He is selling fake religious artifacts to the gullible. He admits that he has kept payments intended to go to the church as indulgences (payments for charitable works intended as penitence for sins).
The Pardoner tries to sell relics and pardons.
He insults the Pardoner.
PARDONER
The disrespect in The Pardoner's Tale is evident through the Pardoner's manipulation of his audience. He uses scare tactics and deception to exploit their fears and guilt, showing little regard for their well-being. Additionally, his mocking and condescending attitude towards the other pilgrims further highlights his disrespect for them.
He claims that it is "Our True lady's veil."
The Pardoner tries to sell relics and pardons.
The Pardoner is a character in the Prologue of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales". The jar of pig bones is a relic designated by the church.
It's strange because the Pardoner, as a corrupt and dishonest character, presents himself as holy and virtuous while trying to profit off fake relics. This juxtaposition reflects the Pardoner's hypocrisy and greed, making his attempt to sell relics contradictory and indicative of his fraudulent nature.
Hypocrisy
He tries to sell relics and pardons.
Jim Crow
A relic the Pardoner wishes to sell