Our Host upon his stirrups stood anon, And saide; 'Good men, hearken every one, This was a thrifty* tale for the nones.
*discreet, profitable Sir Parish Priest,' quoth he, 'for Godde’s bones, Tell us a tale, as was thy *forword yore:* *promise formerly* I see well that ye learned men in lore Can* muche good, by Godde’s dignity. ' *know The Parson him answer’d, 'Ben’dicite!
What ails the man, so sinfully to swear? ' Our Host answer’d, 'O Jankin, be ye there? Now, good men,' quoth our Host, 'hearken to me. I smell a Lollard <2> in the wind,' quoth he.
'Abide, for Godde’s digne* passion, *worthy For we shall have a predication: This Lollard here will preachen us somewhat. ' 'Nay, by my father’s soul, that shall he not, Saide the Shipman; 'Here shall he not preach, He shall no gospel glose* here nor teach.
*comment upon We all believe in the great God,' quoth he. 'He woulde sowe some difficulty, Or springe cockle <3> in our cleane corn.
And therefore, Host, I warne thee beforn, My jolly body shall a tale tell, And I shall clinke you so merry a bell, That I shall waken all this company; But it shall not be of philosophy, Nor of physic, nor termes quaint of law; There is but little Latin in my maw.
'* *belly Notes to the Prologue to the Shipman’s Tale 1. The Prologue here given was transferred by Tyrwhitt from the place, preceding the Squire’s Tale, which it had formerly occupied; the Shipman’s Tale having no Prologue in the best manuscripts. 2.
Lollard: A contemptuous name for the followers of Wyckliffe; presumably derived from the Latin, 'lolium,' tares, as if they were the tares among the Lord’s wheat; so, a few lines below, the Shipman intimates his fear lest the Parson