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The Canterbury Tales and Other Works of Chaucer (Middle English), by Geoffery Chaucer, [14th cent.], at sacred-texts.com

The Canterbury Tales

The Canon's Yeoman's Tale

720 With this Chanoun I dwelt have seven yeer,
 And of his science am I never the neer.
 Al that I hadde I have lost therby,
 And, God woot, so hath many mo than I.
 Ther I was wont to be right fressh and gay
 Of clothyng and of oother good array,
 Now may I were an hose upon myn heed;
 And wher my colour was bothe fressh and reed,
 Now is it wan and of a leden hewe --
 Whoso it useth, soore shal he rewe! --
730 And of my swynk yet blered is myn ye.
 Lo, which avantage is to multiplie!
 That slidynge science hath me maad so bare
 That I have no good, wher that evere I fare;
 And yet I am endetted so therby
 Of gold that I have borwed, trewely,
 That whil I lyve I shal it quite nevere.
 Lat every man be war by me for evere!
 What maner man that casteth hym therto,
 If he continue, I holde his thrift ydo.
740 For so helpe me God, therby shal he nat wynne,
 But empte his purs and make his wittes thynne.
 And whan he thurgh his madnesse and folye
 Hath lost his owene good thurgh jupartye,
 Thanne he exciteth oother folk therto,
 To lesen hir good as he hymself hath do.
 For unto shrewes joye it is and ese
 To have hir felawes in peyne and disese.
 Thus was I ones lerned of a clerk.
 Of that no charge; I wol speke of oure werk.
750 Whan we been there as we shul exercise
 Oure elvysshe craft, we semen wonder wise,
 Oure termes been so clergial and so queynte.
 I blowe the fir til that myn herte feynte.
 What sholde I tellen ech proporcion
 Of thynges whiche that we werche upon --
 As on fyve or sixe ounces, may wel be,
 Of silver, or som oother quantitee --
 And bisye me to telle yow the names
 Of orpyment, brent bones, iren squames,
760 That into poudre grounden been ful smal;
 And in an erthen pot how put is al,
 And salt yput in, and also papeer,
 Biforn thise poudres that I speke of heer;
 And wel ycovered with a lampe of glas;
 And of muche oother thyng which that ther was;
 And of the pot and glasses enlutyng
 That of the eyr myghte passe out nothyng;
 And of the esy fir, and smart also,
 Which that was maad, and of the care and wo
770 That we hadde in oure matires sublymyng,
 And in amalgamyng and calcenyng
 Of quyksilver, yclept mercurie crude?
 For alle oure sleightes we kan nat conclude.
 Oure orpyment and sublymed mercurie,
 Oure grounden litarge eek on the porfurie,
 Of ech of thise of ounces a certeyn --
 Noght helpeth us; oure labour is in veyn.
 Ne eek oure spirites ascencioun,
 Ne oure materes that lyen al fix adoun,
780 Mowe in oure werkyng no thyng us availle,
 For lost is al oure labour and travaille;
 And al the cost, a twenty devel waye,
 Is lost also, which we upon it laye.
 Ther is also ful many another thyng
 That is unto oure craft apertenyng.
 Though I by ordre hem nat reherce kan,
 By cause that I am a lewed man,
 Yet wol I telle hem as they come to mynde,
 Thogh I ne kan nat sette hem in hir kynde:
790 As boole armonyak, verdegrees, boras,
 And sondry vessels maad of erthe and glas,
 Oure urynales and oure descensories,
 Violes, crosletz, and sublymatories,
 Cucurbites and alambikes eek,
 And othere swiche, deere ynough a leek --
 Nat nedeth it for to reherce hem alle --
 Watres rubifiyng, and boles galle,
 Arsenyk, sal armonyak, and brymstoon;
 And herbes koude I telle eek many oon,
800 As egremoyne, valerian, and lunarie,
 And othere swiche, if that me liste tarie;
 Oure lampes brennyng bothe nyght and day,
 To brynge aboute oure purpos, if we may;
 Oure fourneys eek of calcinacioun,
 And of watres albificacioun;
 Unslekked lym, chalk, and gleyre of an ey,
 Poudres diverse, asshes, donge, pisse, and cley,
 Cered pokkets, sal peter, vitriole,
 And diverse fires maad of wode and cole;
810 Sal tartre, alkaly, and sal preparat,
 And combust materes and coagulat;
 Cley maad with hors or mannes heer, and oille
 Of tartre, alum glas, berme, wort, and argoille,
 Resalgar, and oure materes enbibyng,
 And eek of oure materes encorporyng,
 And of oure silver citrinacioun,
 Oure cementyng and fermentacioun,
 Oure yngottes, testes, and many mo.
