Canterbury Tales (Middle English) — The Friar's Prologue and Tale
HEADING.
_So_ E. Hn.
1266. E.
chiere.
1267. E.
Somonour; Hn.
Somnour.
1273. E.
Hn.
muche; Ln.
muchel; _rest_ mochel.
1274. E.
ryde; _rest_ ryden.
1277. Hl.
scoles.
E.
Hn.
Hl.
_om.
_ eek.
1278. K.
And; _rest_ But.
1284. E.
Hn.
mandementz.
Our host tho spak, ‘a!
sire, ye sholde be hende [358: T.
6869-6882. ] And curteys, as a man of your estaat;
In companye we wol have no debaat.
Telleth your tale, and lat the Somnour be.
’ 1286. Hl.
oste (_om.
_ tho).
‘Nay,’ quod the Somnour, ‘lat him seye to me 1290 What so him list; whan it comth to my lot, By god, I shal him quyten every grot.
I shal him tellen which a greet honour (29) It is to be a flateringe limitour; [T. 6876 And his offyce I shal him telle, y-wis.
’ [T. 6879 _After_ l. 1294 _all but_ Hl.
_wrongly insert_ ll.
1307 _and_ 1308;
_which see_.
Tyrwhitt _also inserts them.
_ Our host answerde, ‘pees, na-more of this.
’ 1296 And after this he seyde un-to the Frere, ‘Tel forth your tale, leve maister deere.
’ =Here endeth the Prologe of the Frere.
= 1298. E.
Hn.
leeue; Hl.
my; Cp.
Ln.
my leue; Pt.
my owen.
COLOPHON.
_From_ Hn.
; _so_ Pt.
(_with_ Thus _for_ Here).
[359: T.
6883-6902. ] * * * * * THE FRERES TALE.
* * * * * =Here biginneth the Freres Tale.
= Whilom ther was dwellinge in my contree An erchedeken, a man of heigh degree, 1300 That boldely dide execucioun In punisshinge of fornicacioun, Of wicchecraft, and eek of bauderye, Of diffamacioun, and avoutrye, Of chirche-reves, and of testaments, 1305 Of contractes, and of lakke of sacraments, And eek of many another maner cryme [T. _om.
_ Which nedeth nat rehercen at this tyme; [T. _om.
_ Of usure, and of symonye also.
(11) But certes, lechours dide he grettest wo; 1310 They sholde singen, if that they were hent;
And smale tytheres weren foule y-shent.
If any persone wolde up-on hem pleyne, Ther mighte asterte him no pecunial peyne.
For smale tythes and for smal offringe, 1315 He made the peple pitously to singe.
For er the bisshop caughte hem with his hook, They weren in the erchedeknes book.
(20) Thanne hadde he, thurgh his Iurisdiccioun, Power to doon on hem correccioun.
1320 [360: T.
6903-6937. ] He hadde a Somnour redy to his hond, A slyer boy was noon in Engelond;
For subtilly he hadde his espiaille, That taughte him, wher that him mighte availle.
He coude spare of lechours oon or two, 1325 To techen him to foure and twenty mo.
For thogh this Somnour wood were as an hare, To telle his harlotrye I wol nat spare; (30) For we been out of his correccioun;
They han of us no Iurisdiccioun, 1330 Ne never shullen, terme of alle hir lyves.
HEADING.
_So_ E. Pt.
1306. E.
Hn.
and eek; _rest_ and.
1307, 1308. _Wrongly inserted after_ l. 1294 _in all but_ Hl.
1307. E.
Hn.
Ln.
_om.
_ eek.
1308. E.
Hn.
for; _rest_ at.
1310. Ln.
lychoures; _rest_ lecchours.
1315. Hn.
Hl.
for; Cp.
eek for; Pt.
Ln.
eek; E. _om.
_ 1317. E.
Hl.
him.
1318. Cp.
Pt.
Hl.
weren; _rest_ were.
1319. Hl.
And; _rest_ And thanne; _read_ Thanne.
1321. E.
Somonour; Hl.
Sompnour; _rest_ Somnour.
1322. E.
Pt.
Ln.
boye.
1324. _Read_ taughten(?
), _or_ taught-e. Cp.
Pt.
that; _rest om.
_ 1325. E.
lecchours.
1327. E.
was; _rest_ were.
1331. E.
Hn.
_om.
_ alle.
‘Peter!
so been the wommen of the styves,’ Quod the Somnour, ‘y-put out of my cure!
