harmony with the character drawn of the "Parson" in the "Prologue"--a
passage (already cited in part in the opening section of the present
essay) where the poet advocates the cause of the poor in words which,
simple as they are, deserve to be quoted side by side with that immortal
character itself. The concluding lines may therefore be cited here:--

Think also that of the same seed of which churls spring, of the same seed
spring lords; as well may the churl be saved as the lord. Wherefore I
counsel thee, do just so with thy churl as though wouldest thy lord did
with thee, if thou wert in his plight. A very sinful man is a churl as
towards sin. I counsel thee certainly, thou lord, that, thou work in such
wise with thy churls that they rather love thee than dread thee. I know
well, where there is degree above degree, it is reasonable that men should
do their duty where it is due; but of a certainty, extortions, and despite
of our underlings, are damnable.

In sum, the "Parson's Tale" cannot, any more than the character of the
"Parson" in the "Prologue," be interpreted as proving Chaucer to have been
a Wycliffite. But the one as well as the other proves him to have
perceived much of what was noblest in the Wycliffite movement, and much of
what was ignoblest in the reception with which it met at the hands of
worldlings--before, with the aid of the State, the Church finally
succeeded in crushing it, to all appearance, out of existence.

The "Parson's Tale" contains a few vigorous touches, in addition to the
fine passage quoted, which make it difficult to deny that Chaucer's hand
was concerned in it. The inconsistency between the religious learning
ascribed to the "Parson" and a passage in the "Tale," where the author
leaves certain things to be settled by divines, will not be held of much
account. The most probable conjecture seems therefore to be that the