The Pardoner's Tale

the canterbury tales

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The Pardoner's tale

661   Thise riotoures thre of whiche I telle,
   These three rioters of whom I tell,
662   Longe erst er prime rong of any belle,
   Long before prime rang of any bell,
663   Were set hem in a taverne for to drynke,
   Had set themselves in a tavern to drink,
664   And as they sat, they herde a belle clynke
   And as they sat, they heard a bell clink
665   Biforn a cors, was caried to his grave.
   Before a corpse, which was carried to its grave.
666   That oon of hem gan callen to his knave:
   The one of them did call to his servant:
667   "Go bet," quod he, "and axe redily
   "Go quickly," he said, "and ask at once
668   What cors is this that passeth heer forby;
   What corpse is this that passes by here;
669   And looke that thou reporte his name weel."
   And see that thou report his name correctly."

670   "Sire," quod this boy, "it nedeth never-a-deel;
   "Sir," said this boy, "that is not at all necessary;
671   It was me toold er ye cam heer two houres.
   It was told me two hours before you came here.
672   He was, pardee, an old felawe of youres,
   He was, indeed, an old fellow of yours,
673   And sodeynly he was yslayn to-nyght,
   And suddenly he was slain last night,
674   Fordronke, as he sat on his bench upright.
   Completely drunk, as he sat on his bench upright.
675   Ther cam a privee theef men clepeth Deeth,
   There came a stealthy thief men call Death,
676   That in this contree al the peple sleeth,
   Who slays all the people in this country,
677   And with his spere he smoot his herte atwo,
   And with his spear he struck his heart in two,
678   And wente his wey withouten wordes mo.
   And went his way without more words.
679   He hath a thousand slayn this pestilence.
   He has slain a thousand (during) this pestilence.
680   And, maister, er ye come in his presence,
   And, master, before you come in his presence,
681   Me thynketh that it were necessarie
   It seems to me that it would be necessary
682   For to be war of swich an adversarie.
   To beware of such an adversary.
683   Beth redy for to meete hym everemoore;
   Always be ready to meet him;
684   Thus taughte me my dame; I sey namoore."
   Thus taught me my mother; I say no more."
685   "By Seinte Marie!" seyde this taverner,
   "By Saint Mary!" said this tavern-keeper,
686   "The child seith sooth, for he hath slayn this yeer,
   "The child says truth, for he has slain this year,
687   Henne over a mile, withinne a greet village,
   Over a mile from here, within a great village,
688   Bothe man and womman, child, and hyne, and page;
   Both man and woman, child, and laborer, and servant boy;
689   I trowe his habitacioun be there.
   I suppose his habitation is there.
690   To been avysed greet wysdom it were,
   It would be great wisdom to be forewarned,
691   Er that he dide a man a dishonour."
   Before he did a man any harm."

692   "Ye, Goddes armes!" quod this riotour,
   "Yea, God's arms!" said this rioter,
693   "Is it swich peril with hym for to meete?
   "Is it such peril to meet with him?
694   I shal hym seke by wey and eek by strete,
   I shall seek him by path-way and also by street
695   I make avow to Goddes digne bones!
   I make a vow to God's honorable bones!
696   Herkneth, felawes, we thre been al ones;
   Listen, fellows, we three are all agreed;
697   Lat ech of us holde up his hand til oother,
   Let each of us hold up his hand to other,
698   And ech of us bicomen otheres brother,
   And each of us become the others' brother,
699   And we wol sleen this false traytour Deeth.
   And we will slay this false traitor Death.
700   He shal be slayn, he that so manye sleeth,
   He shall be slain, he who slays so many,
701   By Goddes dignitee, er it be nyght!"
   By God's dignity, before it be night!"

