The Pardoner's Prologue & Tale
Folio 173v
11 of 15 folios
Incipit fabula questoris .
LOrdynges qd he in cherches whan .I. preche
I peyne me to haue an haunteine speche
Hereynge oute as rounde as goþe a beƚƚ
For .I. kan al beroote þat .I. teƚƚ
5
My teme is alweie one & euer was
Radix omnium malor est cupiditas ;
Ferst .I. pronounce wense þat .I. come
An þan my billes schewe .I. al & sōme
Our liege lorde seal is my patent
10
Þat schewe .I. first my body to warent
Þat no man be so bolde preste ne clerke
Me to destorble of cristes holy werke
And after þat tel .I. forþe my tales
Bulles of popes & of Cardinales
15
Of Patriarkes & of Bischopes .I. schewe
And in latine .I. speke wordes a fewe
To sauern wiþ my perdicaciōne
And for to ster men to deuocioūe
Þan schewe .I. forþe my longe cristal stones
20
Y crāmed ful of cloutes & of bones
Relekes þei buen as ween þei euerychon
Than haue .I. in laton a scholdere bone
Whiche þat was an holy Iewes schepe
Goodmen saie .I. takeþe of my wordes kepe
25
If þat þis bone bue wasche in any welle
If cowe or calfe schepe or oxe swelle
Þat worme haþe y ete or y stonge
Touche he þis bone anone he schal be sounde
And ȝit also forþer more ; of pokkes & stabbes & of eny sore .
Schal euery schepe be hole þat of þis weƚƚ
Drenkeþ adrawht of takeþ kepe what .I. teƚƚ
And doþe þinge þat him oweþe
Wil euery wyhte er þt þe koke him croweþe
35
Fastynge drinke of þis welle adrauht
As þilke holy Iewe oure helders ones tauht
His bestes & his store schal multeplie