 I wol yow telle, as was me taught also,
820 The foure spirites and the bodies sevene,
 By ordre, as ofte I herde my lord hem nevene.
 The firste spirit quyksilver called is,
 The seconde orpyment, the thridde, ywis,
 Sal armonyak, and the ferthe brymstoon.
 The bodyes sevene eek, lo, hem heere anoon:
 Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe,
 Mars iren, Mercurie quyksilver we clepe,
 Saturnus leed, and Juppiter is tyn,
 And Venus coper, by my fader kyn!
830 This cursed craft whoso wole excercise,
 He shal no good han that hym may suffise,
 For al the good he spendeth theraboute
 He lese shal; therof have I no doute.
 Whoso that listeth outen his folie,
 Lat hym come forth and lerne multiplie;
 And every man that oght hath in his cofre,
 Lat hym appiere and wexe a philosophre.
 Ascaunce that craft is so light to leere?
 Nay, nay, God woot, al be he monk or frere,
840 Preest or chanoun, or any oother wyght,
 Though he sitte at his book bothe day and nyght
 In lernyng of this elvysshe nyce loore,
 Al is in veyn, and parde, muchel moore.
 To lerne a lewed man this subtiltee --
 Fy! Spek nat therof, for it wol nat bee.
 And konne he letterure or konne he noon,
 As in effect, he shal fynde it al oon.
 For bothe two, by my savacioun,
 Concluden in multiplicacioun
850 Ylike wel, whan they han al ydo;
 This is to seyn, they faillen bothe two.
 Yet forgat I to maken rehersaille
 Of watres corosif, and of lymaille,
 And of bodies mollificacioun,
 And also of hire induracioun;
 Oilles, ablucions, and metal fusible --
 To tellen al wolde passen any bible
 That owher is; wherfore, as for the beste,
 Of alle thise names now wol I me reste,
860 For, as I trowe, I have yow toold ynowe
 To reyse a feend, al looke he never so rowe.
 A! Nay! Lat be; the philosophres stoon,
 Elixer clept, we sechen faste echoon;
 For hadde we hym, thanne were we siker ynow.
 But unto God of hevene I make avow,
 For al oure craft, whan we han al ydo,
 And al oure sleighte, he wol nat come us to.
 He hath ymaad us spenden muchel good,
 For sorwe of which almoost we wexen wood,
870 But that good hope crepeth in oure herte,
 Supposynge evere, though we sore smerte,
 To be releeved by hym afterward.
 Swich supposyng and hope is sharp and hard;
 I warne yow wel, it is to seken evere.
 That futur temps hath maad men to dissevere,
 In trust therof, from al that evere they hadde.
 Yet of that art they kan nat wexen sadde,
 For unto hem it is a bitter sweete --
 So semeth it -- for nadde they but a sheete
880 Which that they myghte wrappe hem inne a-nyght,
 And a brat to walken inne by daylyght,
 They wolde hem selle and spenden on this craft.
 They kan nat stynte til no thyng be laft.
 And everemoore, where that evere they goon,
 Men may hem knowe by smel of brymstoon.
 For al the world they stynken as a goot;
 Hir savour is so rammyssh and so hoot
 That though a man from hem a mile be,
 The savour wole infecte hym, trusteth me.
890 Lo, thus by smellyng and threedbare array,
 If that men liste, this folk they knowe may.
 And if a man wole aske hem pryvely
 Why they been clothed so unthriftily,
 They right anon wol rownen in his ere,
 And seyn that if that they espied were,
 Men wolde hem slee by cause of hir science.
 Lo, thus this folk bitrayen innocence!
 Passe over this; I go my tale unto.
 Er that the pot be on the fir ydo,
900 Of metals with a certeyn quantitee,
 My lord hem tempreth, and no man but he --
 Now he is goon, I dar seyn boldely --
 For, as men seyn, he kan doon craftily.
 Algate I woot wel he hath swich a name;
 And yet ful ofte he renneth in a blame.
 And wite ye how? Ful ofte it happeth so
 The pot tobreketh, and farewel, al is go!
