The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 149r
2 of 19 folios
5
My tyme is alwey on and euer was
¶ Radix omnium malores est cupiditas
¶ First I pronunce whennes that I come
And than my bulles shew I al and some
Oure liege lordes seel on my patente
10
That shew I first my body to warente
That no man be so bold ne preest ne clerk
Me to distorbe of cristes holy werke
And aftyr that than telle I forth my tales
Bulles of popes and of Cardynales
15
Of patriarkes and bisshopes I shew
And in latyn I speke wordes a few
To saffroun with my perdicacioun
And for to stirie hem to deuocioun
Than shew I forth my longe cristal stones
20
I crammed ful of cloutes and of bones
Relikis thei ben as wenen thei echon
Than haue I in laton a shulderbon
Which that was of an holy Iewes sheep
Good men sey I take of my wordes keep
25
If that this bon be wasshe in any welle
If kow or calfe or sheep or oxe swelle
That any worm hath ete or worm y stonge
Take water of that welle and wassh his tonge
And it is hool anon and forthermore
30
Of pokkes and of Scabbe and euery sore
Shal euery sheep be hool that of this welle
Drynketh a draught take keep ek what I telle
If that the good man that the beestes owith
¶ Wole euery woke er that the cok him crowith
35
Fastyng drynken of this welle a draght
As thilke holy Iewe our eldres taught
His beestes and his stoor shal multiplie
¶ And syr also it heleth Ielousye
For though a man befalle in a gelous rage
40
Lat maken with this water his potage
And neuer shal he more his wif mystriste
Thogh he the soth of hir defaute wiste