The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer modernis'd by several hands. Publsh'd by Mr. Oggle |
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PROLOGUE TO THE Sumner's TALE. |
 | The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer |  |
127
PROLOGUE TO THE Sumner's TALE.
By Mr. OGLE.
Here paus'd the Fry'r, to laugh at his own Wit,
As having sent the Sumner down the Pit:
“There lies the Heritage of Proctors Civil!
“I give thee, Soul and Body, to the Devil!
As having sent the Sumner down the Pit:
“There lies the Heritage of Proctors Civil!
“I give thee, Soul and Body, to the Devil!
But yet, tho' Priest of Priest has much to say,
He judg'd it meet, to trim it with the Lay.
And having vented first his Spleen and Spite,
Assum'd the Look, forbearing, and contrite!
He judg'd it meet, to trim it with the Lay.
And having vented first his Spleen and Spite,
Assum'd the Look, forbearing, and contrite!
“Repent, ye Sumners! Quit this sinful Road!
“Nor make the Fiery Gulph your last Abode!
“And oh! preserve us He, from Guides so blind,
“Who, after his own Image, form'd Mankind.
“For, of that Tribe had I full Room to speak,
“Hell would appear the Mansion that they seek.
“This could I prove by Texts, one after one,
“To Mark from Matthew, and from Luke to John;
“And show you, from the very Words of Christ,
“That Millions perish, by these Fiends intic'd.
“Fathers and Councils, was I here to name,
“You'd find no End of everlasting Flame:
“For there they draw you by a borrow'd Sign,
“Whence Jesus turn you, of his Grace Divine.
“Then trust not you to a mis-leading Pow'r,
“Who, like the Devil, still watches to devour,
“To Sumner, when was high Commission giv'n?
“Ev'n He must first confess, to go to Heav'n,
“No, would you surely 'scape eternal Fire,
“A Fry'r your Intercessor make; a Fry'r!
“Take Unction from a Mendicant unshod;
“He is the true Ambassador of God.”
“Nor make the Fiery Gulph your last Abode!
“And oh! preserve us He, from Guides so blind,
“Who, after his own Image, form'd Mankind.
128
“Hell would appear the Mansion that they seek.
“This could I prove by Texts, one after one,
“To Mark from Matthew, and from Luke to John;
“And show you, from the very Words of Christ,
“That Millions perish, by these Fiends intic'd.
“Fathers and Councils, was I here to name,
“You'd find no End of everlasting Flame:
“For there they draw you by a borrow'd Sign,
“Whence Jesus turn you, of his Grace Divine.
“Then trust not you to a mis-leading Pow'r,
“Who, like the Devil, still watches to devour,
“To Sumner, when was high Commission giv'n?
“Ev'n He must first confess, to go to Heav'n,
“No, would you surely 'scape eternal Fire,
“A Fry'r your Intercessor make; a Fry'r!
“Take Unction from a Mendicant unshod;
“He is the true Ambassador of God.”
The Sumner, while the Fry'r his Tale pursu'd,
At Heart not easy, view'd him, and review'd.
Rais'd on his Horse, and longing to engage,
He trembled, like an Aspin-Leaf, with Rage.
At Heart not easy, view'd him, and review'd.
129
He trembled, like an Aspin-Leaf, with Rage.
‘Now, Sirs (he said) as with the Fry'r you bore,
‘So bear with me, and I will quit the Score.
‘Our good Licentiate talks of Fiends below,
‘As freely as we talk of Friends we know.
‘Nor I, to doubt their Intercourse pretend:
‘For Fiend to Fry'r, is just as Friend to Friend.
‘Who has not heard, how, sleeping in his Cell,
‘A Fry'r was in a Vision rap'd to Hell?
‘Where, as an Angel led him up and down,
‘He look'd, but could not spy one shaven Crown.
‘Numbers of ev'ry Sex and Age he sees,
‘All Ranks and Stations, Functions and Degrees;
‘Ev'n Crowds of old Acquaintance round him came,
‘Full many a topeing Friend, and tickling Dame.
‘So bear with me, and I will quit the Score.
‘Our good Licentiate talks of Fiends below,
‘As freely as we talk of Friends we know.
‘Nor I, to doubt their Intercourse pretend:
‘For Fiend to Fry'r, is just as Friend to Friend.