 Thise metals been of so greet violence
 Oure walles mowe nat make hem resistence,
910 But if they weren wroght of lym and stoon;
 They percen so, and thurgh the wal they goon.
 And somme of hem synken into the ground --
 Thus han we lost by tymes many a pound --
 And somme are scatered al the floor aboute;
 Somme lepe into the roof. Withouten doute,
 Though that the feend noght in oure sighte hym shewe,
 I trowe he with us be, that ilke shrewe!
 In helle, where that he is lord and sire,
 Nis ther moore wo, ne moore rancour ne ire.
920 Whan that oure pot is broke, as I have sayd,
 Every man chit and halt hym yvele apayd.
 Somme seyde it was long on the fir makyng;
 Somme seyde nay, it was on the blowyng --
 Thanne was I fered, for that was myn office.
 "Straw!" quod the thridde, "ye been lewed and nyce.
 It was nat tempred as it oghte be."
 "Nay," quod the fourthe, "stynt and herkne me.
 By cause oure fir ne was nat maad of beech,
 That is the cause and oother noon, so thee 'ch!"
930 I kan nat telle wheron it was long,
 But wel I woot greet strif is us among.
 "What," quod my lord, "ther is namoore to doone;
 Of thise perils I wol be war eftsoone.
 I am right siker that the pot was crased.
 Be as be may, be ye no thyng amased;
 As usage is, lat swepe the floor as swithe,
 Plukke up youre hertes and beeth glad and blithe."
 The mullok on an heep ysweped was,
 And on the floor ycast a canevas,
940 And al this mullok in a syve ythrowe,
 And sifted, and ypiked many a throwe.
 "Pardee," quod oon, "somwhat of oure metal
 Yet is ther heere, though that we han nat al.
 And though this thyng myshapped have as now,
 Another tyme it may be well ynow.
 Us moste putte oure good in aventure.
 A marchant, pardee, may nat ay endure,
 Trusteth me wel, in his prosperitee.
 Somtyme his good is drowned in the see,
950 And somtyme comth it sauf unto the londe."
 "Pees!" quod my lord, "the nexte tyme I wol fonde
 To bryngen oure craft al in another plite,
 And but I do, sires, lat me han the wite.
 Ther was defaute in somwhat, wel I woot."
 Another seyde the fir was over-hoot --
 But, be it hoot or coold, I dar seye this,
 That we concluden everemoore amys.
 We faille of that which that we wolden have,
 And in oure madnesse everemoore we rave.
960 And whan we been togidres everichoon,
 Every man semeth a Salomon.
 But al thyng which that shineth as the gold
 Nis nat gold, as that I have herd told;
 Ne every appul that is fair at eye
 Ne is nat good, what so men clappe or crye.
 Right so, lo, fareth it amonges us:
 He that semeth the wiseste, by Jhesus,
 Is moost fool, whan it cometh to the preef;
 And he that semeth trewest is a theef.
970 That shul ye knowe, er that I fro yow wende,
 By that I of my tale have maad an ende.
 Ther is a chanoun of religioun
 Amonges us, wolde infecte al a toun,
 Thogh it as greet were as was Nynyvee,
 Rome, Alisaundre, Troye, and othere three.
 His sleightes and his infinite falsnesse
 Ther koude no man writen, as I gesse,
 Though that he myghte lyve a thousand yeer.
 In al this world of falshede nis his peer,
980 For in his termes he wol hym so wynde,
 And speke his wordes in so sly a kynde,
 Whanne he commune shal with any wight,
 That he wol make hym doten anonright,
 But it a feend be, as hymselven is.
 Ful many a man hath he bigiled er this,
 And wole, if that he lyve may a while;
 And yet men ride and goon ful many a mile
 Hym for to seke and have his aqueyntaunce,
 Noght knowynge of his false governaunce.
990 And if yow list to yeve me audience,
 I wol it tellen heere in youre presence.
 But worshipful chanons religious,
 Ne demeth nat that I sclaundre youre hous,
 Although that my tale of a chanoun bee.
 Of every ordre som shrewe is, pardee,
 And God forbede that al a compaignye
 Sholde rewe o singuleer mannes folye.
 To sclaundre yow is no thyng myn entente,
 But to correcten that is mys I mente.
1000 This tale was nat oonly toold for yow,
 But eek for othere mo; ye woot wel how
 That among Cristes apostelles twelve
 Ther nas no traytour but Judas hymselve.
