The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 196v
16 of 19 folios
80
Sowneþ ofte tyme of yuel intencioū
Sōme for plesaunce of folk and for flaterie
To ben auaunced by ypocresye
And sōme for veynglorie and sōme for hate /
For whan I dar nouȝt oþerwise debate
85
Þanne wil I stynge hem with my tonge smerte
In perching so þat þei schal nouȝt asterte
To be diffamed falsly if þat he
Haþ trespassed to my breþeren oþer to me
For þough I telle nouȝt his propre name
90
Men schal wel knowe þat it is þe same
By symony and by oþer circumstaunces
Þus quyte I folk þat doþ vs displesaunces
Þus spitte I out my venym vnder hewe
Of holynesse to seme holy and trewe
95
But schortly mȳ entent I wil deuyse
I preche of no þing but of coueytise
Þerfore my teeme is ȝit and euer was
Radix malorum est cupiditas
Thus gan I preche aȝeins þe same vice
100
Such þat I vse and þat is auarice
That þough I my self be gulty in þat synne
Ȝit kan I make oþer folk for to wynne
From auarice and sore to repente
But þat nys nougħt my principal entente
105
I preche no þing but for coueityse
Of þis matiere I ought ynougħ suffise
Þenne telle I of ensamples many on
Of olde stories longe tyme agon
For lewed poeple louen tales olde
110
Whiche þinges can þey wel reporte and holde
What trowe ȝe whiles þat I may preche
And wynne gold and siluer for I teche
That I wol lyue in pouert wilfully
Nay nay I þougħt it neuer trewely
115
For I wol preche and begge in sondry landes