sing after the comfort and stability the position offers. As a woman during the Middle Ages, you are only as valuable as your husband or father is. Joining a covenant is a way to escape from that role. The materialism abounding throughout the descriptions of the clergy shows that people do not truly desire to be a part of the church since they are still caught up in worldly goods. The greed of the clergy is shown vividly in the Prologue. The Friar's method of absolution shows his desire for money. "It's a sure sign whenever gifts are given to a poor Order that a man's well shriven. . . Therefore, instead of weeping and of prayer one should give silver for a poor Friar's care" (229-36, 110). He will give almost no penance if the sinner simply bribes him with either gifts or money. The Friar is so desirous of wealth that he cannot even perform a simple service like confession without letting his greed become involved. By being so concerned with gaining money, he is neglecting his proper duties as clergy member. The Summoner also allows his duties to slip when there is a chance to make a profit. When he finds a person doing something they should not be doing, "he would instruct him not to be afraid in such a case of the Archdeacon's curse. . . for in his purse the punishment should be" (672-75, 121). The Summoner will "overlook" the misconduct if he is paid enough for it. He assures people not to be worried about excommunication from the church. As long as he gets paid, he will not summon them to the church court as he should. The Pardoner also finds ways to make extra money on the side. He collects bones and bits of cloth and asserts that these are holy relics. "And with these relics, any time he found some poor up-country parson to astound, in one short day, in money down, he drew more than the parson in a month or two" (721-24, 122). The Pardoner dupes poor, gullible people into believing his worthless pieces of jun...
