The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 161v
16 of 19 folios
And of siluer citrinacione
Oure cementinge & fermentacione
Oure Ingotes testes & mony mo
100
I. wil ȝowe tell as was me tauht also
The foure spirites & þe bodis seuen
Be order of ofte as .I. herd my lorde neuen
Þe fi\r/st spirit whik siluer cald is
Þe secunde Orpement þe þeed .I. wis
105
Sal armoniac . & þe fourt bromstone
The bodis .vij. eke lo hem here anone
Sol gold is . & luna . siluer we þrepe
Mars . yren . Mercure . whik seluer we clepe
Saturnus lede & Iubiter is tynne
110
And venus coper be my fader kinne
Þis cursed craft who so wil exercise
He schal no goode haue þat maie him suffise
For al þe good he spendeþ þere aboute
He lese schal þer of haue .I. no doute
115
Who so þat lust to outen his folie
Lat him com forþe & leren to multeplie
Ande euery man þat ouht in his cofre
Lete him appere & wax a philosophre
Ascanse þat craft is so liht for to lere
120
Nay nay god it wote al be he monke or frere
Preste or chanone or any oþer wyht
Þouhe he sitte att his boke boþe daie & nyht
In lerneynge of þis elvisshe nice lore
Al is in veine & perde muche more
125
Is to lerne a lewd man þe sotelte
For fye speke nouht þere of for it wil nouht be
Al couþe he letterure or couþe he none
As in effect he schal finde it al one
For boþe tuo be my saluacione
130
Concluden in multiplicacione
.I lyche wele whan þei haue al y do
Þis is to seine þey feile boþe tuo
Ȝit for þat .I. to muche rehersaiƚƚ
Of waters Corosif & of lymayle
135
And of bodis mollificacōne
And also of here induracione
Oyles ablucione & metale fusible .
To tellen al wald passen any bible .