THE FRIAR’S PROLOGUE AND TALE

THE FRIAR’S PROLOGUE AND TALE

The Friar speaks approvingly of the Wife of Bath’s Tale and offers to lighten things up for the company by telling a funny story about a lecherous summoner. The Summoner does not object, but he promises to pay the Friar back in his own tale. The Friar tells of an archdeacon who carries out the law without mercy, especially to lechers. The Archdeacon has a summoner who has a network of spies working for him, to let him know who has been lecherous. The summoner exports money from those he’s sent to summon, charging them more money than he should for penance. He tries to serve a summons on a yeoman who is actually a devil in disguise. After comparing notes on their treachery and extortion, the devil vanishes, but when the summoner tries to prosecute an old wealthy widow unfairly, the widow cries out that the summoner should be taken to hell. The devil follows the woman’s instructions and drags the summoner off to hell.