The Reeve's Prologue
3855: Whan folk hadde laughen at this nyce cas 
3856: Of absolon and hende nicholas, 
3857: Diverse folk diversely they seyde, 
3858: But for the moore part they loughe and pleyde. 
3859: Ne at this tale I saugh no man hym greve, 
3860: But it were oonly osewold the reve. 
3861: By cause he was of carpenteris craft, 
3862: A litel ire is in his herte ylaft; 
3863: He gan to grucche, and blamed it a lite. 
3864: So theek, quod he, ful wel koude I thee quite 
3865: With bleryng of a proud milleres ye, 
3866: If that me liste speke of ribaudye. 
3867: But ik am oold, me list not pley for age; 
3868: Gras tyme is doon, my fodder is now forage; 
3869: This white top writeth myne olde yeris; 
3870: Myn herte is also mowled as myne heris, 
3871: But if I fare as dooth an open-ers, -- 
3872: That ilke fruyt is ever lenger the wers, 
3873: Til it be roten in mullok or in stree. 
3874: We olde men, I drede, so fare we: 
3875: Til we be roten, kan we nat be rype; 
3876: We hoppen alwey whil the world wol pype. 
3877: For in oure wyl ther stiketh evere a nayl, 
3878: To have an hoor heed and a grene tayl, 
3879: As hath a leek; for thogh oure myght be goon, 
3880: Oure wyl desireth folie evere in oon. 
3881: For whan we may nat doon, than wol we speke; 
3882: Yet in oure asshen olde is fyr yreke. 
3883: Foure gleedes han we, which I shal devyse, -- 
3884: Avauntyng, liyng, anger, coveitise; 
3885: Thise foure sparkles longen unto eelde. 
3886: Oure olde lemes mowe wel been unweelde, 
3887: But wyl ne shal nat faillen, that is sooth. 
3888: And yet ik have alwey a coltes tooth, 
3889: As many a yeer as it is passed henne 
3890: Syn that my tappe of lif bigan to renne. 
3891: For sikerly, whan I was bore, anon 
3892: Deeth drough the tappe of lyf and leet it gon; 
3893: And ever sithe hath so the tappe yronne 
3894: Til that almoost al empty is the tonne. 
3895: The streem of lyf now droppeth on the chymbe. 
3896: The sely tonge may wel rynge and chymbe 
3897: Of wrecchednesse that passed is ful yoore; 
3898: With olde folk, save dotage, is namoore! 
3899: Whan that oure hoost hadde herd this sermonyng, 
3900: He gan to speke as lordly as a kyng. 
3901: He seide, what amounteth al this wit? 
3902: What shul we speke alday of hooly writ? 
3903: The devel made a reve for to preche, 
3904: Or of a soutere a shipman or a leche. 
3905: Sey forth thy tale, and tarie nat the tyme 
3906: Lo depeford! and it is half-wey pryme. 
3907: Lo grenewych, ther many a shrewe is inne! 
3908: It were al tyme thy tale to bigynne. 
3909: Now, sires, quod this osewold the reve, 
3910: I pray yow alle that ye nat yow greve, 
3911: Thogh I answere, and somdeel sette his howve; 
3912: For leveful is with force force of-showve. 
3913: This dronke millere hath ytoold us heer 
3914: How that bigyled was a carpenteer, 
3915: Peraventure in scorn, for I am oon. 
3916: And, by youre leve, I shal hym quite anoon; 
3917: Right in his cherles termes wol I speke. 
3918: I pray to God his nekke mote to-breke; 
3919: He kan wel in myn eye seen a stalke, 
3920: But in his owene he kan nat seen a balke.

The Reeve's Tale
3921: At trumpyngtoun, nat fer fro cantebrigge, 
3922: Ther gooth a brook, and over that a brigge, 
3923: Upon the whiche brook ther stant a melle; 
3924: And this is verray sooth that I yow telle: 
3925: A millere was ther dwellynge many a day. 
3926: As any pecok he was proud and gay. 
3927: Pipen he koude and fisshe, and nettes beete, 
3928: And turne coppes, and wel wrastle and sheete; 
3929: Ay by his belt he baar a long panade, 
3930: And of a swerd ful trenchant was the blade 
3931: A joly poppere baar he is in his pouche; 
3932: Ther was no man, for peril, dorste hym touche. 
