Til he cam to that tree, and ther they founde

Of florins fyne of golde y-coyned rounde Wel ny an eighte busshels, as hem thoughte.

771 Nolenger thanne after Deeth they soughte, But ech of hem so glad was of that sighte, For that the florins been so faire and brighte,

That doun they sette hem by this precious hord. 775 The worste of hem he spake the firste word. 'Brethren,' quod he, 'tak kepe what I seye;

My wit is greet, though that I bourde and pleye.

(450) This tresor hath fortune un-to us yiven, In mirthe and jolitee our lyf to liven, 780 And lightly as it comth, so wol we spende. Ey! goddes precious dignitee! who wende To-day, that we sholde han so fair a grace? But mighte this gold be caried fro this place 784

Hoom to myn hous, or elles un-to youresFor wel ye woot that al this gold is ouresThan were we in heigh felicitee.

But trewely, by daye it may nat be; (460) Men wolde seyn that we were theves stronge, 789 And for our owene tresor doon us honge. This tresor moste y-caried be by nighte As wysly and as slyly as it mighte. Wherfore I rede that cut among us alle Be drawe, and lat see wher the cut wol falle ;

And he that hath the cut with herte blythe Shal renne to the toune, and that ful swythe, 796

And bringe us breed and wyn ful prively. And two of us shul kepen subtilly (470) This tresor wel; and, if he wol nat tarie, Whan it is night, we wol this tresor carie

800

As ye were born; and, lo, sirs, thus I preche.

915 And Jesu Crist, that is our soules leche, So graunte yow his pardon to receyve; For that is best; I wol yow nat deceyve.

But sirs, o word forgat I in my tale, (591)
I have relikes and pardon in my male, 920
As faire as any man in Engelond,
Whiche were me yeven by the popes hond,

If any of yow wol, of devocioun,
Offren, and han myn absolucioun,
Cometh forth anon, and kneleth heer
adoun,

925

But by the croys which that seint Eleyne fond,

I wolde I hadde thy coillons in myn hond
In stede of relikes or of seintuarie;
Lat cutte hem of, I wol thee helpe hem
carie;

They shul be shryned in an hogges tord.'

This pardoner answerde nat a word; 956 So wrooth he was, no word ne wolde he seye.

'Now,' quod our host, I wol no lenger pleye (630) With thee, ne with noon other angry man.' But right anon the worthy Knight bigan, Whan that he saugh that al the peple lough, 961 'Na-more of this, for it is right y-nough; Sir Pardoner, be glad and mery of chere; And ye, sir host, that been to me so dere, prey yow that ye kisse the Pardoner. 965 And Pardoner, I prey thee, drawe thee

I

neer,

And, as we diden, lat us laughe and pleye.' (630) Anon they kiste, and riden forth hir weye. [T. 12902

He wolde that every wight were swich as he,

85

Al nis but conseil to virginitee;
And for to been a wyf, he yaf me leve
Of indulgence; so it is no repreve
To wedde me, if that my make dye,
With-oute excepcioun of bigamye.
Al were it good no womman for to touche,
He mente as in his bed or in his couche;
For peril is bothe fyr and tow t'assemble;
Ye knowe what this ensample may
resemble.

This is al and som, he heeld virginitee
More parfit than wedding in freletee.
Freeltee clepe I, but-if that he and she
Wolde leden al hir lyf in chastitee.

90

I graunte it wel, I have noon envye, 95 Thogh maydenhede preferre bigamye;

He spak to hem that wolde live parfitly;
And lordinges, by your leve, that am nat I.
I wol bistowe the flour of al myn age
In th' actes and in fruit of mariage.

Telle me also, to what conclusioun 115 Were membres maad of generacioun, And for what profit was a wight y-wroght?

Trusteth right wel, they wer nat maad for noght.

Glose who-so wole, and seye bothe up and doun,

That they were maked for purgacioun 120 Of urine, and our bothe thinges smale Were eek to knowe a femele from a male,

And for noon other cause: sey ye no? The experience woot wel it is noght so: So that the clerkes be nat with me wrothe,

125 I sey this, that they maked been for bothe, This is to seye, for office, and for ese Of engendrure, ther we nat god displese. Why sholde men elles in hir bokes sette, That man shal yelde to his wyf hir dette?

130 Now wher-with sholde he make his payement,

If he ne used his sely instrument? Than were they maad up-on a creature, To purge uryne, and eek for engendrure. But I seye noght that every wight is holde, 135 That hath swich harneys as I to yow tolde,