THE REEVE'S PROLOGUE AND TALE FROM THE HENGWRT MANUSCRIPT OF THE CANTERBURY TALES
¶The |pro|loge / of the Reues tale
Whan folk hadde laughen / at this nyce cas
Of Ab{s}olon / and hende Nicholas
Di|uer|{s}e folk / diuer{s}ely they seyde
But for the moore part/ they lowe and pleyde
Ne at his tale / I seigh no man hym greue
But it were oonly/ O{s}ewold the Reue
By cau{s}e he was / of Carpenters craft/
Alitel Ire / is in his herte ylaft/
He gan to grucche / and blamed it alite
So the ik quod he / ful wel koude I thee quyte
With bleryng/ of a proud Millerys Iye
If |þt| me li{s}te / speke of rybaudye
But ik am oold / me li{s}t no pleye for age
Gras tyme is doon / my fodder is now forage
This white top / writeth myne olde yerys
Myn herte / is al{s}o mowled / as myne herys
But if ik fare / as dooth an Openers
That ilke fruyt/ is euer lenger the wers
Til it be roten / in Mollok / or in stree
We olde men / I drede {s}o fare we
Til we be roten / kan we noght be rype
We hoppe alwey / whil |þt| the world wol pipe
ffor in oure wil / ther stiketh euere a nayl
To haue an hoor heer / and a grene tayl
As hath a leek / for thogh oure myght be goon
Oure wil de{s}ireth folie / euere in oon
ffor whan we may noght/ doon / than wol we speke
Yet in oure a{ss}hen olde / is fyr yreke
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ffoure gleedes haue we / whiche I shal deuy{s}e
Auauntyng/ lyyng/ Anger Coueiti{s}e
Thi{s}e foure sparkles / longen vn to eelde
Oure lymes / mowe wel been vnweelde
But wil ne shal noght faillen / that is sooth
And yet I haue alwey / a coltes tooth
As many a yeer / as it is pa{ss}ed henne
Syn |þt| my tappe of lyf / bigan to renne
ffor sikerlik/ whan ik was bore anon
Deeth drogh the tappe of lyf / and leet it goon
And euere sith / hath {s}o the tappe yronne
Til |þt| almoo{s}t / al empty is the tonne
The {s}treem of lyf / now droppeth on the chymbe
The sely tonge / may wel rynge and chymbe
Of wrecchedne{ss}e / |þt| pa{ss}ed is ful yoore
With olde folk / saue dotage is namoore
¶Whan |þt| oure hoo{s}t/ hadde herd this sermonyng/
He gan to speke / as lordly as a kyng/
He seyde / what amounteth al this wit
What shal we speke alday / of holy writ
The deuel made / a Reue for to |pre|che
Or of a Soute|re| / a Shipman / or a leche
Sey forth thy tale / and tarie noght the tyme
Lo Depeford / and it is half wey pryme
Lo Grenewych / ther many a sherewe is Inne
It were al tyme / thy tale to bigynne
¶Now sires / quod this O{s}ewold the Reue
I pray yow alle / |þt| ye noght yow greue
Thogh I an{s}were / and som del sette his howue
ffor leueful is / with force / force of showue
This dronken Mille|re| / hath ytoold vs heer
How |þt| / bigiled was a Carpenter
|per|auenture in scorn / for I am oon
And by youre leue / I shal hym quyte anon
Right / in his cherles termes / wol I speke
I pray to god / his nekke mote to breke
He kan wel / in myn eye / seen a {s}talke
But in his owene / he kan noght {s}een a balke
Narra|ter|
AT Trompyngto|un| / nat fer fro Cantebrygge
Ther gooth a brook / and ouer that a brygge
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Vp on the which brook/ ther stant a Melle
And this is verray sooth / |þt| I yow telle
A Mille|re| was ther dwellyng many a day
As any Pecok/ he was proud and gay
Pipen he koude / and fi{ss}he / and nettes beete
And torne coppes / and wel wra{s}tle and sheete
And by his belt/ he baar a long Panade
And of a swerd / ful trenchaunt was the blade
A ioly poppe|re| / baar he in his pouche
Ther was no man / for |per|il dor{s}te hym touche
A sheffeld thwitel / baar he in his ho{s}e
Round was his face / and camu{s}e was his no{s}e
As piled as an Ape / was his skulle
He was a Market bete|re| / atte fulle
Ther dor{s}te no wight/ hand vp on hym legge
That he ne swoor / he sholde anon abegge
A theef he was for sothe / of corn and mele
And |þt| a sleigh / and v{s}ant for to stele
His name was hoten / deynous Symkyn
A wif he hadde / comen of noble kyn
The per{s}on of the toun / hir fader was
With hi|re| he yaf / ful many a panne a bras
ffor |þt| Symkyn / sholde in his blood allye
She was yfo{s}tred / in a Nonnerye
ffor Symkyn / wolde no wyf as he sayde
But she were wel ynori{ss}ed and a mayde
To sauen / his e{s}taat of yemanrye
And she was proud / and peert as is a pye
A ful fair sighte / was it vp on hem two
On halidayes / biforn hi|re| wolde he go
With his tipet/ wounden aboute his heed
And she cam after / in a gyte of reed