‘Who has not heard, how, sleeping in his Cell,
‘A Fry'r was in a Vision rap'd to Hell?
‘Where, as an Angel led him up and down,
‘He look'd, but could not spy one shaven Crown.
‘Numbers of ev'ry Sex and Age he sees,
‘All Ranks and Stations, Functions and Degrees;
‘Ev'n Crowds of old Acquaintance round him came,
‘Full many a topeing Friend, and tickling Dame.
“Now, Sir (quoth he) have Fry'rs such gifted Grace,
“That none descend to this infernal Place?”
“That none descend to this infernal Place?”
“Not so! (the Angel strait the Point explains)
“Not so! Here Millions suffer endless Pains.
“Not so! Here Millions suffer endless Pains.
130
‘Then, down he led him to th' Abyss profound,
‘Where Satan lay at stretch along the Ground;
‘So broad his Buttock (not to rouse our Tar—)
‘'Twould measure with a First-rate Man of War;
‘And long, as is a Main-Mast, was his Tail,
‘Which, when he cock'd, he look'd a Ship in Sail.
‘Where Satan lay at stretch along the Ground;
‘So broad his Buttock (not to rouse our Tar—)
‘'Twould measure with a First-rate Man of War;
‘And long, as is a Main-Mast, was his Tail,
‘Which, when he cock'd, he look'd a Ship in Sail.
“Up, Sirrah (cry'd the Angel) Satan, rise!
“Erect thy Tail! shew where the Friery lies!
“A Brother craves the Converse of a Brother!
“Ope wide, and let him know his nursing Mother:
“Thy Nest of Fry'rs, discharge upon the Wing.
“Rise up.” ‘And up he rises at a Spring,
‘Erects his Tail, to Pow'r superior, meek,
‘And opes a Gap, as wide as that of Peake.
‘Insu'd a rumbling Sound, and Brimstone-Smell,
‘Then forth they came in Crowds too large to tell,
‘Fry'r urging Fry'r, from out the Devil they drive,
‘As fast as Bees that quit a swarming Hive;
‘Full twenty thousand follow'd ev'ry Blast,
‘And fast as out they came, went in as fast:
‘For Satan roar'd. “Fry'rs, listen to my Call,
“Back to your Dormitory, One and All.”
“All enter'd, Black, or Brown, or White, or Grey;
‘He clap'd his Tail between, and down he lay.
“Erect thy Tail! shew where the Friery lies!
“A Brother craves the Converse of a Brother!
“Ope wide, and let him know his nursing Mother:
“Thy Nest of Fry'rs, discharge upon the Wing.
“Rise up.” ‘And up he rises at a Spring,
‘Erects his Tail, to Pow'r superior, meek,
‘And opes a Gap, as wide as that of Peake.
‘Insu'd a rumbling Sound, and Brimstone-Smell,
‘Then forth they came in Crowds too large to tell,
‘Fry'r urging Fry'r, from out the Devil they drive,
‘As fast as Bees that quit a swarming Hive;
‘Full twenty thousand follow'd ev'ry Blast,
‘And fast as out they came, went in as fast:
131
“Back to your Dormitory, One and All.”
“All enter'd, Black, or Brown, or White, or Grey;
‘He clap'd his Tail between, and down he lay.
‘The Fry'r long ruminates the darksome Hole,
‘When, to his Body, God restores his Soul.
‘The Matin-Bell was sounding as he wak'd,
‘While ev'ry Limb with secret Horror quak'd,
‘For once, a true Devout, he left his Bed,
‘So ran the Devil's Posteriors in his Head.
‘When, to his Body, God restores his Soul.
‘The Matin-Bell was sounding as he wak'd,
‘While ev'ry Limb with secret Horror quak'd,
‘For once, a true Devout, he left his Bed,
‘So ran the Devil's Posteriors in his Head.
‘Whence Heav'n preserve us all, except the Fry'r;
‘Be that the Lot of ev'ry Convent-Lyar.
‘Nor, Sirs, condemn me, if I turn the Scale:
‘But, as you took my Prologue, take my Tale.’
‘Be that the Lot of ev'ry Convent-Lyar.
‘Nor, Sirs, condemn me, if I turn the Scale:
‘But, as you took my Prologue, take my Tale.’
End of the Prologue.
| The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer | |