Summoner’s Tale Hypocrisy Quotes

Have I nat of a capon but the lyvere,
And of youre softe breed nat but a shyvere,
And after that a rosted pigges heed –
But that I nolde no beest for me were deed –
Thanne hadde I with yow hoomly suffisaunce.
I am a man of litel sustenaunce;
My spirit hath his fostryng in the Bible.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Summoner’s Tale. After Thomas’s wife asks him what he would like to eat, Friar John orders a substantial meal, which includes a roasted pig’s head, capon liver and soft white bread. He then lies that he is a man of little sustenance. He adds that his spirit has its nourishment in the Bible – although he has already admitted that he only glosses it and doesn’t strictly stick to holy writ. He is quite the greedy gut and hypocrite.

And up I roos, and al oure covent eke,
With many a teere trillyng on my cheke,
Withouten noyse or claterynge of belles;
Te Deum was oure song, and nothyng elles,
Save that to Crist I seyde an orison,
Thankynge hym of his revelacion.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Summoner’s Tale. After Thomas’s wife tells the Friar that her child died, the Friar claims that he had a vision half hour after his death, in which he saw him carried up to heaven. He and all the convent then sang the Te Deum, prayed for her child, and thanked God for his revelation, the Friar tells the couple. But we all know that he did no such thing and is just merely to extract money from Thomas.

Nere thou oure brother, sholdestou nat thryve.
In our chapitre praye we day and nyght
To Crist, that he thee sende heele and myght
Thy body for to weelden hastily.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Summoner’s Tale. Warning Thomas that were he not brother to the friars, he would not thrive, the Friar is suggesting that Thomas’s illness will persist if he gives little money to the friars. He claims that they pray day and night for Christ to send Thomas health and strength, hoping that will encourage a healthier donation from him.
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