| |
Here biginneth the Freres tale.
WHILOM ther was dwellinge in my contree | |
| An erchedeken, a man of heigh degree, | |
| That boldely dide execucioun | |
| In punisshinge of fornicacioun, | |
| Of wicchecraft, and eek of bauderye, | 5 |
| Of diffamacioun, and avoutrye, | |
| Of chirche-reves, and of testaments, | |
| Of contractes, and of lakke of sacraments, | |
| And eek of many another maner cryme | |
| Which nedeth nat rehercen at this tyme; | 10 |
| Of usure, and of symonye also. | |
| But certes, lechours dide he grettest wo; | |
| They sholde singen, if that they were hent; | |
| And smale tytheres weren foule y-shent. | |
| If any persone wolde up-on hem pleyne, | 15 |
| Their mighte asterte him no pecunial peyne. | |
| For smale tythes and for smal offringe, | |
| He made the peple pitously to singe. | |
| For er the bisshop caughte hem with his hook, | |
| They weren in the erchedeknes book. | 20 |
| Thanne hadde he, thurgh his Iurisdiccioun, | |
| Power to doon on hem correccioun. | |
| He hadde a Somnour redy to his hond, | |
| A slyer boy was noon in Engelond; | |
| For subtilly he hadde his espiaille, | 25 |
| That taughte him, wher that him mighte availle. | |
| He coude spare of lechours oon or two, | |
| To techen him to foure and twenty mo. | |
| For thogh this Somnour wood were as an hare, | |
| To telle his harlotrye I wol nat spare; | 30 |
| For we been out of his correccioun; | |
| They han of us no Iurisdiccioun, | |
| Ne never shullen, terme of alle hir lyves. | |
| ‘Peter! so been the wommen of the styves,’ | |
| Quod the Somnour, ‘y-put out of my cure!’ | 35 |
| ‘Pees, with mischance and with misaventure,’ | |
| Thus seyde our host, ‘and lat him telle his tale. | |
| Now telleth forth, thogh that the Somnour gale, | |
| Ne spareth nat, myn owene maister dere.’ | |
| This false theef, this Somnour, quod the Frere, | 40 |
| Hadde alwey baudes redy to his hond, | |
| As any hauk to lure in Engelond, | |
| That tolde him al the secree that they knewe; | |
| For hir acqueyntance was nat come of-newe. | |
| They weren hise approwours prively; | 45 |
| He took him-self a greet profit therby; | |
| His maister knew nat alwey what he wan. | |
| With-outen mandement, a lewed man | |
| He coude somne, on peyne of Cristes curs, | |
| And they were gladde for to fille his purs, | 50 |
| And make him grete festes atte nale. | |
| And right as Iudas hadde purses smale, | |
| And was a theef, right swich a theef was he; | |
| His maister hadde but half his duëtee. | |
| He was, if I shal yeven him his laude, | 55 |
| A theef, and eek a Somnour, and a baude. | |
| He hadde eek wenches at his retenue, | |
| That, whether that sir Robert or sir Huwe, | |
| Or Iakke, or Rauf, or who-so that it were, | |
| That lay by hem, they tolde it in his ere; | 60 |
| Thus was the wenche and he of oon assent. | |
| And he wolde fecche a feyned mandement, | |
| And somne hem to the chapitre bothe two, | |
| And pile the man, and lete the wenche go. | |
| Thanne wolde he seye, ‘frend, I shal for thy sake | 65 |
| Do stryken hir out of our lettres blake; | |
| Thee thar na-more as in this cas travaille; | |
| I am thy freend, ther I thee may availle.’ | |
| Certeyn he knew of bryberyes mo | |
| Than possible is to telle in yeres two. | 70 |
| For in this world nis dogge for the bowe, | |
| That can an hurt deer from an hool y-knowe, | |
| Bet than this Somnour knew a sly lechour, | |
| Or an avouter, or a paramour. | |
