The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 154v
13 of 19 folios
To speken to an old man vilenye
But he trespas othir in worde or dede
In holy writ ye may your seluen rede
415
Ageyns an old man whoor vpon his heed
Ye shul aryse wherfore I yeue yow reed
Ne doth to an old man no harm now
More than that ye wolde men did to yow
In age yif that ye mow so longe abide
420
And god be with yow where ye go or ride
I mote go thider as I haue to go
¶ Nay olde cherl bi god thow shalt not so
Seide this othir hazardour anon
Thow partist nat so lightly bi seynt Ioħn
425
Thow spak right now of thilk tretour deth
That in this Cuntre alle our frendes sleeth
Haue here my trouth as thow art his espie
Telle where he is ar thow shalt it abye
Bi god and bi the holy Sacrament
430
For soothly thow art oon of his assent
To sleen vs yonge folk thow fals theef
¶ Now syrs quod he yif that yow be leef
To fynden deth turne vp this croked wey
For in that groue I lafte him by my fey
435
Vndir a tree and theer he wol abide
For al your boost he nyl him nothing hide
Se ye that ook ryght there ye shul him fynde
God saue yow that boght ageyn mankynde
And yow amende seide this old man
440
And euery of thise Riatours Ran
Til he cam to that tre theer thei founde
Of floreyns fyne of golde y coyned rounde
Welny an .viij. busshelles as hem thoght
No lenger than after deth thei Sought
445
But eche of hem so glad was of the sight
For that floreyns ben so fayr and bright
That doun thei set hem bi this percious hoord
The worst of hem he spak the first word