The Friar's Prologue
1265: This worthy lymytour, this noble frere, 
1266: He made alwey a maner louryng chiere 
1267: Upon the somonour, but for honestee 
1268: No vileyns word as yet to hym spak he. 
1269: But atte laste he seyde unto the wyf, 
1270: Dame, quod he, God yeve yow right good lyf! 
1271: Ye han heer touched, also moot I thee, 
1272: In scole-matere greet difficultee. 
1273: Ye han seyd muche thyng right wel, I seye; 
1274: But, dame, heere as we ryde by the weye, 
1275: Us nedeth nat to speken but of game, 
1276: And lete auctoritees, on goddes name, 
1277: To prechyng and to scole eek of clergye. 
1278: But if it lyke to this compaignye, 
1279: I wol yow of a somonour telle a game. 
1280: Pardee, ye may wel knowe by the name 
1281: That of a somonour may no good be sayd; 
1282: I praye that noon of you be yvele apayd. 
1283: A somonour is a rennere up and doun 
1284: With mandementz for fornicacioun, 
1285: And is ybet at every townes ende. 
1286: Oure hoost tho spak, a! sire, ye sholde be hende 
1287: And curteys, as a man of youre estaat; 
1288: In compaignye we wol have no debaat. 
1289: Telleth youre tale, and lat the somonour be. 
1290: Nay, quod the somonour, lat hym seye to me 
1291: What so hym list; whan it comth to me lot, 
1292: By god! I shal hym quiten every grot. 
1293: I shal hym tellen which a greet honour 
1294: It is to be a flaterynge lymytour; 
1295: And eek of many another manere cryme 
1296: Which nedeth nat rehercen at this tyme; 
1297: And his office I shal hym telle, ywis. 
1298: Oure hoost answerde, pees, namoore of this! 
1299: And after this he seyde unto the frere, 
1300: Tel forth youre tale, my leeve maister deere.

The Friar's Tale
1301: Whilom ther was dwellynge in my contree 
1302: And erchedeken, a man of heigh degree, 
1303: That boldely dide execucioun 
1304: In punysshynge of fornicacioun, 
1305: Of wicchecraft, and eek of bawderye, 
1306: Of difamacioun, and avowtrye, 
1307: Of chirche reves, and of testamentz, 
1308: Of contractes and of lakke of sacramentz, 
1309: Of usure, and of symonye also. 
1310: But certes, lecchours dide he grettest wo; 
1311: They sholde syngen if that they were hent; 
1312: And smale tytheres weren foule yshent, 
1313: If any persoun wolde upon hem pleyne. 
1314: Ther myghte asterte hym no pecunyal peyne. 
1315: For smale tithes and for smal offrynge 
1316: He made the peple pitously to synge. 
1317: For er the bisshop caughte hem with his hook, 
1318: They weren in the erchedeknes book. 
1319: Thanne hadde he, thurgh his jurisdiccioun, 
1320: Power to doon on hem correccioun. 
1321: He hadde a somonour redy to his hond; 
1322: A slyer boye nas noon in engelond; 
1323: For subtilly he hadde his espiaille, 
1324: That taughte hym wel wher that hym myghte availle. 
1325: He koude spare of lecchours oon or two, 
1326: To techen hym to foure and twenty mo. 
1327: For thogh this somonour wood were as an hare, 
1328: To telle his harlotrye I wol nat spare; 
1329: For we been out of his correccioun. 
1330: They han of us no jurisdiccioun, 
1331: Ne nevere shullen, terme of alle hir lyves. -- 
1332: Peter! so been the wommen of the styves, 
1333: Quod the somonour, yput out of oure cure! 
1334: Pees! with myschance and with mysaventure! 
1335: Thys seyde oure hoost, and lat hym telle his tale. 
1336: Now telleth forth, thogh that the somonour gale; 
1337: Ne spareth nat, myn owene maister deere. -- 
1338: This false theef, this somonour, quod the frere, 
1339: Hadde alwey bawdes redy to his hond, 
1340: As any hauk to lure in engelond, 
1341: That tolde hym al the secree that they knewe; 
1342: For hire acqueyntace was nat come of newe. 
1343: They weren his approwours prively. 
1344: He took hymself a greet profit therby; 
1345: His maister knew nat alwey what he wan. 
