The Canon and Canon's Yeoman
Quote 1
"I seye, my lord kan swich subtilitee –
[...]
That al this ground on which we been ridyng
Til that we come to Caunterbury toun,
He koude al clene turnen up-so-doun
And pave it al of silver and of gold."
(Canon's Yeoman's Prologue 67, 70 – 73)
With this statement, the Canon's Yeoman's reveals that his master is an alchemist, someone who studies how to turn metals like lead and copper into gold. The fact that he does so in such fabulous terms, saying not just that his master can turn lead into gold, but that he could pave the whole road to Canterbury with the stuff, reveals that the Canon's Yeoman is eager to impress the pilgrims.