 Thanne why sholde al the remenant have a blame
 That giltlees were? By yow I seye the same,
 Save oonly this, if ye wol herkne me:
 If any Judas in youre covent be,
 Remoeveth hym bitymes, I yow rede,
 If shame or los may causen any drede.
1010 And beeth no thyng displesed, I yow preye,
 But in this cas herkneth what I shal seye.
 In Londoun was a preest, an annueleer,
 That therinne dwelled hadde many a yeer,
 Which was so plesaunt and so servysable
 Unto the wyf, where as he was at table,
 That she wolde suffre hym no thyng for to paye
 For bord ne clothyng, wente he never so gaye,
 And spendyng silver hadde he right ynow.
 Therof no fors; I wol procede as now,
1020 And telle forth my tale of the chanoun
 That broghte this preest to confusioun.
 This false chanon cam upon a day
 Unto this preestes chambre, wher he lay,
 Bisechynge hym to lene hym a certeyn
 Of gold, and he wolde quite it hym ageyn.
 "Leene me a marc," quod he, "but dayes three,
 And at my day I wol it quiten thee.
 And if so be that thow me fynde fals,
 Another day do hange me by the hals!"
1030 This preest hym took a marc, and that as swithe,
 And this chanoun hym thanked ofte sithe,
 And took his leve, and wente forth his weye,
 And at the thridde day broghte his moneye,
 And to the preest he took his gold agayn,
 Wherof this preest was wonder glad and fayn.
 "Certes," quod he, "no thyng anoyeth me
 To lene a man a noble, or two, or thre,
 Or what thyng were in my possessioun,
 Whan he so trewe is of condicioun
1040 That in no wise he breke wole his day;
 To swich a man I kan never seye nay."
 "What!" quod this chanoun, "sholde I be untrewe?
 Nay, that were thyng yfallen al of newe.
 Trouthe is a thyng that I wol evere kepe
 Unto that day in which that I shal crepe
 Into my grave, and ellis God forbede.
 Bileveth this as siker as your Crede.
 God thanke I, and in good tyme be it sayd,
 That ther was nevere man yet yvele apayd
1050 For gold ne silver that he to me lente,
 Ne nevere falshede in myn herte I mente.
 And sire," quod he, "now of my pryvetee,
 Syn ye so goodlich han been unto me,
 And kithed to me so greet gentillesse,
 Somwhat to quyte with youre kyndenesse
 I wol yow shewe, and if yow list to leere,
 I wol yow teche pleynly the manere
 How I kan werken in philosophie.
 Taketh good heede; ye shul wel seen at ye
1060 That I wol doon a maistrie er I go."
 "Ye," quod the preest, "ye, sire, and wol ye so?
 Marie, therof I pray yow hertely."
 "At youre comandement, sire, trewely,"
 Quod the chanoun, "and ellis God forbeede!"
 Loo, how this theef koude his service beede!
 Ful sooth it is that swich profred servyse
 Stynketh, as witnessen thise olde wyse,
 And that ful soone I wol it verifie
 In this chanoun, roote of al trecherie,
1070 That everemoore delit hath and gladnesse --
 Swiche feendly thoghtes in his herte impresse --
 How Cristes peple he may to meschief brynge.
 God kepe us from his false dissymulynge!
 Noght wiste this preest with whom that he delte,
 Ne of his harm comynge he no thyng felte.
 O sely preest! O sely innocent!
 With coveitise anon thou shalt be blent!
 O gracelees, ful blynd is thy conceite,
 No thyng ne artow war of the deceite
1080 Which that this fox yshapen hath to thee!
 His wily wrenches thou ne mayst nat flee.
 Wherfore, to go to the conclusion,
 That refereth to thy confusion,
 Unhappy man, anon I wol me hye
 To tellen thyn unwit and thy folye,
 And eek the falsnesse of that oother wrecche,
 As ferforth as that my konnyng wol strecche.
 This chanon was my lord, ye wolden weene?
 Sire hoost, in feith, and by the hevenes queene,
1090 It was another chanoun, and nat hee,
 That kan an hundred foold moore subtiltee.
 He hath bitrayed folkes many tyme;
 Of his falsnesse it dulleth me to ryme.
 Evere whan that I speke of his falshede,
 For shame of hym my chekes wexen rede.
 Algates they bigynnen for to glowe,
 For reednesse have I noon, right wel I knowe,
 In my visage; for fumes diverse
 Of metals, whiche ye han herd me reherce,
1100 Consumed and wasted han my reednesse.
 Now taak heede of this chanons cursednesse!