702   Togidres han thise thre hir trouthes plight
   Together have these three pledged their troths
703   To lyve and dyen ech of hem for oother,
   To live and die each of them for other,
704   As though he were his owene ybore brother.
   As though he were his own born brother.
705   And up they stirte, al dronken in this rage,
   And up they leaped, all drunken in this rage,
706   And forth they goon towardes that village
   And forth they go towards that village
707   Of which the taverner hadde spoke biforn.
   Of which the tavern-keeper had spoken before.
708   And many a grisly ooth thanne han they sworn,
   And many a grisly oath then have they sworn,
709   And Cristes blessed body they torente --
   And Christ's blessed body they tore to pieces --
710   Deeth shal be deed, if that they may hym hente!
   Death shall be dead, if they can catch him!

711   Whan they han goon nat fully half a mile,
   When they have gone not fully half a mile,
712   Right as they wolde han troden over a stile,
   Right as they would have stepped over a fence,
713   An oold man and a povre with hem mette.
   An old and poor man met with them.
714   This olde man ful mekely hem grette,
   This old man full meekly greeted them,
715   And seyde thus, "Now, lordes, God yow see!"
   And said thus, "Now, lords, may God look after you!"

716   The proudeste of thise riotoures three
   The proudest of these three rioters
717   Answerde agayn, "What, carl, with sory grace!
   Answered in reply, "What, churl, bad luck to you!
718   Why artow al forwrapped save thy face?
   Why art thou all wrapped up except for thy face?
719   Why lyvestow so longe in so greet age?"
   Why live thou so long in such old age?"

720   This olde man gan looke in his visage,
   This old man did look in his face,
721   And seyde thus: "For I ne kan nat fynde
   And said thus: "Because I can not find
722   A man, though that I walked into Ynde,
   A man, though I walked to India,
723   Neither in citee ne in no village,
   Neither in city nor in any village,
724   That wolde chaunge his youthe for myn age;
   That would change his youth for my age;
725   And therfore moot I han myn age stille,
   And therefore I must have my age still,
726   As longe tyme as it is Goddes wille.
   As long a time as it is God's will.
727   Ne Deeth, allas, ne wol nat han my lyf.
   Nor Death, alas, will not have my life.
728   Thus walke I, lyk a restelees kaityf,
   Thus I walk, like a restless wretch,
729   And on the ground, which is my moodres gate,
   And on the ground, which is my mother's gate,
730   I knokke with my staf, bothe erly and late,
   I knock with my staff, both early and late,
731   And seye `Leeve mooder, leet me in!
   And say `Dear mother, let me in!
732   Lo how I vanysshe, flessh, and blood, and skyn!
   Lo how I waste away, flesh, and blood, and skin!
733   Allas, whan shul my bones been at reste?
   Alas, when shall my bones be at rest?
734   Mooder, with yow wolde I chaunge my cheste
   Mother, with you would I exchange my strongbox
735   That in my chambre longe tyme hath be,
   That in my chamber long time has been,
736   Ye, for an heyre clowt to wrappe me!'
   Yea, for an hair shirt to wrap me!'
737   But yet to me she wol nat do that grace,
   But yet to me she will not do that favor,
738   For which ful pale and welked is my face.
   For which full pale and withered is my face.

739   "But, sires, to yow it is no curteisye
   "But, sirs, to you it is no courtesy
740   To speken to an old man vileynye,
   To speak rudeness to an old man,
741   But he trespasse in word or elles in dede.
   Unless he trespass in word or else in deed.
742   In Hooly Writ ye may yourself wel rede:
   In Holy Writ you may yourself well read:
743   `Agayns an oold man, hoor upon his heed,
   `In the presence of an old man, gray upon his head,
744   Ye sholde arise;' wherfore I yeve yow reed,
   You should rise;' therefore I give you advice,
745   Ne dooth unto an oold man noon harm now,
   Do no harm now unto an old man,
746   Namoore than that ye wolde men did to yow
   No more than you would want men to do to you
747   In age, if that ye so longe abyde.
   In old age, if you live so long.
748   And God be with yow, where ye go or ryde!
   And God be with you, wherever you walk or ride!
749   I moot go thider as I have to go."
   I must go thither where I have to go."