And Symkyn / hadde ho{s}en of the same
Ther dor{s}te no wight/ clepen hire but dame
Was noon {s}o hardy / |þt| wente by the weye
That with hire/ dor{s}te rage / or ones pleye
But if he / wolde be slayn of Symkyn
With panade / or with knyf/ or boydekyn
ffor Ialous folk / been |per|ilou{s}e eueremo
Algate / they wolde hir wyues wenden {s}o
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And eek / for she was som del smoterlich
She was as digne / as water in a dich
And ful of hoker / and of bi{s}mare
Hir thoghte / |þt| a lady sholde hir spare
What for hir kynrede / and hir nortelrye
That she hadde lerned / in the Nonnerye
A doghter hadde they / bitwix hem two
Of twenty yeer / with outen any mo
Sauyng a child / |þt| was of hal yeer age
In Cradel it lay / and was a |prop|re page
This wenche / thikke and wel ygrowen was
With camu{s}e no{s}e / and eyen greye as glas
With buttokes brode / and bre{s}tes rounde and hye
But right fair was hir heer/ I wol nat lye
¶The |per|{s}on of the toun / for she was {s}o feir
In purpos was / to maken hi|re| his heir
Bothe of his catel / and his Me{s}uage
And {s}traunge he made it/ of hir mariage
His purpos was / for to bi{s}towe hir hye
In to som worthy blood of Auncetrye
ffor holicherches good / moot been de{s}pended
On holicherches blood / |þt| is de{s}cended
Ther fore / he wolde his holy blood honoure
Thogh |þt| he / holy chirche sholde deuoure
¶Greet sokne / hath this Mille|re| out of doute
With whete and malt/ of al the land aboute
And nameliche / ther was a greet Collegge
Men clepeth / the Soler halle at Cantebregge
Ther was hir whete / and eek hir malt ygrounde
And on a day / it happed in {{^}}{{a}} stounde
Syk was this maunciple / on a maladie
Men wenden wi{s}ly / |þt| he sholde dye
ffor which this Millere / {s}tal bothe mele and corn
An hondred tyme / moore than biforn
ffor ther biforn / he {s}tal but curtei{s}ly
But now / he was a theef outrageou{s}ly
ffor which the wardeyn / chidde and made fare
But ther of / sette the Millere noght a tare
He craked boo{s}t/ and swoor it was noght so
Thanne were ther / yonge poure scolers two
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That/ dwelten in the halle / of which I seye
Te{s}tyf they were / and lu{s}ty for to pleye
And oonly / for hir myrthe and reuerye
Vp on the wardeyn / bi{s}ily they crye
To yeue hem leue / but a litel stounde
To go to Mille / and seen hir corn ygrounde
And hardily / they dor{s}te leye hir nekke
The Millere / sholde noght {s}telen hem half a pekke
Of corn by sleighte / ne by force hem reue
And atte la{s}te / the wardeyn yaf hem leue
|Iohan| highte that oon / and Aleyn highte that oother
Of oon town were they born / |þt| highte Strother
ffer in the North / I kan noght telle where
This Aleyn / maketh redy al his gere
And on an hors / the sak he ca{s}te anon
fforth gooth Aleyn the clerk/. and al{s}o |Iohan|
With good swerd / and with bokeler by his syde
|Iohan| knew the wey / hym neded no gyde
And at the Mille / the sak adoun he layth
¶Aleyn spak fir{s}t/ alhayl Symkyn in fayth
How fares / thy faire doghter / and thy wyf
¶Aleyn wel come / quod Symkyn by my lyf
And |Iohan| al{s}o / how now / what do ye here
¶By god quod |Iohan| / Symond nede has na peere
Hym bilhoues serue hym self / |þt| has na swayn
Or ellis / he is a fool / as clerkes sayn
Oure maunciple / I hope he wol be deed
Swa werkes ay / the wanges in his heed
And ther fore is I come / and eek Alayn
To grynde oure corn / and carie it heem agayn
I pray yow / speed vs heythen / what ye may
¶It shal be doon / quod Symkyn by my fay
What wol ye doon / whil |þt| it is in hande
¶By god / right by the ho|per| / wol I stande
Quod |Iohan| / and se how the corn gas In
Yet {s}aw I neuere / by my fader kyn
How |þt| the ho|per| / wagges til and fra
¶Aleyn an{s}werde / |Iohan| wiltow swa
Thanne wol I be byneth / by my crown
And se / how |þt| the mele falles down
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In to the trogh / that sal be my de{s}port/
ffor |Iohan| in faith / I may been of youre sort/
I is as ille a Millere / as ar ye
¶This Millere / smyled of hir nycetee
And thoghte / al this nys doon / but for a wyle
They wene / |þt| no man may hem bigile
But by my thrift / yet shal I blere hir Iye
ffor al the sleighte / in hir Phi{s}lophye
The moore queynte crekys / |þt| they make
The moore wol I {s}tele / whan I take
In {s}tede of flour / yet wol I yeue hem bren
The grette{s}t clerkes / been noght the wi{s}e{s}t men
