Chaucer compliments the Friar’s skill at begging as a form of critiquing the church’s greed, yet he mocks the Clerk’s material poverty to emphasize that the knowledge the Clerk seeks is of more value than money; these characters’ monetary states are meant to show the reader the misplaced values society has by showing a corrupt man with money and a honorable man without it. The Friar is “a worthy licensed beggar” who focuses on spending time with the rich who will give him money, rather than the poor(15). As a friar, he is supposed to be helping the community especially the poor, but he is more focused on getting money; the church, who he represents, is also focused on “silver”, so it sells “penance” for sinners(13). Chaucer points out