750   "Nay, olde cherl, by God, thou shalt nat so,"
   "Nay, old churl, by God, thou shall not so,"
751   Seyde this oother hasardour anon;
   Said this other dice-player quickly;
752   "Thou partest nat so lightly, by Seint John!
   "Thou depart not so quickly, by Saint John!
753   Thou spak right now of thilke traytour Deeth.
   Thou spoke right now of that same traitor Death.
754   That in this contree alle oure freendes sleeth.
   That slays all our friends in this country.
755   Have heer my trouthe, as thou art his espye,
   Have here my pledge, as thou art his spy,
756   Telle where he is or thou shalt it abye,
   Tell where he is or thou shall pay for it,
757   By God and by the hooly sacrement!
   By God and by the holy sacrament!
758   For soothly thou art oon of his assent
   For truly thou art in league with him
759   To sleen us yonge folk, thou false theef!"
   To slay us young folk, thou false thief!"

760   "Now, sires," quod he, "if that yow be so leef
   "Now, sirs," said he, "if you are so eager
761   To fynde Deeth, turne up this croked wey,
   To find Death, turn up this crooked way,
762   For in that grove I lafte hym, by my fey,
   For in that grove I left him, by my faith,
763   Under a tree, and there he wole abyde;
   Under a tree, and there he will wait;
764   Noght for youre boost he wole him no thyng hyde.
   He will not in any way hide himself because of your boast.
765   Se ye that ook? Right there ye shal hym fynde.
   Do you see that oak? Right there you shall find him.
766   God save yow, that boghte agayn mankynde,
   God save you, He who redeemed mankind,
767   And yow amende!" Thus seyde this olde man;
   And amend you!" Thus said this old man;
768   And everich of thise riotoures ran
   And every one of these rioters ran
769   Til he cam to that tree, and ther they founde
   Until he came to that tree, and there they found
770   Of floryns fyne of gold ycoyned rounde
   Of fine round florins of coined gold
771   Wel ny an eighte busshels, as hem thoughte.
   Well nigh eight bushels, as they thought.
772   No lenger thanne after Deeth they soughte,
   No longer then after Death they sought,
773   But ech of hem so glad was of that sighte,
   But each of them was so glad of that sight,
774   For that the floryns been so faire and brighte,
   Because the florins are so faire and bright,
775   That doun they sette hem by this precious hoord.
   That they set themselves down by this precious hoard.
776   The worste of hem, he spak the firste word.
   The worst of them, he spoke the first word.