As whilom to the wolf/ thus spak the mare
Of al hir art/ counte I noght a tare
Out of the dore / he gooth ful pryuely
Whan |þt| he saugh his tyme / softely
He looketh vp and doun / til he hath founde
The clerkes hors / ther {^}{{as}} it stood ybounde
Bihynde the Mille / vnder a leef{s}el
And to the hors / he gooth hym faire and wel
He {s}trepeth of the bridel / right anon
And whan the hors was laus / he gynneth gon
Toward the fen / ther wilde mares renne
And forth with wehe / thurgh thikke and thenne
This Millere gooth ayein / no word he seyde
But dooth his note / and with the clerkes pleyde
Til |þt| hir corn / was faire and wel ygrounde
And whan the mele / was sakked and ybounde
¶This |Iohan| gooth out/ and fynt his hors away
And gan to crye / harrow and weilaway
Oure hors is lo{s}t/. Alayn for goddes banes
Step on thy feet/ com of man al atanes
Allas oure wardeyn / has his palfrey lorn
¶This Alayn al forgat/ bothe mele and corn
Al was out of his mynde / his hou{s}bondrye
What whilk wey is he gane / he gan to crye
¶The wyf cam lepyng/ Inward with a ren
She seyde allas / youre hors gooth to the fen
With wilde mares / as fa{s}te as he may go
Vnthank come on his hand / |þt| boond hym {s}o
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And he |þt| bettre / sholde haue knyt the reyne
¶Allas / quod |Iohan| / Aleyn for Cri{s}tes peyne
Lay doun thy swerd / and I wol myn al{s}wa
I is ful wight / god waat/ as is a ra
By god hert/ he sal nat scape vs bathe
Why ne had thow / pit the capil in the lathe
Ilhail / by god Alayn / thow is a fonne
¶This sely clerkes / haan ful fa{s}te yronne
Toward the fen / bothe Alayn and eek |Iohan|
And whan the Millere seigh / |þt| they were gon
He half a bu{ss}hel / of hir flour hath take
And bad his wyf / go knede it in a cake
He seyde / I trowe / the clerkes were aferd
Yet kan a Millere / maken a clerkes berd
ffor al his art/ ye lat hem goon hir weye
Lo whe|re| he gooth / ye lat the children pleye
They gete hym noght {s}o lightly / by my croun
¶Thi{s}e sely clerkes / rennen vp and doun
With keep / keep / {s}tand / {s}tand / Io{ss}a warderere
Ga whi{s}tle thow / and I sal kepe hym heere
But shortly / til |þt| it was verray nyght/
They koude noght/ thogh they dide al hir myght/
Hir capyl cacche / he ran alwey {s}o fa{s}te
Til in a dych / they caughte hym at the la{s}te
¶Wery and weet/ as bee{s}t is in the reyn
Comth sely |Iohan| / and with hym comth Aleyn
Allas quod |Iohan| / the day |þt| I was born
Now ar we dryuen / til hethyng |&| til scorn
Oure corn is stole / men wil vs foolis calle
Bothe the wardeyn / and oure felawes alle
And namely the Millere / weilawey
¶Thus pleyneth |Iohan| / as he gooth by the wey
Toward the Mille / and Bayard in his hond
The Millere / sittyng by the fyr he fond
ffor it was nyght/ and ferther myghte they noght/
But for the loue of god / they hym bi{s}oght/
Of herberwe and of e{s}e / as for hir peny
¶The Millere seide agayn / if ther be eny
Swich as it is / yet shal ye haue youre part/
Myn hous is streyt/ but ye han lerned art/
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Ye kan by argumentz / make a place
A myle brood / of twenty foot of space
lat se now / if this place may suffi{s}e
Or make it rowm with speche / as is you|re| gy{s}e
¶Now Symond seyde this |Iohan| / by Seint Cutberd
Ay is thou myrie / and that is faire an{s}werd
I haue herd seye / men sal tak/ of twa thynges
Swilk as he fyndes / or tak swilk as he brynges
But specialy / I pray thee hoo{s}t deere
Get vs {s}om mete and drynke / and make vs cheere
And we wol payen / trewely atte fulle
With empty hand / men may none haukes tulle
Lo heere oure siluer / redy for to spende
¶This Millere in to town / his doghter {s}ende
ffor ale and breed / and ro{s}ted hem a goos
And boond hir hors / it sholde namoore go loos
And in his owene chambre / hem made a bed
With shetes and |with| chalons / faire y{s}pred
Noght from his owene bed / but ten foot or twelue
His doghter hadde a bed / al by hir selue
Right in the same chambre by and by
It myghte be no bet/ and cau{s}e why
Ther was no rowmer herberwe / in the place
They soupen / and they speken / hem to solace
And drynken euere {s}troong ale / at the be{s}te
Aboute mydnyght / wente they to re{s}te
Wel hath this Millere / verny{ss}hed his heed
fful pale he was for dronke / and noght reed
He yexeth / and he speketh thurgh the no{s}e
As he were / on the quakke / or on the po{s}e