| And, for that was the fruit of al his rente, | 75 |
| Therfore on it he sette al his entente. | |
| And so bifel, that ones on a day | |
| This Somnour, ever waiting on his pray, | |
| Rood for to somne a widwe, an old ribybe, | |
| Feynynge a cause, for he wolde brybe. | 80 |
| And happed that he saugh bifore him ryde | |
| A gay yeman, under a forest-syde. | |
| A bowe he bar, and arwes brighte and kene; | |
| He hadde up-on a courtepy of grene; | |
| And hat up-on his heed with frenges blake. | 85 |
| ‘Sir,’ quod this Somnour, ‘hayl! and wel a-take!’ | |
| ‘Wel-come,’ quod he, ‘and every good felawe! | |
| Wher rydestow under this grene shawe?’ | |
| Seyde this yeman, ‘wiltow fer to day?’ | |
| This Somnour him answerde, and seyde, ‘nay; | 90 |
| Heer faste by,’ quod he, ‘is myn entente | |
| To ryden, for to reysen up a rente | |
| That longeth to my lordes duëtee. | |
| ‘Artow thanne a bailly?’ ‘Ye!’ quod he. | |
| He dorste nat, for verray filthe and shame, | 95 |
| Seye that he was a somnour, for the name. | |
| ‘Depardieux,’ quod this yeman, ‘dere brother, | |
| Thou art a bailly, and I am another. | |
| I am unknowen as in this contree; | |
| Of thyn aqueyntance I wolde praye thee, | 100 |
| And eek of brotherhede, if that yow leste. | |
| I have gold and silver in my cheste; | |
| If that thee happe to comen in our shyre, | |
| Al shal be thyn, right as thou wolt desyre.’ | |
| ‘Grantmercy,’ quod this Somnour, ‘by my feith!’ | 105 |
| Everich in otheres hand his trouthe leith, | |
| For to be sworne bretheren til they deye. | |
| In daliance they ryden forth hir weye. | |
| This Somnour, which that was as ful of Iangles, | |
| As ful of venim been thise wariangles, | 110 |
| And ever enquering up-on every thing, | |
| ‘Brother,’ quod he, ‘where is now your dwelling, | |
| Another day if that I sholde yow seche?’ | |
| This yeman him answerde in softe speche, | |
| ‘Brother,’ quod he, ‘fer in the north contree, | 115 |
| Wher, as I hope, som-tyme I shal thee see. | |
| Er we departe, I shal thee so wel wisse, | |
| That of myn house ne shaltow never misse.’ | |
| ‘Now, brother,’ quod this Somnour, ‘I yow preye, | |
| Teche me, whyl that we ryden by the weye, | 120 |
| Sin that ye been a baillif as am I, | |
| Som subtiltee, and tel me feithfully | |
| In myn offyce how I may most winne; | |
| And spareth nat for conscience ne sinne, | |
| But as my brother tel me, how do ye?’ | 125 |
| ‘Now, by my trouthe, brother dere,’ seyde he, | |
| ‘As I shal tellen thee a feithful tale, | |
| My wages been ful streite and ful smale. | |
| My lord is hard to me and daungerous, | |
| And myn offyce is ful laborous; | 130 |
| And therfore by extorcions I live. | |
| For sothe, I take al that men wol me yive; | |
| Algate, by sleyghte or by violence, | |
| Fro yeer to yeer I winne al my dispence. | |
| I can no bettre telle feithfully.’ | 135 |
| ‘Now, certes,’ quod this Somnour, ‘so fare I; | |
| I spare nat to taken, god it woot, | |
| But-if it be to hevy or to hoot. | |
| What I may gete in conseil prively, | |
| No maner conscience of that have I; | 140 |
| Nere myn extorcioun, I mighte nat liven, | |
| Ne of swiche Iapes wol I nat be shriven. | |
| Stomak ne conscience ne knowe I noon; | |
| I shrewe thise shrifte-fadres everichoon. | |
| Wel be we met, by god and by seint Iame! | 145 |
| But, leve brother, tel me than thy name,’ | |
| Quod this Somnour; and in this mene-whyle, | |
| This yeman gan a litel for to smyle. | |
| ‘Brother,’ quod he, ‘wiltow that I thee telle? | |
