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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) THE SOMNOURS TALE. - The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, vol. 4 (The Canterbury Tales)
THE SOMNOURS TALE. - Geoffrey Chaucer, The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, vol. 4 (The Canterbury Tales) [1899]Edition used:The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, edited from numerous manuscripts by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat (2nd ed.) (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1899). 7 vols. Vol. 4.
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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 oules1730
- To been y-clawed, or to brenne or bake;
- Now spede yow hastily, for Cristes sake.’
- And whan this frere had seyd al his entente,
- With qui cum patre forth his wey he wente.
- 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.’
- 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 he1765
- Cam til an hous ther he was wont to be
- Refresshed more than in an hundred placis.
- 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
- ‘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 savacioun1785
- 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?’
- ‘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,
- 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!’
- ‘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.’
- ‘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
- ‘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
- 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
- ‘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,
- 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.
- Lo, Moyses fourty dayes and fourty night1885
- 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.
- 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.
- Fro Paradys first, if I shal nat lye,1915
- Was man out chaced for his glotonye;
- And chaast was man in Paradys, certeyn.
- 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,1920
- 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)
- Me thinketh they ben lyk Iovinian,
- Fat as a whale, and walkinge as a swan;1930
- Al vinolent as botel in the spence.
- Hir preyer is of ful gret reverence;
- Whan they for soules seye the psalm of Davit,
- Lo, “buf!” they seye, “cor meum eructavit!”
- Who folweth Cristes gospel and his fore,1935
- But we that humble been and chast and pore,
- Werkers of goddes word, not auditours?
- Therfore, right as an hauk up, at a sours,(230)
- Up springeth in-to their, right so prayeres
- Of charitable and chaste bisy freres1940
- Maken hir sours to goddes eres two.
- Thomas! Thomas! so mote I ryde or go,
- And by that lord that clepid is seint Yve,
- Nere thou our brother, sholdestou nat thryve!
- In our chapitre praye we day and night1945
- To Crist, that he thee sende hele and might,
- Thy body for to welden hastily.’
- ‘God woot,’ quod he, ‘no-thing ther-of fele I;(240)
- As help me Crist, as I, in fewe yeres,
- Han spended, up-on dyvers maner freres,1950
- Ful many a pound; yet fare I never the bet.
- Certeyn, my good have I almost biset.
- Farwel, my gold! for it is al ago!’
- The frere answerde, ‘O Thomas, dostow so?
- What nedeth yow diverse freres seche?1955
- What nedeth him that hath a parfit leche
- To sechen othere leches in the toun?
- Your inconstance is your confusioun.(250)
- Holde ye than me, or elles our covent,
- To praye for yow ben insufficient?1960
- Thomas, that Iape nis nat worth a myte;
- Your maladye is for we han to lyte.
- “A! yif that covent half a quarter otes!”
- “A! yif that covent four and twenty grotes!”
- “A! yif that frere a peny, and lat him go!”1965
- Nay, nay, Thomas! it may no-thing be so.
- What is a ferthing worth parted in twelve?
- Lo, ech thing that is oned in him-selve(260)
- Is more strong than whan it is to-scatered.
- Thomas, of me thou shalt nat been y-flatered;1970
- Thou woldest han our labour al for noght.
- The hye god, that al this world hath wroght,
- Seith that the werkman worthy is his hyre.
- Thomas! noght of your tresor I desyre
- As for my-self, but that al our covent1975
- To preye for yow is ay so diligent,
- And for to builden Cristes owene chirche.
- Thomas! if ye wol lernen for to wirche,(270)
- Of buildinge up of chirches may ye finde
- If it be good, in Thomas lyf of Inde.1980
- Ye lye heer, ful of anger and of yre,
- With which the devel set your herte a-fyre,
- And chyden heer this sely innocent,
- Your wyf, that is so meke and pacient.
- And therfor, Thomas, trowe me if thee leste,1985
- Ne stryve nat with thy wyf, as for thy beste;
- And ber this word awey now, by thy feith,
- Touchinge this thing, lo, what the wyse seith:(280)
- “With-in thyn hous ne be thou no leoun;
- To thy subgits do noon oppressioun;1990
- Ne make thyne aqueyntances nat to flee.”
- And Thomas, yet eft-sones I charge thee,
- Be war from hir that in thy bosom slepeth;
- War fro the serpent that so slyly crepeth
- Under the gras, and stingeth subtilly.1995
- Be war, my sone, and herkne paciently,
- That twenty thousand men han lost hir lyves,
- For stryving with hir lemmans and hir wyves.(290)
- Now sith ye han so holy and meke a wyf,
- What nedeth yow, Thomas, to maken stryf?2000
- Ther nis, y-wis, no serpent so cruel,
- Whan man tret on his tayl, ne half so fel,
- As womman is, whan she hath caught an ire;
- Vengeance is thanne al that they desyre.