To bedde he goth / and |with| hym goth his wyf
As any Iay / she light was and iolyf
So was / hir ioly whi{s}tle / wel ywet
The Cradel / at hir beddes feet is set/
To rokken / and to yeue the child to sowke
And whan |þt| dronken / al was in the Crowke
To bedde wente / the doghter right anon
To bedde gooth Aleyn / and al{s}o |Iohan|
Ther nas namoore / hem neded no dwale
This Millere / hath so wi{s}ly bibbed ale
{{Folio 54v}}
That as an hors / he fnorteth in his sleep
Ne of his tayl bihynde / he took no keep
His wyf bar hym / a burdon / a ful strong/
Men myghten hir routyng/ heren a furlong/
The wenche / routeth eek |per| compaignye
¶Aleyn the clerc/ that herde this melodye
He poked |Iohan| / and seyde slepe{s}tow
Herd thow euere / slyk a sang er now
Lo swilk a couplyng/ is ymel hem alle
A wilde fyr / on thair bodyes falle
Wha herkned euere / swilk/ a ferly thyng/
Ye they sal haue / the flour of il endyng/
This lang/ nyght/ ther tydes me na re{s}te
But yet na force / al sal be for the be{s}te
ffor |Iohan| seyde he / als e|uer|e moot I thryue
If |þt| I may / yon wenche wol I swyue
Som e{s}ement/ has lawe shapen vs
ffor |Iohan| / ther is a lawe / |þt| says thus
That gif a man / in a point be agreued
That in another / he sal be releued
Oure corn is {s}toln / {s}oothly it is na nay
And we han had / an ille fit to day
And syn I sal / haue naan amendement/
Agayn my los / I wil haue e{s}ement/
By goddes saule / it sal naan other be
¶This |Iohan| an{s}werde / Aleyn auy{s}e thee
The Millere / is a |per|ilous man he sayde
And if |þt| he / out of his sleep abrayde
He myghte doon vs bathe / a vileynye
¶Aleyn an{s}werde / I counte hym noght a flye
And vp he ri{s}t / and by the wenche he crepte
This wenche lay vp righte / and fa{s}te slepte
Til he {s}o neigh was / er she myghte e{s}pie
That it hadde been / to late for to crie
And shortly for to {s}eyn / they were at oon
Now pley Aleyn / for I wol speke of |Iohan|
¶This |Iohan| lith {s}tille / a furlang wey / or two
And to hym self/ he maketh routhe and wo
Allas quod he / this is a wikked Iape
Now may I seyn / |þt| I is but an ape
{{Folio 55r}}
Yet has my felawe / som what for his harm
He has the Milleris doghter / in his arm
He auntred hym / and has his nedes sped
And I lye / as a draf sak / in my bed
And whan this iape / is told another day
I sal ben halden / a daf a Cokenay
I wil ari{s}e and auntre it/ by my fayth
Vnhardy is vn{s}ely / thus men sayth
¶And vp he roos / and softely he wente
Vn to the Cradel / and in his hand it hente
And baar it softe / vn to his beddes feet/
Soone after this / the wyf hir routynt leet/
And gan awake / and wente hir out to pi{ss}e
And cam agayn / and gan hir Cradel my{ss}e
And groped heer and ther / but she foond noon
Allas quod she / I hadde almoo{s}t my{s}goon
I hadde almoo{s}t/ goon to the clerkes bed
Ey benedicite / thanne had I foule y{s}ped
And forth she gooth / til she the Cradel fond
She gropeth alwey / forther |with| hir hond
And foond the bed / and thoghte noght but good
By cau{s}e / |þt| the Cradel by it {s}tood
And ny{s}te wher she was / for it was derk/
But faire and wel / she creep in to the clerk/
And lyth ful {s}tille / and wolde haue caught a sleep
With Inne a while / this |Iohan| the clerk vp leep
And on this goode wyf / he leyth on {s}oore
So murie a fyt/ ne hadde she nat ful yoore
He priketh harde and depe / as he were mad
This ioly lyf / han thi{s}e two clerkes lad
Til |þt| / the thridde cok/ bigan to synge
¶Aleyn wax wery / in the dawenynge
ffor he hadde swonken / al the longe nyght/
And seyde / fare wel Malyn swete wight/
The day is come / I may no lenger byde
But euere mo / wher {s}o I go or ryde
I is thyn awen clerk/ so haue I sel
¶Now deere lemman quod she / go fare wel
But er thow go / o thyng/ I wol thee telle
Whan that thow wende{s}t / homward by the Melle
{{Folio 55v}}
Right at the entree / of the dore bihynde
Thow shalt a Cake / of half a bu{ss}hel fynde
That was ymaked / of thyn owene mele
Which |þt| I heelp / my {s}ire for to {s}tele
And good lemman / god thee saue and kepe
And with that word / almoo{s}t he gan to wepe
¶Aleyn vp ri{s}t/ and thoghte er |þt| it dawe
I wol go crepen In / by my felawe
And fond the Cradel / with his hond anon
By god thoghte he / al wrang I haue my{s}gon
Myn heed is toty / of my swynk to nyght/
That maketh me / |þt| I go noght aright/
I woot wel by the Cradel / I haue my{s}go
Here lyth the Millere / and his wyf al{s}o
