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From The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, lines 730-783:
The canon turns copper into silver		 Previous
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
lines 784-814: The priest buys the canon's "recipe"


       Unto the goldsmyth with thise teynes three
785They wente, and putte thise teynes in assay
Fo fir and hamer; myghte no man seye nay,
But that they weren as hem oghte be.
       Unto the goldsmith, then, with these tains three,
785They went, and put the metal in assay
By fire and hammer; no man could say nay,
But they were silver, as the ought to be.
       This sotted preest, who was gladder than he?
Was nevere brid gladder agayn the day,
790Ne nyghtyngale, in the sesoun of may,
Was nevere noon that luste bet to synge;
Ne lady lustier in carolynge,
Or for to speke of love and wommanhede,
Ne knyght in armes to doon an hardy dede,
795To stonden in grace of his lady deere,
Than hadde this preest this soory craft to leere.
And to the chanoun thus he spak and seyde:
"For love of God, that for us alle deyde,
And as I may deserve it unto yow,
800What shal this receite coste? Telleth now!"
       This foolish priest, who was more glad than he?
Never was gladder bird for dawn of day,
790Nor nightingale in season of the May,
Nor was there ever one more fain to sing;
Nor lady happier in carolling
Or speaking much of love and woman's meed;
Nor knight in arms to do a hardy deed
795To stand in graces of his lady dear -
Than was the priest this sorry craft to hear;
And to the canon thus he spoke and said:
"For love of God, Who for us all was dead,
And as I may requite it unto you,
800What shall this recipe cost? Come, tell me now?"
       "By oure Lady," quod this chanon, "it is deere,
I warne yow wel; for save I and a frere,
In Engelond ther kan no man it make."
       "No fors," quod he, "now, sire, for Goddes sake,
805What shal I paye? Telleth me, I preye."
       "Ywis," quod he, it is ful deere, I seye.
Sire, at o word, if that thee list it have,
Ye shul paye fourty pound, so God me save!
And nere the freendshipe that ye dide er this
810To me, ye sholde paye moore, ywis."
       "By 'r Lady," said this canon, "it is dear,
I warn you well; for now in England here
One friar and I are all who can it make."
       "No matter," said he, "now, sir, for God's sake,
805What shall I pay? Oh, tell me this, I pray!"
       "Truly," said he, "it is right dear, I say;
Sir, in one word, if this thing you will have,
You shall pay forty pounds, so God me save!
And were it not for friendship shown before this
810To me, you should pay more than that, ywis."
       This preest the somme of fourty pound anon
Of nobles fette, and took hem everichon
To this chanoun, for this ilke receite.
Al his werkyng nas but fraude and deceite.
       This priest the sum of forty pounds anon
In nobles fetched, and gave them, every one,
To this said canon for this said receipt;
His business was all fraud and all deceit.




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From The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, lines 815-834:
The canon urges the priest not to tell any person		 Next