777   "Bretheren," quod he, "taak kep what that I seye;
   "Brethren," he said, "take heed of what I say;
778   My wit is greet, though that I bourde and pleye.
   My wit is great, though I jest and play.
779   This tresor hath Fortune unto us yiven
   Fortune has given this treasure unto us
780   In myrthe and joliftee oure lyf to lyven,
   In mirth and jollity to live our life,
781   And lightly as it comth, so wol we spende.
   And as easily as it comes, so will we spend it.
782   Ey, Goddes precious dignitee! Who wende
   Ah, God's precious dignity! Who would have supposed
783   To-day that we sholde han so fair a grace?
   To-day that we should have such good fortune?
784   But myghte this gold be caried fro this place
   But if this gold could be carried from this place
785   Hoom to myn hous, or elles unto youres --
   Home to my house, or else unto yours --
786   For wel ye woot that al this gold is oures --
   For well you know that all this gold is ours --
787   Thanne were we in heigh felicitee.
   Then we would be in great happiness.
788   But trewely, by daye it may nat bee.
   But truly, it may not be (done) by day.
789   Men wolde seyn that we were theves stronge,
   Men would say that we were arrant thieves,
790   And for oure owene tresor doon us honge.
   And for our own treasure have us hanged.
791   This tresor moste ycaried be by nyghte
   This treasure must be carried by night
792   As wisely and as slyly as it myghte.
   As wisely and as slyly as it can be.
793   Wherfore I rede that cut among us alle
   Wherefore I advise that among us all straws
794   Be drawe, and lat se wher the cut wol falle;
   Be drawn, and let's see where the lot will fall;
795   And he that hath the cut with herte blithe
   And he who has the shortest straw with happy heart
796   Shal renne to the town, and that ful swithe,
   Shall run to the town, and that very quickly,
797   And brynge us breed and wyn ful prively.
   And very secretly bring us bread and wine.
798   And two of us shul kepen subtilly
   And two of us shall carefully guard
799   This tresor wel; and if he wol nat tarie,
   This treasure well; and if he will not tarry,
800   Whan it is nyght, we wol this tresor carie,
   When it is night, we will carry this treasure,
801   By oon assent, where as us thynketh best."
   By mutual agreement, where we think best."
802   That oon of hem the cut broghte in his fest,
   That one of them brought the straws in his fist,
803   And bad hem drawe and looke where it wol falle;
   And commanded them to draw and see where it will fall;
804   And it fil on the yongeste of hem alle,
   And it fell on the youngest of them all,
805   And forth toward the toun he wente anon.
   And forth toward the town he went right away.
806   And also soone as that he was gon,
   And as soon as he was gone,
807   That oon of hem spak thus unto that oother:
   The one of them spoke thus unto that other:
808   "Thow knowest wel thou art my sworen brother;
   "Thou knowest well thou art my sworn brother;
809   Thy profit wol I telle thee anon.
   Thy profit will I tell thee straightway.
810   Thou woost wel that oure felawe is agon.
   Thou knowest well that our fellow is gone.
811   And heere is gold, and that ful greet plentee,
   And here is gold, and that a full great quantity,
812   That shal departed been among us thre.
   That shall be divided among us three.
813   But nathelees, if I kan shape it so
   But nevertheless, if I can arrange things so
814   That it departed were among us two,
   That it were divided among us two,
815   Hadde I nat doon a freendes torn to thee?"
   Had I not done a good turn to thee?"

816   That oother answerde, "I noot hou that may be.
   That other answered, "I know not how that can be.
817   He woot that the gold is with us tweye;
   He knows that the gold is with us two;
818   What shal we doon? What shal we to hym seye?"
   What shall we do? What shall we say to him?"

819   "Shal it be conseil?" seyde the firste shrewe,
   "Shall it be (our) secret plan?" said the first scoundrel,
820   "And I shal tellen in a wordes fewe
   "And I shall tell in a few words
821   What we shal doon, and brynge it wel aboute."
   What we shall do, and bring it well about."

822   "I graunte," quod that oother, "out of doute,
   "I agree," said that other, "without doubt,
823   That, by my trouthe, I wol thee nat biwreye."
   That, by my troth, I will not betray thee."

824   "Now," quod the firste, "thou woost wel we be tweye,
   "Now," said the first, "thou knowest well we are two,
825   And two of us shul strenger be than oon.
   And two of us shall be stronger than one.
826   Looke whan that he is set, that right anoon
   Look, when he has set down, right away
827   Arys as though thou woldest with hym pleye,
   Arise as though thou would with him play,
828   And I shal ryve hym thurgh the sydes tweye
   And I shall stab him through the two sides
829   Whil that thou strogelest with hym as in game,
   While thou struggle with him as in game,
830   And with thy daggere looke thou do the same;
   And with thy dagger see that thou do the same;
831   And thanne shal al this gold departed be,
   And then shall all this gold be divided,
832   My deere freend, bitwixen me and thee.
   My dear friend, between me and thee.
833   Thanne may we bothe oure lustes all fulfille,
   Then we both can fulfill all our desires,
834   And pleye at dees right at oure owene wille."
   And play at dice just as we wish,"
835   And thus acorded been thise shrewes tweye
   And thus these two scoundrels are agreed
836   To sleen the thridde, as ye han herd me seye.
   To slay the third, as you have heard me say.