| I am a feend, my dwelling is in helle. | 150 |
| And here I ryde about my purchasing, | |
| To wite wher men wolde yeve me any thing. | |
| My purchas is theffect of al my rente. | |
| Loke how thou rydest for the same entente, | |
| To winne good, thou rekkest never how; | 155 |
| Right so fare I, for ryde wolde I now | |
| Un-to the worldes ende for a preye.’ | |
| ‘A,’ quod this Somnour, ‘benedicite, what sey ye? | |
| I wende ye were a yeman trewely. | |
| Ye han a mannes shap as wel as I; | 160 |
| Han ye figure than determinat | |
| In helle, ther ye been in your estat?’ | |
| ‘Nay, certeinly,’ quod he, ‘ther have we noon; | |
| But whan us lyketh, we can take us oon, | |
| Or elles make yow seme we ben shape | 165 |
| Som-tyme lyk a man, or lyk an ape; | |
| Or lyk an angel can I ryde or go. | |
| It is no wonder thing thogh it be so; | |
| A lousy Iogelour can deceyve thee, | |
| And pardee, yet can I more craft than he.’ | 170 |
| ‘Why,’ quod the Somnour, ‘ryde ye thanne or goon | |
| In sondry shap, and nat alwey in oon?’ | |
| ‘For we,’ quod he, ‘wol us swich formes make | |
| As most able is our preyes for to take.’ | |
| ‘What maketh yow to han al this labour?’ | 175 |
| ‘Ful many a cause, leve sir Somnour,’ | |
| Seyde this feend, ‘but alle thing hath tyme. | |
| The day is short, and it is passed pryme, | |
| And yet ne wan I no-thing in this day. | |
| I wol entende to winnen, if I may, | 180 |
| And nat entende our wittes to declare. | |
| For, brother myn, thy wit is al to bare | |
| To understonde, al-thogh I tolde hem thee. | |
| But, for thou axest why labouren we; | |
| For, som-tyme, we ben goddes instruments, | 185 |
| And menes to don his comandements, | |
| Whan that him list, up-on his creatures, | |
| In divers art and in divers figures. | |
| With-outen him we have no might, certayn, | |
| If that him list to stonden ther-agayn. | 190 |
| And som-tyme, at our prayere, han we leve | |
| Only the body and nat the soule greve; | |
| Witnesse on Iob, whom that we diden wo. | |
| And som-tyme han we might of bothe two, | |
| This is to seyn, of soule and body eke. | 195 |
| And somtyme be we suffred for to seke | |
| Up-on a man, and doon his soule unreste, | |
| And nat his body, and al is for the beste. | |
| Whan he withstandeth our temptacioun, | |
| It is a cause of his savacioun; | 200 |
| Al-be-it that it was nat our entente | |
| He sholde be sauf, but that we wolde him hente. | |
| And som-tyme be we servant un-to man, | |
| As to the erchebisshop Seint Dunstan, | |
| And to the apostles servant eek was I.’ | 205 |
| ‘Yet tel me,’ quod the Somnour, ‘feithfully, | |
| Make ye yow newe bodies thus alway | |
| Of elements?’ the feend answerde, ‘nay; | |
| Som-tyme we feyne, and som-tyme we aryse | |
| With dede bodies in ful sondry wyse, | 210 |
| And speke as renably and faire and wel | |
| As to the Phitonissa dide Samuel. | |
| And yet wol som men seye it was nat he; | |
| I do no fors of your divinitee. | |
| But o thing warne I thee, I wol nat Iape, | 215 |
| Thou wolt algates wite how we ben shape; | |
| Thou shalt her-afterward, my brother dere, | |
| Com ther thee nedeth nat of me to lere. | |
| For thou shalt by thyn owene experience | |
| Conne in a chayer rede of this sentence | 220 |
| Bet than Virgyle, whyl he was on lyve, | |
| Or Dant also; now lat us ryde blyve. | |
| For I wol holde companye with thee | |
| Til it be so, that thou forsake me.’ | |
| ‘Nay,’ quod this Somnour, ‘that shal nat bityde; | 225 |
