For Solomon says that, ‘He who is not patient shall meet with great harm.
For the law says that, ‘He is culpable who interferes with, or meddles with, such thing as appertains not unto him.’ And Solomon says that, ‘He who meddles in the noise and strife of another man is like unto him who takes a hound by the ears.
With all humility and abstinence, with all temperance and patience, with modest bearing and appearance was she. Discreet in answering was she always.
Look well that you unto no vice assent, lest you be damned for your evil intent. For she who does so is a traitor, certainly. And take heed of what I shall say: of all the treasons, the greatest wickedness is the betrayal of innocence.
For the Wise Man says, “If you fight with a fool, whether the fool be angry or merry, you will never have rest.
Whether because of anger, sickness, the position of the stars, wine, woe, or a change in temperament, something does cause us full oft to say or do an untoward thing. A man may not wreak vengeance for every wrong. Temperance must be determined, according to the occasion, by every person of good judgment. And, therefore, did this wise, worthy Knight, in order to live in harmony, promise forbearance unto her, and she unto him truly swore that never would he find fault in her.
And, therefore, Saint Jerome says, ‘Do some good deeds, so that the Devil, who is our enemy, will not find you unoccupied.
For, inasmuch as the good works that men do while they live the virtuous life be slain by the Sin following, and also since all the good works that men do while they be in deadly Sin are utterly dead as for to have the life everlasting, well may the man who does no good works sing that new French song, “I have wasted all my time and my labor.
Here may men see how Sin will reap his reward. Beware, for no man knows whom God will smite, nor when, nor in which manner. The worm of conscience will burrow deep within and terrify the wicked soul, though his evil be so secret that no man knows thereof but God and he. For, be he ignorant or learned, he knows not when Death will overtake him. Therefore, I advise you this counsel to take: forsake Sin, or Sin will leave you forsaken.
The Pardoner’s Prologue Here follows the Prologue of the Pardoner’s Tale. “The love of money is the root of all evil.” 1 Timothy 6:10 “My Lords,” said the Pardoner, “in Churches, when I preach, I take pains to speak with a resounding voice and have my words ring out as loud as a bell, for I know by rote all that I expound. My text is always the same, and ever was – the love of money is the root of all evil.
And Seneca says, ‘Whosoever would have wisdom shall disdain no man, but he shall gladly teach what he knows, without presumption or pride, and of such things as he does not know, he shall not be ashamed to learn them, and shall inquire of lesser folk than himself.
What difference is there betwixt an idolater and an avaricious man, but that the idolater has, perhaps, one or two idols, whereas the avaricious man has many?
Of Pride. And though it be so that no man can accurately tell the number of the twigs and the evils that come from Pride, yet will I show you a part of them, as you shall understand. There is Disobedience, Boasting, Hypocrisy, Contempt, Arrogance, Impudence, Swelling of Heart, Insolence, Elation, Impatience, Haughtiness, Presumption, Irreverence, Obstinacy, Vainglory, and many another twig that I can not declare.
The Book says, ‘Whilst that you keep your counsel in your heart, you keep it in your prison, and, when you disclose your counsel unto any person, he holds you in his prison.’ And, therefore, it is better to hide your counsel in your heart, than entreat him to whom you have revealed your secret to keep it close and still. For Seneca says, ‘If it be so that you can not keep your own counsel, how can you then ask any person to keep your counsel hidden?
For Cato says that he who is guilty believes every one speaks only of him.
Lo, lo,” said Lady Prudence, “how easily is every man inclined to his own desire and to his own pleasure. Surely, the words of the Physicians should not be understood in this way. For certain, wickedness is not the contrary of wickedness, nor vengeance the contrary of vengeance, nor wrong the contrary of wrong, for, in fact, they are the same. And, therefore, one vengeance is not cured by another vengeance, nor one wrong by another wrong, but each one of them increases and aggravates the other.
Now let us turn again to January, who, in the garden with his fair May, sang full merrier than the popinjay, “I love you best, and always shall, and I will love no other one.
And Solomon says, ‘Fortunate is the man who is in dread of all, because he who possesses a fearless heart and a strong body will presume too much, and misfortune shall befall him.
Nay, Sir, not of love,” said he, “but a tale shall I relate as best I can, with hearty good will. I shall not disobey your request. Excuse me if I speak amiss. My intention is good. And, lo, my tale is this.
Another Sin of Lechery is to bereave a Maiden of her maidenhead, for he who does so, certainly, casts a Maiden out of the highest degree that exists in this present life, and deprives her of that precious fruit that the Book calls the “Hundred Fruits.” I can not say it in any other way in English, but in Latin it is called Centesimus fructus.