* * * * *
=Here folweth the Prologe of the Pardoners Tale.=
_Radix malorum est Cupiditas: Ad Thimotheum, sexto._
‘Lordings,’ quod he, ‘in chirches whan I preche,
I peyne me to han an hauteyn speche, 330
And ringe it out as round as gooth a belle,
For I can al by rote that I telle.
My theme is alwey oon, and ever was—
“_Radix malorum est Cupiditas_.”
First I pronounce whennes that I come, 335
And than my bulles shewe I, alle and somme.
Our lige lordes seel on my patente,
That shewe I first, my body to warente, (10)
That no man be so bold, ne preest ne clerk,
Me to destourbe of Cristes holy werk; 340
And after that than telle I forth my tales,
Bulles of popes and of cardinales,
Of patriarkes, and bishoppes I shewe;
And in Latyn I speke a wordes fewe,
To saffron with my predicacioun, 345
And for to stire men to devocioun.
Than shewe I forth my longe cristal stones,
Y-crammed ful of cloutes and of bones; (20)
Reliks been they, as wenen they echoon.
Than have I in latoun a sholder-boon 350
Which that was of an holy Iewes shepe.
“Good men,” seye I, “tak of my wordes kepe;
If that this boon be wasshe in any welle,
If cow, or calf, or sheep, or oxe swelle
[302: T. 12289-12324.]
That any worm hath ete, or worm y-stonge, 355
Tak water of that welle, and wash his tonge,
And it is hool anon; and forthermore,
Of pokkes and of scabbe, and every sore (30)
Shal every sheep be hool, that of this welle
Drinketh a draughte; tak kepe eek what I telle. 360
If that the good-man, that the bestes oweth,
Wol every wike, er that the cok him croweth,
Fastinge, drinken of this welle a draughte,
As thilke holy Iewe our eldres taughte,
His bestes and his stoor shal multiplye. 565
And, sirs, also it heleth Ialousye;
For, though a man be falle in Ialous rage,
Let maken with this water his potage, (40)
And never shal he more his wyf mistriste,
Though he the sooth of hir defaute wiste; 370
Al had she taken preestes two or three.
346. E. Hn. Hl. hem; _rest_ men. 350. E. _omits_ I _by accident._
352. E. Hl. Pt. Ln. Good; E. Hn. Cp. Goode. Hn. I seye; _rest_ say I,
saie I. 366. E. Hn. sire; _rest_ sires, sirs.
Heer is a miteyn eek, that ye may see.
He that his hond wol putte in this miteyn,
He shal have multiplying of his greyn,
Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes, 375
So that he offre pens, or elles grotes.
Good men and wommen, o thing warne I yow,
If any wight be in this chirche now, (50)
That hath doon sinne horrible, that he
Dar nat, for shame, of it y-shriven be, 380
Or any womman, be she yong or old,
That hath y-maad hir housbond cokewold,
Swich folk shul have no power ne no grace
To offren to my reliks in this place.
And who-so findeth him out of swich blame, 385
He wol com up and offre in goddes name,
And I assoille him by the auctoritee
Which that by bulle y-graunted was to me.” (60)
377. E. Hn. Goode; _rest_ And. 382. Cp. Ln. Hl. ymaad; Pt. made; E.
Hn. ymaked. 385. E. fame; _rest_ blame. 386. Hn. He; _rest_ They.
E. on; Hn. a; _rest_ in. 387. E. Hl. hem; _rest_ him or hym.
By this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer,
An hundred mark sith I was Pardoner. 390
[303: T. 12325-12361.]
I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet,
And whan the lewed peple is doun y-set,
I preche, so as ye han herd bifore,
And telle an hundred false Iapes more.
Than peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke, 395
And est and west upon the peple I bekke,
As doth a dowve sitting on a berne.
Myn hondes and my tonge goon so yerne, (70)
That it is Ioye to see my bisinesse.
Of avaryce and of swich cursednesse 400
Is al my preching, for to make hem free
To yeve her pens, and namely un-to me.
For my entente is nat but for to winne,
And no-thing for correccioun of sinne.
I rekke never, whan that they ben beried, 405
Though that her soules goon a-blakeberied!
For certes, many a predicacioun
Comth ofte tyme of yvel entencioun; (80)
Som for plesaunce of folk and flaterye,
To been avaunced by ipocrisye, 410
And som for veyne glorie, and som for hate.
For, whan I dar non other weyes debate,
Than wol I stinge him with my tonge smerte
In preching, so that he shal nat asterte
To been defamed falsly, if that he 415
Hath trespased to my brethren or to me.
For, though I telle noght his propre name,
Men shal wel knowe that it is the same (90)
By signes and by othere circumstances.
Thus quyte I folk that doon us displesances; 420
Thus spitte I out my venim under hewe
Of holynesse, to seme holy and trewe.