| I am a yeman, knowen is ful wyde; | |
| My trouthe wol I holde as in this cas. | |
| For though thou were the devel Sathanas, | |
| My trouthe wol I holde to my brother, | |
| As I am sworn, and ech of us til other | 230 |
| For to be trewe brother in this cas; | |
| And bothe we goon abouten our purchas. | |
| Tak thou thy part, what that men wol thee yive, | |
| And I shal myn; thus may we bothe live. | |
| And if that any of us have more than other, | 235 |
| Lat him be trewe, and parte it with his brother.’ | |
| ‘I graunte,’ quod the devel, ‘by my fey.’ | |
| And with that word they ryden forth hir wey. | |
| And right at the entring of the tounes ende, | |
| To which this Somnour shoop him for to wende, | 240 |
| They saugh a cart, that charged was with hey, | |
| Which that a carter droof forth in his wey. | |
| Deep was the wey, for which the carte stood. | |
| The carter smoot, and cryde, as he were wood, | |
| ‘Hayt, Brok! hayt, Scot! what spare ye for the stones? | 245 |
| The feend,’ quod he, ‘yow fecche body and bones, | |
| As ferforthly as ever were ye foled! | |
| So muche wo as I have with yow tholed! | |
| The devel have al, bothe hors and cart and hey!’ | |
| This Somnour seyde, ‘heer shal we have a pley;’ | 250 |
| And neer the feend he drough, as noght ne were, | |
| Ful prively, and rouned in his ere: | |
| ‘Herkne, my brother, herkne, by thy feith; | |
| Herestow nat how that the carter seith? | |
| Hent it anon, for he hath yeve it thee, | 255 |
| Bothe hey and cart, and eek hise caples three.’ | |
| ‘Nay,’ quod the devel, ‘god wot, never a deel; | |
| It is nat his entente, trust me weel. | |
| Axe him thy-self, if thou nat trowest me, | |
| Or elles stint a while, and thou shalt see.’ | 260 |
| This carter thakketh his hors upon the croupe, | |
| And they bigonne drawen and to-stoupe; | |
| ‘Heyt, now!’ quod he, ‘ther Iesu Crist yow blesse, | |
| And al his handwerk, bothe more and lesse! | |
| That was wel twight, myn owene lyard boy! | 265 |
| I pray god save thee and sëynt Loy! | |
| Now is my cart out of the slow, pardee!’ | |
| ‘Lo! brother,’ quod the feend, ‘what tolde I thee? | |
| Heer may ye see, myn owene dere brother, | |
| The carl spak oo thing, but he thoghte another. | 270 |
| Lat us go forth abouten our viage; | |
| Heer winne I no-thing up-on cariage.’ | |
| Whan that they comen som-what out of toune, | |
| This Somnour to his brother gan to roune, | |
| ‘Brother,’ quod he, ‘heer woneth an old rebekke, | 275 |
| That hadde almost as lief to lese hir nekke | |
| As for to yeve a peny of hir good. | |
| I wol han twelf pens, though that she be wood, | |
| Or I wol sompne hir un-to our offyce; | |
| And yet, god woot, of hir knowe I no vyce. | 280 |
| But for thou canst nat, as in this contree, | |
| Winne thy cost, tak heer ensample of me.’ | |
| This Somnour clappeth at the widwes gate. | |
| ‘Com out,’ quod he, ‘thou olde viritrate! | |
| I trowe thou hast som frere or preest with thee!’ | 285 |
| ‘Who clappeth?’ seyde this widwe, ‘benedicite! | |
| God save you, sire, what is your swete wille?’ | |
| ‘I have,’ quod he, ‘of somonce here a bille; | |
| Up peyne of cursing, loke that thou be | |
| To-morn bifore the erchedeknes knee | 290 |
| Tanswere to the court of certeyn thinges.’ | |
| ‘Now, lord,’ quod she, ‘Crist Iesu, king of kinges, | |
| So wisly helpe me, as I ne may. | |
| I have been syk, and that ful many a day. | |
| I may nat go so fer,’ quod she, ‘ne ryde, | 295 |
