerkes seyn; it is a vice. 
647: Wherfore in that I holde hym lewed and nyce. 
648: For whan a man hath over-greet a wit, 
649: Ful oft hym happeth to mysusen it. 
650: So doothy my lord, and that me greveth soore; 
651: God it amende! I kan sey yow namoore. 
652: Ther-of no fors, good yeman, quod oure hoost; 
653: Syn of the konnyng of thy lord thow woost, 
654: Telle how he dooth, I pray thee hertely, 
655: Syn that he is so crafty and so sly. 
656: Where dwelle ye, if it to telle be? 
657: In the suburbes of a toun, quod he, 
658: Lurkynge in hernes and in lanes blynde, 
659: Wheras this robbours and thise theves by kynde 
660: Holden hir pryvee fereful residence, 
661: As they that dar nat shewen hir presence; 
662: So faren we, if I shal seye the sothe. 
663: Now, quod oure hoost, yit lat me talke to the. 
664: Why artow so discoloured of thy face? 
665: Peter! quod he, God yeve it harde grace, 
666: I am so used in the fyr to blowe 
667: That it hath chaunged my colour, I trowe. 
668: I am nat wont in no mirour to prie, 
669: But swynke soore and lerne multiplie. 
670: We blondren evere and pouren in the fir, 
671: And for al that we faille of oure desir, 
672: For evere we lakken oure conclusioun. 
673: To muchel folk we doon illusioun, 
674: And borwe gold, be it a pound or two, 
675: Or ten, or twelve, or manye sommes mo, 
676: And make hem wenen, at the leeste weye, 
677: That of a pound we koude make tweye. 
678: Yet is it fals, but ay we han good hope 
679: It for to doon, and after it we grope. 
680: But that science is so fer us biforn, 
681: We mowen nat, although we hadden it sworn, 
682: It overtake, it slit awey so faste. 
683: It wole us maken beggers atte laste. 
684: Whil this yeman was thus in his talkyng, 
685: This chanoun drough hym neer, and herde al thyng 
686: Which that this yeman spak, for suspecioun 
687: Of mennes speche evere hadde this chanoun. 
688: For catoun seith that he that gilty is 
689: Demeth alle thyng be spoke of hym, ywis. 
690: That was the cause he gan so ny hym drawe 
691: To his yeman, to herknen al his sawe. 
692: And thus he seyde unto his yeman tho: 
693: Hoold thou thy pees, and spek no wordes mo, 
694: For if thou do, thou shalt it deere abye. 
695: Thou sclaundrest me heere in this compaignye, 
696: And eek discoverest that thou sholdest hyde. 
697: Ye, quod oure hoost, telle on, what bityde. 
698: Of al his thretyng rekke nat a myte! 
699: In feith, quod he, namoore I do but lyte. 
700: And whan this chanon saugh it wolde nat bee, 
701: But his yeman wolde telle his pryvetee, 
702: He fledde awey for verray sorwe and shame. 
703: A! quod the yeman, heere shal arise game; 
704: Al that I kan anon now wol I telle. 
705: Syn he is goon, the foule feend hym quelle! 
706: For nevere heerafter wol I with hym meete 
707: For peny ne for pound, I yow biheete. 
708: He that me broghte first unto that game, 
709: Er that he dye, sorwe have he and shame! 
710: For it is ernest to me, by me feith; 
711: That feele I wel, what so any man seith. 
712: And yet, for al my smert and al my grief, 
713: For al my sorwe, labour, and meschief, 
714: I koude nevere leve it in no wise. 
715: Now wolde God my wit myghte suffise 
716: To tellen al that longeth to that art! 
717: But nathelees yow wol I tellen part. 
718: Syn that my lord is goon, I wol nat spare; 
719: Swich thyng as that I knowe, I wol declare.


The Canon Yeoman's Tale

Part I
720: With this chanoun I dwelt have seven yeer, 
721: And of his science am I never the neer. 
722: Al that I hadde I have lost therby, 
723: And, God woot, so hath many mo than I. 
724: Ther I was wont to be right fressh and gay 
725: Of clothyng and of oother good array, 
726: Now may I were an hose upon myn heed; 
727: And wher my colour was bothe fressh and reed 
728: Now is it wan and of a leden hewe -- 
729: Whoso it useth, soore shal he rewe! -- 
730: And of my swynk yet blered is myn ye. 
731: Lo! which avantage is to multiplie! 
732: That slidynge science hath me maad so bare 
733: That I have no good, wher that evere I fare; 
734: And yet I am endetted so therby, 
735: Of gold that I have borwed, trewely, 
736: That whil I lyve I shal it quite nevere. 
737: Lat every man be war by me for evere! 
738: What maner man that casteth hym therto, 
739: If he continue, I holde his thrift ydo. 
740: For so helpe me god, therby shal he nat wynne, 
741: But empte his purs, and make his wittes thynne. 
742: And whan he, thurgh his madnesse and folye, 
743: Hath lost his owene good thurgh jupartye, 
744: Thanne he exciteth oother folk therto, 
745: To lesen hir good, as he hymself hath do. 
746: For unto shrewes joye it is and ese 
747: To have hir felawes in peyne and disese. 
748: Thus was I ones lerned of a clerk. 
749: Of that no charge, I wol speke of oure werk. 
750: Whan we been there as we shul exercise 
751: Oure elvysshe craft, we semen wonder wise, 
752: Oure termes been so clerigal and so queynte. 
