A Frere there was, a wanton and a merry,
A limitour,[78] a full solemne[79] man.
In all the orders four is none that can[80]
So much of dalliance and fair language.
He hadde made full many a marriage
Of younge women at his owen cost.
Unto his order he was a noble post;
Full well beloved and familiar was he
With franklins over-all[81] in his country,
And eke with worthy[82] women of the town:
For he had power of confession,
As saide himself, more than a curate,
For of his order he was licentiate.
Full sweetely heard he confession,
And pleasant was his absolution.
He was an easy man to give penance,
There-as he wist to have[83] a good pittance;
For unto a poor order for to give
Is signe that a man is well yshrive;
For if he gave, he durste make avaunt,[84]
He wiste that a man was repentant.
For many a man so hard is of his heart,
He may not weep although him sore smart;
Therefore instead of weeping and prayers,
Men mote give silver to the poore freres.
His tippet was aye farsed[85] full of knives
And pinnes, for to given faire wives;
And certainly he had a merry note:
Well could he sing and playen on a rote[86];
Of yeddings[87] he bare utterly the pris.[88]
His necke white was as the fleur-de-lis.
Thereto he strong was as a champion.
He knew the taverns well in every town,
And every hosteler[89] and tapester,
Bet than a lazar[90] or a beggester[91];
For unto such a worthy man as he
Accorded nought, as by his faculty,
To have with sicke lazars acquaintance;
It is not honest, it may not advance
For to dealen with no such poraille,[92]
But all with rich and sellers[93] of vitaille.[94]
And o'er-all,[95] there-as profit should arise,
Courteous he was and lowly of service.
There was no man nowhere so virtuous[96];
He was the beste beggar in his house:
[And gave a certain farme[97] for the grant,
None of his brethren came there in his haunt.]
For though a widow hadde not a shoe,
So pleasant was his _In principio_,[98]
Yet would he have a farthing ere he went;
His purchase[99] was well better than his rent.[100]
And rage[101] he could as it were right a whelp:
In lovedays[102] there could he muchel help;
For there he was not like a cloisterer
With a threadbare cope, as is a poor scholer;
But he was like a master or a pope,
Of double worsted was his semicope,[103]
That rounded as a bell out of the press.
Somewhat he lisped for his wantonness,
To make his English sweet upon his tongue;
And in his harping, when that he had sung,
His eyen twinkled in his head aright,
As do the starres in the frosty night.
This worthy limitour was cleped[104] Huberd.