- Ire is a sinne, oon of the grete of sevene,2005
- Abhominable un-to the god of hevene;
- And to him-self it is destruccion.
- This every lewed viker or person(300)
- Can seye, how Ire engendreth homicyde.
- Ire is, in sooth, executour of pryde.2010
- I coude of Ire seye so muche sorwe,
- My tale sholde laste til to-morwe.
- And therfor preye I god bothe day and night,
- An irous man, god sende him litel might!
- It is greet harm and, certes, gret pitee,2015
- To sette an irous man in heigh degree.
- Whilom ther was an irous potestat,
- As seith Senek, that, duringe his estaat,(310)
- Up-on a day out riden knightes two,
- And as fortune wolde that it were so,2020
- That oon of hem cam hoom, that other noght.
- Anon the knight bifore the Iuge is broght,
- That seyde thus, ‘thou hast thy felawe slayn,
- For which I deme thee to the deeth, certayn.’
- And to another knight comanded he,2025
- ‘Go lede him to the deeth, I charge thee.’
- And happed, as they wente by the weye
- Toward the place ther he sholde deye,(320)
- The knight cam, which men wenden had be deed.
- Thanne thoughte they, it was the beste reed,2030
- To lede hem bothe to the Iuge agayn.
- They seiden, ‘lord, the knight ne hath nat slayn
- His felawe; here he standeth hool alyve.’
- ‘Ye shul be deed,’ quod he, ‘so moot I thryve!
- That is to seyn, bothe oon, and two, and three!’2035
- And to the firste knight right thus spak he,
- ‘I dampned thee, thou most algate be deed.
- And thou also most nedes lese thyn heed,(330)
- For thou art cause why thy felawe deyth.’
- And to the thridde knight right thus he seyth,2040
- ‘Thou hast nat doon that I comanded thee.’
- And thus he dide don sleen hem alle three.
- Irous Cambyses was eek dronkelewe,
- And ay delyted him to been a shrewe.
- And so bifel, a lord of his meynee,2045
- That lovede vertuous moralitee,
- Seyde on a day bitwix hem two right thus:
- ‘A lord is lost, if he be vicious;(340)
- And dronkenesse is eek a foul record
- Of any man, and namely in a lord.2050
- Ther is ful many an eye and many an ere
- Awaiting on a lord, and he noot where.
- For goddes love, drink more attemprely;
- Wyn maketh man to lesen wrecchedly
- His minde, and eek his limes everichon.’2055
- ‘The revers shaltou se,’ quod he, ‘anon;
- And preve it, by thyn owene experience,
- That wyn ne dooth to folk no swich offence.(350)
- Ther is no wyn bireveth me my might
- Of hand ne foot, ne of myn eyen sight’—2060
- And, for despyt, he drank ful muchel more
- An hondred part than he had doon bifore;
- And right anon, this irous cursed wrecche
- Leet this knightes sone bifore him fecche,
- Comandinge him he sholde bifore him stonde.2065
- And sodeynly he took his bowe in honde,
- And up the streng he pulled to his ere,
- And with an arwe he slow the child right there:(360)
- ‘Now whether have I a siker hand or noon?’
- Quod he, ‘is al my might and minde agoon?2070
- Hath wyn bireved me myn eyen sight?’
- What sholde I telle thanswere of the knight?
- His sone was slayn, ther is na-more to seye.
- Beth war therfor with lordes how ye pleye.
- Singeth Placebo, and I shal, if I can,2075
- But if it be un-to a povre man.
- To a povre man men sholde hise vyces telle,
- But nat to a lord, thogh he sholde go to helle.(370)
- Lo irous Cirus, thilke Percien,
- How he destroyed the river of Gysen,2080
- For that an hors of his was dreynt ther-inne,
- Whan that he wente Babiloigne to winne.
- He made that the river was so smal,
- That wommen mighte wade it over al.
- Lo, what seyde he, that so wel teche can?2085
- “Ne be no felawe to an irous man,
- Ne with no wood man walke by the weye,
- Lest thee repente;” ther is na-more to seye.(380)
- Now Thomas, leve brother, lef thyn ire;
- Thou shalt me finde as Iust as is a squire.2090
- Hold nat the develes knyf ay at thyn herte;
- Thyn angre dooth thee al to sore smerte;
- But shewe to me al thy confessioun.’
- ‘Nay,’ quod the syke man, ‘by Seint Simoun!
- I have be shriven this day at my curat;2095
- I have him told al hoolly myn estat;
- Nedeth na-more to speke of it,’ seith he,
- ‘But if me list of myn humilitee.’(390)
- ‘Yif me thanne of thy gold, to make our cloistre,’
- Quod he, ‘for many a muscle and many an oistre,2100
- Whan other men han ben ful wel at eyse,
- Hath been our fode, our cloistre for to reyse.