1346: Withouten mandement a lewed man 
1347: He koude somne, on peyne of cristes curs, 
1348: And they were glade for to fille his purs, 
1349: And make hym grete feestes atte nale. 
1350: And right as judas hadde purses smale, 
1351: And was a theef, right swich a theef was he; 
1352: His maister hadde but half his duetee. 
1353: He was, if I shal yeven hym his laude, 
1354: A theef, and eek a somnour, and baude. 
1355: He hadde eek wenches at his retenue, 
1356: That, wheither that sir robert or sir huwe, 
1357: Or jakke, or rauf, or whoso that it were 
1358: That lay by hem, they tolde it in his ere. 
1359: Thus was the wenche and he of oon assent; 
1360: And he wolde fecche a feyned mandement, 
1361: And somne hem to chapitre bothe two, 
1362: And pile the man, and lete the wenche go. 
1363: Thanne wolde he seye, freend, I shal for thy sake 
1364: Do striken hire out of oure lettres blake; 
1365: Thee thar namoore as in this cas travaille. 
1366: I am thy freend, ther I thee may availle. 
1367: Certeyn he knew of briberyes mo 
1368: Than possible is to telle in yeres two. 
1369: For in this world nys dogge for the bowe 
1370: That kan an hurt deer from an hool yknowe 
1371: Bet than this somnour knew a sly lecchour, 
1372: Or an avowtier, or a paramour. 
1373: And for that was the fruyt of al his rente, 
1374: Therfore on it he sette al his entente. 
1375: And so bifel that ones on a day 
1376: This somnour, evere waityng on his pray, 
1377: Rood for to somne an old wydwe, a ribibe, 
1378: Feynynge a cause, for he wolde brybe. 
1379: And happed that he saugh bifore hym ryde 
1380: A gay yeman, under a forest syde, 
1381: A bowe he bar, and arwes brighte and kene; 
1382: He hadde upon a courtepy of grene, 
1383: An hat upon his heed with frenges blake. 
1384: Sire, quod this somnour, hayl, and wel atake! 
1385: Welcome, quod he, and every good felawe! 
1386: Wher rydestow, under this grene-wode shawe? 
1387: Seyde this yeman, wiltow fer to day? 
1388: This somnour hym answerde and seyde, nay; 
1389: Heere faste by, quod he, is myn entente 
1390: To ryden, for to reysen up a rente 
1391: That longeth to my lordes duetee. 
1392: Artow thanne a bailly? ye, quod he. 
1393: He dorste nat, for verray filthe and shame 
1394: Seye that he was a somonour, for the name. 
1395: Depardieux, quod this yeman, deere broother, 
1396: Thou art a bailly, and I am another. 
1397: I am unknowen as in this contree; 
1398: Of thyn aqueyntance I wolde praye thee, 
1399: And eek of bretherhede, if that yow leste. 
1400: I have gold and silver in my cheste; 
1401: If that thee happe to comen in oure shire, 
1402: Al shal be thyn, right as thou wolt desire. 
1403: Grantmercy, quod this somonour, by my feith! 
1404: Everych on ootheres hand his trouthe leith, 
1405: For to be sworne bretheren til they deye. 
1406: In daliance they ryden forth and pleye. 
1407: This somonour, which that was as ful of jangles, 
1408: As ful of venym been thise waryangles, 
1409: And evere enqueryng upon every thyng, 
1410: Brother, quod he, where is now youre dwellyng 
1411: Another day if that I sholde yow seche? 
1412: This yeman hym answerde in softe speche, 
1413: Brother, quod he, fer in the north contree, 
1414: Where-as I hope som tyme I shal thee see. 
1415: Er we departe, I shal thee so wel wisse 
1416: That of myn hous ne shaltow nevere mysse. 
1417: Now, brother, quod this somonour, I yow preye, 
1418: Teche me, whil that we ryden by the weye, 
1419: Syn that ye been a baillif as am I, 
1420: Som subtiltee, and tel me feithfully 
1421: In myn office how that I may moost wynne; 
1422: And spareth nat for conscience ne synne, 
1423: But as my brother tel me, how do ye. 
1424: Now, by my trouthe, brother deere, seyde he, 
1425: As I shal tellen thee a feithful tale, 
1426: My wages been ful streite and ful smale. 
