With this Canón I dwelt have seven year, And of his science am I ne’er the near: All that I had I havë lost thereby, And, God wot, so have many more than I. Where I was wont to be right fresh and gay Of clothing, and of other good array Now may I wear an hose upon mine head; And where my colour was both fresh and red, Now is it wan, and of a leaden hue (Whoso it useth, sore shall he it rue); And of my swink yet bleared is mine eye; Lo what advantage is to multiply! That sliding science hath me made so bare, That I have no good, where that ever I fare; And yet I am indebted so thereby Of gold, that I have borrow’d truëly, That, while I live, I shall it quitë never; Let every man beware by me for ever. What manner man that casteth him thereto, If he continue, I hold his thrift y-do; So help me God, thereby shall he not win, But empty his purse, and make his wittës thin. And when he, through his madness and follý, Hath lost his owen good through jupartie, Then he exciteth other men thereto, To lose their good as he himself hath do’. For unto shrewës joy it is and ease To have their fellows in pain and disease. Thus was I onës learned of a clerk; Of that no charge; I will speak of our work.
When we be there as we shall exercise Our elvish craft, we seemë wonder wise, Our termës be so clergial and quaint. I blow the fire till that mine heartë faint. Why should I tellen each proportión Of thingës, whichë that we work upon, As on five or six ounces, may well be, Of silver, or some other quantitý? And busy me to tellë you the names, As orpiment, burnt bonës, iron squames, That into powder grounden be full small? And in an earthen pot how put is all, And, salt y-put in, and also peppére, Before these powders that I speak of here, And well y-cover’d with a lamp of glass? And of much other thing which that there was? And of the pots and glasses engluting, That of the air might passen out no thing? And of the easy fire, and smart also, Which that was made? and