| But I be deed, so priketh it in my syde. | |
| May I nat axe a libel, sir Somnour, | |
| And answere there, by my procutour, | |
| To swich thing as men wol opposen me?’ | |
| ‘Yis,’ quod this Somnour, ‘pay anon, lat se, | 300 |
| Twelf pens to me, and I wol thee acquyte. | |
| I shall no profit han ther-by but lyte; | |
| My maister hath the profit, and nat I. | |
| Com of, and lat me ryden hastily; | |
| Yif me twelf pens, I may no lenger tarie.’ | 305 |
| ‘Twelf pens,’ quod she, ‘now lady Seinte Marie | |
| So wisly help me out of care and sinne, | |
| This wyde world thogh that I sholde winne, | |
| Ne have I nat twelf pens with-inne myn hold. | |
| Ye knowen wel that I am povre and old; | 310 |
| Kythe your almesse on me povre wrecche.’ | |
| ‘Nay than,’ quod he, ‘the foule feend me fecche | |
| If I thexcuse, though thou shul be spilt!’ | |
| ‘Alas,’ quod she, ‘god woot, I have no gilt.’ | |
| ‘Pay me,’ quod he, ‘or by the swete seinte Anne, | 315 |
| As I wol bere awey thy newe panne | |
| For dette, which that thou owest me of old, | |
| Whan that thou madest thyn housbond cokewold, | |
| I payde at hoom for thy correccioun.’ | |
| ‘Thou lixt,’ quod she, ‘by my savacioun! | 320 |
| Ne was I never er now, widwe ne wyf, | |
| Somoned un-to your court in al my lyf; | |
| Ne never I nas but of my body trewe! | |
| Un-to the devel blak and rough of hewe | |
| Yeve I thy body and my panne also!’ | 325 |
| And whan the devel herde hir cursen so | |
| Up-on hir knees, he seyde in this manere, | |
| ‘Now Mabely, myn owene moder dere, | |
| Is this your wil in ernest, that ye seye?’ | |
| ‘The devel,’ quod she, ‘so fecche him er he deye, | 330 |
| And panne and al, but he wol him repente!’ | |
| ‘Nay, olde stot, that is nat myn entente,’ | |
| Quod this Somnour, ‘for to repente me, | |
| For any thing that I have had of thee; | |
| I wolde I hadde thy smok and every clooth!’ | 335 |
| ‘Now, brother,’ quod the devel, ‘be nat wrooth; | |
| Thy body and this panne ben myne by right. | |
| Thou shalt with me to helle yet to-night, | |
| Where thou shalt knowen of our privetee | |
| More than a maister of divinitee:’ | 340 |
| And with that word this foule feend him hente; | |
| Body and soule, he with the devel wente | |
| Wher-as that somnours han hir heritage. | |
| And god, that maked after his image | |
| Mankinde, save and gyde us alle and some; | 345 |
| And leve this Somnour good man to bicome! | |
| Lordinges, I coude han told yow, quod this Frere, | |
| Hadde I had leyser for this Somnour here, | |
| After the text of Crist [and] Poul and Iohn, | |
| And of our othere doctours many oon, | 350 |
| Swiche peynes, that your hertes mighte agryse, | |
| Al-be-it so, no tonge may devyse, | |
| Thogh that I mighte a thousand winter telle, | |
| The peyne of thilke cursed hous of helle. | |
| But, for to kepe us fro that cursed place, | 355 |
| Waketh, and preyeth Iesu for his grace | |
| So kepe us fro the temptour Sathanas. | |
| Herketh this word, beth war as in this cas; | |
| The leoun sit in his await alway | |
| To slee the innocent, if that he may. | 360 |
| Disposeth ay your hertes to withstonde | |
| The feend, that yow wolde make thral and bonde. | |
| He may nat tempten yow over your might; | |
| For Crist wol be your champion and knight. | |
| And prayeth that thise Somnours hem repente | 365 |
Of hir misdedes, er that the feend hem hente.
Here endeth the Freres tale. | |
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