The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 203v
2 of 19 folios
In to þe blisse of heuen schul ȝe gon
585
I ȝou assoille by myn heih powere
Ȝe þat woln offre as clene and eek as cleere
As ȝe were born and sires lo þus I perche
And Ihū crist þat is oure soules leche
So graunte ȝou his pardoun to resceyue
590
For þat is best I wol ȝou nouȝt disceyue
But sires o word forgat I in my tale
I haue reliqes and pardoū in my male
As faire as eny man in Engelond
Whiche were me y ȝoue by þe popes hond
595
If eny of ȝou wole of deuocioū
Offren and haue myn absolucioū
Comeþ forþ anon and kneleþ doun heere
And ȝe schuln haue my pardoū þat is deere
Oþer elles takeþ pardoun as ȝe wende
600
Al newe and freissche at euery tounes ende
So þat ȝe offren alway newe and newe /
Nobles and pens which þat ben good and trewe
It is an honour to euerich þat is heere
Þat ȝe may haue a suffisaunt pardonere
605
To assoille ȝou in cuntre as I ryde
For auentures which þat may betyde
For peraduenture þer may falle on or tuo
Doun of his hors and breke his necke a tuo
Loke which a suerte it is to ȝou alle
610
Þat I am in ȝour felaschipe yfalle
Þat may assoille ȝou boþe more and lasse
Whan þat þe soule schal fro þe body passe /
I rede þat oure hooste schal begynne
For he is most envoluped in synne
615
Comeþ forþ sire Ost and offreþ first anon
And þou schalt kisse þe relikes euerychoon
Ȝe for a grote vnbokel anon þy purs
Nay nay quod he þenne haue I cristes curs
Let be quod he it schal nouȝt be so þeche