837   This yongeste, which that wente to the toun,
   This youngest, who went to the town,
838   Ful ofte in herte he rolleth up and doun
   Very often in heart he rolls up and down
839   The beautee of thise floryns newe and brighte.
   The beauty of these florins new and bright.
840   "O Lord!" quod he, "if so were that I myghte
   "O Lord!" he said, "if it would be that I might
841   Have al this tresor to myself allone,
   Have all this treasure to myself alone,
842   Ther is no man that lyveth under the trone
   There is no man that lives under the throne
843   Of God that sholde lyve so murye as I!"
   Of God that should live so merrily as I!"
844   And atte laste the feend, oure enemy,
   And at the last the fiend, our enemy,
845   Putte in his thought that he sholde poyson beye,
   Put in his thought that he should buy poison,
846   With which he myghte sleen his felawes tweye;
   With which he might slay his two fellows;
847   For-why the feend foond hym in swich lyvynge
   Because the fiend found him in such a manner of living
848   That he hadde leve him to sorwe brynge.
   That he had leave bring him to sorrow.
849   For this was outrely his fulle entente,
   For this was utterly his full intention,
850   To sleen hem bothe and nevere to repente.
   To slay them both and never to repent.
851   And forth he gooth, no lenger wolde he tarie,
   And forth he goes, no longer would he tarry,
852   Into the toun, unto a pothecarie,
   Into the town, unto an apothecary,
853   And preyde hym that he hym wolde selle
   And prayed him that he would sell him
854   Som poyson, that he myghte his rattes quelle;
   Some poison, that he might kill his rats;
855   And eek ther was a polcat in his hawe,
   And also there was a polecat in his yard,
856   That, as he seyde, his capouns hadde yslawe,
   That, as he said, had slain his capons,
857   And fayn he wolde wreke hym, if he myghte,
   And he would gladly revenge himself, if he could,
858   On vermyn that destroyed hym by nyghte.
   On vermin that ruined him by night.

859   The pothecarie answerde, "And thou shalt have
   The apothecary answered, "And thou shall have
860   A thyng that, also God my soule save,
   A thing that, as God may save my soul,
861   In al this world ther is no creature
   In all this world there is no creature
862   That eten or dronken hath of this confiture
   That has eaten or drunk of this concoction
863   Noght but the montance of a corn of whete,
   Only so much as the amount of a seed of wheat,
864   That he ne shal his lif anon forlete;
   That he shall not immediately lose his life;
865   Ye, sterve he shal, and that in lasse while
   Yea, he shall die, and that in less time
866   Than thou wolt goon a paas nat but a mile,
   Than thou will go at a walk but only a mile,
867   This poysoun is so strong and violent."
   This poison is so strong and violent."

868   This cursed man hath in his hond yhent
   This cursed man has in his hand taken
869   This poysoun in a box, and sith he ran
   This poison in a box, and then he ran
870   Into the nexte strete unto a man,
   Into the next street unto a man,
871   And borwed [of] hym large botelles thre,
   And borrowed [of] him three large bottles,
872   And in the two his poyson poured he;
   And in the two he poured his poison;
873   The thridde he kepte clene for his drynke.
   The third he kept clean for his drink.
874   For al the nyght he shoop hym for to swynke
   For all the night he intended to work
875   In cariynge of the gold out of that place.
   In carrying of the gold out of that place.
876   And whan this riotour, with sory grace,
   And when this rioter, bad luck to him,
877   Hadde filled with wyn his grete botels thre,
   Had filled his three big bottles with wine,
878   To his felawes agayn repaireth he.
   He goes back again to his fellows.