1427: My lord is hard to me and daungerous, 
1428: And myn office is ful laborous, 
1429: And therfore by extorcions I lyve. 
1430: For sothe, I take al that men wol me yive. 
1431: Algate,by gleyghte or by violence, 
1432: Fro yeer to yeer I wynne al my dispence. 
1433: I kan no bettre telle, feithfully. 
1434: Now certes, quod this somonour, so fare I. 
1435: I spare nat to taken, God it woot, 
1436: But if it be to hevy or to hoot. 
1437: What I may gete in conseil prively, 
1438: No maner conscience of that have I. 
1439: Nere myn extorcioun, I myghte nat lyven, 
1440: Ne of swiche japes wol I nat be shryven. 
1441: Stomak ne conscience ne knowe I noon; 
1442: I shrewe thise shrifte-fadres everychoon. 
1443: Wel be we met, by God and by seint jame! 
1444: But, leeve brother, tel me thanne thy name, 
1445: Quod this somonour. In this meene while 
1446: This yeman gan a litel for to smyle. 
1447: Brother, quod he, wiltow that I thee telle? 
1448: I am a feend; my dwellyng is in helle, 
1449: And heere I ryde aboute my purchasyng, 
1450: To wite wher men wol yeve me any thyng. 
1451: My purchas is th' effect of al my rente. 
1452: Looke how thou rydest for the same entente, 
1453: To wynne good, thou rekkest nevere how; 
1454: Right so fare I, for ryde wolde I now 
1455: Unto the worldes ende for a preye. 
1456: Al! quod this somonour, benedicite! sey ye? 
1457: I wende ye were a yeman trewely. 
1458: Ye han a mannes shap as wel as I; 
1459: Han ye a figure thanne determinat 
1460: In helle, ther ye been in youre estat? 
1461: Nay, certeinly, quod he, ther have we noon; 
1462: But whan us liketh, we kan take us oon, 
1463: Or elles make yow seme we been shape 
1464: Somtyme lyk a man, or lyk an ape, 
1465: Or lyk an angel kan I ryde or go. 
1466: It is no wonder thyng thogh it be so; 
1467: A lowsy jogelour kan deceyve thee, 
1468: And pardee, yet kan I moore craft than he. 
1469: Why, quod this somonour, ryde ye thanne or goon 
1470: In sondry shap, and nat alwey in oon? 
1471: For we, quod he, wol us swiche formes make 
1472: As moost able is oure preyes for to take. 
1473: What maketh yow to han al this labour? 
1474: Ful many a cause, leeve sire somonour, 
1475: Seyde this feend, but alle thyng hath tyme. 
1476: The day is short, and it is passed pryme, 
1477: And yet ne wan I nothyng in this day. 
1478: I wol entende to wynnyng, if I may, 
1479: And nat entende oure wittes to declare. 
1480: For, brother myn, thy wit is al to bare 
1481: To understonde, althogh I tolde hem thee. 
1482: But, for thou axest why labouren we -- 
1483: For somtyme we been goddes instrumentz, 
1484: And meenes to doon his comandementz, 
1485: Whan that hym list, upon his creatures, 
1486: In divers art and in diverse figures. 
1487: Withouten hym we have no myght, certayn, 
1488: If that hym list stonden ther-agayn. 
1489: And somtyme, at oure prayere, han we leve 
1490: Oonly the body and nat the soule greve; 
1491: Witnesse on job, whom that we diden wo. 
1492: And somtyme han we myght of bothe two, 
1493: This is to seyn, of soule and body eke. 
1494: And somtyme be we suffred for to seke 
1495: Upon a man, and doon his soule unreste, 
1496: And nat his body, and al is for the beste. 
1497: Whan he withstandeth oure temptacioun, 
1498: It is a cause of his savacioun, 
1499: Al be it that it was nat oure entente 
1500: He sholde be sauf, but that we wolde hym hente. 
1501: And somtyme be we servant unto man, 
1502: As to the erchebisshop seint dunstan, 
1503: And to the apostles servent eek was I. 
1504: Yet tel me, quod the somonour, feithfully, 
1505: Make ye yow newe bodies thus alway 
1506: Of elementz? the feend answerde, nay. 
