Henne1 over a myle, with-in a greet village, Both man and womman, child and hyne,2 and page. 360 I trowe his habitacioun be there; By goddes dignitee, er it be night." Togidres han thise three her trouthes plight, To live and dyen ech of hem for other, 375 As though he were his owene yboren brother. And up they sterte al dronken, in this rage, And forth they goon towardes that village, Of which the taverner had spoke biforn, And many a grisly ooth than han they 380 And Cristes blessed body they to-rente"Deeth shal be deed, if that they may him hente.”7 sworn, That in this contree alle our frendes sleeth. Have heer my trouthe, as thou art his aspye, 23 Tel wher he is, or thou shalt it abye,24 By god, and by the holy sacrament! For soothly thou art oon of his assent,25 430 To sleen us yonge folk, thou false theef!" "Now, sirs," quod he, "if that yow be so leef26 To finde Deeth, turne up this croked wey, For in that grove I lafte him, by my fey, Under a tree, and ther he wol abyde; 435 Nat for27 your boost 28 he wol him no-thing hyde. See ye that ook? right ther ye shul him finde. God save yow, that boghte agayn mankinde, And yow amende!"-thus seyde this olde man. And everich of thise ryotoures ran, 440 Til he cam to that tree, and ther they "Thou knowest wel thou art my sworne founde brother, 480 485 Thy profit wol I telle thee anon. He woot10 how that the gold is with us tweye; What shal we doon, what shal we to him seye?" 490 "Shal it be conseil?" seyde the firste shrewe, 12 "And I shal tellen thee, in wordes fewe, What we shal doon, and bringe it wel aboute." "I graunte," quod that other, "out of doute, But mighte this gold be caried fro this That, by my trouthe, I wol thee nat biwreye.13 495 "Now," quod the firste, "thou woost wel we be tweye, And two of us shul strenger be than oon. Look whan that he is set, and right anoon Arys, as though thou woldest with him pleye; And I shal ryve him thurgh the sydes tweye 500 Whyl that thou strogelest with him as in game, And with thy dagger look thou do the same; And than shal al this gold departed be, My dere freend, bitwixen me and thee; Than may we bothe our lustes al fulfille,505 And pleye at dees right at our owene wille." And thus acorded14 been thise shrewes tweye To sleen the thridde, as ye han herd me seye. 2 note of. • quickly. 3 jest. 'thought. 7 it seems best. 8 fist. This yongest, which that wente un-to the toun, Ful ofte in herte he rolleth up and doun 510 The beautee of thise florins newe and brighte. "O lord!" quod he, "if so were that I mighte Have al this tresor to my-self allone, Ther is no man that liveth under the trone1 Of god, that sholde live so mery as I!" 515 And atte laste the feend, our enemy, Putte in his thought that he shold poyson beye,2 With which he mighte sleen his felawes tweye; And whan that this was doon, thus spak that oon, "Now lat us sitte and drinke, and make us merie, And afterward we wol his body berie." 555 For why the feend fond him in swich | And with that word it happed him, par lyvinge, That he had leve1 him to sorwe bringe, 520 For this was outrely his ful entente To sleen hem bothe, and never to repente. And forth he gooth, no lenger wolde he tarie, Into the toun, un-to a pothecarie, And preyed him, that he him wolde selle 525 cas, 18 That of yelownesse hadde never pere. Now purs, that be to me my lyves light, 15 Sin that ye wole nat been my tresorere; 20 hem monye, For love of ur46 lorde lyveden47 ful streite, In hope for to have hevenriche48 blisse; As ancres19 and hermytes that holdeth hem50 in heore51 celles, Coveyte not in cuntre52 to cairen53 aboute, For non likerous54 lyflode55 heore licam 56 to plese. 30 And summe chosen chaffare57 to cheeven58 As hit semeth to owre siht that suche men thryveth; And summe murthes59 to maken · as munstrals cunne," 60 And get gold with here gle61 giltles I trowe. Bote japers62 and jangelers,63 Iudas children, Founden64 hem fantasyes65 hem maaden, 35 and fooles And habbeth wit at heor wille66 to worchen67 gif hem luste; 68 That Poul precheth of hem I dar not preoven heere; 25 saw. 31 working. 34 played. 37 labored. 69 40 destroy. 41 pride. 43 outward appearance. 45 many. 46 our. 48 happiness of the kingdom of heaven. 49 nuns. 50 keep themselves. 53 wander. 54 luxurious. $7 trade. 60 know how. 68 prosper. 63 buffoons. 4 feigned. 68 at command. 68 what. 51 their. 52 country. ss diet. 56 body. |