879   What nedeth it to sermone of it moore?
   What needs it to preach of it more?
880   For right as they hadde cast his deeth bifoore,
   For right as they had planned his death before,
881   Right so they han hym slayn, and that anon.
   Right so they have him slain, and that immediately.
882   And whan that this was doon, thus spak that oon:
   And when this was done, thus spoke that one:
883   "Now lat us sitte and drynke, and make us merie,
   "Now let us sit and drink, and make us merry,
884   And afterward we wol his body berie."
   And afterward we will bury his body."
885   And with that word it happed hym, par cas,
   And with that word it happened to him, by chance,
886   To take the botel ther the poyson was,
   To take the bottle where the poison was,
887   And drank, and yaf his felawe drynke also,
   And drank, and gave his fellow drink also,
888   For which anon they storven bothe two.
   For which straightway they died, both of the two.

889   But certes, I suppose that Avycen
   But certainly, I suppose that Avicenna
890   Wroot nevere in no canon, ne in no fen,
   Wrote never in any authoritative book, nor in any chapter,
891   Mo wonder signes of empoisonyng
   More wondrous symptoms of poisoning
892   Than hadde thise wrecches two, er hir endyng.
   Than had these two wretches, before their ending.
893   Thus ended been thise homycides two,
   Thus ended are these two homicides,
894   And eek the false empoysonere also.
   And also the false poisoner as well.

895   O cursed synne of alle cursednesse!
   O cursed sin of all cursedness!
896   O traytours homycide, O wikkednesse!
   O treacherous homicide, O wickedness!
897   O glotonye, luxurie, and hasardrye!
   O gluttony, lechery, and dicing!
898   Thou blasphemour of Crist with vileynye
   Thou blasphemer of Christ with churlish speech
899   And othes grete, of usage and of pride!
   And great oaths, out of habit and out of pride!
900   Allas, mankynde, how may it bitide
   Alas, mankind, how may it happen
901   That to thy creatour, which that the wroghte
   That to thy creator, who made thee
902   And with his precious herte-blood thee boghte,
   And with his precious heart's blood redeemed thee,
903   Thou art so fals and so unkynde, allas?
   Thou art so false and so unnatural, alas?

904   Now, goode men, God foryeve yow youre trespas,
   Now, good men, God forgive you your trespass,
905   And ware yow fro the synne of avarice!
   And guard yourselves from the sin of avarice!
906   Myn hooly pardoun may yow alle warice,
   My holy pardon can cure you all,
907   So that ye offre nobles or sterlynges,
   Providing that you offer gold coins or silver pennies,
908   Or elles silver broches, spoones, rynges.
   Or else silver brooches, spoons, rings.
909   Boweth youre heed under this hooly bulle!
   Bow your head under this holy papal bull!
910   Cometh up, ye wyves, offreth of youre wolle!
   Come up, you wives, offer some of your wool!
911   Youre names I entre heer in my rolle anon;
   Your names I enter here in my roll immediately;
912   Into the blisse of hevene shul ye gon.
   Into the bliss of heaven you shall go.
913   I yow assoille, by myn heigh power,
   I absolve you, by my high power,
914   Yow that wol offre, as clene and eek as cleer
   You who will offer, as clean and also as clear (of sin)
915   As ye were born. -- And lo, sires, thus I preche.
   As you were born. -- And lo, sirs, thus I preach.
916   And Jhesu Crist, that is oure soules leche,
   And Jesus Christ, that is our souls' physician,
917   So graunte yow his pardoun to receyve,
   So grant you to receive his pardon,
918   For that is best; I wol yow nat deceyve.
   For that is best; I will not deceive you.