3933: A sheffeld thwitel baar he in his hose. 
3934: Round was his face, and camus was his nose; 
3935: As piled as an ape was his skulle. 
3936: He was a market-betere atte fulle. 
3937: Ther dorste no wight hand upon hym legge, 
3938: That he ne swoor he sholde anon abegge. 
3939: A theef he was for sothe of corn and mele, 
3940: And that a sly, and usaunt for to stele. 
3941: His name was hoote deynous symkyn. 
3942: A wyf he hadde, ycomen of noble kyn; 
3943: The person of the toun hir fader was. 
3944: With hire he yaf ful many a panne of bras, 
3945: For that symkyn sholde in his blood allye. 
3946: She was yfostred in a nonnerye; 
3947: For symkyn wolde no wyf, as he sayde, 
3948: But she were wel ynorissed and a mayde, 
3949: To saven his estaat of yomanrye. 
3950: And she was proud, and peert as is a pye. 
3951: A ful fair sighte was it upon hem two; 
3952: On halydayes biforn hire wolde he go 
3953: With his typet bounden aboute his heed, 
3954: And she cam after in a gyte of reed; 
3955: And symkyn hadde hosen of the same. 
3956: Ther dorste no wight clepen hire but dame; 
3957: Was noon so hardy that wente by the weye 
3958: That with hire dorste rage or ones pleye, 
3959: But if he wolde be slayn of symkyn 
3960: With panade, or with knyf, or boidekyn. 
3961: For jalous folk ben perilous everemo; 
3962: Algate they wolde hire wyves wenden so. 
3963: And eek, for she was somdel smoterlich, 
3964: She was as digne as water in a dich, 
3965: And ful of hoker and of bisemare. 
3966: Hir thoughte that a lady sholde hire spare, 
3967: What for hire kynrede and hir nortelrie 
3968: That she hadde lerned in the nonnerie. 
3969: A doghter hadde they bitwixe hem two 
3970: Of twenty yeer, withouten any mo, 
3971: Savynge a child that was of half yeer age; 
3972: In cradel it lay and was a propre page. 
3973: This wenche thikke and wel ygrowen was, 
3974: With kamus nose, and eyen greye as glas, 
3975: With buttokes brode, and brestes rounde and hye; 
3976: But right fair was hire heer, I wol nat lye. 
3977: This person of the toun, for she was feir, 
3978: In purpos was to maken hire his heir, 
3979: Bothe of his catel and his mesuage, 
3980: And straunge he made it of hir mariage. 
3981: His purpos was for to bistowe hire hye 
3982: Into som worthy blood of auncetrye; 
3983: For hooly chirches good moot been despended 
3984: On hooly chirches blood, that is descended. 
3985: Therfore he wolde his hooly blood honoure, 
3986: Though that he hooly chirche sholde devoure. 
3987: Greet sokene hath this millere, out of doute, 
3988: With whete and malt of al the land aboute; 
3989: And nameliche ther was a greet collegge 
3990: Men clepen the soler halle at cantebregge; 
3991: Ther was hir whete and eek hir malt ygrounde. 
3992: And on a day it happed, in a stounde, 
3993: Sik lay the maunciple on a maladye; 
3994: Men wenden wisly that he sholde dye. 
3995: For which this millere stal bothe mele and corn 
3996: An hundred tyme moore than biforn; 
3997: For therbiforn he stal but curteisly, 
3998: But now he was a theef outrageously, 
3999: For which the wardeyn chidde and made fare. 
4000: But therof sette the millere nat a tare; 
4001: He craketh boost, and swoor it was nat so. 
4002: Thanne were ther yonge povre scolers two, 
4003: That dwelten in this halle, of which I seye. 
4004: Testif they were, and lusty for to pleye, 
4005: And, oonly for hire myrthe and revelrye, 
4006: Upon the wardeyn bisily they crye 
4007: To yeve hem leve, but a litel stounde, 
4008: To goon to mille and seen hir corn ygrounde; 
4009: And hardily they dorste leye hir nekke 
4010: The millere sholde not stele hem half a pekke 
4011: Of corn by sleighte, ne by force hem reve; 
4012: And at the laste the wardeyn yaf hem leve. 