 "Sire," quod he to the preest, "lat youre man gon
 For quyksilver, that we it hadde anon;
 And lat hym bryngen ounces two or three;
 And whan he comth, as faste shal ye see
 A wonder thyng, which ye saugh nevere er this."
 "Sire," quod the preest, "it shal be doon, ywis."
 He bad his servant fecchen hym this thyng,
 And he al redy was at his biddyng,
1110 And wente hym forth, and cam anon agayn
 With this quyksilver, shortly for to sayn,
 And took thise ounces thre to the chanoun;
 And he hem leyde faire and wel adoun,
 And bad the servant coles for to brynge,
 That he anon myghte go to his werkynge.
 The coles right anon weren yfet,
 And this chanoun took out a crosselet
 Of his bosom, and shewed it to the preest.
 "This instrument," quod he, "which that thou seest,
1120 Taak in thyn hand, and put thyself therinne
 Of this quyksilver an ounce, and heer bigynne,
 In name of Crist, to wexe a philosofre.
 Ther been ful fewe to whiche I wolde profre
 To shewen hem thus muche of my science.
 For ye shul seen heer, by experience,
 That this quyksilver I wol mortifye
 Right in youre sighte anon, withouten lye,
 And make it as good silver and as fyn
 As ther is any in youre purs or myn,
1130 Or elleswhere, and make it malliable;
 And elles holdeth me fals and unable
 Amonges folk for evere to appeere.
 I have a poudre heer, that coste me deere,
 Shal make al good, for it is cause of al
 My konnyng, which that I yow shewen shal.
 Voyde youre man, and lat hym be theroute,
 And shette the dore, whils we been aboute
 Oure pryvetee, that no man us espie,
 Whils that we werke in this philosophie."
1140 Al as he bad fulfilled was in dede.
 This ilke servant anonright out yede,
 And his maister shette the dore anon,
 And to hire labour spedily they gon.
 This preest, at this cursed chanons biddyng,
 Upon the fir anon sette this thyng,
 And blew the fir, and bisyed hym ful faste.
 And this chanoun into the crosselet caste
 A poudre, noot I wherof that it was
 Ymaad, outher of chalk, outher of glas,
1150 Or somwhat elles, was nat worth a flye,
 To blynde with this preest; and bad hym hye
 The coles for to couchen al above
 The crosselet. "For in tokenyng I thee love,"
 Quod this chanoun, "thyne owene handes two
 Shul werche al thyng which that shal heer be do."
 "Graunt mercy," quod the preest, and was ful glad,
 And couched coles as the chanoun bad.
 And while he bisy was, this feendly wrecche,
 This false chanoun -- the foule feend hym fecche! --
1160 Out of his bosom took a bechen cole,
 In which ful subtilly was maad an hole,
 And therinne put was of silver lemaille
 An ounce, and stopped was, withouten faille,
 This hole with wex, to kepe the lemaille in.
 And understondeth that this false gyn
 Was nat maad ther, but it was maad bifore;
 And othere thynges I shal tellen moore
 Herafterward, whiche that he with hym broghte.
 Er he cam there, hym to bigile he thoghte,
1170 And so he dide, er that they wente atwynne;
 Til he had terved hym, koude he nat blynne.
 It dulleth me whan that I of hym speke.
 On his falshede fayn wolde I me wreke,
 If I wiste how, but he is heere and there;
 He is so variaunt, he abit nowhere.
 But taketh heede now, sires, for Goddes love!
 He took his cole of which I spak above,
 And in his hand he baar it pryvely.
 And whiles the preest couched bisily
1180 The coles, as I tolde yow er this,
 This chanoun seyde, "Freend, ye doon amys.
 This is nat couched as it oghte be;
 But soone I shal amenden it," quod he.
 "Now lat me medle therwith but a while,
 For of yow have I pitee, by Seint Gile!
 Ye been right hoot; I se wel how ye swete.
 Have heere a clooth, and wipe awey the wete."
 And whiles that the preest wiped his face,
 This chanoun took his cole -- with sory grace! --
1190 And leyde it above upon the myddeward
 Of the crosselet, and blew wel afterward
 Til that the coles gonne faste brenne.
 "Now yeve us drynke," quod the chanoun thenne;
 "As swithe al shal be wel, I undertake.