1507: Somtyme we feyne, and somtyme we aryse 
1508: With dede bodyes, in ful sondry wyse, 
1509: And speke as renably and faire and wel 
1510: As to the phitonissa dide samuel. 
1511: (and yet wol som men seye it was nat he; 
1512: I do no fors of youre dyvynytee.) 
1513: But o thyng warne I thee, I wol nat jape, -- 
1514: Thou wolt algates wite how we been shape; 
1515: Thou shalt herafterward, my brother deere, 
1516: Come there thee nedeth nat of me to leere. 
1517: For thou shalt, by thyn owene experience, 
1518: Konne in a chayer rede of this sentence 
1519: Bet than virgile, while he was on lyve, 
1520: Or dant also. Now lat us ryde blyve, 
1521: For I wole holde compaignye with thee 
1522: Til it be so that thou forsake me. 
1523: Nay, quod this somonour, that shal nat bityde! 
1524: I am a yeman, knowen is ful wyde; 
1525: My trouthe wol I holde, as in this cas. 
1526: For though thou were the devel sathanas, 
1527: My trouthe wol I holde to my brother, 
1528: As I am sworn, and ech of us til oother, 
1529: For to be trewe brother in this cas; 
1530: And bothe we goon abouten oure purchas. 
1531: Taak thou thy part, what that men wol thee yive, 
1532: And I shal myn; thus may we bothe lyve. 
1533: And if that any of us have moore than oother, 
1534: Lat hym be trewe, and parte it with his brother. 
1535: I graunte, quod the devel, by my fey. 
1536: And with that word they ryden forth hir wey. 
1537: And right at the entryng of the townes ende, 
1538: To which this somonour shoop hym for to wende, 
1539: They saugh a cart that charged was with hey, 
1540: Which that a cartere droof forth in his wey. 
1541: Deep was the wey, for which the carte stood. 
1542: The cartere smoot, and cryde as he were wood, 
1543: Hayt, brok! hayt, scot! what spare ye for the stones? 
1544: The feend, quod he, yow fecche, body and bones, 
1545: As ferforthly as evere were ye foled, 
1546: So muche wo as I have with yow tholed! 
1547: The devel have al, bothe hors and cart and hey! 
1548: This somonour seyde, heere shal we have a pley. 
1549: And neer the feend he drough, as noght ne were, 
1550: Ful prively, and rowned in his ere: 
1551: Herkne, my brother, herkne, by thy feith! 
1552: Herestow nat how that the cartere seith? 
1553: Hent it anon, for he hath yeve it thee, 
1554: Bothe hey and cart, and eek his caples thre. 
1555: Nay, quod the devel, God woot, never a deel! 
1556: It is nat his entente, trust me weel. 
1557: Axe hym thyself, it thou nat trowest me; 
1558: Or elles stynt a while, and thou shalt see. 
1559: This cartere thakketh his hors upon the croupe, 
1560: And they bigonne to drawen and to stoupe. 
1561: Heyt! now, quod he, ther jhesu crist yow blesse, 
1562: And al his handwerk, bothe moore and lesse! 
1563: That was wel twight, myn owene lyard boy. 
1564: I pray God save thee, and seinte loy! 
1565: Now is my cart out of the slow, pardee! 
1566: Lo, brother, quod the feend, what tolde I thee? 
1567: Heere may ye se, myn owene deere brother, 
1568: The carl spak oo thing, but he thoghte another. 
1569: Lat us go forth abouten oure viage; 
1570: Heere wynne I nothyng upon cariage. 
1571: Whan that they coomen somwhat out of towne, 
1572: This somonour to his brother gan to rowne: 
1573: Brother, quod he, heere woneth an old rebekke, 
1574: That hadde almoost as lief to lese hire nekke 
1575: As for to yeve a peny of hir good. 
1576: I wole han twelf pens, though that she be wood, 
1577: Or I wol sompne hire unto oure office; 
1578: And yet, God woot, of hire knowe I no vice. 
1579: But for thou kanst nat, as in this contree, 
1580: Wynne thy cost, taak heer ensample of me. 
1581: This somonour clappeth at the wydwes gate. 
1582: Com out, quod he, thou olde virytrate! 
1583: I trowe thou hast som frere or preest with thee. 
1584: Who clappeth? seyde this wyf, benedicitee! 
1585: God save you, sire, what is youre sweete wille? 