And forth he gooth / on twenty deueleway
Vn to the bed / ther as the Millere lay
He wende haue cropen / by his felawe |Iohan|
And by the Millere / In he creep anoon
And caughte hym by the nekke / and softe he spak/
He seyde thou |Iohan| / thow Swyne{s}hed awak/
ffor cri{s}tes saule / and here a noble game
ffor by that lord / |þt| called is Seint Iame
As I haue thries / in this shorte nyght
Swyued the Milleris doghter / both vp right
Whil thow ha{s}t / as a coward been aga{s}t/
¶Ye fal{s}e harlot/ quod the Millere ha{s}t/
A fal{s}e traytour / fal{s}e clerk/ quod he
Thou shalt be deed / by goddes dignytee
Who dor{s}te be {s}o bold / to di{s}parage
My doghter / that is come of swich lynage
And by the throte bolle / he caughte Alayn
And he hente hym / de{s}pitou{s}ly agayn
And on the no{s}e / he smoot hym with his fe{s}t/
Doun ran the blody streem / vp on his bre{s}t/
And on the floor / with no{s}e and mouth tobroke
They walwen / as doon two pigges in a poke
And vp they goon / and doun agayn anoon
Til |þt| the Millere / sporned on a {s}toon
And doun he fil / bakward vp on his wyf
That wi{s}te no thyng/ of this nyce stryf
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ffor she was falle a{s}lepe / alitel wight/
With |Iohan| the clerk / that waked hadde al nyght/
And with the fal / out of hir sleep she brayde
Help holy cros of Bornholm / she sayde
In manus tuas / lord to thee I calle
Awake Symond / the feend is on me falle
Myn herte is broken / help I nam but ded
Ther lyth oon vp on my wombe / and vp myn hed
Help Symkyn / for the fal{s}e clerkes fighte
¶This |Iohan| sterte vp / as fa{s}te as e|uer|e he myghte
And gra{s}peth by the walles / to and fro
To fynde a {s}taf / and she {s}terte vp al{s}o
And knew the e{s}tres / bet than dide this |Iohan|
And by the wal / a staf she foond anon
And saugh / a litel shymeryng of a light
ffor at an hole / in shoon the moone bright/
And by that light/ she saugh hem bothe two
But sikerly / she ny{s}te who was who
But as she saugh / a whit thyng in hir Iye
And whan she gan / this white thyng e{s}pye
She wende the clerk/ hadde wered a voluper
And with the {s}taf / she drow ay ner and ner
And wende han hit/ this Aleyn atte fulle
And smoot the Millere / on the piled skulle
That doun he gooth / and cryde harrow I dye
Thi{s}e clerkes bette hym wel / and lete hym lye
And greithen hem / and tooke hir hors anon
And eek hir mele / and on hir wey they gon
And at the Mille / yet they toke hir cake
Of half a bu{ss}hel flour/ ful wel ybake
¶Thus is the proude Millere / wel ybete
And hath ylo{s}t/ the gryndyng of the whete
And payed for the souper / euerydel
Of Aleyn / and of |Iohan| / that bette hym wel
His wyf is swyued / and his doghter als
Lo which it is / a Millere to be fals
And therfore this |pro|uerbe / is seyd ful {s}ooth
Hym thar nat wene wel / |þt| yuele dooth
A gilour shal hym self / bigiled be
And god / that sitteth heighe in mage{s}tee
{{Folio 56v}}
Saue al this compaignie / grete and smale
Thus haue I quyt the Millere / in my tale
¶Here endeth the Reues tale
¶The |pro|loge / of the Reues tale
Whan folk hadde laughen / at this nyce cas
Of Ab{s}olon / and hende Nicholas
Di|uer|{s}e folk / diuer{s}ely they seyde
But for the moore part/ they lowe and pleyde
Ne at his tale / I seigh no man hym greue
But it were oonly/ O{s}ewold the Reue
By cau{s}e he was / of Carpenters craft/
Alitel Ire / is in his herte ylaft/
He gan to grucche / and blamed it alite
So the ik quod he / ful wel koude I thee quyte
With bleryng/ of a proud Millerys Iye
If |þt| me li{s}te / speke of rybaudye
But ik am oold / me li{s}t no pleye for age
Gras tyme is doon / my fodder is now forage
This white top / writeth myne olde yerys
Myn herte / is al{s}o mowled / as myne herys
But if ik fare / as dooth an Openers
That ilke fruyt/ is euer lenger the wers
Til it be roten / in Mollok / or in stree
We olde men / I drede {s}o fare we
Til we be roten / kan we noght be rype
We hoppe alwey / whil |þt| the world wol pipe
ffor in oure wil / ther stiketh euere a nayl
To haue an hoor heer / and a grene tayl
As hath a leek / for thogh oure myght be goon
Oure wil de{s}ireth folie / euere in oon
ffor whan we may noght/ doon / than wol we speke
Yet in oure a{ss}hen olde / is fyr yreke
{{Folio 51r}}
ffoure gleedes haue we / whiche I shal deuy{s}e
Auauntyng/ lyyng/ Anger Coueiti{s}e
Thi{s}e foure sparkles / longen vn to eelde
Oure lymes / mowe wel been vnweelde