4013: John highte that oon, and aleyn highte that oother; 
4014: Of o toun were they born, that highte strother, 
4015: Fer in the north, I kan nat telle where. 
4016: This aleyn maketh redy al his gere, 
4017: And on an hors the sak he caste anon. 
4018: Forth goth aleyn the clerk, and also john, 
4019: With good swerd and with bokeler by hir syde. 
4020: John knew the wey, -- hem nedede no gyde, -- 
4021: And at the mille the sak adoun he layth. 
4022: Aleyn spak first, al hayl, symond, y-fayth! 
4023: Hou fares thy faire doghter and thy wyf? 
4024: Aleyn, welcome, quod symkyn, by my lyf! 
4025: And john also, how now, what do ye heer? 
4026: Symond, quod john, by god, nede has na peer. 
4027: Hym boes serve hymself that has na swayn, 
4028: Or elles he is a fool, as clerkes sayn. 
4029: Oure manciple, I hope he wil be deed, 
4030: Swa werkes ay the wanges in his heed; 
4031: And forthy is I come, and eek alayn, 
4032: To grynde oure corn and carie it ham agayn; 
4033: I pray yow spede us heythen that ye may. 
4034: It shal be doon, quod symkyn, by my fay! 
4035: What wol ye doon whil that it is in hande? 
4036: By god, right by the hopur wil I stande, 
4037: Quod john, and se howgates the corn gas in. 
4038: Yet saugh I nevere, by my fader kyn, 
4039: How that the hopur wagges til and fra. 
4040: Aleyn answerde, john, and wiltow swa? 
4041: Thanne wil I be bynethe, by my croun, 
4042: And se how that the mele falles doun 
4043: Into the trough; that sal be my disport. 
4044: For john, y-faith, I may been of youre sort; 
4045: I is as ille a millere as ar ye. 
4046: This millere smyled of hir nycetee, 
4047: And thoghte, al this nys doon but for a wyle. 
4048: They wene that no man may hem bigyle, 
4049: But by my thrift, yet shal I blere hir ye, 
4050: For al the sleighte in hir philosophye. 
4051: The moore queynte crekes that they make, 
4052: The moore wol I stele whan I take. 
4053: In stide of flour yet wol I yeve hem bren. 
4054: -- The gretteste clerkes been noght wisest men, -- 
4055: As whilom to the wolf thus spak the mare. 
4056: Of al hir art ne counte I noght a tare. 
4057: Out at the dore he gooth ful pryvely, 
4058: Whan that he saugh his tyme, softely. 
4059: He looketh up and doun til he hath founde 
4060: The clerkes hors, ther as it stood ybounde 
4061: Bihynde the mille, under a levesel; 
4062: And to the hors he goth hym faire and wel; 
4063: He strepeth of the brydel right anon. 
4064: And whan the hors was laus, he gynneth gon 
4065: Toward the fen, ther wilde mares renne, 
4066: And forth with wehee, thurgh thikke and thurgh thenne. 
4067: This millere gooth agayn, no word he seyde, 
4068: But dooth his note, and with the clerkes pleyde, 
4069: Til that hir corn was faire and well ygrounde. 
4070: And whan the mele is sakked and ybounde, 
4071: This john goth out and fynt his hors away, 
4072: And gan to crie harrow! and weylaway! 
4073: Oure hors is lorn, alayn, for goddes banes, 
4074: Step on thy feet! com of, man, al atanes! 
4075: Allas, our wardeyn has his palfrey lorn. 
4076: This aleyn al forgat, bothe mele and corn; 
4077: Al was out of his mynde his housbondrie. 
4078: What, whilk way is he geen? he gan to crie. 
4079: The wyf cam lepynge inward with a ren. 
4080: She seyde, allas! youre hors goth to the fen 
4081: With wilde mares, as faste as he may go. 
4082: Unthank come on his hand that boond hym so, 
4083: And he that bettre sholde han knyt the reyne! 
4084: Allas, quod john, aleyn, for cristes peyne 
4085: Lay doun thy swerd, and I wil myn alswa. 
4086: I is ful wight, God waat, as is a raa; 
4087: By goddes herte, he sal nat scape us bathe! 
4088: Why ne had thow pit the capul in the lathe? 
