| "Lordynges," quod he, "in chirches whan I preche, |
| 330 | I peyne me to han an hauteyn speche, |
| And rynge it out as round as gooth a belle, |
| For I kan al by rote that I telle. |
| My theme is alwey oon, and evere was -- |
| Radix malorum est Cupiditas. |
| 335 | "First I pronounce whennes that I come, |
| And thanne my bulles shewe I, alle and some. |
| Oure lige lordes seel on my patente, |
| That shewe I first, my body to warente, |
| That no man be so boold, ne preest ne clerk, |
| 340 | Me to destourbe of Cristes hooly werk. |
| And after that thanne telle I forth my tales; |
| Bulles of popes and of cardynales, |
| Of patriarkes and bishopes I shewe, |
| And in Latyn I speke a wordes fewe, |
| 345 | To saffron with my predicacioun, |
| And for to stire hem to devocioun. |
| Thanne shewe I forth my longe cristal stones, |
| Ycrammed ful of cloutes and of bones -- |
| Relikes been they, as wenen they echoon. |
| 350 | Thanne have I in latoun a sholder-boon |
| Which that was of an hooly Jewes sheep. |
| `Goode men,' I seye, `taak of my wordes keep; |
| If that this boon be wasshe in any welle, |
| If cow, or calf, or sheep, or oxe swelle |
| 355 | That any worm hath ete, or worm ystonge, |
| Taak water of that welle and wassh his tonge, |
| And it is hool anon; and forthermoore, |
| Of pokkes and of scabbe, and every soore |
| Shal every sheep be hool that of this welle |
| 360 | Drynketh a draughte. Taak kep eek what I telle: |
| If that the good-man that the beestes oweth |
| Wol every wyke, er that the cok hym croweth, |
| Fastynge, drynken of this welle a draughte, |
| As thilke hooly Jew oure eldres taughte, |
| 365 | His beestes and his stoor shal multiplie. |
| `And, sires, also it heeleth jalousie; |
| For though a man be falle in jalous rage, |
| Lat maken with this water his potage, |
| And nevere shal he moore his wyf mystriste, |
| 370 | Though he the soothe of hir defaute wiste, |
| Al had she taken prestes two or thre. |
| `Heere is a miteyn eek, that ye may se. |
| He that his hand wol putte in this mitayn, |
| He shal have multipliyng of his grayn, |
| 375 | Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes, |
| So that he offre pens, or elles grotes. |
| `Goode men and wommen, o thyng warne I yow: |
| If any wight be in this chirche now |
| That hath doon synne horrible, that he |
| 380 | Dar nat, for shame, of it yshryven be, |
| Or any womman, be she yong or old, |
| That hath ymaked hir housbonde cokewold, |
| Swich folk shal have no power ne no grace |
| To offren to my relikes in this place. |
| 385 | And whoso fyndeth hym out of swich blame, |
| He wol come up and offre a Goddes name, |
| And I assoille him by the auctoritee |
| Which that by bulle ygraunted was to me.' |
| "By this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer, |
| 390 | An hundred mark sith I was pardoner. |
| I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet, |
| And whan the lewed peple is doun yset, |
| I preche so as ye han herd bifoore |
| And telle an hundred false japes moore. |
| 395 | Thanne peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke, |
| And est and west upon the peple I bekke, |
| As dooth a dowve sittynge on a berne. |
| Myne handes and my tonge goon so yerne |
| That it is joye to se my bisynesse. |
| 400 | Of avarice and of swich cursednesse |
| Is al my prechyng, for to make hem free |
| To yeven hir pens, and namely unto me. |
| For myn entente is nat but for to wynne, |
| And nothyng for correccioun of synne. |
| 405 | I rekke nevere, whan that they been beryed, |
| Though that hir soules goon a-blakeberyed! |
| For certes, many a predicacioun |
| Comth ofte tyme of yvel entencioun; |
| Som for plesance of folk and flaterye, |
| 410 | To been avaunced by ypocrisye, |
| And som for veyne glorie, and som for hate. |
| For whan I dar noon oother weyes debate, |
| Thanne wol I stynge hym with my tonge smerte |
| In prechyng, so that he shal nat asterte |
| 415 | To been defamed falsly, if that he |
| Hath trespased to my bretheren or to me. |
| For though I telle noght his propre name, |
| Men shal wel knowe that it is the same, |
| By signes, and by othere circumstances. |
| 420 | Thus quyte I folk that doon us displesances; |
| Thus spitte I out my venym under hewe |
| Of hoolynesse, to semen hooly and trewe. |
| "But shortly myn entente I wol devyse: |
| I preche of no thyng but for coveityse. |
| 425 | Therfore my theme is yet, and evere was, |
| Radix malorum est Cupiditas. |
| Thus kan I preche agayn that same vice |
| Which that I use, and that is avarice. |
| But though myself be gilty in that synne, |
| 430 | Yet kan I maken oother folk to twynne |
| From avarice and soore to repente. |
| But that is nat my principal entente; |
| I preche nothyng but for coveitise. |
| Of this mateere it oghte ynogh suffise. |
| 435 | "Thanne telle I hem ensamples many oon |
| Of olde stories longe tyme agoon. |
| For lewed peple loven tales olde; |
| Swiche thynges kan they wel reporte and holde. |
| What, trowe ye, that whiles I may preche, |
| 440 | And wynne gold and silver for I teche, |
| That I wol lyve in poverte wilfully? |
| Nay, nay, I thoghte it nevere, trewely! |
| For I wol preche and begge in sondry landes; |
| I wol nat do no labour with myne handes, |
| 445 | Ne make baskettes and lyve therby, |
| By cause I wol nat beggen ydelly. |
| I wol noon of the apostles countrefete; |
| I wol have moneie, wolle, chese, and whete, |
| Al were it yeven of the povereste page, |
| 450 | Or of the povereste wydwe in a village, |
| Al sholde hir children sterve for famyne. |
| Nay, I wol drynke licour of the vyne |
| And have a joly wenche in every toun. |
| But herkneth, lordynges, in conclusioun: |
| 455 | Youre likyng is that I shal telle a tale. |
| Now have I dronke a draughte of corny ale, |
| By God, I hope I shal yow telle a thyng |
| That shal by reson been at youre likyng. |
| For though myself be a ful vicious man, |
| 460 | A moral tale yet I yow telle kan, |
| Which I am wont to preche for to wynne. |
| Now hoold youre pees! My tale I wol bigynne." |