1586: I have, quod he, of somonce here a bille; 
1587: Up peyne of cursyng, looke that thou be 
1588: To-morn bifore the erchedeknes knee, 
1589: T' answere to the court of certeyn thynges. 
1590: Now, lord, quod she, crist jhesu, kyng of kynges, 
1591: So wisly helpe me, as I ne may. 
1592: I have been syk, and that ful many a day. 
1593: I may nat go so fer, quod she, ne ryde, 
1594: But I be deed, so priketh it in my syde. 
1595: May I nat axe a libel, sire somonour, 
1596: And answere there by my procuratour 
1597: To swich thyng as men wole opposen me? 
1598: Yis, quod this somonour, pay anon, lat se, 
1599: Twelf pens to me, and I wol thee acquite. 
1600: I shal no profit han therby but lite; 
1601: My maister hath the profit, and nat I. 
1602: Com of, and lat me ryden hastily; 
1603: Yif me twelf pens, I may no lenger tarye. 
1604: Twelf pens! quod she, now, lady seinte marie 
1605: So wisly help me out of care and synne, 
1606: This wyde world thogh that I sholde wynne, 
1607: Ne have I nat twelf pens withinne myn hoold. 
1608: Ye knowen wel that I am povre and oold; 
1609: Kithe youre almesse on me povre wrecche. 
1610: Nay thanne, quod he, the foule feend me fecche 
1611: If I th' excuse, though thou shul be spilt! 
1612: allas! quod she, God woot, I have no gilt. 
1613: Pay me, quod he, or by the swete seinte anne, 
1614: As I wol bere awey thy newe panne 
1615: For dette which thou owest me of old. 
1616: Whan that thou madest thyn housbonde cokewold, 
1617: I payde at hoom for thy correccioun. 
1618: Thou lixt! quod she, by my savacioun, 
1619: Ne was I nevere er now, wydwe ne wyf, 
1620: Somoned unto youre court in al my lyf; 
1621: Ne nevere I nas but of my body trewe! 
1622: Unto the devel blak and rough of hewe 
1623: Yeve I thy body and my panne also! 
1624: And whan the devel herde hire cursen so 
1625: Upon hir knees, he seyde in this manere, 
1626: Now, mabely, myn owene mooder deere, 
1627: Is this youre wyl in ernest that ye seye? 
1628: The devel, quod she, so fecche hym er he deye, 
1629: And panne and al, but he wol hym repente! 
1630: Nay, olde stot, that is nat myn entente, 
1631: Quod this somonour, for to repente me 
1632: For any thyng that I have had of thee. 
1633: I wolde I hadde thy smok and every clooth! 
1634: Now, brother, quod the devel, be nat wrooth; 
1635: Thy body and this panne been myne by right. 
1636: Thow shalt with me to helle yet to-nyght, 
1637: Where thou shalt knowen of oure privetee 
1638: Moore than a maister of dyvynytee. 
1639: And with that word this foule feend hym hente; 
1640: Body and soule he with the devel wente 
1641: Where as that somonours han hir heritage. 
1642: And god, that maked after his ymage 
1643: Mankynde, save and gyde us, alle and some, 
1644: And leve thise somonours goode men bicome! 
1645: Lordynges, I koude han toold yow, quod this frere, 
1646: Hadde I had leyser for this somonour heere, 
1647: After the text of crist, poul, and john, 
1648: And of oure othere doctours many oon, 
1649: Swiche peynes that youre hertes myghte agryse, 
1650: Al be it so no tonge may it devyse, 
1651: Thogh that I myghte a thousand wynter telle 
1652: The peynes of thilke cursed hous of helle. 
1653: But for to kepe us fro that cursed place, 
1654: Waketh, and preyeth jhesu for his grace 
1655: So kepe us from the temptour sathanas. 
1656: Herketh this word! beth war, as in this cas: 
1657: The leoun sit in his awayt alway 
1658: To sle the innocent, if that he may. 
1659: Disposeth ay youre hertes to withstonde 
1660: The feend, that yow wolde make thral and bonde. 
1661: He may nat tempte yow over youre myght, 
1662: For crist wol be youre champion and knyght. 
1663: And prayeth that thise somonours hem repente 
1664: Of hir mysdedes, er that the feend hem hente!

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