The Pardoner rides in the very back of the party in the General Prologue and is fittingly the most marginalized character in the company. His profession is somewhat dubious—pardoners offered indulgences, or previously written pardons for particular sins, to people who repented of the sin they had committed.

What is the role of a pardoner?

A Pardoner is someone who travels about the countryside selling official church pardons. These were probably actual pieces of paper with a bishop's signature on them, entitling the bearer to forgiveness for their sins.

What was the role of a pardoner in medieval times?

A medieval ecclesiastic or layman authorized to raise money for religious works by granting papal indulgences to contributors.