NARRATIVE POEMS THE PARDONER'S TALE GEOFFREY CHAUCER (Modernised by Frank Ernest Hill) [This is the story told by the Pardoner to his companions of the Canterbury pilgrimage. It was not original with Chaucer, but has been found in various medieval versions. A long sermonic passage on the vices of dissipated men is omitted from the paraphrase.] In Flanders once there dwelt a company Of youth, that followed foolish revelry,As riotous taverns, and their evil fruits, Wherein with citherns and with harps and lutes They danced and played at dice both day and night, And also ate and drank beyond their might, Whereby, in Satan's temple, did they pay ΙΟ That it was hideous to hear them swear. Our Lord's own blessed body would they tear1 (Too little by the Jews they deemed it rent), And made each other's sins a merriment. These rioters, of whom I make my rime, Long ere a single bell had rung for prime,2 Had sat them in a tavern for to drink, And as they sat, they heard a hand-bell clink Before a body, carried to its grave. Then called the one of them unto his knave3 20 "Be off!" he cried, "and truly certify Whose body 'tis without that passes by, And see that you report his name aright!" "Sir," answered him this boy, "'tis needless quite; For I was told two hours before you came; He was a fellow of yours, by God's own name! A reference to a particular type of oath. familiar in the Middle Ages, which is exemplified in lines 46 and 49. Compare also line 63. 2 prime. The first period of the church day, 3 knave. Boy, servant. nine a.m. aver, 40 Woman, and child, and man, in yonder town, And page and villain," he hath smitten down, I trow his habitation must be there. And it were utmost wisdom to beware Lest that a man some injury incur. "Yea, by God's arms," replied this rioter, "Is he so perilous a knave to meet? I swear to seek him out by road and street; Upon the bones of God I make a vow. Comrades, we three are one,-then hearken now! 50 Let each of us hold up his hand to th' other, And each of us become the other's brother; And we will slay this false betrayer Death, He shall be slain, he that so many slay'th, By God's own dignity, ere it be night!" Together then these three their troth did plight, To live and die each of them for the other, As though each one were born the other's brother. And in this drunken passion forth they started, And toward that very village they departed 60 To greet them: "Sirs, God keep you in Then of these rascals three the proudest 70 Replied, "Now curse you, churl! Whither apace? And why all wrapped and hidden save your face? How dare you live so long in Death's defy?" This old man sought his face with search- And answered thus: "Because, e'en though To Ind, I could not find a man content, In change for this my age to give his So must I have my age in keeping still, And on the ground, which is my mother's I knock with anxious staff, both early and late, And say, 'Beloved mother, let me in! Alas! when shall my bones be laid to To be with you I would exchange my That in my room a weary time hath been, Yea, for a hair-cloth1 I could wrap me in!' 90 And yet she will not do me this poor When he hath neither sinned in word nor For well in holy writings may ye read, As ye yourselves would look for clem ency 100 In your old age, if so ye should abide. And God be with you, where ye walk or ride; I must be off where I have need to go." "Nay now, old churl! By God, you shall not so!" Answered another rioter anon; "You shall not part so lightly, by St. John! You spoke just now of that same traitor Death That in this country all our comrades slay'th. Have here my word: as you're a spy of his, Abide the worst, or tell us where he is, By God and by the Holy Sacrament! The worst of them essayed the foremost say; My wit is great, although I jest and play! 2 assent. Conspiracy. He knows the two of us do guard the gold; What shall we do? what would you have him told?" "Shall it be secret?" shrewdly asked the first; "Then shortly shall the method be rehearsed Whereby I think to bring it well about." "Agreed," replied the other; "out of doubt I will betray you not, as God is true." "Now," said the first, “you know that we are two, And two of us are mightier than one. Watch when he sits, then straightway rise and run 180 And prayed for poison to exterminate Some rats, and pole-cats that had robbed of late His roosts, and he would venge him, if he might, 211 On vermin that devoured him by night. That, let a living creature drink or eat Than you would take to pace a single mile; Such is the force this poison can command." This cursed man received into his hand 220 And in the two his poison poured he, But left the third unpoisoned, for his drink; For he must work all night-so did he think Bearing the treasure off with lusty limb. And when this rioter-bad luck to him!Had filled with liquor all his bottles three, Back to his fellows then resorted he. What need is there to linger on it more? For just as they had planned his death before, 230 So did they slay him now, and that with speed. Then said the one, when they had done the deed: "Now let us eat and drink, and make us merry, And afterwards we will his body bury." And with that word he took, it came to pass, One of the bottles where the poison was, And drank, and gave his comrade drink beside, From which they both in little season died. SIR PATRICK SPENCE [This ballad is perhaps connected with the story of the shipwreck of a vessel bearing an embassy between Scotland and Norway in 1290.] The king sits in Dumferling toun, Drinking the blood-red wine: "O where will I get guid sailor, To sail this ship of mine?" Up and spake an eldern knight, Sat at the king's right knee: The king has written a braid 1 letter, The first line that Sir Patrick read, The next line that Sir Patrick read, "O wha is this has done this deed, To send me out this time o' the year, To sail upon the sea! 10 20 "Make haste, make haste, my merry men all, Our guid ship sails the morn:" "O say not so, my master dear, For I fear a deadly storm. "Late late yestreen I saw the new moon, O our Scots nobles were richt laith 2 O lang, lang may their ladies sit, Wi' their fans into their hand, O lang, lang may the ladies stand, 30 40 And there lies guid Sir Patrick Spence, Wi' the Scots lords at his feet. 20 But Johnnie has cast off the black velvet, Johnnie lookit east, and Johnnie lookit west, And he lookit aneath the sun, Johnnie shot, and the dun deer lap,? They eat of the flesh, and they drank of the blood, And the blood it was so sweet, Which caused Johnnie and his bloody hounds To fall in a deep sleep. "The wildest wolf in a' this wood "O bows of yew, if ye be true, In London, where ye were bought, Fingers five, get up belive,15 Manhood shall fail me nought." He has killed the Seven Foresters, And that wan16 scarce to Pickeram Side, 10 drie. Endure (to go). II gar. Make (cause). 12 well-wight. Hardy. 13 gin. If. 14 brae. Brow. 15 belive. Quickly. 16 wan. Came. 17 bode-words. Tidings. 80 |