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From The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, lines 402-418:
The moral of the previous narrative
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
lines 419-438: About a foul canon


Et sequitur pars secunda.
(Here follows the second part)


       Ther is a chanoun of religioun
420Amounges us, wolde infecte al a toun,
Thogh it as greet were as was Nynyvee,
Rome, Alisaundre, Troye, and othere three.
His sleightes and his infinite falsnesse
Ther koude no man writen, as I gesse,
425Though that he myghte lyve a thousand yeer.
In al this world of falshede nis his peer;
For in his termes he wol hym so wynde,
And speke his wordes in so sly a kynde,
Whanne he commune shal with any wight,
430That he wol make hym doten anonright,
But it a feend be, as hymselven is.
Ful many a man hath he bigiled er this,
And wole, if that he lyve may a while;
And yet men ride and goon ful many a mile
435Hym for to seke and have his aqueyntaunce,
Noght knowynge of his false governaunce.
And if yow list to yeve me audience,
I wol it tellen heere in youre presence.
       There is a canon of religion known
420Among us, who'd contaminate a town,
Though 'twere as great as Nineveh the free,
Rome, Alexandria, Troy, and others three.
His tricks and all his infinite treacherousness
No man could write down fully, as I guess,
425Though he should live unto his thousandth year.
In all this world for falsehood he's no peer;
For in his terms he will so twist and wind
And speak in words so slippery of kind,
When he communicates with any wight,
430That he soon makes a fool of him, outright,
Unless it be a devil, as he is.
Full many a man has he beguiled before this,
And will, if he may live a further while;
And yet men walk and ride full many a mile
435To seek him out and have his acquaintance,
Naught knowing of his treacherous simulance.
And if you care to listen to me here,
I'll make the proof of what I say quite clear.




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From The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, lines 439-458:
However, generally canons are just and true
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