Mr. Laz's Notes

The Yeoman and The Canon's Yeoman

The Yeoman

• Yeoman translated means "Young man"
• In the middle ages, yeoman was a term to describe a middle class rank
• The Assize of Arms of 1252 required all Yeoman to be trained and armed with a bow and arrow, sword buckler and dagger.
• Yeoman were often used as armed guards and front-line infantry troops for members of nobility
• Given higher duties than the servants and peasants
• Think of them as the equivalent to the modern day "blue collar" work force

The Yeoman in the general prologue

• one of the knight's followers
• introduced as a forester (wood craft, hunting and wilderness survival)
• Carries a bow in one hand and has a sheaf of peacock feathered arrows, which are all well kept and ready for battle (this marks him as professional)
• wears a green coat and hood
• wears a bracer (forearm guard) and carries a sword and buckler (small shield) on one side, on the other side he carries a dagger
• wears a Saint Christophers medal
• also has a horn hanging over his shoulder on a green baldric (belt)

The Canon's Yeoman

• Canon, an ordained member of the clergy assigned to a cathedral (accompanied by his yeoman- different yeoman than the general prologue yeoman)
• Arrive later than the general prologue, They hurry to catch up to the rest of the group on the pilgrimage
• the canon is asked to tell a tale right when he gets there, the yeoman responds with that if they knew the canon and how great he was then you know he can tell a great tale.
• the canon is an alchemist (an individual who practices the medival pseudo- science that sought to transform base metals into precious ones)
• Alchemy was banned by the church, punishable by death
• The canon doesn't want everyone to know this
• Soon the Canon runs away because he is ashamed and he left the Yeoman to tell the tale.
• The canon is a con-man who works for the church

2 parts

Part 1

• Yeoman has worked witht he canon for 7 years
• he describes many attempts to succeed at alchemy
• The Canon tried to create the Philosopher's stone, but failed and lost all their money
• The Canon blames an invisible demon for breaking the pot and therefore that was his failure

Part 2

• he describes an unscrupulous Canon who scams a priest into buying a recipe that will turn quicksilver and coal into silver
• the canon asks the priest for a loan of gold, the priest insisters on prompt repayment
• the Canon returns the next day with the loan amount
• the Priest wants to know how to create his own gold, after finding out the Canon's secret
• The Canon sets up a scam, hollows out one of the coals and fills it with silver and fools the priest.
• the priest says he must have the recipe so the canon agrees to sell it to him
• the priest borrows the money from anyone he can and gives it to the Canon
• Then the Canon promptly leaves town before the priest realizes that he has been scammed.
• The Yeoman ends his tale with.. "Men should not try to cheat others because it will only come back to hurt them in the end"

-Kara Schroeder

(thats everything i had written down, if i left anything out just add it on)