753: I blowe the fir til that myn herte feynte. 
754: What sholde I tellen ech proporcion 
755: Of thynges whiche that we werche upon 
756: As on fyve or sixe ounces, may wel be, 
757: Of silver, or som oother quantitee -- 
758: And bisye me to telle yow the names 
759: Of orpyment, brent bones, iren squames, 
760: That into poudre grounden been ful smal; 
761: And in an erthen pot how put is al, 
762: And salt yput in, and also papeer, 
763: Biforn thise poudres that I speke of heer; 
764: And wel ycovered with a lampe of glas; 
765: And of muche oother thyng which that ther was; 
766: And of the pot and glasses enlutyng, 
767: That of the eyr myghte passe out nothyng; 
768: And of the esy fir, and smart also, 
769: Which that was maad, and of the care and wo 
770: That we hadde in oure matires sublymyng, 
771: And in amalgamyng and calcenyng 
772: Of quyksilver, yclept mercurie crude? 
773: For alle oure sleightes we kan nat conclude. 
774: Oure orpyment and sublymed mercurie, 
775: Oure grounden litarge eek on the porfurie, 
776: Of ech of thise of ounces a certeyn -- 
777: Noght helpeth us, oure labour is in veyn. 
778: Ne eek oure spirites ascencioun, 
779: Ne oure materes that lyen al fix adoun, 
780: Mowe in oure werkyng no thyng us availle, 
781: For lost is al oure labour and travaille; 
782: And al the cost, a twenty devel waye, 
783: Is lost also, which we upon it laye. 
784: Ther is also ful many another thyng 
785: That is unto oure craft apertenyng. 
786: Though I by ordre hem nat reherce kan, 
787: By cause that I am a lewed man, 
788: Yet wol I telle hem as they come to mynde, 
789: Thogh I ne kan nat sette hem in hir kynde: 
790: As boole armonyak, verdegrees, boras, 
791: And sondry vessels maad of erthe and glas, 
792: Oure urynales and oure descensories, 
793: Violes, crosletz, and sublymatories, 
794: Cucurbites and alambikes eek, 
795: And othere swiche, deere ynough a leek. 
796: Nat nedeth it for to reherce hem alle, -- 
797: Watres rubifyng, and boles galle, 
798: Arsenyk, sal armonyak and brymstoon; 
799: And herbes koude I telle eek many oon, 
800: As egremoyne, valerian, and lunarie, 
801: And othere swiche, if that me liste tarie; 
802: Oure lampes brennyng bothe nyght and day, 
803: To brynge aboute oure purpos, if we may; 
804: Oure fourneys eek of calcinacioun, 
805: And of watres albificacioun; 
806: Unslekked lym,chalk, and gleyre of an ey, 
807: Poudres diverse, asshes, donge, pisse, and cley, 
808: Cered pokkets, sal peter, vitriole, 
809: And diverse fires maad of wode and cole; 
810: Sal tartre, alkaly, and sal preparat, 
811: And combust materes and coagulat; 
812: Cley maad with hors of mannes heer, and oille 
813: Of tartre, alum glas, berme, wort, and argoille, 
814: Resalgar, and oure materes enbibyng, 
815: And eek of oure materes encorporyng, 
816: And of oure silver citrinacioun, 
817: Oure cementyng and fermentacioun, 
818: Oure yngottes, testes, and many mo. 
819: I wol yow telle, as was me taught also, 
820: The foure spirites and the bodies sevene, 
821: By ordre, as ofte I herde my lord hem nevene. 
822: The firste spirit quyksilver called is, 
823: The seconde orpyment, the thridde, ywis, 
824: Sal armonyak, and the ferthe brymstoon. 
825: The bodyes sevene eek, lo! hem heere anoon: 
826: Sol gold is, and luna silver we threpe, 
827: Mars ire, mercurie quyksilver we clepe, 
828: Saturnus leed, and juppiter is tyn, 
829: And venus coper, by my fader kyn! 
830: This cursed craft whoso wole excercise, 
831: He shal no good han that hym may suffise; 
832: For al the good he spendeth theraboute 
833: He lese shal; therof have I no doute. 
834: Whoso that listeth outen his folie, 
835: Lat hym come forth and lerne multiplie; 
836: And every man that oght hath in his cofre, 
837: Lat hym appiere, and wexe a philosophre. 
838: Ascaunce that craft is so light to leere? 
839: Nay, nay, God woot, al be he monk or frere, 
840: Preest or chanoun, or any oother wyght, 
841: Though he sitte at his book bothe day and nyght 
842: In lernyng of this elvysshe nyce loore, 
843: Al is in veyn, and parde! muchel moore. 
844: To lerne a lewed man this subtiltee -- 
845: Fy! spek nat therof, for it wol nat bee; 
846: And konne he letterure, or konne he noon, 
847: As in effect, he shal fynde it al oon. 
848: For bothe two, by my savacioun, 
849: Concluden in multiplicacioun 
850: Ylike wel, whan they han al ydo; 
851: This is to seyn, they faillen bothe two. 
852: Yet forgat I to maken rehersaille 
853: Of watres corosif, and of lymaille, 
854: And of bodies mollificacioun, 
855: And also of hire induracioun; 
856: Oilles, ablucions, and metal fusible, -- 
857: To tellen al wolde passen any bible 
858: That owher is; wherfore, as for beste, 
859: Of alle thise names now wol I me reste. 
