Hood College Chaucerians

Thow and thy ofspring evere shul be blake, Ne nevere swete noise shul he make, But evere crye again tempest and rain, In tokeninge that thrugh thee my wif is slain. (299- 302)

from Rebloggy Why does the Manciple blame this man's ridiculously rash anger  on the crow? Killing the cheating wife makes sense, sort of, but WHY MUST THE CROW SUFFER? THE CROW IS LOYAL! Guys, I wish I could be there to talk about how annoying the moral of this tale is. Hasn't anyone ever told the Manciple that you don't shoot the messenger?

How might this tale be a different version of the Clerk’s tale? (The one where the king constantly tests Griselda, his wife.)

I thought alchemy was about making potions, but aren't these guys just magicians? Tricking priests into thinking they can turn anything into silver doesn't make me think of alchemy... While the Yeoman is introducing them, the Canon even tries to sneak away because he is worried the Yeoman is sharing too many of his secrets. They remind me more of con artists than potion makers :( I was really hoping they were mixing up cool potions. I was especially convinced that these guys were phonies when he sells his secret for 40 pounds and then disappears. Slightly disappointed, but they are still very entertaining and an unexpected surprise.  https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VlRXDwsJ9zE/maxresdefault.jpg

I was really excited to read a tale about alchemy, because let's face it, alchemy is cool. Unfortunately for these guys, alchemy (while cool) isn't exactly lucrative, and they are broke. I find it interesting that these characters are new (?) to the crew; it adds a layer of detail that somehow authenticates the journey. The detail of the ingredients they use is a specific thing that seems to validate these guys as "alchemists", although the Yeoman basically admits that their so-called skill isn't quite as legit as they'd like people to believe. The moral of this story is along the lines of not taking what you have for granted, and not looking for the greener grass. Perhaps it also wants to tell the reader to not trust "magic", because God gives us what he wants us to have. One final thought: I struggled with why alchemy is okay and witchcraft wasn't, but I guess it's because alchemy is science-ish and witchraft is satanic?  

Why does Chaucer include a story about abstinence in contrast to the many “lecherous” and marriage-related stories that have be told so far?

Cecile answerede, ‘O nice creature, Thow seidest no word, sin thow spak to me, That I ne knew therwith thy nicetee, And that thow were, in every manner wise, A lewed officer and a vein justise. (493-497)

“Thre dayes lyved she in this torment, And nevere cessed hem the feith to teche That she hadde fostred; hem she gan to preche,” (Lines 537-539) This is the mosaic above the altar in the crypt of St. Cecilia

And if that he may feelen, out of drede, That ye me touche, or love in vileynye, He right anon wol sle yow with the dede, And in youre yowthe thus ye shullen dye; (155-158)

Three Amigos from fasttrack.hk 'That shal I telle,' quod she, 'er I go. Right as a man hath sapiences thre - Memorye, engin, and intellect also - So in o beinge of divinitee Thre persones may ther right wel be.' (Lines 337-341)