 Sitte we doun, and lat us myrie make."
 And whan that this chanounes bechen cole
 Was brent, al the lemaille out of the hole
 Into the crosselet fil anon adoun;
 And so it moste nedes, by resoun,
1200 Syn it so evene above couched was.
 But therof wiste the preest nothyng, alas!
 He demed alle the coles yliche good,
 For of that sleighte he nothyng understood.
 And whan this alkamystre saugh his tyme,
 "Ris up," quod he, "sire preest, and stondeth by me;
 And for I woot wel ingot have ye noon,
 Gooth, walketh forth, and bryngeth a chalk stoon;
 For I wol make it of the same shap
 That is an ingot, if I may han hap.
1210 And bryngeth eek with yow a bolle or a panne
 Ful of water, and ye shul se wel thanne
 How that oure bisynesse shal thryve and preeve.
 And yet, for ye shul han no mysbileeve
 Ne wrong conceite of me in youre absence,
 I ne wol nat been out of youre presence,
 But go with yow and come with yow ageyn."
 The chambre dore, shortly for to seyn,
 They opened and shette, and wente hir weye.
 And forth with hem they carieden the keye,
1220 And coome agayn withouten any delay.
 What sholde I tarien al the longe day?
 He took the chalk and shoop it in the wise
 Of an ingot, as I shal yow devyse.
 I seye, he took out of his owene sleeve
 A teyne of silver -- yvele moot he cheeve! --
 Which that ne was nat but an ounce of weighte.
 And taaketh heede now of his cursed sleighte!
 He shoop his ingot in lengthe and in breede
 Of this teyne, withouten any drede,
1230 So slyly that the preest it nat espide,
 And in his sleve agayn he gan it hide,
 And fro the fir he took up his mateere,
 And in th' yngot putte it with myrie cheere,
 And in the water-vessel he it caste,
 Whan that hym luste, and bad the preest as faste,
 "Loke what ther is; put in thyn hand and grope.
 Thow fynde shalt ther silver, as I hope."
 What, devel of helle, sholde it elles be?
 Shaving of silver silver is, pardee!
1240 He putte his hand in and took up a teyne
 Of silver fyn, and glad in every veyne
 Was this preest, whan he saugh it was so.
 "Goddes blessyng, and his moodres also,
 And alle halwes, have ye, sire chanoun,"
 Seyde the preest, "and I hir malisoun,
 But, and ye vouche-sauf to techen me
 This noble craft and this subtilitee,
 I wol be youre in al that evere I may."
 Quod the chanoun, "Yet wol I make assay
1250 The seconde tyme, that ye may taken heede
 And been expert of this, and in youre neede
 Another day assaye in myn absence
 This disciplyne and this crafty science.
 Lat take another ounce," quod he tho,
 "Of quyksilver, withouten wordes mo,
 And do therwith as ye han doon er this
 With that oother, which that now silver is."
 This preest hym bisieth in al that he kan
 To doon as this chanoun, this cursed man,
1260 Comanded hym, and faste blew the fir,
 For to come to th' effect of his desir.
 And this chanon, right in the meene while,
 Al redy was this preest eft to bigile,
 And for a contenaunce in his hand he bar
 An holwe stikke -- taak kep and be war! --
 In the ende of which an ounce, and namoore,
 Of silver lemaille put was, as bifore
 Was in his cole, and stopped with wex weel
 For to kepe in his lemaille every deel.
1270 And whil this preest was in his bisynesse,
 This chanoun with his stikke gan hym dresse
 To hym anon, and his poudre caste in
 As he dide er -- the devel out of his skyn
 Hym terve, I pray to God, for his falshede!
 For he was evere fals in thoght and dede --
 And with this stikke, above the crosselet,
 That was ordeyned with that false jet,
 He stired the coles til relente gan
 The wex agayn the fir, as every man,
1280 But it a fool be, woot wel it moot nede,
 And al that in the stikke was out yede,
 And in the crosselet hastily it fel.
 Now, good sires, what wol ye bet than wel?
 Whan that this preest thus was bigiled ageyn,
 Supposynge noght but treuthe, sooth to seyn,
 He was so glad that I kan nat expresse
 In no manere his myrthe and his gladnesse;
 And to the chanoun he profred eftsoone
 Body and good. "Ye," quod the chanoun soone,
1290 "Though poure I be, crafty thou shalt me fynde.
 I warne thee, yet is ther moore bihynde.
