Canterbury Tales (Middle English) — The Summoner's Prologue and Tale
HEADING.
_So_ E. Hn.
; E.
Somonours.
1665. E.
Somonour; Hl.
sompnour;
_rest_ Somnour.
‘Lordinges,’ quod he, ‘but o thing I desyre;
I yow biseke that, of your curteisye, Sin ye han herd this false Frere lye, 1670 As suffereth me I may my tale telle!
This Frere bosteth that he knoweth helle, And god it woot, that it is litel wonder;
Freres and feendes been but lyte a-sonder.
(10) For pardee, ye han ofte tyme herd telle, 1675 How that a frere ravisshed was to helle In spirit ones by a visioun;
And as an angel ladde him up and doun, To shewen him the peynes that ther were, In al the place saugh he nat a frere; 1680 Of other folk he saugh y-nowe in wo.
Un-to this angel spak the frere tho: 1676. E.
vanysshed(!
); _rest_ rauysshed.
“Now, sir,” quod he, “han freres swich a grace That noon of hem shal come to this place?
” (20) “Yis,” quod this angel, “many a millioun!
” 1685 And un-to Sathanas he ladde him doun.
“And now hath Sathanas,” seith he, “a tayl Brodder than of a carrik is the sayl.
[371: T.
7271-7290. ] Hold up thy tayl, thou Sathanas!
” quod he, “Shewe forth thyn ers, and lat the frere see 1690 Wher is the nest of freres in this place!
” And, er that half a furlong-wey of space, Right so as bees out swarmen from an hyve, Out of the develes ers ther gonne dryve (30) Twenty thousand freres in a route, 1695 And thurgh-out helle swarmeden aboute;
And comen agayn, as faste as they may gon, And in his ers they crepten everichon.
He clapte his tayl agayn, and lay ful stille.
This frere, whan he loked hadde his fille 1700 Upon the torments of this sory place, His spirit god restored of his grace Un-to his body agayn, and he awook;
But natheles, for fere yet he quook, (40) So was the develes ers ay in his minde, 1705 That is his heritage of verray kinde.
God save yow alle, save this cursed Frere;
My prologe wol I ende in this manere.
’ =Here endeth the prologe of the Somnours Tale.
= 1692. Pt.
Hl.
than; _rest_ that.
1693. E.
Hn.
swarmeden; Hl.
swarmed al. 1700. Cp.
Hn.
loked hadde; Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
loked had; E. hadde looke al (_sic_).
COLOPHON.
_From_ Hn.
[372: T.
7291-7314. ] * * * * * THE SOMNOURS TALE.
* * * * * =Here biginneth the Somonour his Tale.
= Lordinges, ther is in Yorkshire, as I gesse, A mersshy contree called Holdernesse, 1710 In which ther wente a limitour aboute, To preche, and eek to begge, it is no doute.
And so bifel, that on a day this frere Had preched at a chirche in his manere, And specially, aboven every thing, 1715 Excited he the peple in his preching, To trentals, and to yeve, for goddes sake, Wher-with men mighten holy houses make, (10) Ther as divyne service is honoured, Nat ther as it is wasted and devoured, 1720 Ne ther it nedeth nat for to be yive, As to possessioners, that mowen live, Thanked be god, in wele and habundaunce.
‘Trentals,’ seyde he, ‘deliveren fro penaunce Hir freendes soules, as wel olde as yonge, 1725 Ye, whan that they been hastily y-songe;
Nat for to holde a preest Ioly and gay, He singeth nat but o masse in a day; (20) Delivereth out,’ quod he, ‘anon the soules;
Ful hard it is with fleshhook or with oules 1730 To been y-clawed, or to brenne or bake;
Now spede yow hastily, for Cristes sake.
’ [373: T.
7315-7349. ] And whan this frere had seyd al his entente, With _qui cum patre_ forth his wey he wente.
HEADING.
_So_ E. ; Hn.