919   But, sires, o word forgat I in my tale:
   But, sirs, one word I forgot in my tale:
920   I have relikes and pardoun in my male,
   I have relics and pardons in my bag,
921   As faire as any man in Engelond,
   As fine as any man in England,
922   Whiche were me yeven by the popes hond.
   Which were given to me by the pope's hand.
923   If any of yow wole, of devocion,
   If any of you will, of devotion,
924   Offren and han myn absolucion,
   Offer and have my absolution,
925   Com forth anon, and kneleth heere adoun,
   Come forth straightway, and kneel down here,
926   And mekely receyveth my pardoun;
   And meekly receive my pardon;
927   Or elles taketh pardoun as ye wende,
   Or else take pardon as you travel,
928   Al newe and fressh at every miles ende,
   All new and fresh at every mile's end,
929   So that ye offren, alwey newe and newe,
   Providing that you offer, again and again,
930   Nobles or pens, whiche that be goode and trewe.
   Gold coins or silver pennies, which are good and true.
931   It is an honour to everich that is heer
   It is an honor to every one that is here
932   That ye mowe have a suffisant pardoneer
   That you may have a pardoner with sufficient power
933   T' assoille yow in contree as ye ryde,
   To absolve you in the countryside as you ride,
934   For aventures whiche that may bityde.
   For accidents that may happen.
935   Paraventure ther may fallen oon or two
   Perhaps there may fall one or two
936   Doun of his hors and breke his nekke atwo.
   Down off his horse and break his neck in two.
937   Looke which a seuretee is it to yow alle
   Look what a safeguard is it to you all
938   That I am in youre felaweshipe yfalle,
   That I happen to be in your fellowship,
939   That may assoille yow, bothe moore and lasse,
   Who can absolve you, both more and less (every one),
940   Whan that the soule shal fro the body passe.
   When the soul shall from the body pass.
941   I rede that oure Hoost heere shal bigynne,
   I advise that our Host here shall begin,
942   For he is moost envoluped in synne.
   For he is most enveloped in sin.
943   Com forth, sire Hoost, and offre first anon,
   Come forth, sir Host, and offer first right now,
944   And thou shalt kisse the relikes everychon,
   And thou shall kiss the relics every one,
945   Ye, for a grote! Unbokele anon thy purs."
   Yea, for a fourpence coin! Unbuckle thy purse right now."

946   "Nay, nay!" quod he, "thanne have I Cristes curs!
   "Nay, nay!" he said, "then I will have Christ's curse!
947   Lat be," quod he, "it shal nat be, so theech!
   Let it be," he said, "it shall not be, as I may prosper!
948   Thou woldest make me kisse thyn olde breech,
   Thou would make me kiss thine old underpants,
949   And swere it were a relyk of a seint,
   And swear it was a relic of a saint,
950   Though it were with thy fundement depeint!
   Though it were stained by thy fundament!
951   But, by the croys which that Seint Eleyne fond,
   But, by the cross that Saint Helen found,
952   I wolde I hadde thy coillons in myn hond
   I would I had thy testicles in my hand
953   In stide of relikes or of seintuarie.
   Instead of relics or a container for relics.
954   Lat kutte hem of, I wol thee helpe hem carie;
   Have them cut off, I will help thee carry them;
955   They shul be shryned in an hogges toord!"
   They shall be enshrined in a hog's turd!"

956   This Pardoner answerde nat a word;
   This Pardoner answered not a word;
957   So wrooth he was, no word ne wolde he seye.
   So angry he was, no word would he say.

958   "Now," quod oure Hoost, "I wol no lenger pleye
   "Now," said our Host, "I will no longer joke
959   With thee, ne with noon oother angry man."
   With thee, nor with any other angry man."
960   But right anon the worthy Knyght bigan,
   But immediately the worthy Knight began,
961   Whan that he saugh that al the peple lough,
   When he saw that all the people laughed,
962   "Namoore of this, for it is right ynough!
   "No more of this, for it is right enough!
963   Sire Pardoner, be glad and myrie of cheere;
   Sir Pardoner, be glad and merry of cheer;
964   And ye, sire Hoost, that been to me so deere,
   And you, sir Host, who are so dear to me,
965   I prey yow that ye kisse the Pardoner.
   I pray you that you kiss the Pardoner.
966   And Pardoner, I prey thee, drawe thee neer,
   And Pardoner, I pray thee, draw thyself nearer,
967   And, as we diden, lat us laughe and pleye."
   And, as we did, let us laugh and play."
968   Anon they kiste, and ryden forth hir weye.
   At once they kissed, and rode forth their way.

Heere is ended the Pardoners tale.

The Pardoner

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