Though the pardoner and he pryvely in hir pouchis "Halff part!" quod he, pryvely rownyng on their ere. Husht, pees!" quod the miller, "seist thow nat the frere, 180 How he lowrith undir his hood with a doggish eye? Hit shuld be privy thing that he coud nat aspy; Of every craft he can somwhat, our lady give hym sorowe!" As we did hither-ward, though we shuld set at sale They set their signys upon their hedes, and som oppon their capp, And sith to the dyner-ward they gan for to stapp; Every man in his degré wissh and toke his sete, 66 their pilgrimage. Many of these leaden signs had been found, especially in rivers, such as the Thames, the river at Canterbury, etc., and antiquaries were in the dark as to their purpose. This has, however, been very clearly shown in a series of papers on the subject by Mr. C. Roach Smith, in his Collectanea Antiqua. The annexed figure of a veritable Canterbury brooch", is taken from one engraved in the Archeological Album, p. 21; it is in lead, and represents the head of St. Thomas of Canterbury, with the inscription CAPUT THOME. The whole of this passage is a very curious picture of the manners of the time. Erasmus, in his Pilgrimage for Religion's sake", describes the pilgrim as "covered with scallop shells, stuck all over with leaden and tin figures, adorned with straw necklaces, and a bracelet of serpents' eggs." And wer in silence for a tyme, tyl good ale gan arise, And eke it was no tyme tho for to be y-grevid. As custom is of pylgryms, and hath been many a dey. 200 210 So wele kepeing the covenaunt, in Southwork that was made, 220 Yee graunted of your curtesy that we shuld also All the hole company sope with yowe at nyght; Thus I trow that it was, what sey you, sir knyght?" “It shal nat nede," quod the hoost, "to axe no witnes; Your record is good i-nowe; and of your gentilnes Yit I prey yow efft ageyn; for, by seynt Thomas shryne ! And ye woll hold covenaunt, I woll hold myne." "Now trewly, hoost," quod the knyght, "ye have right wel y-seyd; And as towching my persone, I holde me payde; And so I trowe that al doith; sirs, what seye ye ?” The monk and eke the marchaunte and al seyd, “ye”. "Then al this aftir-mete I hold it for the best To sport and pley us," quod the hoost, "ech man as hym lest, And go by tyme to soper and to bed also; So mowe we erly rysen, our jorney for to do." The knyght arose therwithal, and cast on a fresher gown, And his sone anothir, to walk in the town. And so did all the remnaunt that wer of that aray, 230 That had their chaungis with them, they made them fresh and gay; Sortid them togithir, right as their lustis lay, As they were more usid travelling by the way. For shot of arblast and of bowe, and eke for shot of 241 gonne, Unto the wardis of the town, and how it might be wone; And al defence ther-ageyn, aftir his intent, He declarid compendiously, and al that evir he ment, To armes and to travaile and persone covenabill, He was of all factur aftir fourm of kynd, And for to deme his governaunce it semed that his mynd Was much in his lady that he lovid best; That made him offt to wake when he shuld have his rest. The clerk that was of Oxenforth onto the sompnore seyd, 250 For who so may eschew it, and let it pas by, And els he myght fall theron unward and sodenly. They be not al perfite, but som nyce be." 260 "Lo what is worthy," seyd the knyght, "for to be a clerk. To sommon among us them this mocioune was ful derke; I comend his wittis and eke his clergé ; For of ether parte he saveth honesté." The monk toke the parsone then and the grey frer" They went forth togithir talking of holy matere; 270 But woot ye wele, in certeyn, they had no mind on watere To drink at that tyme, when they wer met in fere; For of the best that myght be founde and therwith mery chere They had, it is no doute, for spycys and eke wine Went round about the gastoyn, and eke the ruyne. 280 The wyfe of Bath was so wery, she had no wyl to walk; Passyng forth sofftly into the herbery; For many a herb grew for sewe and surgery; 290 And all the aleys feir and parid, and raylid, and y-makid; For comers to the hooste righte a sportful sight. The marchaunt, and the mancipill, the miller, and the reve, 300 He wold be loggit with hir, that was his hole ententioune. But hap and eke fortune and all the constellacioune Was clere hym ageyns, as ye shul aftir here. For hym had better be y-loggit al nyght in a myere, And fond hir ligging lirylong with half slopy eye, 310 And lay ay still, as naught she knewe, but feynid hir slepyng. He put his hond to hir brest, "Awake," quod he, "awake!” "A! benedicite, sir, who wist yow her? out tho I myght be take Prisoner," quod the tapstere, "being al aloon ;" And therwith breyd up in a frite, and began to groon. 320 |