- And yet, god woot, unnethe the fundement
- Parfourned is, ne of our pavement
- Nis nat a tyle yet with-inne our wones;2105
- By god, we owen fourty pound for stones!
- Now help, Thomas, for him that harwed helle!
- For elles moste we our bokes selle.(400)
- And if ye lakke our predicacioun,
- Than gooth the world al to destruccioun.2110
- For who-so wolde us fro this world bireve,
- So god me save, Thomas, by your leve,
- He wolde bireve out of this world the sonne.
- For who can teche and werchen as we conne?
- And that is nat of litel tyme,’ quod he;2115
- ‘But sith that Elie was, or Elisee,
- Han freres been, that finde I of record,
- In charitee, y-thanked be our lord.(410)
- Now Thomas, help, for seinte charitee!’
- And doun anon he sette him on his knee.2120
- This syke man wex wel ny wood for ire;
- He wolde that the frere had been on-fire
- With his false dissimulacioun.
- ‘Swich thing as is in my possessioun,’
- Quod he, ‘that may I yeven, and non other.2125
- Ye sey me thus, how that I am your brother?’
- ‘Ye, certes,’ quod the frere, ‘trusteth weel;
- I took our dame our lettre with our seel.’(420)
- ‘Now wel,’ quod he, ‘and som-what shal I yive
- Un-to your holy covent whyl I live,2130
- And in thyn hand thou shalt it have anoon;
- On this condicioun, and other noon,
- That thou departe it so, my dere brother,
- That every frere have also muche as other.
- This shaltou swere on thy professioun,2135
- With-outen fraude or cavillacioun.’
- ‘I swere it,’ quod this frere, ‘upon my feith!’
- And ther-with-al his hand in his he leith:(430)
- ‘Lo, heer my feith! in me shal be no lak.’
- ‘Now thanne, put thyn hand doun by my bak,’2140
- Seyde this man, ‘and grope wel bihinde;
- Bynethe my buttok ther shaltow finde
- A thing that I have hid in privetee.’
- ‘A!’ thoghte this frere, ‘this shal go with me!’
- And doun his hand he launcheth to the clifte,2145
- In hope for to finde ther a yifte.
- And whan this syke man felte this frere
- Aboute his tuwel grope there and here,(440)
- Amidde his hand he leet the frere a fart.
- Ther nis no capul, drawinge in a cart,2150
- That mighte have lete a fart of swich a soun.
- ‘The frere up stirte as doth a wood leoun:
- ‘A! false cherl,’ quod he, ‘for goddes bones,
- This hastow for despyt doon, for the nones!
- Thou shalt abye this fart, if that I may!’2155
- His meynee, whiche that herden this affray,
- Cam lepinge in, and chaced out the frere;
- And forth he gooth, with a ful angry chere,(450)
- And fette his felawe, ther-as lay his stoor.
- He looked as it were a wilde boor;2160
- He grinte with his teeth, so was he wrooth.
- A sturdy pas doun to the court he gooth,
- Wher-as ther woned a man of greet honour,
- To whom that he was alwey confessour;
- This worthy man was lord of that village.2165
- This frere cam, as he were in a rage,
- Wher-as this lord sat eting at his bord.
- Unnethes mighte the frere speke a word,(460)
- Til atte laste he seyde: ‘god yow see!’
- This lord gan loke, and seide, ‘benedicite!2170
- What, frere Iohn, what maner world is this?
- I see wel that som thing ther is amis.
- Ye loken as the wode were ful of thevis,
- Sit doun anon, and tel me what your greef is,
- And it shal been amended, if I may.’2175
- ‘I have,’ quod he, ‘had a despyt this day,
- God yelde yow! adoun in your village,
- That in this world is noon so povre a page,(470)
- That he nolde have abhominacioun
- Of that I have receyved in your toun.2180
- And yet ne greveth me no-thing so sore,
- As that this olde cherl, with lokkes hore,
- Blasphemed hath our holy covent eke.’
- ‘Now, maister,’ quod this lord, ‘I yow biseke.’
- ‘No maister, sire,’ quod he, ‘but servitour,2185
- Thogh I have had in scole swich honour.
- God lyketh nat that “Raby” men us calle,
- Neither in market ne in your large halle.’(480)
- ‘No fors,’ quod he, ‘but tel me al your grief.’
- ‘Sire,’ quod this frere, ‘an odious meschief2190
- This day bitid is to myn ordre and me,
- And so per consequens to ech degree
- Of holy chirche, god amende it sone!’
- ‘Sir,’ quod the lord, ‘ye woot what is to done.
- Distempre yow noght, ye be my confessour;2195
- Ye been the salt of the erthe and the savour.
