The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 202r
5 of 19 folios
And it fiƚƚ on þe ȝongeste of hem aƚƚ
And forþ toward þe toun he wente anon
And also soone as he was y gon
Þat on of hem spak þus vnto þat oþer
480
Þou wost wel þat þou art myn owen sworne broþer
Thyn prophyte wol I telle þe anon
Þou wost wel þat oure felawe is gon
And heere is gold and þat ful gret plente
That it schal departed be among vs þre
485
But naþeles if I can schape it so
Þat it departed were among vs tuo
Had I nougħt don a frendes turne to þe
Þat oþer answerde I not how þat mighte be
I woot wel þat þe gold is oure tuo
490
What schulde we seye what schulde we do
Schal it be counseil sayde þe firste schrewe /
And I schal telle in wordes fewe
What we schuln doon and bringe it wel aboute
I graunte quod þat oþer out of doute
495
Þat by my trewþe I wol þe nouȝt bewreye
Now quoþ þe firste þou wost wel we be tweye
And tweyne of vs schuln strenger ben þan oon
Loke whenne he is sette and þanne anon
Aryse as þou woldest wiþ him pleye
500
And I schal renne him þurgh þe sydes tweye
Whiles þat þou struggelist wiþ him in game
And wiþ þy dagger loke þou do þe same
And þenne schal al þis gold departed be
My deere freend bitwixe þe and me
505
Þenne may we boþe oure lustes fulfille
And pleye atte dys right at oure owen wille
And þus accorded ben þese schrewes tweye
To sleen þe þridde as ȝe herde me seye
Þis ȝongest which þat wente to þe toun
510
Ful ofte in herte he rolleþ vp and doun
Þe beaute of þese floreynes newe and brigħt