860: For, as I trowe, I have yow toold ynowe 
861: To reyse a feend, al looke he never so rowe. 
862: A!nay! lat be; the philosophres stoon, 
863: Elixer clept, we sechen faste echoon; 
864: For hadde we hym, thanne were we siker ynow. 
865: But unto God of hevene I make avow, 
866: For al oure craft, whan we han al ydo, 
867: And al oure sleighte, he wol nat come us to. 
868: He hath ymaad us spenden muchel good, 
869: For sorwe of which almoost we wexen wood, 
870: But that good hope crepeth in oure herte, 
871: Supposynge evere, though we sore smerte, 
872: To be releeved by hym afterward. 
873: Swich supposyng and hope is sharp and hard; 
874: I warne yow wel, it is to seken evere. 
875: That futur temps hath maad men to dissevere, 
876: In trust therof, from al that evere they hadde. 
877: Yet of that art they kan nat wexen sadde, 
878: For unto hem it is a bitter sweete, -- 
879: So semeth it, -- for nadde they but a sheete, 
880: Which that they myghte wrappe hem inne a-nyght, 
881: And a brat to walken inne by daylyght, 
882: They wolde hem selle and spenden on this craft. 
883: They kan nat stynte til no thyng be laft. 
884: And everemoore, where that evere they goon 
885: Men may hem knowe by smel of brymstoon. 
886: For al the world they stynken as a goot; 
887: Hir savour is so rammyssh and so hoot 
888: That though a man from hem a mile be, 
889: The savour wole infecte hym, trusteth me. 
890: And thus by smel, and by threedbare array, 
891: If that men liste, this folk they knowe may. 
892: And if a man wole aske hem pryvely 
893: Why they been clothed so unthriftily, 
894: They right anon wol rownen is his ere, 
895: And seyn that if that they espied were, 
896: Men wolde hem slee by cause of hir science. 
897: Lo, thus this folk bitrayen innocence! 
898: Passe over this; if go my tale unto. 
899: Er that the pot be on the fir ydo, 
900: Of metals with a certeyn quantitee, 
901: My lord hem tempreth, and no man be he -- 
902: Now he is goon, I dar seyn boldely -- 
903: For, as men seyn, he kan doon craftily. 
904: Algate I woot wel he hath swich a name, 
905: And yet ful ofte he renneth in a blame. 
906: And wite ye how? ful ofte it happeth so, 
907: The pot tobreketh, and farewel, al is go! 
908: Thise metals been of so greet violence, 
909: Oure walles mowe nat make hem resistence, 
910: But if they weren wroght of lym and stoon; 
911: They percen so, and thurgh the wal they goon. 
912: And somme of hem synken into the ground -- 
913: Thus han we lost by tymes many a pound -- 
914: And somme are scatered al the floor aboute; 
915: Somme lepe into the roof. Withouten doute, 
916: Though that the feend noght in oure sighte hym shewe, 
917: I trowe he with us be, that ilke shrewe! 
918: In helle, where that he lord is and sire, 
919: Nis ther moore wo, ne moore rancour ne ire. 
920: Whan that oure pot is broke, as I have sayd, 
921: Every man chit, and halt hym yvele apayd. 
922: Somme seyde it was long on the fir makyng; 
923: Somme seyde nay, it was on the blowyng, -- 
924: Thanne was I fered, for that was myn office. 
925: Straw! quod the thridde, ye been lewed and nyce. 
926: It was nat tempred as it oghte be. 
927: Nay, quod the fourthe, stynt and herkne me. 
928: By cause oure fir ne was nat maad of beech, 
929: That is the cause, and oother noon, so theech! 
930: I kan nat telle wheron it was long, 
931: But wel I woot greet strif is us among. 
932: What, quod my lord, ther is namoore to doone; 
933: Of thise perils I wol be war eftsoone. 
934: I am right siker that the pot was crased. 
935: Be as be may, be ye no thyng amased; 
936: As usage is, lat swepe the floor as swithe, 
937: Plukke up youre hertes, and beeth glad and blithe. 
938: The mullok on an heep ysweped was, 
939: And on the floor ycast a canevas, 
940: And al this mullok in a syve ythrowe, 
941: And sifted, and ypiked mayn a throwe. 
942: Pardee, quod oon, somwhat of oure metal 
943: Yet is ther heere, though that we han nat al. 
944: Although this thyng myshapped have as now, 
945: Another tyme it may be well ynow. 
946: Us moste putte oure good in aventure. 
947: A marchant, pardee, may nat ay endure, 
948: Trusteth me wel, in his prosperitee. 
949: Somtyme his good is drowned in the see, 
950: And somtyme comth it sauf unto the londe. 
951: Pees! quod my lord, the nexte tyme I wol fonde 
952: To bryngen oure craft al in another plite, 
953: And but I do, sires, lat me han the wite. 
954: Ther was defaute in somwhat, wel I woot, 
955: Another seyde the fir was over-hoot, -- 
956: But, be it hoot or coold, I dar seye this, 
957: That we concluden everemoore amys. 
958: We faille of that which that we wolden have, 
959: And in oure madnesse everemoore we rave. 
960: And whan we been togidres everichoon, 
961: Every man semeth a salomon. 
962: But al thyng which that shineth as the gold 
963: Nis nat gold, as that I have herd it told; 
964: Ne every appul that is fair at eye 
965: Ne is nat good, what so men clappe or crye. 
