The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 180v
19 of 21 folios
680
But to her prpos schul þay neuer atteyne
A man may ligħtly lerne if he haue ought
To multiplie and bringe his good to nougħt
Lo such a lucre is in þis lusty game /
A mannes mirþe it wol torne in to grame /
685
And empte also grete and heuy purses
And make folk to purchace curses
Of hem þat han her good þer to I lent
O fy for schame þay þat haue be brent
Allas can þay not fle þe fuyres hete
690
Ȝe þat it vsen I rede ȝe it lete
Lest ȝe lesen al for bet þan neuer is late
Neuer to þriue were to long a date /
Though ȝe prolle ay ȝe schul it neuer fynde
Ȝe ben as bolde as is bayard þe blynde
695
That blundreþ forþ and peril casteth noon
He is as bold to renne agayn a stoon
As for to go bysides in þe wey /
So fare ȝe þat multiplie I sey /
If þat ȝoure yȝen can nougħt seen arigħt
700
Loke þat ȝoure mynde lakke nouȝt his sigħt
For þough ȝe loke neuer so brode and stare /
Ȝe schul nouȝt wynne vpon þat chaffare /
But wasten al þat þay may rape and renne
Wiþdrawe þe fuyr lest it so faste brenne
705
Medleþ no more with þat art I mene /
For ȝif ȝe doon ȝoure þrift is goon ful clene
And right as swithe I wol ȝow telle heere
What þat þe philolosophres sein in þis mateere /
¶ Lo þus saiþ arnold of þe newe tou~
710
As his Rosarie maketh mencioun
He saith right þus wiþouten eny lye
Ther may no man mercury mortifye
But hit be with his broþer knowleching
How þat he which þat first sayd þis þing
715
Of philosophres fader was hermes
He saiþ how þe dragoun douteles
Ne dyeþ nought but if þat he be slayn w his broþer