The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 205r
3 of 4 folios
And in amalgamyng / and calcenyng
And of quyk siluer / I cleped Mercurie crude
For alle oure sleigħtes / we can nat conclude
55
Oure Orpement / and sublimed Mercurie
Oure grounden litarge eke / on the porfurie
And eche of theise / vnces a certeyne
Nat helpetħ vs / oure labour is in veyne
Ne eke oure spirites / ascensioū
60
Ne oure maters / þt lyn al fix a doun
Moun in oure werkynge / no thing vs a vaille
For loost is al oure labour / & trauaille
And al the cost / a twenty deuel weye
Is loost also / whicħ we vp on it leye
65
There is also / ful many a nother thyng
That is vn to oure craft / appertenyng
Thougħ I be ordre / hem nat reherce can
By cause that I am / a lewed man
Ȝet wole I telle hē / as they come to mynde
70
Thougħ I ne can nat / sette hē in here kynde
As Bole Armonyak / verdegres / Boras
And sundry vesselles / mad of erthe & glas
Oure vrinales / and oure descensories
Violes / crosletz / and sublimatories
75
Cucurbitz / and alambikes eke
And othere suche / dere I now a leke
Nat nedetħ it / for to reherce hē alle
Watres rubisyng / and Booles galle
Arsenyk / salarmonyak / and Brymstoū
80
And Erbes coude I telle eke / many oon
As Egremoyne/ valerian / and lymarie
And othere swicħ / if þt me list tarie
Oure laumpes brenne / bothe nygħt & day
To brynge a boute oure purpos / if we may
85
Oure fourneys eke / of calcinacioū
And of watres / albificacioū
Vnslekked lym / Chalk / and gleir of an ey
Poudres diuerse / asshes / donge / pisse / & cley
Sered pottes / salpetir / vitriole
90
And diuerse fyres made / of wode & cole
Sal tartre / Alkaly / and salt perparat
And combust matiers / and coagulat
Cley / mad wt hors & mānes her / & oyle
Of Tartre / Alumglas / Berm / Wort / and Argule