966: Right so, lo, fareth it amonges us: 
967: He that semeth the wiseste, by jhesus! 
968: Is moost fool, whan it cometh to the preef; 
969: And he that semeth trewest is the theef. 
970: That shul ye knowe, er that I fro yow wende, 
971: By that I of my tale have maad an ende. 
Explicit prima pars. 

Et sequitur pars secunda.
972: Ther is a chanoun of religioun 
973: Amounges us, wolde infecte al a toun, 
974: Thogh it as greet were as was nynyvee, 
975: Rome, alisaundre, troye, and othere three. 
976: His sleightes and his infinite falsnesse 
977: Ther koude no man writen, as I gesse, 
978: Though that he myghte lyve a thousand yeer. 
979: In al this world of falshede nis his peer; 
980: For in his termes he wol hym so wynde, 
981: And speke his wordes in so sly a kynde, 
982: Whanne he commune shal with any wight, 
983: That he wol make hym doten anonright, 
984: But it a feend be, as hymselven is. 
985: Ful many a man hath he bigiled er this, 
986: And wole, if that he lyve may a while; 
987: And yet men ride and goon ful many a mile 
988: Hym for to seke and have his aqueyntaunce, 
989: Noght knowynge of his false governaunce. 
990: And if yow list to yeve me audience, 
991: I wol it tellen heere in youre presence. 
992: But worshipful chanons religious, 
993: Ne demeth nat that I sclaundre youre hous, 
994: Although that my tale of a chanoun bee. 
995: Of every ordre som shrewe is, pardee, 
996: And God forbede that al a compaignye 
997: Sholde rewe o singuleer mannes folye. 
998: To sclaundre yow is no thyng myn entente, 
999: But to correcten that is mys I mente. 
1000: This tale was nat oonly toold for yow 
1001: But eek for othere mo; ye woot wel how 
1002: That among cristes apostelles twelve 
1003: Ther nas no traytour but judas hymselve. 
1004: Thanne why sholde al the remenant have a blame 
1005: That giltlees were? by yow I seye the same, 
1006: Save oonly this, if ye wol herke me: 
1007: If any judas in youre covent be, 
1008: Remoeveth hym bitymes, I yow rede, 
1009: If shame or los may causen any drede. 
1010: And beeth no thyng displesed, I yow preye, 
1011: But in this cas herkneth what I shal seye. 
1012: In londoun was a preest, an annueleer, 
1013: That therinne dwelled hadde mayn a yeer, 
1014: Which was so plesaunt and se servysable 
1015: Unto the wyf, where as he was at table, 
1016: That she wolde suffre hym no thyng for to paye 
1017: For bord ne clothyng, wente he never so gaye; 
1018: And spendyng silver hadde he right ynow. 
1019: Therof no fors; I wol procede as now, 
1020: And telle forth my tale of the chanoun 
1021: That broghte this preest to confusioun. 
1022: This false chanon cam upon a day 
1023: Unto this preestes chambre, wher he lay, 
1024: Bisechynge hym to lene hym a certeyn 
1025: Of gold, and he wolde quite it hym ageyn. 
1026: Leene me a marc, quod he, but dayes three, 
1027: And at my day I wol it quiten thee. 
1028: And if so be that thow me fynde fals, 
1029: Another day do hange me by the hals! 
1030: This preest hym took a marc, and that as swithe, 
1031: And this chanoun hym thanked ofte sithe, 
1032: And took his leve, and wente forth his weye, 
1033: And at the thridee day broghte his moneye, 
1034: And to the preest he took his gold agayn, 
1035: Wherof this preest was wonder glad and fayn. 
1036: Certes, quod he, no thyng anoyeth me 
1037: To lene a man a noble, or two, or thre, 
1038: Or what thyng were in my possessioun, 
1039: Whan he so trewe is of condicioun 
1040: That in no wise he breke wole his day; 
1041: To swich a man I kan never seye nay. 
1042: What! quod this chanoun, sholde I be untrewe? 
1043: Nay, that were thyng yfallen al of newe. 
1044: Trouthe is a thyng that I wol evere kepe 
1045: Unto that day in which that I shal crepe 
1046: Into my grave, and ellis God forbede. 
1047: Bileveth this as siker as your crede. 
1048: God thanke I, and in good tyme be it sayd, 
1049: That ther was nevere man yet yvele apayd 
1050: For gold ne silver that he to me lente, 
1051: Ne nevere falshede in myn herte I mente. 
1052: And sire, quod he, now of my pryvetee, 
1053: Syn ye so goodlich han been unto me, 
1054: And kithed to me so greet gentillesse, 
1055: Somwhat to quyte with youre kyndenesse 
1056: I wol yow shewe, and if yow list to leere, 
1057: I wol yow teche pleynly the manere 
1058: Yow I kan werken in philosophie. 
1059: Taketh good heede, ye shul wel seen at ye 
1060: That I wol doon a maistrie er I go. 
1061: Ye, quod the preest, ye, sire, and wol ye so? 
1062: Marie! therof I pray yow hertely. 
1063: At youre comandement, sire, trewely, 
1064: Quod the chanoun, and ellis God forbeede! 
1065: Loo, how this theef koude his service beede! 