- For goddes love your pacience ye holde;
- Tel me your grief:’ and he anon him tolde,(490)
- As ye han herd biforn, ye woot wel what.
- The lady of the hous ay stille sat,2200
- Til she had herd al what the frere sayde:
- ‘Ey, goddes moder,’ quod she, ‘blisful mayde!
- Is ther oght elles? telle me feithfully.’
- ‘Madame,’ quod he, ‘how thinketh yow her-by?’
- ‘How that me thinketh?’ quod she; ‘so god me speede,
- I seye, a cherl hath doon a cherles dede.
- What shold I seye? god lat him never thee!
- His syke heed is ful of vanitee,(500)
- I hold him in a maner frenesye.’
- ‘Madame,’ quod he, ‘by god I shal nat lye;2210
- But I on other weyes may be wreke,
- I shal diffame him over-al ther I speke,
- This false blasphemour, that charged me
- To parte that wol nat departed be,
- To every man y-liche, with meschaunce!’2215
- The lord sat stille as he were in a traunce,
- And in his herte he rolled up and doun,
- ‘How hadde this cherl imaginacioun(510)
- To shewe swich a probleme to the frere?
- Never erst er now herde I of swich matere;2220
- I trowe the devel putte it in his minde.
- In ars-metryke shal ther no man finde,
- Biforn this day, of swich a questioun.
- Who sholde make a demonstracioun,
- That every man sholde have y-liche his part2225
- As of the soun or savour of a fart?
- O nyce proude cherl, I shrewe his face!
- Lo, sires,’ quod the lord, with harde grace,(520)
- ‘Who ever herde of swich a thing er now?
- To every man y-lyke? tel me how?2230
- It is an inpossible, it may nat be!
- Ey, nyce cherl, god lete him never thee!
- The rumblinge of a fart, and every soun,
- Nis but of eir reverberacioun,
- And ever it wasteth lyte and lyte awey.2235
- Ther is no man can demen, by my fey,
- If that it were departed equally.
- What, lo, my cherl, lo, yet how shrewedly(530)
- Un-to my confessour to-day he spak!
- I holde him certeyn a demoniak!2240
- Now ete your mete, and lat the cherl go pleye,
- Lat him go honge himself a devel weye!’
- Now stood the lordes squyer at the bord,
- That carf his mete, and herde, word by word,
- Of alle thinges of which I have yow sayd.2245
- ‘My lord,’ quod he, ‘be ye nat yvel apayd;
- I coude telle, for a goune-clooth,
- To yow, sir frere, so ye be nat wrooth,(540)
- How that this fart sholde even deled be
- Among your covent, if it lyked me.’2250
- ‘Tel,’ quod the lord, ‘and thou shalt have anon
- A goune-cloth, by god and by Seint Iohn!’
- ‘My lord,’ quod he, ‘whan that the weder is fair,
- With-outen wind or perturbinge of air,
- Lat bringe a cartwheel here in-to this halle,2255
- But loke that it have his spokes alle.
- Twelf spokes hath a cartwheel comunly.
- And bring me than twelf freres, woot ye why?(550)
- For thrittene is a covent, as I gesse.
- The confessour heer, for his worthinesse,2260
- Shal parfourne up the nombre of his covent.
- Than shal they knele doun, by oon assent,
- And to every spokes ende, in this manere,
- Ful sadly leye his nose shal a frere.
- Your noble confessour, ther god him save,2265
- Shal holde his nose upright, under the nave.
- Than shal this cherl, with bely stif and toght
- As any tabour, hider been y-broght;(560)
- And sette him on the wheel right of this cart,
- Upon the nave, and make him lete a fart.2270
- And ye shul seen, up peril of my lyf,
- By preve which that is demonstratif,
- That equally the soun of it wol wende,
- And eek the stink, un-to the spokes ende;
- Save that this worthy man, your confessour,2275
- By-cause he is a man of greet honour,
- Shal have the firste fruit, as reson is;
- The noble usage of freres yet is this,(570)
- The worthy men of hem shul first be served;
- And certeinly, he hath it weel deserved.2280
- He hath to-day taught us so muchel good
- With preching in the pulpit ther he stood,
- That I may vouche-sauf, I sey for me,
- He hadde the firste smel of fartes three,
- And so wolde al his covent hardily;2285
- He bereth him so faire and holily.’
- The lord, the lady, and ech man, save the frere,
- Seyde that Iankin spak, in this matere,(580)
- As wel as Euclide or [as] Ptholomee.
- Touchinge this cherl, they seyde, subtiltee2290
- And heigh wit made him speken as he spak;
- He nis no fool, ne no demoniak.
- And Iankin hath y-wonne a newe goune.—
- My tale is doon; we been almost at toune.2294
Here endeth the Somnours Tale.
GROUP E.
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