Part 73 (1/2)
He went his way, and never the priest him sey * *saw After that day; and when that this priest should Maken a.s.say, at such time as he would, Of this receipt, farewell! it would not be.
Lo, thus bej.a.ped* and beguil'd was he; *tricked Thus made he his introduction To bringe folk to their destruction.
Consider, Sirs, how that in each estate Betwixte men and gold there is debate, So farforth that *unnethes is there none.* *scarcely is there any*
This multiplying blint* so many a one, *blinds, deceive That in good faith I trowe that it be The cause greatest of such scarcity.
These philosophers speak so mistily In this craft, that men cannot come thereby, For any wit that men have how-a-days.
They may well chatter, as do these jays, And in their termes set their *l.u.s.t and pain,* *pleasure and exertion*
But to their purpose shall they ne'er attain.
A man may lightly* learn, if he have aught, *easily To multiply, and bring his good to naught.
Lo, such a lucre* is in this l.u.s.ty** game; *profit **pleasant A manne's mirth it will turn all to grame,* *sorrow <17> And empty also great and heavy purses, And make folke for to purchase curses Of them that have thereto their good y-lent.
Oh, fy for shame! they that have been brent,* *burnt Alas! can they not flee the fire's heat?
Ye that it use, I rede* that ye it lete,** *advise **leave Lest ye lose all; for better than never is late; Never to thrive, were too long a date.
Though ye prowl aye, ye shall it never find; Ye be as bold as is Bayard the blind, That blunders forth, and *peril casteth none;* *perceives no danger*
He is as bold to run against a stone, As for to go beside it in the way: So fare ye that multiply, I say.
If that your eyen cannot see aright, Look that your minde lacke not his sight.
For though you look never so broad, and stare, Ye shall not win a mite on that chaffare,* *traffic, commerce But wasten all that ye may *rape and renn.* *get by hook or crook*
Withdraw the fire, lest it too faste brenn;* *burn Meddle no more with that art, I mean; For if ye do, your thrift* is gone full clean. *prosperity And right as swithe* I will you telle here *quickly What philosophers say in this mattere.
Lo, thus saith Arnold of the newe town, <18> As his Rosary maketh mentioun, He saith right thus, withouten any lie; ”There may no man mercury mortify,<13> But* it be with his brother's knowledging.” *except Lo, how that he, which firste said this thing, Of philosophers father was, Hermes;<19> He saith, how that the dragon doubteless He dieth not, but if that he be slain With his brother. And this is for to sayn, By the dragon, Mercury, and none other, He understood, and Brimstone by his brother, That out of Sol and Luna were y-draw.* *drawn, derived ”And therefore,” said he, ”take heed to my saw. *saying Let no man busy him this art to seech,* *study, explore *But if* that he th'intention and speech *unless Of philosophers understande can; And if he do, he is a lewed* man. *ignorant, foolish For this science and this conning,”* quoth he, *knowledge ”Is of the secret of secrets <20> pardie.”
Also there was a disciple of Plato, That on a time said his master to, As his book, Senior, <21> will bear witness, And this was his demand in soothfastness: ”Tell me the name of thilke* privy** stone.” *that **secret And Plato answer'd unto him anon; ”Take the stone that t.i.tanos men name.”
”Which is that?” quoth he. ”Magnesia is the same,”
Saide Plato. ”Yea, Sir, and is it thus?
This is ignotum per ignotius. <22> What is Magnesia, good Sir, I pray?”
”It is a water that is made, I say, Of th' elementes foure,” quoth Plato.
”Tell me the roote, good Sir,” quoth he tho,* *then ”Of that water, if that it be your will.”
”Nay, nay,” quoth Plato, ”certain that I n'ill.* *will not The philosophers sworn were every one, That they should not discover it to none, Nor in no book it write in no mannere; For unto G.o.d it is so lefe* and dear, *precious That he will not that it discover'd be, But where it liketh to his deity Man for to inspire, and eke for to defend'* *protect Whom that he liketh; lo, this is the end.”
Then thus conclude I, since that G.o.d of heaven Will not that these philosophers neven* *name How that a man shall come unto this stone, I rede* as for the best to let it gon. *counsel For whoso maketh G.o.d his adversary, As for to work any thing in contrary Of his will, certes never shall he thrive, Though that he multiply term of his live. <23> And there a point;* for ended is my tale. *end G.o.d send ev'ry good man *boot of his bale.* *remedy for his sorrow*
Note to the Canon's Yeoman's Tale
1. The Tale of the Canon's Yeoman, like those of the Wife of Bath and the Pardoner, is made up of two parts; a long general introduction, and the story proper. In the case of the Wife of Bath, the interruptions of other pilgrims, and the autobiographical nature of the discourse, recommend the separation of the prologue from the Tale proper; but in the other cases the introductory or merely connecting matter ceases wholly where the opening of ”The Tale” has been marked in the text.
2. Jupartie: Jeopardy, hazard. In Froissart's French, ”a jeu partie” is used to signify a game or contest in which the chances were exactly equal for both sides.
3. Squames: Scales; Latin, ”squamae.”
4. Descensories: vessels for distillation ”per descensum;” they were placed under the fire, and the spirit to be extracted was thrown downwards.
Croslets: crucibles; French, ”creuset.”.
Cucurbites: retorts; distilling-vessels; so called from their likeness in shape to a gourd -- Latin, ”cucurbita.”