1066: Ful sooth it is that swich profred servyse 
1067: Stynketh, as witnessen thise olde wyse, 
1068: And that, ful soone I wol it verifie 
1069: In this chanoun, roote of al trecherie, 
1070: That everemoore delit hath and gladnesse -- 
1071: Swiche feendly thoghtes in his herte impresse -- 
1072: How cristes peple he may to meschief brynge. 
1073: God kepe us from his false dissymulynge! 
1074: Noght wiste this preest with whom that he delte, 
1075: Ne of his harm comynge he no thyng felte. 
1076: O sely preest! o sely innocent! 
1077: With coveitise anon thou shalt be blent! 
1078: O gracelees, ful blynd is thy conceite, 
1079: No thyng ne artow war of the deceite 
1080: Which that this fox yshapen hath to thee! 
1081: His wily wrenches thou ne mayst nat flee. 
1082: Wherfore, to go to the conclusion, 
1083: That refereth to thy confusion, 
1084: Unhappy man, anon I wol me hye 
1085: To tellen thyn unwit and thy folye, 
1086: And eek the falsnesse of that oother wrecche, 
1087: As ferforth as that my konnyng wol strecche. 
1088: This chanon was my lord, ye wolden weene? 
1089: Sire hoost, in feith, and by the hevenes queene, 
1090: It was another chanoun, and nat hee, 
1091: That kan an hundred foold moore subtiltee. 
1092: He hath bitrayed folkes many tyme; 
1093: Of his falsnesse it dulleth me to ryme. 
1094: Evere whan that I speke of his falshede, 
1095: For shame of hym my chekes wexen rede. 
1096: Algates they bigynnen for to glowe, 
1097: For reednesse have I noon, right wel I knowe, 
1098: In my visage; for fumes diverse 
1099: Of metals, whiche ye han herd me reherce, 
1100: Consumed and wasted han my reednesse. 
1101: Now taak heede of this chanons cursednesse! 
1102: Sire, quod he to the preest, lat youre man gon 
1103: For quyksilver, that we it hadde anon; 
1104: And lat hym bryngen ounces two or three; 
1105: And whan he comth, as faste shal ye see 
1106: A wonder thyng, which ye saugh nevere er this. 
1107: Sire, quod the preest, it shal be doon, ywis. 
1108: He bad his servant fecchen hym this thyng, 
1109: And he al redy was at his biddyng, 
1110: And wente hym forth, and cam anon agayn 
1111: With this quyksilver, shortly for to sayn, 
1112: And took thise ounces thre to the chanoun; 
1113: And he hem leyde faire and wel adoun, 
1114: And bad the servant coles for to brynge, 
1115: That he anon myghte go to his werkynge. 
1116: The coles right anon weren yfet, 
1117: And this chanoun took out a crosselet 
1118: Of his bosom, and shewed it to the preest. 
1119: This instrument, quod he, which that thou seest, 
1120: Taak in thy hand, and put thyself therinne 
1121: Of this quyksilver an ounce, and heer bigynne, 
1122: In name of crist, to wexe a philosofre. 
1123: Ther been ful fewe to whiche I wolde profre 
1124: To shewen hem thus muche of my science. 
1125: For ye shul seen heer, by experience, 
1126: That this quyksilver I wol mortifye 
1127: Right in youre sighte anon, withouten lye, 
1128: And make it as good silver and as fyn 
1129: As ther is any in youre purs or myn, 
1130: Or elleswhere, and make it malliable; 
1131: And elles holdeth me fals and unable 
1132: Amonges folk for evere to appeere. 
1133: I have poudre heer, that coste me deere, 
1134: Shal make al good, for it is cause of al 
1135: My konnyng, which that I yow shewen shal. 
1136: Voyde youre man, and lat hym be theroute, 
1137: And shette the dore, whils we been aboute 
1138: Oure pryvetee, that no man us espie, 
1139: Whils that we werke in this philosophie. 
1140: Al as he bad fulfilled was in dede. 
1141: This ilke servant anonright out yede 
1142: And his maister shette the dore anon, 
1143: And to hire labour spedily the gon. 
1144: This preest, at this cursed chanons biddyng, 
1145: Upon the fir anon sette this thyng, 
1146: And blew the fir, and bisyed hym ful faste. 
1147: And this chanoun into the crosselet caste 
1148: A poudre, noot I wherof that it was 
1149: Ymaad, outher of chalk, outher of glas, 
1150: Or somwhat elles, was nat worth a flye, 
1151: To blynde with this preest; and bad hym hye 
1152: The coles for to couchen al above 
1153: The crosselet. For in tokenyng I thee love, 
1154: Quod this chanoun, thyne owene handes two 
1155: Shul werche al thyng which that shal heer be do. 
1156: Graunt mercy, quod the preest, and was ful glad, 
1157: And couched coles as that the chanoun bad. 
1158: And while he bisy was, this feendly wrecche, 
1159: This false chanoun -- the foule feend hym fecche! -- 
1160: Out of his bosom took a bechen cole, 
1161: In which ful subtilly was maad an hole, 
1162: And therinne put was of silver lemaille 
1163: An ounce, and stopped was, withouten faille, 
1164: This hole with wex, to kepe the lemaille in. 
1165: And understondeth that this false gyn 
1166: Was nat maad ther, but it was maad bifore; 
1167: And othere thynges I shal tellen moore 
1168: Herafterward, whiche that he with hym broghte. 
1169: Er he cam there, hym to bigile he thoghte, 
1170: And so he dide, er that they wente at wynne; 
1171: Til he had terved hym, koude he nat blynne. 