4089: Ilhayl! by god, alayn, thou is a fonne! 
4090: Thise sely clerkes han ful faste yronne 
4091: Toward the fen, bothe aleyn and eek john. 
4092: And whan the millere saugh that they were gon, 
4093: He half a busshel of hir flour hath take, 
4094: And bad his wyf go knede it in a cake. 
4095: He seyde, I trowe the clerkes were aferd. 
4096: Yet kan a millere make a clerkes berd, 
4097: For al his art; now lat hem goon hir weye! 
4098: Lo, wher he gooth! ye, lat the children pleye. 
4099: They gete hym nat so lightly, by my croun. 
4100: Thise sely clerkes rennen up and doun 
4101: With keep! keep! stand! stand! jossa, warderere, 
4102: Ga whistle thou, and I shal kepe hym heere! 
4103: But shortly, til that it was verray nyght, 
4104: They koude nat, though they dide al hir myght, 
4105: Hir capul cacche, he ran alwey so faste, 
4106: Til in a dych they caughte hym atte laste. 
4107: Wery and weet, as beest is in the reyn, 
4108: Comth sely john, and with him comth aleyn. 
4109: Allas, quod john, the day that I was born! 
4110: Now are we dryve til hethyng and til scorn. 
4111: Oure corn is stoln, men wil us fooles calle, 
4112: Bathe the wardeyn and oure felawes alle, 
4113: And namely the millere, weylaway! 
4114: Thus pleyneth john as he gooth by the way 
4115: Toward the mille, and bayard in his hond. 
4116: The millere sittynge by the fyr he fond, 
4117: For it was nyght, and forther myghte they noght; 
4118: But for the love of God they hym bisoght 
4119: Of herberwe and of ese, as for hir peny. 
4120: The millere seyde agayn, if ther be eny, 
4121: Swich as it is, yet shal ye have youre part. 
4122: Myn hous is streit, but ye han lerned art; 
4123: Ye konne by argumentes make a place 
4124: A myle brood of twenty foot of space. 
4125: Lat se now if this place may suffise, 
4126: Or make it rowm with speche, as is youre gise. 
4127: Now, symond, seyde john, by seint cutberd, 
4128: Ay is thou myrie, and this is faire answerd. 
4129: I have herd seyd, -- man sal taa of twa thynges 
4130: Slyk as he fyndes, or taa slyk as he brynges. -- 
4131: But specially I pray thee, hooste deere, 
4132: Get us som mete and drynke, and make us cheere, 
4133: And we wil payen trewely atte fulle. 
4134: With empty hand men may na haukes tulle; 
4135: Loo, heere oure silver, redy for to spende. 
4136: This millere into toun his doghter sende 
4137: For ale and breed, and rosted hem a goos, 
4138: And boond hire hors, it sholde namoore go loos; 
4139: And in his owene chambre hem made a bed, 
4140: With sheetes and with chalons faire yspred 
4141: Noght from his owene bed ten foot or twelve. 
4142: His doghter hadde a bed, al by hirselve, 
4143: Right in the same chambre by and by. 
4144: It myghte be no bet, and cause why? 
4145: Ther was no roumer herberwe in the place. 
4146: They soupen and they speke, hem to solace, 
4147: And drynken evere strong ale atte beste. 
4148: Aboute mydnyght wente they to reste. 
4149: Wel hath this millere vernysshed his heed; 
4150: Ful pale he was for dronken, and nat reed. 
4151: He yexeth, and he speketh thurgh the nose 
4152: As he were on the quakke, or on the pose. 
4153: To bedde he goth, and with hym goth his wyf. 
4154: As any jay she light was and jolyf, 
4155: So was hir joly whistle wel ywet. 
4156: The cradel at hir beddes feet is set, 
4157: To rokken, and to yeve the child to sowke. 
4158: And whan that dronken al was in the crowke, 
4159: To bedde wente the doghter right anon; 
4160: To bedde goth aleyn and also john; 
4161: Ther nas na moore, -- hem nedede no dwale. 
4162: This millere hath so wisely bibbed ale 
4163: That as an hors he fnorteth in his sleep, 
4164: Ne of his tayl bihynde he took no keep. 
4165: His wyf bar hym a burdon, a ful strong; 
4166: Men myghte hir rowtyng heere two furlong; 
4167: The wenche rowteth eek, par compaignye. 
