The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 193v
17 of 18 folios
And ware ȝow fro þe synne of auarice
Myn holy pardoun may ȝou alle warice
So þat ȝe offren noblis or starlinges
580
Or elles siluer spones broches or rynges
Bowiþ ȝour hedes vnder þis holy bulle /
Comeþ forþ ȝe wyues and offreþ ȝour wolle
Ȝour names I entre her in my rolle anoon
In to þe blis of heuen schul ȝe goon
585
I ȝow assoile by myn heyh power
If ȝe woln offre as clene and eek als cler
As ȝe were born and sires lo þus I preche /
And Ihū crist þat is oure soules leche
So graunte ȝow his pardoun to receyue
590
For þat is best I wil not ȝow disceyue
But sires o word forȝat I in my tale /
I haue reliks and pardoū in my male
As fair as eny man in Engelond
Which were me I ȝeue by popes hond
595
If eny of ȝow wol of deuocioun
Offren and haue mȳ absoluciou~
Cometh forth and knelith her a doun
And ȝe schul haue here my pardoū
Or elles takith pardoū as ȝe wende
600
Al newe and freissch at euery townes ende
So þat ȝe offren alway new and newe /
Nobles and pens which þat ben good and trewe /
It is an honur to euery þat is heer
That may haue a suffisaūt pardoner
605
Tassoile ȝow in contre as ȝe ryde
For auentures which þat may bytyde
For peraunter . þer may falle oon or tuo
Doun of his hors and breke his nekke a tuo
Loke such a seurete is to ȝou alle /
610
That I am in ȝour felaschip I falle /
That may assoyle ȝou boþe more and lasse
Whan þat þe soule schal fro þe body passe
I rede þat oure hoste schal bygynne
For he is most enuoliped in synne