Somnours (_for_ Somonour his).
1710. Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
mersshy; Hl.
mersschly; E. Hn.
merssh.
1718. Cp.
Hl.
mighten; E. Hn.
myghte.
1721. Cp.
Hl.
yiue; _rest_ yeue.
Whan folk in chirche had yeve him what hem leste, 1735 He wente his wey, no lenger wolde he reste, With scrippe and tipped staf, y-tukked hye;
In every hous he gan to poure and prye, (30) And beggeth mele, and chese, or elles corn.
His felawe hadde a staf tipped with horn, 1740 A peyre of tables al of yvory, And a poyntel polisshed fetisly, And wroot the names alwey, as he stood, Of alle folk that yaf him any good, Ascaunces that he wolde for hem preye.
1745 ‘Yeve us a busshel whete, malt, or reye, A goddes kechil, or a trip of chese, Or elles what yow list, we may nat chese; (40) A goddes halfpeny or a masse-peny, Or yeve us of your brawn, if ye have eny; 1750 A dagon of your blanket, leve dame, Our suster dere, lo!
here I write your name;
Bacon or beef, or swich thing as ye finde.
’ 1735. E.
lest.
1736. E.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
went.
1738. E.
Hn.
Ln.
poure;
_rest_ pore.
1743. E.
wroote.
1745. Hn.
Ascaunces; E. Asaunces; Hl.
Pt.
Ln.
Ascaunce; Cp.
Ascance.
E.
prey.
1746. Ln.
Yeue; Cp.
Yiue;
_rest_ Yif (_see_ 1750).
E.
him; _rest_ vs. 1747. Ln.
kechel; Hl.
kichil.
Cp.
Pt.
trippe; Ln.
trep.
1750. E.
Hn.
Hl.
yif; _rest_ yeue (yiue).
1751. Cm.
Cp.
Hl.
dagoun.
A sturdy harlot wente ay hem bihinde, That was hir hostes man, and bar a sak, 1755 And what men yaf hem, leyde it on his bak.
And whan that he was out at dore anon, He planed awey the names everichon (50) That he biforn had writen in his tables;
He served hem with nyfles and with fables.
1760 ‘Nay, ther thou lixt, thou Somnour,’ quod the Frere.
‘Pees,’ quod our Host, ‘for Cristes moder dere;
Tel forth thy tale and spare it nat at al. ’ So thryve I, quod this Somnour, so I shal.
— So longe he wente hous by hous, til he 1765 Cam til an hous ther he was wont to be Refresshed more than in an hundred placis.
[374: T.
7350-7385. ] Sik lay the gode man, whos that the place is; (60) Bedrede up-on a couche lowe he lay.
‘_Deus hic_,’ quod he, ‘O Thomas, freend, good day,’ 1770 Seyde this frere curteisly and softe.
‘Thomas,’ quod he, ‘god yelde yow!
ful ofte Have I up-on this bench faren ful weel.
Here have I eten many a mery meel’;
And fro the bench he droof awey the cat, 1775 And leyde adoun his potente and his hat, And eek his scrippe, and sette him softe adoun.
His felawe was go walked in-to toun, (70) Forth with his knave, in-to that hostelrye Wher-as he shoop him thilke night to lye.
1780 1768. Hl.
that; _rest om.
_ 1769. Pt.
Hl.
Bedred.
1772. Hl.
yeld it.
1774. E.
myrie; Hn.
Cm.
murye; _rest_ mery.
‘O dere maister,’ quod this syke man, ‘How han ye fare sith that March bigan?
I saugh yow noght this fourtenight or more.
’ ‘God woot,’ quod he, ‘laboured have I ful sore;
And specially, for thy savacioun 1785 Have I seyd many a precious orisoun, And for our othere frendes, god hem blesse!
I have to-day been at your chirche at messe, (80) And seyd a sermon after my simple wit, Nat al after the text of holy writ; 1790 For it is hard to yow, as I suppose, And therfore wol I teche yow al the glose.