4168: Aleyn the clerk, that herde this melodye, 
4169: He poked john, and seyde, slepestow? 
4170: Herdestow evere slyk a sang er now? 
4171: Lo, swilk a complyn is ymel hem alle, 
4172: A wilde fyr upon thair bodyes falle! 
4173: Wha herkned evere slyk a ferly thyng? 
4174: Ye, they sal have the flour of il endyng. 
4175: This lange nyght ther tydes me na reste; 
4176: But yet, nafors, al sal be for the beste. 
4177: For, john, seyde he, als evere moot I thryve, 
4178: If that I may, yon wenche wil I swyve. 
4179: Som esement has lawe yshapen us; 
4180: For, john, ther is a lawe that says thus, 
4181: That gif a man in a point be agreved, 
4182: That in another he sal be releved. 
4183: Oure corn is stoln, sothly, it is na nay, 
4184: And we han had an il fit al this day; 
4185: And syn I sal have neen amendement 
4186: Agayn my los, I will have esement. 
4187: By goddes sale, it sal neen other bee! 
4188: This john answerde, alayn, avyse thee! 
4189: The millere is a perilous man, he seyde, 
4190: And gif that he out of his sleep abreyde, 
4191: He myghte doon us bathe a vileynye. 
4192: Aleyn answerde, I counte hym nat a flye. 
4193: And up he rist, and by the wenche he crepte. 
4194: This wenche lay uprighte, and faste slepte, 
4195: Til he so ny was, er she myghte espie, 
4196: That it had been to late for to crie, 
4197: And shortly for to seyn, they were aton. 
4198: Now pley, aleyn, for I wol speke of john. 
4199: This john lith stille a furlong wey or two, 
4200: And to hymself he maketh routhe and wo. 
4201: Allas! quod he, this is a wikked jape; 
4202: Now may I seyn that I is but an ape. 
4203: Yet has my felawe somwhat for his harm; 
4204: He has the milleris doghter in his arm. 
4205: He auntred hym, and has his nedes sped, 
4206: And I lye as a draf-sak in my bed; 
4207: And when this jape is tald another day, 
4208: I sal been halde a daf, a cokenay! 
4209: I wil arise and auntre it, by my fayth! 
4210: -- Unhardy is unseely, -- thus men sayth. 
4211: And up he roos, and softely he wente 
4212: Unto the cradel, and in his hand it hente, 
4213: And baar it softe unto his beddes feet. 
4214: Soone after this the wyf hir rowtyng leet, 
4215: And gan awake, and wente hire out to pisse, 
4216: And cam agayn, and gan hir cradel mysse, 
4217: And groped heer and ther, but she foond noon. 
4218: Allas! quod she, I hadde almoost mysgoon; 
4219: I hadde almoost goon to the clerkes bed. 
4220: Ey, benedicite! thanne hadde I foule ysped. 
4221: And forth she gooth til she the cradel fond. 
4222: She gropeth alwey forther with hir hond, 
4223: And foond the bed, and thoghte noght but good, 
4224: By cause that the cradel by it stood, 
4225: And nyste wher she was, for it was derk; 
4226: But faire and wel she creep in to the clerk, 
4227: And lith ful stille, and wolde han caught a sleep. 
4228: Withinne a while this john the clerk up leep, 
4229: And on this goode wyf he leith on soore. 
4230: So myrie a fit ne hadde she nat ful yoore; 
4231: He priketh harde and depe as he were mad. 
4232: This joly lyf han thise two clerkes lad 
4233: Til that the thridde cok bigan to synge. 
4234: Aleyn wax wery in the dawenynge, 
4235: For he had swonken al the longe nyght, 
4236: And seyde, fare weel, malyne, sweete wight! 
4237: The day is come, I may no lenger byde; 
4238: But everemo, wher so I go or ryde, 
4239: I is thyn awen clerk, swa have I seel! 
4240: Now, deere lemman, quod she, go, far weel! 
4241: But er thow go, o thyng I wol thee telle: 
4242: Whan that thou wendest homward by the melle, 
4243: Right at the entree of the dore bihynde 
4244: Thou shalt a cake of half a busshel fynde 
4245: That was ymaked of thyn owene mele, 
4246: Which that I heelp my sire for to stele. 
