The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 191v
13 of 18 folios
425
Thou spak right now of þat traytor deþ
That in þis contre aƚƚ oure frendes sleþ
Haue her my troutħ as þou art his aspye /
Tel wher he is or elles þou schalt dye /
By god and by þat holy sacrament /
430
For soþly þou art oon of his assent
To schewe vs ȝonge folk þe false theef
Now sires þan if þat ȝow be so leef
To fynde deþ torn vp þis croked way
For in þat groue I laft him by my fay
435
Vnder a tree and þer he wil abyde
Ne for ȝour bost he nyl him no þing hyde
Se ȝe þat ook right þer ȝe schuln him fynde
God saue ȝow þat bougħt aȝein mankynde
And ȝow amend þus sayde þis olde man
440
And euerich of þese riotoures ran
Til þay come to the tre and ther þay foūde
Of florins fyn of gold y coyned rounde
Wel neygh a seuen busshels as me thougħt
No lenger þanne after deth þay sougħt
445
But ech of hem so glad was of þat sight
For þat þe florens so faire were and bright
That doun þai sette hem by þat percious hord
The ȝongest of hem spak þe firste word
Breþeren takeþ keep what I schal say
450
My witte is gret þougħ þat I bourde and play
This tresour haþ fortune to vs ȝiuen
In mirth and iolyte our lif to lyuen
And lightly as it comth so wil we spende
Ey goddis precious dignite who wende
455
To day þat we schuld haue so fair a grace
But might þis gold be caried fro þis place
Hom to myn hous or ellis vnto ȝoures
For wel I wot þat þis gold is nouȝt oures
Than were we . in heyh felicite
460
But trewely by day it may not be
Men wolde say þat we were þeues stronge /
And for oure tresour doon vs for to honge