But wil ne shal noght faillen / that is sooth
And yet I haue alwey / a coltes tooth
As many a yeer / as it is pa{ss}ed henne
Syn |þt| my tappe of lyf / bigan to renne
ffor sikerlik/ whan ik was bore anon
Deeth drogh the tappe of lyf / and leet it goon
And euere sith / hath {s}o the tappe yronne
Til |þt| almoo{s}t / al empty is the tonne
The {s}treem of lyf / now droppeth on the chymbe
The sely tonge / may wel rynge and chymbe
Of wrecchedne{ss}e / |þt| pa{ss}ed is ful yoore
With olde folk / saue dotage is namoore
¶Whan |þt| oure hoo{s}t/ hadde herd this sermonyng/
He gan to speke / as lordly as a kyng/
He seyde / what amounteth al this wit
What shal we speke alday / of holy writ
The deuel made / a Reue for to |pre|che
Or of a Soute|re| / a Shipman / or a leche
Sey forth thy tale / and tarie noght the tyme
Lo Depeford / and it is half wey pryme
Lo Grenewych / ther many a sherewe is Inne
It were al tyme / thy tale to bigynne
¶Now sires / quod this O{s}ewold the Reue
I pray yow alle / |þt| ye noght yow greue
Thogh I an{s}were / and som del sette his howue
ffor leueful is / with force / force of showue
This dronken Mille|re| / hath ytoold vs heer
How |þt| / bigiled was a Carpenter
|per|auenture in scorn / for I am oon
And by youre leue / I shal hym quyte anon
Right / in his cherles termes / wol I speke
I pray to god / his nekke mote to breke
He kan wel / in myn eye / seen a {s}talke
But in his owene / he kan noght {s}een a balke
Narra|ter|
AT Trompyngto|un| / nat fer fro Cantebrygge
Ther gooth a brook / and ouer that a brygge
{{Folio 51v}}
Vp on the which brook/ ther stant a Melle
And this is verray sooth / |þt| I yow telle
A Mille|re| was ther dwellyng many a day
As any Pecok/ he was proud and gay
Pipen he koude / and fi{ss}he / and nettes beete
And torne coppes / and wel wra{s}tle and sheete
And by his belt/ he baar a long Panade
And of a swerd / ful trenchaunt was the blade
A ioly poppe|re| / baar he in his pouche
Ther was no man / for |per|il dor{s}te hym touche
A sheffeld thwitel / baar he in his ho{s}e
Round was his face / and camu{s}e was his no{s}e
As piled as an Ape / was his skulle
He was a Market bete|re| / atte fulle
Ther dor{s}te no wight/ hand vp on hym legge
That he ne swoor / he sholde anon abegge
A theef he was for sothe / of corn and mele
And |þt| a sleigh / and v{s}ant for to stele
His name was hoten / deynous Symkyn
A wif he hadde / comen of noble kyn
The per{s}on of the toun / hir fader was
With hi|re| he yaf / ful many a panne a bras
ffor |þt| Symkyn / sholde in his blood allye
She was yfo{s}tred / in a Nonnerye
ffor Symkyn / wolde no wyf as he sayde
But she were wel ynori{ss}ed and a mayde
To sauen / his e{s}taat of yemanrye
And she was proud / and peert as is a pye
A ful fair sighte / was it vp on hem two
On halidayes / biforn hi|re| wolde he go
With his tipet/ wounden aboute his heed
And she cam after / in a gyte of reed
And Symkyn / hadde ho{s}en of the same
Ther dor{s}te no wight/ clepen hire but dame
Was noon {s}o hardy / |þt| wente by the weye
That with hire/ dor{s}te rage / or ones pleye
But if he / wolde be slayn of Symkyn
With panade / or with knyf/ or boydekyn
ffor Ialous folk / been |per|ilou{s}e eueremo
Algate / they wolde hir wyues wenden {s}o
{{Folio 52r}}
And eek / for she was som del smoterlich
She was as digne / as water in a dich
And ful of hoker / and of bi{s}mare
Hir thoghte / |þt| a lady sholde hir spare
What for hir kynrede / and hir nortelrye
That she hadde lerned / in the Nonnerye
A doghter hadde they / bitwix hem two
Of twenty yeer / with outen any mo
Sauyng a child / |þt| was of hal yeer age
In Cradel it lay / and was a |prop|re page
This wenche / thikke and wel ygrowen was
With camu{s}e no{s}e / and eyen greye as glas
With buttokes brode / and bre{s}tes rounde and hye
But right fair was hir heer/ I wol nat lye
¶The |per|{s}on of the toun / for she was {s}o feir
In purpos was / to maken hi|re| his heir
Bothe of his catel / and his Me{s}uage
And {s}traunge he made it/ of hir mariage
His purpos was / for to bi{s}towe hir hye
In to som worthy blood of Auncetrye
ffor holicherches good / moot been de{s}pended
On holicherches blood / |þt| is de{s}cended
Ther fore / he wolde his holy blood honoure
Thogh |þt| he / holy chirche sholde deuoure
¶Greet sokne / hath this Mille|re| out of doute
With whete and malt/ of al the land aboute
And nameliche / ther was a greet Collegge
Men clepeth / the Soler halle at Cantebregge
