And as I may deserve it unto you,
What shall this réceipt costë? tell me now.”
“By our Lady,” quoth this canon, “it is dear.
I warn you well, that, save I and a frere,
In Engleland there can no man it make.”
“No force,”4862 quoth he; “now, Sir, for Goddë’s sake,
What shall I pay? tellë me, I you pray.”
“Y-wis,”4863 quoth he, “it is full dear, I say.
Sir, at one word, if that you list it have,
Ye shall pay forty pound, so God me save;
And n’ere4864 the friendship that ye did ere this
To me, ye shouldë payë more, y-wis.”
This priest the sum of forty pound anon
Of nobles fet,4865 and took them every one
To this canón, for this ilkë receipt.
All his workíng was but fraud and deceit.
“Sir Priest,” he said, “I keep4866 to have no los4867
Of my craft, for I would it were kept close;
And as ye lovë me, keep it secré:
For if men knewen all my subtletý,
By God, they wouldë have so great envý
To me, because of my philosophý,
I should be dead, there were no other way.”
“God it forbid,” quoth the priest, “what ye say.
Yet had I lever4868 spenden all the good
Which that I have (and ellës were I wood4869),
Than that ye shouldë fall in such mischíef.”
“For your good will, Sir, have ye right good prefe,”4870
Quoth the canon; “and farewell, grand mercý.”4871
He went his way, and never the priest him sey4872
After that day; and when that this priest should
Maken assay, at such time as he would,
Of this receipt, farewell! it would not be.
Lo, thus bejaped4873 and beguil’d was he;
Thus madë he4874 his introductión
To bringë folk to their destructión.
Consider, Sirs, how that in each estate
Betwixtë men and gold there is debate,
So farforth that unnethës is there none.4875
This multiplying blint4876 so many a one,
That in good faith I trowë that it be
The causë greatest of such scarcity.
These philosóphers speak so mistily
In this craft, that men cannot come thereby,
For any wit that men have how-a-days.
They may well chatter, as do thesë jays,
And in their termës set their lust and pain,4877
But to their purpose shall they ne’er attain.
A man may lightly4878 learn, if he have aught,
To multiply, and bring his good to naught.
Lo, such a lucre4879 is in this lusty4880 game;
A mannë’s mirth it will turn all to grame,4881
And empty also great and heavy purses,
And makë folkë for to purchase curses
Of them that have thereto their good y-lent.
Oh, fy for shamë! they that have been brent,4882
Alas! can they not flee the firë’s heat?
Ye that it use, I rede4883 that ye it lete,4884
Lest ye lose all; for better than never is late;
Never to thrivë, were too long a date.
Though ye prowl aye, ye shall it never find;
Ye be as bold as is Bayard the blind,
That blunders forth, and peril casteth none;4885
He is as bold to run against a stone,
As for to go beside it in the way:
So farë ye that multiply, I say.
If that your eyen cannot see aright,
Look that your mindë lackë not his sight.
For though you look never so broad, and stare,
Ye shall not win a mite on that chaffare,4886
But wasten all that ye may rape and renn.4887
Withdraw the fire, lest it too fastë brenn;4888
Meddle no morë with that art, I mean;
For if ye do, your thrift4889 is gone full clean.
And right as swithe4890 I will you tellë here
What philosóphers say in this mattére.
Lo, thus saith Arnold of the newë town,4891
As his Rosáry maketh mentioún,
He saith right thus, withouten any lie;
“There may no man mercúry mortify,
But4892 it be with his brother’s knowledging.”
Lo, how that he, which firstë said this thing,
Of philosóphers father was, Hermés;4893
He saith, how that the dragon doubtëless
He dieth not, but if that he be slain
With his brother. And this is for to sayn,
By the dragón, Mercúry, and none other,
He understood, and Brimstone by his brother,
That out of Sol and Luna were y-draw.4894
“And therefore,” said he, “take heed to my saw.4895
Let no man busy him this art to seech,4896
But if4897 that he th’ intentión and speech
Of philosóphers understandë can;
And if he do, he is a lewëd4898 man.
For this sciénce and this conning,”4899 quoth he,
“Is of the secret of secrets4900 pardie.”
Also there was a disciple of Plató,
That on a timë said his master to,
As his book, Senior,4901 will bear witnéss,
And this was his demand in soothfastness:
“Tell me the name of thilkë4902 privy stone.”
And Plato answer’d unto him anon;
“Takë the stone that Titanos men name.”
“Which is that?” quoth he. “Magnesia is the same,”
Saidë Plató. “Yea, Sir, and is it thus?
This is ignotum per ignotius.4903
What is Magnesia, good Sir, I pray?”
“It is a water that is made, I say,
Of th’ elementës fourë,” quoth Plató.
“Tell me the rootë, good Sir,” quoth he tho,4904
“Of that watér, if that it be your will.”
“Nay, nay,” quoth Plato, “certain that I n’ill.4905
The philosóphers sworn were every one,
That they should not discover it to none,
Nor in no book it write in no mannére;
For unto God it is so lefe4906 and dear,
That he will not that it discover’d be,
But where it liketh to his deity
Man for to inspire, and eke for to defend4907
Whom that he liketh; lo, this is the end.”
Then thus conclude I, since that God of heaven
Will not that thesë philosóphers neven4908
How that a man shall