Glosinge is a glorious thing, certeyn, For lettre sleeth, so as we clerkes seyn.
Ther have I taught hem to be charitable, 1795 And spende hir good ther it is resonable, And ther I saugh our dame; a!
wher is she?
’ 1783. E.
Hn.
fourtnyght; _rest_ fourtenight.
1784. E.
Hn.
I haue;
_rest_ haue I. 1792. Hl.
ay (_for_ al).
1793. Hl.
a ful glorious.
1794. E.
thise; Hn.
Cm.
Pt.
Hl.
we.
‘Yond in the yerd I trowe that she be,’ (90) Seyde this man, ‘and she wol come anon.
’ ‘Ey, maister!
wel-come be ye, by seint Iohn!
’ 1800 Seyde this wyf, ‘how fare ye hertely?
’ The frere aryseth up ful curteisly, And hir embraceth in his armes narwe, [375: T.
7386-7422. ] And kiste hir swete, and chirketh as a sparwe With his lippes: ‘dame,’ quod he, ‘right weel, 1805 As he that is your servant every deel.
Thanked be god, that yow yaf soule and lyf, Yet saugh I nat this day so fair a wyf (100) In al the chirche, god so save me!
’ 1804. E.
Hn.
chirteth.
‘Ye, god amende defautes, sir,’ quod she, 1810 ‘Algates wel-come be ye, by my fey!
’ ‘Graunt mercy, dame, this have I founde alwey.
But of your grete goodnesse, by your leve, I wolde prey yow that ye nat yow greve, I wol with Thomas speke a litel throwe.
1815 Thise curats been ful necligent and slowe To grope tendrely a conscience.
In shrift, in preching is my diligence, (110) And studie in Petres wordes, and in Poules.
I walke, and fisshe Cristen mennes soules, 1820 To yelden Iesu Crist his propre rente;
To sprede his word is set al myn entente.
’ ‘Now, by your leve, o dere sir,’ quod she, ‘Chydeth him weel, for seinte Trinitee.
He is as angry as a pissemyre, 1825 Though that he have al that he can desyre.
Though I him wrye a-night and make him warm, And on hym leye my leg outher myn arm, (120) He groneth lyk our boor, lyth in our sty.
Other desport right noon of him have I; 1830 I may nat plese him in no maner cas.
’ 1830. Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
of him right non.
‘O Thomas!
_Ie vous dy_, Thomas!
Thomas!
This maketh the feend, this moste ben amended.
Ire is a thing that hye god defended, And ther-of wol I speke a word or two.
’ 1835 1832. Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
_Ieo_.
‘Now maister,’ quod the wyf, ‘er that I go, What wol ye dyne?
I wol go ther-aboute.
’ ‘Now dame,’ quod he, ‘_Ie vous dy sanz doute_, (130) Have I nat of a capon but the livere, And of your softe breed nat but a shivere, 1840 [376: T.
7423-7459. ] And after that a rosted pigges heed, (But that I nolde no beest for me were deed), Thanne hadde I with yow hoomly suffisaunce.
I am a man of litel sustenaunce.
My spirit hath his fostring in the Bible.
1845 The body is ay so redy and penyble To wake, that my stomak is destroyed.
I prey yow, dame, ye be nat anoyed, (140) Though I so freendly yow my conseil shewe;
By god, I wolde nat telle it but a fewe.
’ 1850 1838. Cp.
Pt.
Hl.
_Ieo_.
‘Now, sir,’ quod she, ‘but o word er I go;
My child is deed with-inne thise wykes two, Sone after that ye wente out of this toun.
’ ‘His deeth saugh I by revelacioun,’ Seith this frere, ‘at hoom in our dortour.
1855 I dar wel seyn that, er that half an hour After his deeth, I saugh him born to blisse In myn avisioun, so god me wisse!
