The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 179r
16 of 21 folios
Supposyng not but trouþe soþ to sayn
He was so glad þat I can nought expresse /
In no maner his myrþe and his gladnesse /
And to þe chanoū he profred eft soone
570
Body and good ȝe quod þe chanoū soone /
Though pore I be crafty þou schalt me fynde /
I warne þe ȝet is þer more byhynde
Is þer any coper her Inne quod he
Ȝe sir quod þis prest I trowe þer be
575
Elles go bye som and þat as swithe
Now goode sire go forth þy way and hythe
He went his way and with þis coper cam
And þis chanoun it in his hondes nam
And of þat coper weyed out but an ounce
580
Al to simple is my tonge to pronounce
The minister and of his witt þe doublenesse /
Of þis chanoū roote of cursednesse /
He semed frendly to hem þat knew him nougħt
But he was fendly boþe in werk and þougħt
585
It werieþ me to telle of his falsnesse /
And naþeles ȝit wol I it expresse
To þat entent men may be war þer by
And for noon oþer cause trewely
He put þis vnce of coper in þe croslet
590
And on þe fuyr als swithe he haþ it set
And cast in pouder and made þe prest to blowe
And in his worching for to stoupe lowe /
As he dede er and al nas but a iape
Right as him list þe prest he made his ape /
595
And afterward in þe Ingot he it cast
And in þe panne putte it atte last /
Of water and in he put his owne hond
And in his sleeue as ȝe byforenhond
Herde me telle he had a siluer teyne
600
He sleyghly took it out þis cursed heyne
Vnwitynge þis prest of his false craft
And in þe pannes botme he haþ it laft
And in þe water rumbleþ to and fro