Chaucer's Works-The Canterbury Tales Part 69

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. 1520 For I wol holde companye with thee Til it be so, that thou forsake me.'

1515. E Hn. -wardes; _rest_ -ward.

'Nay,' quod this Somnour, 'that shal nat bityde; I am a yeman, knowen is ful wyde; My trouthe wol I holde as in this cas. 1525 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. 1530 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, Lat him be trewe, and parte it with his brother.'

1528, 1533. E. oother. 1531. E. Taak; yeue.

'I graunte,' quod the devel, 'by my fey.' 1535 And with that word they ryden forth hir wey.

[366: T. 7119-7153.]

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. 1540 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?

The feend,' quod he, 'yow fecche body and bones, As ferforthly as ever were ye foled! 1545 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: 1550 'Herkne, my brother, herkne, by thy feith; Herestow nat how that the carter seith?

Hent it anon, for he hath yeve it thee, Bothe hey and cart, and eek hise caples three.'

'Nay,' quod the devel, 'G.o.d wot, never a deel; 1555 It is nat his entente, trust me weel.

Axe him thy-self, if thou nat trowest me, Or elles stint a while, and thou shall see.' (260)

1556. E. Hn. trust thou; _rest om._ thou.

This carter thakketh his hors upon the croupe, And they bigonne drawen and to-stoupe; 1560 '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!

I pray G.o.d save thee and seynt Loy!

Now is my cart out of the slow, pardee!' 1565

1559. Cm. thakkyth; Hl. thakketh; Ln. thakkes; Cp. Pt. thakked; E. Hn.

taketh. Hn. Cm. Hl. upon; _rest om._ 1562. Cp. hondywerk; Hn.

handes werk. 1564. E. to G.o.d; _rest om._ to. 1565. Cp. slough; Pt.

schlough; Ln. slouhe; Hl. sloo.

'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.' 1570

1568. E. Hl. oon; Cm. on; _rest_ o (oo). E. _om._ thing.

Whan that they comen som-what out of toune, [367: T. 7154-7187.]

This Somnour to his brother gan to roune, 'Brother,' quod he, 'heer woneth an old rebekke, That hadde almost as lief to lese hir nekke As for to yeve a peny of hir good. 1575 I wol han twelf pens, though that she be wood, Or I wol sompne hir un-to our offyce; And yet, G.o.d 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.' 1580

1571. E. coomen.

This Somnour clappeth at the widwes gate.

'Com out,' quod he, 'thou olde viritrate!

I trowe thou hast som frere or preest with thee!'

1582. Hn. Cp. Hl. viritrate; E. virytrate; Cm. verye crate; Pt.

viritate; Ln. veritate.

'Who clappeth?' seyde this widwe, '_benedicite_!

G.o.d save you, sire, what is your swete wille?' 1585

1584. Cm. widew; Hl. widow; _rest_ wyf (_but read_ ben'cite).

'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.'

1586. Cp. Pt. Ln. here; _rest om._ 1587. E. Vp-on; _rest_ Vp. 1589.

E. Hn. Tanswere; _rest_ To answere (answer).

'Now, lord,' quod she, 'Crist Iesu, king of kinges, 1590 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, But I be deed, so priketh it in my syde.

May I nat axe a libel, sir Somnour, 1595 And answere there, by my procutour, To swich thing as men wol opposen me?'

1596. Hl. ther; Ln. the; _rest_ there. Hl. procuratour; Cm. Ln.

procatour; _rest_ procutour.

'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; 1600 My maister hath the profit, and nat I.

Com of, and lat me ryden hastily; Yif me twelf pens, I may no lenger tarie.'

'Twelf pens,' quod she, 'now lady Seinte Marie So wisly help me out of care and sinne, 1605 [368: T. 7188-7225.]

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.'

1605. E. Hn. me G.o.d; _rest om._ G.o.d.

'Nay than,' quod he, 'the foule feend me fecche 1610 If I thexcuse, though them shul be spilt!'

1610. E. thanne.

'Alas,' quod she, 'G.o.d woot, I have no gilt.'

'Pay me,' quod he, 'or by the swete seinte Anne, As I wol bere awey thy newe panne For dette, which that thou owest me of old, 1615 Whan that thou madest thyn housbond c.o.kewold, 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; 1620 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!'

And whan the devel herde hir cursen so Up-on hir knees, he seyde in this manere, 1625 'Now Mabely, myn owene moder dere, Is this your wil in ernest, that ye seye?'

1626. Cm. Mabelyn.

'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,' 1630 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!'

'Now, brother,' quod the devel, 'be nat wrooth; Thy body and this panne ben myne by right. 1635 Thou shalt with me to h.e.l.le 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 1640 Wher-as that somnours han hir heritage.

And G.o.d, that maked after his image Mankinde, save and gyde us alle and some; [369: T. 7226-7246.]