(150) So dide our sexteyn and our fermerer, That han been trewe freres fifty yeer; 1860 They may now, god be thanked of his lone, Maken hir Iubilee and walke allone.
And up I roos, and al our covent eke, With many a tere trikling on my cheke, Withouten noyse or clateringe of belles; 1865 _Te deum_ was our song and no-thing elles, Save that to Crist I seyde an orisoun, Thankinge him of his revelacioun.
(160) For sir and dame, trusteth me right weel, Our orisons been more effectueel, 1870 And more we seen of Cristes secree thinges Than burel folk, al-though they weren kinges.
We live in povert and in abstinence, And burel folk in richesse and despence Of mete and drinke, and in hir foul delyt.
1875 We han this worldes lust al in despyt.
Lazar and Dives liveden diversly, [377: T.
7460-7496. ] And diverse guerdon hadden they ther-by.
(170) Who-so wol preye, he moot faste and be clene, And fatte his soule and make his body lene.
1880 We fare as seith thapostle; cloth and fode Suffysen us, though they be nat ful gode.
The clennesse and the fastinge of us freres Maketh that Crist accepteth our preyeres.
1856. Ln.
than; _rest_ that.
1870. E.
Hn.
wel moore; _rest om.
_ wel.
1872. Hl.
borel.
1873. Cm.
Hl.
pouert; _rest_ pouerte.
1874. Hl.
borel.
1878. E.
Hn.
gerdon; Cm.
gerdoun; Pt.
guardon.
Lo, Moyses fourty dayes and fourty night 1885 Fasted, er that the heighe god of might Spak with him in the mountain of Sinay.
With empty wombe, fastinge many a day, (180) Receyved he the lawe that was writen With goddes finger; and Elie, wel ye witen, 1890 In mount Oreb, er he hadde any speche With hye god, that is our lyves leche, He fasted longe and was in contemplaunce.
1887. Hn.
mountayne; Ln.
Dd.
mounte; _rest_ mount.
Aaron, that hadde the temple in governaunce, And eek the othere preestes everichon, 1895 In-to the temple whan they sholde gon To preye for the peple, and do servyse, They nolden drinken, in no maner wyse, (190) No drinke, which that mighte hem dronke make, But there in abstinence preye and wake, 1900 Lest that they deyden; tak heed what I seye.
But they be sobre that for the peple preye, War that I seye,—namore!
for it suffyseth.
Our lord Iesu, as holy writ devyseth, Yaf us ensample of fastinge and preyeres.
1905 Therfor we mendinants, we sely freres, Been wedded to poverte and continence, To charitee, humblesse, and abstinence, (200) To persecucion for rightwisnesse, To wepinge, misericorde, and clennesse.
1910 And therfor may ye see that our preyeres— I speke of us, we mendinants, we freres— Ben to the hye god more acceptable Than youres, with your festes at the table.
[378: T.
7497-7530. ] Fro Paradys first, if I shal nat lye, 1915 Was man out chaced for his glotonye;
And chaast was man in Paradys, certeyn.
1895. E.
Hn.
Cp.
Ln.
that; Cm.
Hl.
Pt.
the.
1901. E.
taak heede.
1906, 12. E.
mendynantz.
But herkne now, Thomas, what I shal seyn.
(210) I ne have no text of it, as I suppose, But I shall finde it in a maner glose, 1930 That specially our swete lord Iesus Spak this by freres, whan he seyde thus: “Blessed be they that povre in spirit been.
” And so forth al the gospel may ye seen, Wher it be lyker our professioun, 1925 Or hirs that swimmen in possessioun.
Fy on hir pompe and on hir glotonye!
And for hir lewednesse I hem diffye.
(220) 1918. Cm.
Pt.
Hl.
now; _rest om.
_ 1923. E.
pouere; Hn.
poure; Ln.
Hl.
pouer; Cm.
poore; Cp.
pore.
1925. E.
Hn.
likker; Cm.
lykere.
1927. E.