Ther was hir whete / and eek hir malt ygrounde
And on a day / it happed in {{^}}{{a}} stounde
Syk was this maunciple / on a maladie
Men wenden wi{s}ly / |þt| he sholde dye
ffor which this Millere / {s}tal bothe mele and corn
An hondred tyme / moore than biforn
ffor ther biforn / he {s}tal but curtei{s}ly
But now / he was a theef outrageou{s}ly
ffor which the wardeyn / chidde and made fare
But ther of / sette the Millere noght a tare
He craked boo{s}t/ and swoor it was noght so
Thanne were ther / yonge poure scolers two
{{Folio 52v}}
That/ dwelten in the halle / of which I seye
Te{s}tyf they were / and lu{s}ty for to pleye
And oonly / for hir myrthe and reuerye
Vp on the wardeyn / bi{s}ily they crye
To yeue hem leue / but a litel stounde
To go to Mille / and seen hir corn ygrounde
And hardily / they dor{s}te leye hir nekke
The Millere / sholde noght {s}telen hem half a pekke
Of corn by sleighte / ne by force hem reue
And atte la{s}te / the wardeyn yaf hem leue
|Iohan| highte that oon / and Aleyn highte that oother
Of oon town were they born / |þt| highte Strother
ffer in the North / I kan noght telle where
This Aleyn / maketh redy al his gere
And on an hors / the sak he ca{s}te anon
fforth gooth Aleyn the clerk/. and al{s}o |Iohan|
With good swerd / and with bokeler by his syde
|Iohan| knew the wey / hym neded no gyde
And at the Mille / the sak adoun he layth
¶Aleyn spak fir{s}t/ alhayl Symkyn in fayth
How fares / thy faire doghter / and thy wyf
¶Aleyn wel come / quod Symkyn by my lyf
And |Iohan| al{s}o / how now / what do ye here
¶By god quod |Iohan| / Symond nede has na peere
Hym bilhoues serue hym self / |þt| has na swayn
Or ellis / he is a fool / as clerkes sayn
Oure maunciple / I hope he wol be deed
Swa werkes ay / the wanges in his heed
And ther fore is I come / and eek Alayn
To grynde oure corn / and carie it heem agayn
I pray yow / speed vs heythen / what ye may
¶It shal be doon / quod Symkyn by my fay
What wol ye doon / whil |þt| it is in hande
¶By god / right by the ho|per| / wol I stande
Quod |Iohan| / and se how the corn gas In
Yet {s}aw I neuere / by my fader kyn
How |þt| the ho|per| / wagges til and fra
¶Aleyn an{s}werde / |Iohan| wiltow swa
Thanne wol I be byneth / by my crown
And se / how |þt| the mele falles down
{{Folio 53r}}
In to the trogh / that sal be my de{s}port/
ffor |Iohan| in faith / I may been of youre sort/
I is as ille a Millere / as ar ye
¶This Millere / smyled of hir nycetee
And thoghte / al this nys doon / but for a wyle
They wene / |þt| no man may hem bigile
But by my thrift / yet shal I blere hir Iye
ffor al the sleighte / in hir Phi{s}lophye
The moore queynte crekys / |þt| they make
The moore wol I {s}tele / whan I take
In {s}tede of flour / yet wol I yeue hem bren
The grette{s}t clerkes / been noght the wi{s}e{s}t men
As whilom to the wolf/ thus spak the mare
Of al hir art/ counte I noght a tare
Out of the dore / he gooth ful pryuely
Whan |þt| he saugh his tyme / softely
He looketh vp and doun / til he hath founde
The clerkes hors / ther {^}{{as}} it stood ybounde
Bihynde the Mille / vnder a leef{s}el
And to the hors / he gooth hym faire and wel
He {s}trepeth of the bridel / right anon
And whan the hors was laus / he gynneth gon
Toward the fen / ther wilde mares renne
And forth with wehe / thurgh thikke and thenne
This Millere gooth ayein / no word he seyde
But dooth his note / and with the clerkes pleyde
Til |þt| hir corn / was faire and wel ygrounde
And whan the mele / was sakked and ybounde
¶This |Iohan| gooth out/ and fynt his hors away
And gan to crye / harrow and weilaway
Oure hors is lo{s}t/. Alayn for goddes banes
Step on thy feet/ com of man al atanes
Allas oure wardeyn / has his palfrey lorn
¶This Alayn al forgat/ bothe mele and corn
Al was out of his mynde / his hou{s}bondrye
What whilk wey is he gane / he gan to crye
¶The wyf cam lepyng/ Inward with a ren
She seyde allas / youre hors gooth to the fen
With wilde mares / as fa{s}te as he may go
Vnthank come on his hand / |þt| boond hym {s}o
{{Folio 53v}}
And he |þt| bettre / sholde haue knyt the reyne
¶Allas / quod |Iohan| / Aleyn for Cri{s}tes peyne
Lay doun thy swerd / and I wol myn al{s}wa
I is ful wight / god waat/ as is a ra
By god hert/ he sal nat scape vs bathe
Why ne had thow / pit the capil in the lathe
Ilhail / by god Alayn / thow is a fonne
¶This sely clerkes / haan ful fa{s}te yronne
Toward the fen / bothe Alayn and eek |Iohan|
And whan the Millere seigh / |þt| they were gon
