The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 201r
15 of 17 folios
655
I sholde be deed / ther were noon oother weye
¶ God it forbeede quod the preest what sey ye
Yet hadde I leuere / spenden al the good
Which þt I haue / or elles wexe I wood
Than that ye sholden falle in swich mescheef
660
¶ For youre good wyl / sire haue ye rigħt good preef
Quod the Chanoū / and farwel grant mercy
He wente his wey / and neuer the preest hym sy
After that day / and whan þt this preest shoolde
Maken assay / at swich tyme as he wolde
665
Of this receit / farwel / it wolde nat be
Lo thus byiaped / and bigiled was he
Thus maketh he / his introduccioū
To brynge folk to destruccioū
COnsidereth sires / how þt in ech estaat
670
Bitwixe men and gold / ther is debaat
So ferforth / that vnnethe is ther noon
This multiplying blent so many oon
That in good feith / I trowe þt it bee
The cause grettest of swich scarsetee
675
Philosophres / speken so mystily
In this craft þt men kan nat come therby
For any wit þt men han now adayes
They mowe wel chiteren / as þt doon Ioyes
And in hir termes / sette hir lust and peyne
680
But to hir purpos / shul they neuere atteyne
A man may ligħtly lerne / if he haue augħt
To multiplie / and brynge his good to naugħt
¶ Lo / swich a lucre / is in this lusty game
A mannes myrthe / it wol turne vnto grame
685
And empten also / grete and heuye purses
And maken folk / for to purchacen curses
Of hem / þt han hir good / ther to ylent
Fy for shame / they þt han been brent
Allas / kan they nat flee / the fires heete
690
Ye that it vse / I rede ye it leete
Lest ye lese al / for bet than neuere is late
Neuere to thryue / were to long a date
Thougħ ye prolle ay / ye shul it neuere fynde
Ye been as boold as is Bayard the blynde
695
That blondreth forth / and peril casteth noon
He is as boold / to renne agayn a stoon
As for to goon / bisides in the weye
So faren ye / that multiplie I seye
If þt youre eyen / kan nat seen arigħt
700
Looke þt youre mynde / lakke noght his sigħt
For thougħ ye looken neuer so brode and stare
Ye shul no thyng wynne on that chaffare