After hearing the Friar’s tale, the Summoner is angry and sarcastically suggests that the Friar told a well-documented story since friars and fiends are always good friends. He then recalls for the other pilgrims the story of the friar who once had a vision of hell and, while being guided through hell by an angel, never saw a single friar. The friar wondered aloud whether all friars were in a state of grace; in response, the angel asked Satan to lift up his tail. Suddenly twenty thousand friars were seen swarming around Satan’s “arse.” Having made his point about the friars in general, the Summoner tells another insulting story about one friar in particular.
A friar, who goes about seeking contributions, promises prayers and possible salvation in exchange for anything his parishioners will give. Once back at the convent, the friar promptly forgets to make the promised prayers. One day, the friar goes to the home of old Thomas, a rich but uneducated old man who has been ill for a long time. The friar assures Thomas that he and his brother friars have been praying for him.
