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From The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, lines 623-670:
The priest falls for the trick
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
lines 671-695: The priest falls for the trick


       I seye, he took out of his owene sleeve
A teyne of silver - yvele moot he cheeve! -
Which that ne was nat but an ounce of weighte.
And taaketh heede now of his cursed sleighte!
675       He shoop his ingot, in lengthe and in breede
Of this teyne, withouten any drede,
So slyly that the preest it nat espide,
And in his sleve agayn he gan it hide,
And fro the fir he took up his mateere,
680And in th' yngot putte it with myrie cheere,
And in the water-vessel he it caste,
Whan that hym luste, and bad the preest as faste,
"Loke what ther is, put in thyn hand and grope.
Thow fynde shalt ther silver, as I hope."
685What, devel of helle, sholde it elles be?
Shaving of silver silver is, pardee!
He putte his hand in and took up a teyne
Of silver fyn, and glad in every veyne
Was this preest, whan he saugh that it was so.
690"Goddes blessyng, and his moodres also,
And alle halwes, have ye, sire chanoun,"
Seyde the preest, "and I hir malisoun,
But, and ye vouche-sauf to techen me
This noble craft and this subtilitee,
695I wol be youre in al that evere I may."
       I say, he took, then, out of his own sleeve
A tain of silver - hell he should receive! -
Which was an ounce, no more or less, in weight;
Now here's the trick, the way of which I'll state!
675       He shaped his mould in length and breadth to be
Like to the tain of silver, as you see,
So slyly that the priest this never spied;
And in his sleeve did then the model hide;
And from the fire he took his crucible
680And poured it in the mould, for all went well,
And in the bowl of water then did cast
The mould and all, and bade the priest, at last:
"Seek what there is, put in your hand and grope,
And you shall find there silver, as I hope;
685What -devils out of hell!- should it else be?
Filing of silver silver is!" cried he.
He put his hand in and a tain took out
Of silver fine, and glad, you cannot doubt,
Was this priest when he saw that it was so.
690"God's blessing, and his mother's dear also,
And all the saints', too, may you have, my friend,"
The priest replied, "and may they curse my end
Unless you will vouchsafe to teach to me
This noble craft and all this subtlety;
695I will be yours in all that ever I may!"




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From The Canon's Yeoman's Tale, lines 696-729:
The priest is impressed and the canon performs yet another trick
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