 Is ther any coper herinne?" seyde he.
 "Ye," quod the preest, "sire, I trowe wel ther be."
 "Elles go bye us som, and that as swithe;
 Now, goode sire, go forth thy wey and hy the."
 He wente his wey, and with the coper cam,
 And this chanon it in his handes nam,
 And of that coper weyed out but an ounce.
 Al to symple is my tonge to pronounce,
1300 As ministre of my wit, the doublenesse
 Of this chanoun, roote of alle cursednesse!
 He semed freendly to hem that knewe hym noght,
 But he was feendly bothe in werk and thoght.
 It weerieth me to telle of his falsnesse,
 And nathelees yet wol I it expresse,
 To th' entente that men may be war therby,
 And for noon oother cause, trewely.
 He putte this ounce of coper in the crosselet,
 And on the fir as swithe he hath it set,
1310 And caste in poudre, and made the preest to blowe,
 And in his werkyng for to stoupe lowe,
 As he dide er -- and al nas but a jape;
 Right as hym liste, the preest he made his ape!
 And afterward in the ingot he it caste,
 And in the panne putte it at the laste
 Of water, and in he putte his owene hand,
 And in his sleve (as ye biforen-hand
 Herde me telle) he hadde a silver teyne.
 He slyly took it out, this cursed heyne,
1320 Unwityng this preest of his false craft,
 And in the pannes botme he hath it laft;
 And in the water rombled to and fro,
 And wonder pryvely took up also
 The coper teyne, noght knowynge this preest,
 And hidde it, and hym hente by the breest,
 And to hym spak, and thus seyde in his game:
 "Stoupeth adoun. By God, ye be to blame!
 Helpeth me now, as I dide yow whileer;
 Putte in youre hand, and looketh what is theer."
1330 This preest took up this silver teyne anon,
 And thanne seyde the chanoun, "Lat us gon
 With thise thre teynes, whiche that we han wroght,
 To som goldsmyth and wite if they been oght,
 For, by my feith, I nolde, for myn hood,
 But if that they were silver fyn and good,
 And that as swithe preeved it shal bee."
 Unto the goldsmyth with thise teynes three
 They wente and putte thise teynes in assay
 To fir and hamer; myghte no man seye nay,
1340 But that they weren as hem oghte be.
 This sotted preest, who was gladder than he?
 Was nevere brid gladder agayn the day,
 Ne nyghtyngale, in the sesoun of May,
 Was nevere noon that luste bet to synge;
 Ne lady lustier in carolynge,
 Or for to speke of love and wommanhede,
 Ne knyght in armes to doon an hardy dede,
 To stonden in grace of his lady deere,
 Than hadde this preest this soory craft to leere.
1350 And to the chanoun thus he spak and seyde:
 "For love of God, that for us alle deyde,
 And as I may deserve it unto yow,
 What shal this receite coste? Telleth now!"
 "By oure Lady," quod this chanon, "it is deere,
 I warne yow wel; for save I and a frere,
 In Engelond ther kan no man it make."
 "No fors," quod he, "now, sire, for Goddes sake,
 What shal I paye? Telleth me, I preye."
 "Ywis," quod he, "it is ful deere, I seye.
1360 Sire, at o word, if that thee list it have,
 Ye shul paye fourty pound, so God me save!
 And nere the freendshipe that ye dide er this
 To me, ye sholde paye moore, ywis."
 This preest the somme of fourty pound anon
 Of nobles fette, and took hem everichon
 To this chanoun for this ilke receite.
 Al his werkyng nas but fraude and deceite.
 "Sire preest," he seyde, "I kepe han no loos
 Of my craft, for I wolde it kept were cloos;
1370 And, as ye love me, kepeth it secree.
 For, and men knewen al my soutiltee,
 By God, they wolden han so greet envye
 To me by cause of my philosophye
 I sholde be deed; ther were noon oother weye."
 "God it forbeede," quod the preest, "what sey ye?
 Yet hadde I levere spenden al the good
 Which that I have, and elles wexe I wood,
 Than that ye sholden falle in swich mescheef."
 "For youre good wyl, sire, have ye right good preef,"
1380 Quod the chanoun, "and farwel, grant mercy!"
 He wente his wey, and never the preest hym sy
 After that day; and whan that this preest shoolde
 Maken assay, at swich tyme as he wolde,
 Of this receit, farwel! It wolde nat be.
 Lo, thus byjaped and bigiled was he!
