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Heer is a miteyn eek, that ye may see. He that his hond wol putte in this miteyn, He shal have multiplying of his greyn, Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes, So that he offre pens, or elles grotes. Heer is a miteyn eek, that ye may see. He that his hond wol putte in this miteyn, He shal have multiplying of his greyn, Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes, So that he offre pens, or elles grotes.
Good men and wommen, o thing warne I yow, If any wight be in this chirche now, That hath doon sinne horrible, that he Dar nat, for shame, of it y-shriven be, Or any womman, be she yong or old, That hath y-maad hir housbond cokewold, Swich folk shul have no power ne no grace To offren to my reliks in this place. And who-so findeth him out of swich blame, He wol com up and offre in Goddes name, And I assoille him by the auctoritee Which that by bulle y-graunted was to me.” Good men and wommen, o thing warne I yow, If any wight be in this chirche now, That hath doon sinne horrible, that he Dar nat, for shame, of it y-shriven be, Or any womman, be she yong or old, That hath y-maad hir housbond cokewold, Swich folk shul have no power ne no grace To offren to my reliks in this place. And who-so findeth him out of swich blame, He wol com up and offre in Goddes name, And I assoille him by the auctoritee Which that by bulle y-graunted was to me.”
By this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer, An hundred mark sith I was Pardoner. I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet, And whan the lewed peple is doun y-set, I preche, so as ye han herd bifore, And telle an hundred false Iapes more. Than peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke, And est and west upon the peple I bekke, As doth a dowve sitting on a berne. Myn hondes and my tonge goon so yerne, That it is Ioye to see my bisinesse. Of avaryce and of swich cursednesse Is al my preching, for to make hem free To yeve her pens, and namely unto me. For my entente is nat but for to winne, And no-thing for correccioun of sinne. I rekke never, whan that they ben beried, Though that her soules goon a-blakeberied! For certes, many a predicacioun Comth ofte tyme of yvel entencioun; Som for plesaunce of folk and flaterye, To been avaunced by ipocrisye, And som for veyne glorie, and som for hate. For, whan I dar non other weyes debate, Than wol I stinge him with my tonge smerte In preching, so that he shal nat asterte To been defamed falsly, if that he Hath trespased to my brethren or to me. For, though I telle noght his propre name, Men shal wel knowe that it is the same By signes and by othere circumstances. Thus quyte I folk that doon us displesances; Thus spitte I out my venim under hewe Of holynesse, to seme holy and trewe. By this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer, An hundred mark sith I was Pardoner. I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet, And whan the lewed peple is doun y-set, I preche, so as ye han herd bifore, And telle an hundred false Iapes more. Than peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke, And est and west upon the peple I bekke, As doth a dowve sitting on a berne. Myn hondes and my tonge goon so yerne, That it is Ioye to see my bisinesse. Of avaryce and of swich cursednesse Is al my preching, for to make hem free To yeve her pens, and namely unto me. For my entente is nat but for to winne, And no-thing for correccioun of sinne. I rekke never, whan that they ben beried, Though that her soules goon a-blakeberied! For certes, many a predicacioun Comth ofte tyme of yvel entencioun; Som for plesaunce of folk and flaterye, To been avaunced by ipocrisye, And som for veyne glorie, and som for hate. For, whan I dar non other weyes debate, Than wol I stinge him with my tonge smerte In preching, so that he shal nat asterte To been defamed falsly, if that he Hath trespased to my brethren or to me. For, though I telle noght his propre name, Men shal wel knowe that it is the same By signes and by othere circumstances. Thus quyte I folk that doon us displesances; Thus spitte I out my venim under hewe Of holynesse, to seme holy and trewe.

Original Text

Modern Text

Heer is a miteyn eek, that ye may see. He that his hond wol putte in this miteyn, He shal have multiplying of his greyn, Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes, So that he offre pens, or elles grotes. Heer is a miteyn eek, that ye may see. He that his hond wol putte in this miteyn, He shal have multiplying of his greyn, Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes, So that he offre pens, or elles grotes.
Good men and wommen, o thing warne I yow, If any wight be in this chirche now, That hath doon sinne horrible, that he Dar nat, for shame, of it y-shriven be, Or any womman, be she yong or old, That hath y-maad hir housbond cokewold, Swich folk shul have no power ne no grace To offren to my reliks in this place. And who-so findeth him out of swich blame, He wol com up and offre in Goddes name, And I assoille him by the auctoritee Which that by bulle y-graunted was to me.” Good men and wommen, o thing warne I yow, If any wight be in this chirche now, That hath doon sinne horrible, that he Dar nat, for shame, of it y-shriven be, Or any womman, be she yong or old, That hath y-maad hir housbond cokewold, Swich folk shul have no power ne no grace To offren to my reliks in this place. And who-so findeth him out of swich blame, He wol com up and offre in Goddes name, And I assoille him by the auctoritee Which that by bulle y-graunted was to me.”
By this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer, An hundred mark sith I was Pardoner. I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet, And whan the lewed peple is doun y-set, I preche, so as ye han herd bifore, And telle an hundred false Iapes more. Than peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke, And est and west upon the peple I bekke, As doth a dowve sitting on a berne. Myn hondes and my tonge goon so yerne, That it is Ioye to see my bisinesse. Of avaryce and of swich cursednesse Is al my preching, for to make hem free To yeve her pens, and namely unto me. For my entente is nat but for to winne, And no-thing for correccioun of sinne. I rekke never, whan that they ben beried, Though that her soules goon a-blakeberied! For certes, many a predicacioun Comth ofte tyme of yvel entencioun; Som for plesaunce of folk and flaterye, To been avaunced by ipocrisye, And som for veyne glorie, and som for hate. For, whan I dar non other weyes debate, Than wol I stinge him with my tonge smerte In preching, so that he shal nat asterte To been defamed falsly, if that he Hath trespased to my brethren or to me. For, though I telle noght his propre name, Men shal wel knowe that it is the same By signes and by othere circumstances. Thus quyte I folk that doon us displesances; Thus spitte I out my venim under hewe Of holynesse, to seme holy and trewe. By this gaude have I wonne, yeer by yeer, An hundred mark sith I was Pardoner. I stonde lyk a clerk in my pulpet, And whan the lewed peple is doun y-set, I preche, so as ye han herd bifore, And telle an hundred false Iapes more. Than peyne I me to strecche forth the nekke, And est and west upon the peple I bekke, As doth a dowve sitting on a berne. Myn hondes and my tonge goon so yerne, That it is Ioye to see my bisinesse. Of avaryce and of swich cursednesse Is al my preching, for to make hem free To yeve her pens, and namely unto me. For my entente is nat but for to winne, And no-thing for correccioun of sinne. I rekke never, whan that they ben beried, Though that her soules goon a-blakeberied! For certes, many a predicacioun Comth ofte tyme of yvel entencioun; Som for plesaunce of folk and flaterye, To been avaunced by ipocrisye, And som for veyne glorie, and som for hate. For, whan I dar non other weyes debate, Than wol I stinge him with my tonge smerte In preching, so that he shal nat asterte To been defamed falsly, if that he Hath trespased to my brethren or to me. For, though I telle noght his propre name, Men shal wel knowe that it is the same By signes and by othere circumstances. Thus quyte I folk that doon us displesances; Thus spitte I out my venim under hewe Of holynesse, to seme holy and trewe.