4247: And, goode lemman, God thee save and kepe! 
4248: And with that word almoost she gan to wepe. 
4249: Aleyn up rist, and thoughte, er that it dawe, 
4250: I wol go crepen in by my felawe; 
4251: And fond the cradel with his hand anon. 
4252: By god, thoughte he, al wrang I have mysgon. 
4253: Myn heed is toty of my swynk to-nyght, 
4254: That makes me that I ga nat aright. 
4255: I woot wel by the cradel I have mysgo; 
4256: Heere lith the millere and his wyf also. 
4257: And forth he goth, a twenty devel way, 
4258: Unto the bed ther as the millere lay. 
4259: He wende have cropen by his felawe john, 
4260: And by the millere in he creep anon, 
4261: And caughte hym by the nekke, and softe he spak. 
4262: He seyde, thou john, thou swynes-heed, awak, 
4263: For cristes saule, and heer a noble game. 
4264: For by that lord that called is seint jame, 
4265: As I have thries in this shorte nyght 
4266: Swyved the milleres doghter bolt upright, 
4267: Whil thow hast, as a coward, been agast. 
4268: Ye, false harlot, quod the miller, hast? 
4269: A, false traitour! false clerk! quod he, 
4270: Thow shalt be deed, by goddes dignitee! 
4271: Who dorste be so boold to disparage 
4272: My doghter, that is come of swich lynage? 
4273: And by the throte-bolle he caughte alayn, 
4274: And he hente hym despitously agayn, 
4275: And on the nose he smoot hym with his fest. 
4276: Doun ran the blody streem upon his brest; 
4277: And in the floor, with nose and mouth tobroke, 
4278: They walwe as doon two pigges in a poke; 
4279: And up they goon, and doun agayn anon, 
4280: Til that the millere sporned at a stoon, 
4281: And doun he fil bakward upon his wyf, 
4282: That wiste no thyng of this nyce stryf; 
4283: For she was falle aslepe a lite wight 
4284: With john the clerk, that waked hadde al nyght, 
4285: And with the fal out of hir sleep she breyde. 
4286: Help! hooly croys of bromeholm, she seyde, 
4287: In manus tuas! lord, to thee I calle! 
4288: Awak, symond! the feend is on me falle. 
4289: Myn herte is broken; help! I nam but deed! 
4290: Ther lyth oon upon my wombe and on myn heed. 
4291: Help, symkyn, for the false clerkes fighte! 
4292: This john stirte up as faste as ever he myghte, 
4293: And graspeth by the walles to and fro, 
4294: To fynde a staf; and she stirte up also, 
4295: And knew the estres bet than dide this john, 
4296: And by the wal a staf she foond anon, 
4297: And saugh a litel shymeryng of a light, 
4298: For at an hole in shoon the moone bright; 
4299: And by that light she saugh hem bothe two, 
4300: But sikerly she nyste who was who, 
4301: But as she saugh a whit thyng in hir ye. 
4302: And whan she gan this white thyng espye, 
4303: She wende the clerk hadde wered a volupeer, 
4304: And with the staf she drow ay neer and neer, 
4305: And wende han hit this aleyn at the fulle, 
4306: And smooth the millere on the pyled skulle, 
4307: That doun he gooth, and cride, harrow! I dye! 
4308: Thise clerkes beete hym weel and lete hym lye; 
4309: And greythen hem, and tooke hir hors anon, 
4310: And eek hire mele, and on hir wey they gon. 
4311: And at the mille yet they tooke hir cake 
4312: Of half a busshel flour, ful wel ybake. 
4313: Thus is the proude millere wel ybete, 
4314: And hath ylost the gryndynge of the whete, 
4315: And payed for the soper everideel 
4316: Of aleyn and of john, that bette hym weel. 
4317: His wyf is swyved, and his doghter als. 
4318: Lo, swich it is a millere to be fals! 
4319: And therfore this proverbe is seyd ful sooth, 
4320: Hym thar nat wene wel that yvele dooth; 
4321: A gylour shal hymself bigyled be. 
4322: And god, that sitteth heighe in magestee, 
4323: Save al this compaignye, grete and smale! 
4324: Thus have I quyt the millere in my tale.
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