The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 186v
3 of 18 folios
He schal haue multiplying of grayn
Whan he haþ sowen be it whete or otes
So þat ȝe offre pans or elles grootes .
And men and wōmen oon þing warne I ȝow
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If eny wigħt be in þis chirche now
That haþ doon synne orrible þat he
Dar nougħt for schame of it schryuen be
Or ony wōman be sche ȝong or old
That hath y maad hir housbond cokewold
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Which folk schal haue no power ne grace
To offre to my relikes in þis place
And who so fint him out of suche blame
Thay wol come vp and offre in goddes name
And I assoile hem by þe auctorite
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Which þat by bulle was I graunted me
By þis gaude haue I wonne euery ȝeer
An hundred mark syn I was pardoner
I stonde lik a clerk in my pulpit
And whan þe lewed poeple is doun I set
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I preche so as ȝe haue herd bifore
And telle hem an hondred Iapes more
Than peyne I me to strecche forþ my necke
And est and west vpon þe poeple I bekke
As doþ a dowfe syttyng on a berne
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Myn hondes and my tonge goon so ȝerne
That it is ioye to se my busynesse
Of auarice and of such cursednesse
Is al my preching for to make hem fre
To ȝeue here pans and namely vnto me
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For myn entent is nought but for to wynne
And no þing for correccioū of synne
I rekke neuer . when þay ben I beryed
Thougħ þat here soules gon a blakeberyed
For certes many a perdicaciou~
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Comeþ ofte tyme of euel entenciou~
Som for plesauns of folk and flaterie
To ben auaunced by ypocrisie /
And som for veinegloir and som for hate