"The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, Epilogue to The Man of Law's Tale

‘Listen, everyone,
Good value, that,’ he said, ‘to say the least,
A thrifty tale. God’s bones, Sir Parish Priest,
Tell us a tale! You promised it before.
You learned men are full of ancient lore.
God’s dignity! You know a lot, I see.’

God’s bones, Sir Parish Priest,
Tell us a tale! You promised it before.

You learned men are full of ancient lore.
God’s dignity! You know a lot, I see.

The Parson answered, ‘Benedictie!
What ails the man so sinfully to swear?’

‘Good men,’ our Host went on, ‘attend to me;
Don’t run away! By Jesu’s noble passion,
We’re in for something done in sermon-fashion.
This Lollard here would like to preach, that’s what.’

By Jesu’s noble passion,
We’re in for something done in sermon-fashion.

He shan’t come here to vex us with this preaching,
His commentaries and his Gospel-teaching.

And he’ll go starting up some heresy
And sow his tares in our clean corn, perchance

And he’ll go starting up some heresy
And sow his tares in our clean corn, perchance

It won’t be much about philosophy
Or phislyas or curious terms in law.
There is but little Latin in my maw!