1172: It dulleth me whan that I of hym speke. 
1173: On his falshede fayn wolde I me wreke, 
1174: If I wiste how, but he is heere and there; 
1175: He is so variaunt, be abit nowhere. 
1176: But taketh heed now, sires, for goddes love! 
1177: He took his cole of which I spak above, 
1178: And in his hand he baar it pryvely. 
1179: And whiles the preest couched bisily 
1180: The coles, as I tolde yow er this, 
1181: This chanoun seyde, freend, ye doon amys. 
1182: This is nat couched as it oghte be; 
1183: But soone I shal amenden it, quod he. 
1184: Now lat me medle therwith but a while, 
1185: For of yow have I pitee, by seint gile! 
1186: Ye been right hoot; I se wel how ye swete. 
1187: Have heere a clooth, and wipe awey the wete. 
1188: And whiles that the preest wiped his face, 
1189: This chanoun took his cole -- with sory grace! -- 
1190: And leyde it above upon the myddeward 
1191: Of the crosselet, and blew wel afterward, 
1192: Til that the coles gonne faste brenne. 
1193: Now yeve us drynke, quod the chanoun thenne; 
1194: As swithe al shal be wel, I undertake. 
1195: Sitte we doun, and lat us myrie make. 
1196: And whan that this chanounes bechen cole 
1197: Was brent, al the lemaille out of the hole 
1198: Into the crosselet fil anon adoun; 
1199: And as it moste nedes, by resoun, 
1200: Syn it so even aboven it couched was. 
1201: But therof wiste the preest nothyng, alas! 
1202: He demed alle the coles yliche good; 
1203: For of that sleighte he nothyng understood. 
1204: And whan this alkamystre saugh his tyme, 
1205: Ris up, quod he, sire preest, and stondeth by me; 
1206: And for I woot wel ingot have ye noon, 
1207: Gooth, walketh forth, and brynge us a chalk stoon; 
1208: For I wol make it of the same shap 
1209: That is an ingot, if I may han hap. 
1210: And bryngeth eek with yow a bolle or a panne 
1211: Ful of water, and ye shul se wel thanne 
1212: How that oure bisynesse shal thryve and preeve. 
1213: And yet, for ye shul han no mysbileeve 
1214: New wrong conceite of me in youre absence, 
1215: I ne wol nat been out of youre presence, 
1216: But go with yow, and come with yow ageyn. 
1217: The chambre dore, shortly for to seyn, 
1218: They opened and shette, and wente hir weye. 
1219: And forth with hem they carieden the keye, 
1220: And coome agayn withouten any delay. 
1221: What sholde I tarien al the longe day? 
1222: He took the chalk, and shoop it in the wise 
1223: Of an ingot, as I shal yow devyse. 
1224: I seye, he took out of his owene sleeve 
1225: A teyne of silver -- yvele moot he cheeve! -- 
1226: Which that ne was nat but an ounce of weighte. 
1227: And taaketh heede now of his cursed sleighte! 
1228: He shoop his ingot, in lengthe and in breede 
1229: Of this teyne, withouten any drede, 
1230: So slyly that the preest it nat espide, 
1231: And in his sleve agayn he gan it hide, 
1232: And fro the fir he took up his mateere, 
1233: And in th' yngot putte it with myrie cheere, 
1234: And in the water-vessel he it caste, 
1235: Whan that hym luste, and bad the preest as faste, 
1236: Loke what ther is, put in thyn hand and grope. 
1237: Thow fynde shalt ther silver, as I hope. 
1238: What, devel of helle! sholde it elles be? 
1239: Shaving of silver silver is, pardee! 
1240: He putte his hand in and took up a teyne 
1241: Of silver fyn, and glad in every veyne 
1242: Was this preest, whan he saugh that it was so. 
1243: Goddes blessyng, and his moodres also, 
1244: And alle halwes, have ye, sire chanoun, 
1245: Seyde the preest, and I hir malisoun, 
1246: But, and ye vouche-sauf to techen me 
1247: This noble craft and this subtilitee, 
1248: I wol be youre in al that evere I may. 
1249: Quod the chanoun, yet wol I make assay 
1250: The seconde tyme, that ye may taken heede 
1251: And been expert of this, and in youre neede 
1252: Another day assaye in myn absence 
1253: This disciplyne and this crafty science. 
1254: Lat take another ounce, quod he tho, 
1255: Of quyksilver, withouten wordes mo, 
1256: And do therwith as ye han doon er this 
1257: With that oother, which that now silver is. 
1258: This preest hym bisieth in al that he kan 
1259: To doon as this chanoun, this cursed man, 
1260: Comanded hym, and faste he blew the fir, 
1261: For to come to th' effect of his desir. 
1262: And this chanon, right in the meene while, 
1263: Al redy was this preest eft to bigile, 
1264: And for a contenaunce in his hand he bar 
1265: An holwe stikke -- taak kep and be war! -- 
1266: In the ende of which an ounce, and namoore, 
1267: Of silver lemaille put was, as bifore 
1268: Was in his cole, and stopped with wex weel 
1269: For to kepe in his lemaille every deel. 
1270: And whil this preest was in his bisynesse, 
1271: This chanoun with his stikke gan hym dresse 
1272: To hym anon, and his poudre caste in 
1273: As he dide er -- the devel out of his skyn 
1274: Hym terve, I pray to god, for his falshede! 