’ 1332. E.
Cm.
_om.
1st_ the.
‘Pees, with mischance and with misaventure,’ Thus seyde our host, ‘and lat him telle his tale.
1335 Now telleth forth, thogh that the Somnour gale, Ne spareth nat, myn owene maister dere.
’ This false theef, this Somnour, quod the Frere, (40) Hadde alwey baudes redy to his hond, As any hauk to lure in Engelond, 1340 That tolde him al the secree that they knewe;
For hir acqueyntance was nat come of-newe.
They weren hise approwours prively;
He took him-self a greet profit therby;
His maister knew nat alwey what he wan.
1345 With-outen mandement, a lewed man He coude somne, on peyne of Cristes curs, And they were gladde for to fille his purs, (50) And make him grete festes atte nale.
And right as Iudas hadde purses smale, 1350 And was a theef, right swich a theef was he;
His maister hadde but half his duëtee.
He was, if I shal yeven him his laude, A theef, and eek a Somnour, and a baude.
He hadde eek wenches at his retenue, 1355 [361: T.
6938-6971. ] That, whether that sir Robert or sir Huwe, Or Iakke, or Rauf, or who-so that it were, That lay by hem, they tolde it in his ere; (60) Thus was the wenche and he of oon assent.
And he wolde fecche a feyned mandement, 1360 And somne hem to the chapitre bothe two, And pile the man, and lete the wenche go.
Thanne wolde he seye, ‘frend, I shal for thy sake Do stryken hir out of our lettres blake;
Thee thar na-more as in this cas travaille; 1365 I am thy freend, ther I thee may availle.
’ Certeyn he knew of bryberyes mo Than possible is to telle in yeres two.
(70) For in this world nis dogge for the bowe, That can an hurt deer from an hool y-knowe, 1370 Bet than this Somnour knew a sly lechour, Or an avouter, or a paramour.
And, for that was the fruit of al his rente, Therfore on it he sette al his entente.
1343. Ln.
approwers; Cm.
apprououris; Pt.
aprouers; _rest_ approuwours.
1348. Cp.
gladde; E. Hn.
glade.
1349. Cm.
at the nale;
(atte nale = atten ale).
1352. Hl.
not (_for_ but).
Cp.
dewete.
1356. E.
wheither.
1364. E.
Hn.
hir; _rest_ þe. 1367. E.
bribryes.
1370. Hl.
y-knowe; _rest_ knowe [_perhaps read_ hole knowe).
1371. Cm.
lechour; E. Hn.
lecchour.
1372. Hn.
Cp.
Pt.
auouter; E. Hl.
auowtier.
And so bifel, that ones on a day 1375 This Somnour, ever waiting on his pray, Rood for to somne a widwe, an old ribybe, Feynynge a cause, for he wolde brybe.
(80) And happed that he saugh bifore him ryde A gay yeman, under a forest-syde.
1380 A bowe he bar, and arwes brighte and kene;
He hadde up-on a courtepy of grene;
An hat up-on his heed with frenges blake.
1377. Hl.
Rod; Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Rode; Cm.
Wente; E. Hn.
_om.
_ Cm.
a wedewe an old; Hl.
a widew and(!
) old; E. Hn.
an old wydwe a. 1379. E.
Hn.
_om.
_ And ‘Sir,’ quod this Somnour, ‘hayl!
and wel a-take!
’ ‘Wel-come,’ quod he, ‘and every good felawe!
1385 Wher rydestow under this grene shawe?
’ Seyde this yeman, ‘wiltow fer to day?
’ 1386. E.
Cm.
Pt.
Ln.
grene wode shawe (_too long_).
This Somnour him answerde, and seyde, ‘nay; (90) Heer faste by,’ quod he, ‘is myn entente [362: T.
6972-7007. ] To ryden, for to reysen up a rente 1390 That longeth to my lordes duëtee.
1391. Cp.
dewete.
‘Artow thanne a bailly?
’ ‘Ye!
’ quod he.
He dorste nat, for verray filthe and shame, Seye that he was a somnour, for the name.
‘_Depardieux_,’ quod this yeman, ‘dere brother, 1395 Thou art a bailly, and I am another.
I am unknowen as in this contree;
Of thyn aqueyntance I wolde praye thee, (100) And eek of brotherhede, if that yow leste.
I have gold and silver in my cheste; 1400 If that thee happe to comen in our shyre, Al shal be thyn, right as thou wolt desyre.
