The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 173r
4 of 21 folios
Saturnus leed and Iubiter is tyn
110
And venus coper by my fader kyn
This cursed craft who so wol excercise
He schal no good han þat may him suffise /
For al þe good he spendeþ þer aboute
He lese schal þer of haue I no doute /
115
Who so þat list outen his folye
Let him come forþ and lerne multiplie
And euery man that haþ ought in his cofre
Let him appiere and wexe a philosofre
Ascauns þat craft is so ligħt to lere /
120
Nay nay god wot al be he monk or frere
Prest Chanoū or eny oþer wigħt
Though he sit at his book boþe day and night
In lernyng of þis eluysch nice lore
Al is in vayn and parde moche more
125
Is to lerne a lewed man þis subtilte
Fy spek not þerof . for it it wil not be /
Al couþe he letterure or couþe he noon
As in effect he schal fynd it al oon
For boþe tuo by my sauaciou~
130
Concluden in multiplicacioun
I liche wel whan þey han al y do /
This is to sayn þay fayle boþe tuo
Ȝet forȝat I to moche rehersayle
Of watres corosif and of lymayle
135
And of bodyes mollificaciou~
And also of here enduracioun
Oyles ablucioū and metal fusible /
To tellen al wold passen eny bible
That owher is wherfore as for þe best
140
Of alle þese names now wil I me rest
For as I trowe I haue ȝow told ynowe
To reyse a feend al loke he neuer so rowe /
A nay let be þy philosophre stoon /
Elixir clept . we sechen fast echoon
145
For had we him þan were we syker ynougħ
But vnto god of heuen I make avow