1275: For he was evere fals in thoght and dede -- 
1276: And with this stikke, above the crosselet, 
1277: That was ordeyned with that false jet 
1278: He stired the coles til relente gan 
1279: The wex agayn the fir, as every man, 
1280: But it a fool be, woot wel it moot nede, 
1281: And al that in the stikke was out yede, 
1282: And in the crosselet hastily it fel. 
1283: Now, good sires, what wol ye bet than wel? 
1284: Whan that this preest thus was bigiled ageyn, 
1285: Supposynge noght but treuthe, sooth to seyn, 
1286: He was so glad that I kan nat expresse 
1287: In no manere his myrthe and his gladnesse; 
1288: And to the chanoun he profred eftsoone 
1289: Body and good. Ye, quod the chanoun soone, 
1290: Though poure I be, crafty thou shalt me fynde. 
1291: I warne thee, yet is ther moore bihynde. 
1292: Is ther any coper herinne? seyde he. 
1293: Ye, quod the preest, sire, I trowe wel ther be. 
1294: Elles go bye us som, and that as swithe; 
1295: Now, goode sire, go forth thy wey and hy the. 
1296: He wente his wey, and with the coper cam, 
1297: And this chanon it in his handes nam, 
1298: And of that coper weyed out but an ounce. 
1299: Al to symple is my tonge to pronounce, 
1300: As ministre of my wit, the doublenesse 
1301: Of this chanoun, roote of alle cursednesse! 
1302: He semed freendly to hem that knewe hym noght, 
1303: But he was feendly bothe in werk and thoght. 
1304: It weerieth me to telle of his falsnesse, 
1305: And nathelees yet wol I it expresse, 
1306: To th' entente that men may be war therby, 
1307: And for noon oother cause, trewely. 
1308: He putte this ounce of coper in the crosselet, 
1309: And on the fir as swithe he hath it set, 
1310: And caste in poudre, and made the preest to blowe, 
1311: And in his werkyng for to stoupe lowe, 
1312: As he dide er, -- and al nas but a jape; 
1313: Right as hym liste, the preest he made his ape! 
1314: And afterward in the ingot he it caste, 
1315: And in the panne putte it at the laste 
1316: Of water, and in he putte his owene hand, 
1317: And in his sleve (as ye biforen-hand 
1318: Herde me telle) he hadde a silver teyne. 
1319: He slyly took it out, this cursed heyne, 
1320: Unwityng this preest of his false craft, 
1321: And in the pannes botme he hath it laft; 
1322: And in the water rombled to and fro, 
1323: And wonder pryvely took up also 
1324: The coper teyne, noght knowynge this preest, 
1325: And hidde it, and hym hente by the breest, 
1326: And to hym spak, and thus seyde in his game: 
1327: Stoupeth adoun, by god, ye be to balme! 
1328: Helpeth me now, as I dide yow whileer; 
1329: Putte in youre hand, and looketh what is theer. 
1330: This preest took up this silver teyne anon, 
1331: And thanne seyde the chanoun, lat us gon 
1332: With thise thre teynes, whiche that we han wroght, 
1333: To som goldsmyth, and wite if they been oght. 
1334: For, by my feith, I nolde, for myn hood, 
1335: But if that they were silver fyn and good, 
1336: And that as swithe preeved it shal bee. 
1337: Unto the goldsmyth with thise teynes three 
1338: They wente, and putte thise teynes in assay 
1339: Fo fir and hamer; myghte no man seye nay, 
1340: But that they weren as hem oghte be. 
1341: This sotted preest, who was gladder than he? 
1342: Was nevere brid gladder agayn the day, 
1343: Ne nyghtyngale, in the sesoun of may, 
1344: Was nevere noon that luste bet to synge; 
1345: Ne lady lustier in carolynge, 
1346: Or for to speke of love and wommanhede, 
1347: Ne knyght in armes to doon an hardy dede, 
1348: To stonden in grace of his lady deere, 
1349: Than hadde this preest this soory craft to leere. 
1350: And to the chanoun thus he spak and seyde: 
1351: For love of god, that for us alle deyde, 
1352: And as I may deserve it unto yow, 
1353: What shal this receite coste? telleth now! 
1354: By oure lady, quod this chanon, it is deere, 
1355: I warne yow wel; for save I and a frere, 
1356: In engelond ther kan no man it make. 
1357: No fors, quod he, now, sire, for goddes sake, 
1358: What shal I paye? telleth me, I preye. 
1359: Ywis, quod he, it is ful deere, I seye. 
1360: Sire, at o word, if that thee list it have, 
1361: Ye shul paye fourty pound, so God me save! 
1362: And nere the freendshipe that ye dide er this 
1363: To me, ye sholde paye moore, ywis. 
1364: This preest the somme of fourty pound anon 
1365: Of nobles fette, and took hem everichon 
1366: To this chanoun, for this ilke receite. 
1367: Al his werkyng nas but fraude and deceite. 
1368: Sire preest, he seyde, I kepe han no loos 
1369: Of my craft, for I wolde it kept were cloos; 
1370: And, as ye love me, kepeth it secree. 
1371: For, and men knewen al my soutiltee, 
1372: By god, they wolden han so greet envye 
1373: To me, by cause of my philosophye, 
1374: I sholde be deed; ther were noon oother weye. 
1375: God it forbeede, quod the preest, what sey ye? 
1376: Yet hadde I levere spenden al the good 
1377: Which that I have, and elles wexe I wood, 
1378: Than that ye sholden falle in swich mescheef. 