’ 1395. Cm.
leue; Hl.
lieue; _rest_ dere (deere).
1399. Cm.
brotherhode; Hl.
brotherheed; _rest_ brether-.
‘Grantmercy,’ quod this Somnour, ‘by my feith!
’ Everich in otheres hand his trouthe leith, For to be sworne bretheren til they deye.
1405 In daliance they ryden forth hir weye.
1405. Hl.
sworne; E. Hn.
sworn; _rest_ swore.
This Somnour, which that was as ful of Iangles, As ful of venim been thise wariangles, (no) And ever enquering up-on every thing, ‘Brother,’ quod he, ‘where is now your dwelling, 1410 Another day if that I sholde yow seche?
’ 1407. E.
Cm.
_om.
_ which.
This yeman him answerde in softe speche, ‘Brother,’ quod he, ‘fer in the north contree, Wher, as I hope, som-tyme I shal thee see.
Er we departe, I shal thee so wel wisse, 1415 That of myn hous ne shaltow never misse.
’ ‘Now, brother,’ quod this Somnour, ‘I yow preye, Teche me, whyl that we ryden by the weye, (120) Sin that ye been a baillif as am I, Som subtiltee, and tel me feithfully 1420 In myn offyce how I may most winne;
And spareth nat for conscience ne sinne, But as my brother tel me, how do ye?
’ 1421. Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
how that I. ‘Now, by my trouthe, brother dere,’ seyde he, ‘As I shal tellen thee a feithful tale, 1425 [363: T.
7008-7043. ] My wages been ful streite and ful smale.
My lord is hard to me and daungerous, And myn offyce is ful laborous; (130) And therfore by extorcions I live.
For sothe, I take al that men wol me yive; 1430 Algate, by sleyghte or by violence, Fro yeer to yeer I winne al my dispence.
I can no bettre telle feithfully.
’ 1426. Hl.
and eek (_but read_ streit-e).
1428. Cp.
laborious; _rest_ laborous.
1430. E.
yeue.
‘Now, certes,’ quod this Somnour, ‘so fare I;
I spare nat to taken, god it woot, 1435 But if it be to hevy or to hoot.
What I may gete in conseil prively, No maner conscience of that have I; (140) Nere myn extorcioun, I mighte nat liven, Ne of swiche Iapes wol I nat be shriven.
1440 Stomak ne conscience ne knowe I noon;
I shrewe thise shrifte-fadres everichoon.
Wel be we met, by god and by seint Iame!
But, leve brother, tel me than thy name,’ Quod this Somnour; and in this mene-whyle, 1445 This yeman gan a litel for to smyle.
1440. E.
Nor; Hn.
Cm.
Hl.
Ne.
1444. E.
thanne.
1445. Cm.
and; _rest om.
_ ‘Brother,’ quod he, ‘wiltow that I thee telle?
I am a feend, my dwelling is in helle.
(150) And here I ryde about my purchasing, To wite wher men wolde yeve me any thing.
1450 My purchas is theffect of al my rente.
Loke how thou rydest for the same entente, To winne good, thou rekkest never how;
Right so fare I, for ryde wolde I now Un-to the worldes ende for a preye.
’ 1455 1450. E.
me yeuen; _rest_ yeue (yiue) me.
1454. E.
I wolde right; Hl.
I wolde; _rest_ wolde I. ‘A,’ quod this Somnour, ‘_benedicite_, what sey ye?
I wende ye were a yeman trewely.
Ye han a mannes shap as wel as I; (160) Han ye figure than determinat In helle, ther ye been in your estat?
’ 1460 1459. E.
thanne.
‘Nay, certeinly,’ quod he, ‘ther have we noon;
[364: T.
7044-7080. ] But whan us lyketh, we can take us oon, Or elles make yow seme we ben shape Som-tyme lyk a man, or lyk an ape;
Or lyk an angel can I ryde or go.
1465 It is no wonder thing thogh it be so;
A lousy Iogelour can deceyve thee, And pardee, yet can I more craft than he.
’ (170) ‘Why,’ quod the Somnour, ‘ryde ye thanne or goon In sondry shap, and nat alwey in oon?
’ 1470 ‘For we,’ quod he, ‘wol us swich formes make As most able is our preyes for to take.
’ 1471. E.
Hn.
swiche; Cm.
Cp.
swich.
‘What maketh yow to han al this labour?
’ ‘Ful many a cause, leve sir Somnour,’ Seyde this feend, ‘but alle thing hath tyme.
