Introduction to the Pardoner's Tale
Folio 195r
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¶ Heere may men seen / how synne hath his merite
Beth war / for no man woot whom god wol smyte
In no degree / ne in which manere wise
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The worm of conscience / may agrise
Of wikked lyf / thogh it so pryuee be
That no man woot ther of but god and he
For be he lewed man / or ellis lered
He noot how soone / that he shal been afered
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Ther fore I rede yow / this conseil take
Forsaketh synne / er synne yow forsake
¶ Here endeth the Phisiciens tale
¶ The myry talkyng of the hoost to the Phisicien ~ ~ and the Pardoner ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Oure hoost gan to swere / as he were wood
Harrow quod he / by nayles and by blood
This was a fals cherl / and a fals Iustise
As shameful deeth / as herte may deuyse
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Come to thise Iuges / and hir Aduocatz
Algate this sely mayde / is slayn allas
Allas / to deere boghte she beautee
Wherfore I seye alday / þt men may se
That yiftes of Fortune / and of nature
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Been cause of deeth / to many a creature
Of bothe yiftes / þt I speke of now
Men han ful ofte / moore for harm than prow
¶ But trewely / myn owene maister deere
This is a pitous tale / for to heere
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But nathelees passe ouer is no fors
I pray to god / so saue thy gentil cors
And eek thyne vrynals / and thy Iurdones
Thyn Ypocras / and eek thy galyones
And euery boyste / ful of thy letuarie
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God blesse hem / and oure lady Seinte Marie
So mote I then / thow art a propre man
And lyk a perlat / by Seint Ronyan