The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
Folio 168v
2 of 19 folios
And make folke to purchasen curses
Of hem þat han þere to here good y lente
O fy for schame þei þat haue be brente
Alas Can þei nouht flye þe fires hete
690
Ȝe þat it vsen .I. rede ȝowe it lete
Lest ȝe lees al for bet þant neueuer is late
Neuer to þriue were to longe a date
Þouhe ȝe prolle aye ȝe schol it neuer finde
Ȝe bene als bolde as is bayer þe blynde
695
Þat blunderþ forþ & peril casteþ he none
He is as bolde to renne aȝeine a stone
As for to go beside in þe weie
So fare ȝe þat multeplie .I. seie
If þat oure yȝen kan not seen a riht
700
Lookeþ þat ȝoure mynde lake nouht ȝoure siht
For þouhe ȝe looke neuer so brode & stare
Ȝe schol nouht wynne a myte of þat chaffare
Bot wasten al þat ȝe maie rappe & rinne
Wiþ drawe þe fire lest it so fast birne
705
Medeleþe no more wiþ þat art .I. mene
For ȝif ȝe done ȝoure þreft . is gone ful clene
And riht als swiþe .I. wil ȝoue to here
What þat þe Philosophres seine in þis matiere
Lo þus seiþe Arnalde of þe New toune
710
As his rosarie makeþ Mencioune
He seiþe riht þus wiþ outen any . lye
There maie noman Mercuri Mortifie
Bot if it be wiþ his broþer knowlecheinge
Howe þat he wiche þat first seide þis þinge
715
Of philosophres fader was Ermes
Seiþe howe þat þe dragon douxteles
Ne deyeþ not bot if he be sleine
Wiþ is broþer & þat is for to seyne
Be þe dragon M ercurie & none oþer
720
He vnder stode þat bromston were is broþer
Þat oute of sol & luna were ydrawe
And þerfore seide he take hede to my sawe
Latt no man besy hime þis arte for to seche
Bot he þat þe entencion & speche
725
Of Philosofres vnder stonde kan
And if he doo he is a lewde man
For þis science & þis cōnnniynge qd he