The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 153r
10 of 19 folios
A word or two as old bookes trete .
Gret sweryng is a thing abhominable
And fals sweryng is yit more reprouable
305
The hie god forbad sweryng at al
Witnesse of Matheu but in special
Of sweryng seith the holy Ieromye
Thow shalt swere soth thin othes and nat lye
And swere in doom and ek in rightwesnesse
310
But ydel sweryng is a cursednesse
Beholde and se that in the first table
Of hie goddes hestes honurable
How that the secunde hest of him is this
Take nat my name in ydel or amys
315
Lo rather he forbedeth swich sweryng
Than homycide or many a nother thing
I sey that as that bi ordre thus it standith
How that the secounde heest of god is that
320
And forthermore I wol the telle al plat
That vengeance shal nat parten from his hous
That of his othes is outerageous
By goddes percious herte and bi his nayles
And bi the blood of crist that is at hailes
325
Vijõ. is my chaunce and thyn is synk and trey
Bi goddes armes yif thow falsly pley
This dagger shal thurgh out thyn hert go
This fruyte comth of the bicche bones two
Forsweryng Ire falsnesse homicide
330
Now for the loue of crist that for vs dide
Letith your othis bothe grete and smale
But syres now wol I telle forth my tale
Thise riatours thre of which I telle
Long erst or prime rong or any belle
335
Were set hem in a tauerne to drynke