PardT 433 I preche nothyng but for coveitise.
PardT 434 Of this mateere it oghte ynogh suffise.
PardT 435 "Thanne telle I hem ensamples many oon
PardT 436 Of olde stories longe tyme agoon.
PardT 437 For lewed peple loven tales olde;
PardT 438 Swiche thynges kan they wel reporte and holde.
PardT 439 What, trowe ye, that whiles I may preche,
PardT 440 And wynne gold and silver for I teche,
PardT 441 That I wol lyve in poverte wilfully?
PardT 442 Nay, nay, I thoghte it nevere, trewely!
PardT 443 For I wol preche and begge in sondry landes;
PardT 444 I wol nat do no labour with myne handes,
PardT 445 Ne make baskettes and lyve therby,
PardT 446 By cause I wol nat beggen ydelly.
PardT 447 I wol noon of the apostles countrefete;
PardT 448 I wol have moneie, wolle, chese, and whete,
PardT 449 Al were it yeven of the povereste page,
PardT 450 Or of the povereste wydwe in a village,
PardT 451 Al sholde hir children sterve for famyne.
PardT 452 Nay, I wol drynke licour of the vyne
PardT 453 And have a joly wenche in every toun.
PardT 454 But herkneth, lordynges, in conclusioun:
PardT 455 Youre likyng is that I shal telle a tale.
PardT 456 Now have I dronke a draughte of corny ale,
PardT 457 By God, I hope I shal yow telle a thyng
PardT 458 That shal by reson been at youre likyng.
PardT 459 For though myself be a ful vicious man,
PardT 460 A moral tale yet I yow telle kan,
PardT 461 Which I am wont to preche for to wynne.
PardT 462 Now hoold youre pees! My tale I wol bigynne."
Source, "The Pardoner's Prologue": NeCastro, Gerard. eChaucer. U of Maine at Machias, 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2011.