1379: For youre good wyl, sire, have ye right good preef, 
1380: Quod the chanoun, and farwel, grant mercy! 
1381: He wente his wey, and never the preest hym sy 
1382: After that day; and whan that this preest shoolde 
1383: Maken assay, at swich tyme as he wolde, 
1384: Of this receit, farwel! it wolde nat be. 
1385: Lo, thus byjaped and bigiled was he! 
1386: Thus maketh he his introduccioun, 
1387: To brynge folk to hir destruccioun. 
1388: Considereth, sires, how that, in ech estaat, 
1389: Bitwixe men and gold ther is debaat 
1390: So ferforth that unnethes is ther noon. 
1391: This multiplying blent so many oon 
1392: That in good feith I trowe that it bee 
1393: The cause grettest of swich scarsetee. 
1394: Philosophres speken so mystily 
1395: In this craft that men kan nat come therby, 
1396: For any wit that men han now-a-dayes. 
1397: They mowe wel chiteren as doon thise jayes, 
1398: And in hir termes sette hir lust and peyne, 
1399: But to hir purpos shul they nevere atteyne. 
1400: A man may lightly lerne, if he have aught, 
1401: To multiplie, and brynge his good to naught! 
1402: Lo! swich a lucre is in this lusty game, 
1403: A mannes myrthe it wol turne unto grame, 
1404: And empten also grete and hevye purses, 
1405: And maken folk for to purchacen curses 
1406: Of hem that han hir good therto ylent. 
1407: O! fy, for shame! they that han been brent, 
1408: Allas! kan they nat flee the fires heete? 
1409: Ye that it use, I rede ye it leete, 
1410: Lest ye lese al; for bet than nevere is late. 
1411: Nevere to thryve were to long a date. 
1412: Though ye prolle ay, ye shul it nevere fynde. 
1413: Ye been as boold as is bayard the blynde, 
1414: That blondreth forth, and peril casteth noon. 
1415: He is as boold to renne agayn a stoon 
1416: As for to goon bisides in the weye. 
1417: So faren ye that multiplie, I seye. 
1418: If that youre eyen kan nat seen aright, 
1419: Looke that youre mynde lakke noght his sight. 
1420: For though ye looken never so brode and stare, 
1421: Ye shul nothyng wynne on that chaffare, 
1422: But wasten al that ye may rape and renne. 
1423: Withdraweth the fir, lest it to faste brenne; 
1424: Medleth namoore with that art, I mene, 
1425: For if ye doon, youre thrift is goon ful clene. 
1426: And right as swithe I wol yow tellen heere 
1427: What philosophres seyn in this mateere. 
1428: Lo, thus seith arnold of the newe toun, 
1429: As his rosarie maketh mencioun; 
1430: He seith right thus, withouten any lye: 
1431: Ther may no man mercurie mortifie 
1432: But it be with his brother knowlechyng. 
1433: How be that he which that first seyde this thyng 
1434: Of philosophres fader was, hermes -- 
1435: He seith how that the dragon, doutelees, 
1436: Ne dyeth nat, but if that he be slayn 
1437: With his brother; and that is for to sayn, 
1438: By the dragon, mercurie, and noon oother 
1439: He understood, and brymstoon by his brother, 
1440: That out of sol and luna were ydrawe. 
1441: And therfore, seyde he, -- taak heede to my sawe -- 
1442: Lat no man bisye hym this art for to seche, 
1443: But if that he th' entencioun and speche 
1444: Of philosophres understonde kan; 
1445: And if he do, he is a lewed man. 
1446: For this science and this konnyng, quod he, 
1447: Is of the secree of secrees, pardee. 
1448: Also ther was a disciple of plato, 
1449: That on a tyme seyde his maister to, 
1450: As his book senior wol bere witnesse, 
1451: And this was his demande in soothfastnesse: 
1452: Telle me the name of the privee stoon? 
1453: And plato answerde unto hym anoon, 
1454: Take the stoon that titanos men name. 
1455: Which is that? quod he. Magnasia is the same, 
1456: Seyde plato. Ye, sire, and is it thus? 
1457: This is ignotum per ignocius. 
1458: What is magnasia, good sire, I yow preye? 
1459: It is a water that is maad, I seye, 
1460: Of elementes foure, quod plato. 
1461: Telle me the roote, good sire, quod he tho, 
1462: Of that water, if it be youre wil. 
1463: Nay, nay, quod plato, certein, that I nyl. 
1464: The philosophres sworn were everychoon 
1465: That they sholden discovere it unto noon, 
1466: Ne in no book it write in no manere. 
1467: For unto crist it is so lief and deere 
1468: That he wol nat that it discovered bee, 
1469: But where it liketh to his deitee 
1470: Men for t' enspire, and eek for to deffende 
1471: Whom that hym liketh; lo, this is the ende. 
1472: Thanne conclude I thus, sith that God of hevene 
1473: Ne wil nat that the philosophres nevene 
1474: How that a man shal come unto this stoon, 
1475: I rede, as for the beste, lete it goon. 
1476: For whoso maketh God his adversarie, 
1477: As for to werken any thyng in contrarie 
1478: Of his wil, certes, never shal he thryve, 
1479: Thogh that he multiplie terme of his lyve. 
1480: And there a poynt; for ended is my tale. 
1481: God sende every trewe man boote of his bale! 

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