 Thus maketh he his introduccioun,
 To brynge folk to hir destruccioun.
 Considereth, sires, how that, in ech estaat,
 Bitwixe men and gold ther is debaat
1390 So ferforth that unnethes is ther noon.
 This multiplying blent so many oon
 That in good feith I trowe that it bee
 The cause grettest of swich scarsetee.
 Philosophres speken so mystily
 In this craft that men kan nat come therby,
 For any wit that men han now-a-dayes.
 They mowe wel chiteren as doon jayes,
 And in hir termes sette hir lust and peyne,
 But to hir purpos shul they nevere atteyne.
1400 A man may lightly lerne, if he have aught,
 To multiplie, and brynge his good to naught!
 Lo! swich a lucre is in this lusty game,
 A mannes myrthe it wol turne unto grame,
 And empten also grete and hevye purses,
 And maken folk for to purchacen curses
 Of hem that han hir good therto ylent.
 O, fy, for shame! They that han been brent,
 Allas, kan they nat flee the fires heete?
 Ye that it use, I rede ye it leete,
1410 Lest ye lese al; for bet than nevere is late.
 Nevere to thryve were to long a date.
 Though ye prolle ay, ye shul it nevere fynde.
 Ye been as boold as is Bayard the blynde,
 That blondreth forth and peril casteth noon.
 He is as boold to renne agayn a stoon
 As for to goon bisides in the weye.
 So faren ye that multiplie, I seye.
 If that youre eyen kan nat seen aright,
 Looke that youre mynde lakke noght his sight.
1420 For though ye looken never so brode and stare,
 Ye shul nothyng wynne on that chaffare,
 But wasten al that ye may rape and renne.
 Withdraweth the fir, lest it to faste brenne;
 Medleth namoore with that art, I mene,
 For if ye doon, youre thrift is goon ful clene.
 And right as swithe I wol yow tellen heere
 What philosophres seyn in this mateere.
 Lo, thus seith Arnold of the Newe Toun,
 As his Rosarie maketh mencioun;
1430 He seith right thus, withouten any lye:
 "Ther may no man mercurie mortifie
 But it be with his brother knowlechyng";
 How [be] that he which that first seyde this thyng
 Of philosophres fader was, Hermes;
 He seith how that the dragon, doutelees,
 Ne dyeth nat but if that he be slayn
 With his brother; and that is for to sayn,
 By the dragon, Mercurie, and noon oother
 He understood, and brymstoon by his brother,
1440 That out of Sol and Luna were ydrawe.
 "And therfore," seyde he -- taak heede to my sawe --
 "Lat no man bisye hym this art for to seche,
 But if that he th' entencioun and speche
 Of philosophres understonde kan;
 And if he do, he is a lewed man.
 For this science and this konnyng," quod he,
 "Is of the secree of the secretes, pardee."
 Also ther was a disciple of Plato,
 That on a tyme seyde his maister to,
1450 As his book Senior wol bere witnesse,
 And this was his demande in soothfastnesse:
 "Telle me the name of the privee stoon."
 And Plato answerde unto hym anoon,
 "Take the stoon that Titanos men name."
 "Which is that?" quod he. "Magnasia is the same,"
 Seyde Plato. "Ye, sire, and is it thus?
 This is ignotum per ignocius.
 What is Magnasia, good sire, I yow preye?"
 "It is a water that is maad, I seye,
1460 Of elementes foure," quod Plato.
 "Telle me the roote, good sire," quod he tho,
 "Of that water, if it be youre wil."
 "Nay, nay," quod Plato, "certein, that I nyl.
 The philosophres sworn were everychoon
 That they sholden discovere it unto noon,
 Ne in no book it write in no manere.
 For unto Crist it is so lief and deere
 That he wol nat that it discovered bee,
 But where it liketh to his deitee
1470 Men for t' enspire, and eek for to deffende
 Whom that hym liketh; lo, this is the ende."
 Thanne conclude I thus, sith that God of hevene
 Ne wil nat that the philosophres nevene
 How that a man shal come unto this stoon,
 I rede, as for the beste, lete it goon.
 For whoso maketh God his adversarie,
 As for to werken any thyng in contrarie
 Of his wil, certes, never shal he thryve,
 Thogh that he multiplie terme of his lyve.
1480 And there a poynt, for ended is my tale.
 God sende every trewe man boote of his bale!

Next: The Manciple's Prologue