He half a bu{ss}hel / of hir flour hath take
And bad his wyf / go knede it in a cake
He seyde / I trowe / the clerkes were aferd
Yet kan a Millere / maken a clerkes berd
ffor al his art/ ye lat hem goon hir weye
Lo whe|re| he gooth / ye lat the children pleye
They gete hym noght {s}o lightly / by my croun
¶Thi{s}e sely clerkes / rennen vp and doun
With keep / keep / {s}tand / {s}tand / Io{ss}a warderere
Ga whi{s}tle thow / and I sal kepe hym heere
But shortly / til |þt| it was verray nyght/
They koude noght/ thogh they dide al hir myght/
Hir capyl cacche / he ran alwey {s}o fa{s}te
Til in a dych / they caughte hym at the la{s}te
¶Wery and weet/ as bee{s}t is in the reyn
Comth sely |Iohan| / and with hym comth Aleyn
Allas quod |Iohan| / the day |þt| I was born
Now ar we dryuen / til hethyng |&| til scorn
Oure corn is stole / men wil vs foolis calle
Bothe the wardeyn / and oure felawes alle
And namely the Millere / weilawey
¶Thus pleyneth |Iohan| / as he gooth by the wey
Toward the Mille / and Bayard in his hond
The Millere / sittyng by the fyr he fond
ffor it was nyght/ and ferther myghte they noght/
But for the loue of god / they hym bi{s}oght/
Of herberwe and of e{s}e / as for hir peny
¶The Millere seide agayn / if ther be eny
Swich as it is / yet shal ye haue youre part/
Myn hous is streyt/ but ye han lerned art/
{{Folio 54r}}
Ye kan by argumentz / make a place
A myle brood / of twenty foot of space
lat se now / if this place may suffi{s}e
Or make it rowm with speche / as is you|re| gy{s}e
¶Now Symond seyde this |Iohan| / by Seint Cutberd
Ay is thou myrie / and that is faire an{s}werd
I haue herd seye / men sal tak/ of twa thynges
Swilk as he fyndes / or tak swilk as he brynges
But specialy / I pray thee hoo{s}t deere
Get vs {s}om mete and drynke / and make vs cheere
And we wol payen / trewely atte fulle
With empty hand / men may none haukes tulle
Lo heere oure siluer / redy for to spende
¶This Millere in to town / his doghter {s}ende
ffor ale and breed / and ro{s}ted hem a goos
And boond hir hors / it sholde namoore go loos
And in his owene chambre / hem made a bed
With shetes and |with| chalons / faire y{s}pred
Noght from his owene bed / but ten foot or twelue
His doghter hadde a bed / al by hir selue
Right in the same chambre by and by
It myghte be no bet/ and cau{s}e why
Ther was no rowmer herberwe / in the place
They soupen / and they speken / hem to solace
And drynken euere {s}troong ale / at the be{s}te
Aboute mydnyght / wente they to re{s}te
Wel hath this Millere / verny{ss}hed his heed
fful pale he was for dronke / and noght reed
He yexeth / and he speketh thurgh the no{s}e
As he were / on the quakke / or on the po{s}e
To bedde he goth / and |with| hym goth his wyf
As any Iay / she light was and iolyf
So was / hir ioly whi{s}tle / wel ywet
The Cradel / at hir beddes feet is set/
To rokken / and to yeue the child to sowke
And whan |þt| dronken / al was in the Crowke
To bedde wente / the doghter right anon
To bedde gooth Aleyn / and al{s}o |Iohan|
Ther nas namoore / hem neded no dwale
This Millere / hath so wi{s}ly bibbed ale
{{Folio 54v}}
That as an hors / he fnorteth in his sleep
Ne of his tayl bihynde / he took no keep
His wyf bar hym / a burdon / a ful strong/
Men myghten hir routyng/ heren a furlong/
The wenche / routeth eek |per| compaignye
¶Aleyn the clerc/ that herde this melodye
He poked |Iohan| / and seyde slepe{s}tow
Herd thow euere / slyk a sang er now
Lo swilk a couplyng/ is ymel hem alle
A wilde fyr / on thair bodyes falle
Wha herkned euere / swilk/ a ferly thyng/
Ye they sal haue / the flour of il endyng/
This lang/ nyght/ ther tydes me na re{s}te
But yet na force / al sal be for the be{s}te
ffor |Iohan| seyde he / als e|uer|e moot I thryue
If |þt| I may / yon wenche wol I swyue
Som e{s}ement/ has lawe shapen vs
ffor |Iohan| / ther is a lawe / |þt| says thus
That gif a man / in a point be agreued
That in another / he sal be releued
Oure corn is {s}toln / {s}oothly it is na nay
And we han had / an ille fit to day
And syn I sal / haue naan amendement/
Agayn my los / I wil haue e{s}ement/
By goddes saule / it sal naan other be
¶This |Iohan| an{s}werde / Aleyn auy{s}e thee
The Millere / is a |per|ilous man he sayde
And if |þt| he / out of his sleep abrayde
He myghte doon vs bathe / a vileynye
¶Aleyn an{s}werde / I counte hym noght a flye
And vp he ri{s}t / and by the wenche he crepte
This wenche lay vp righte / and fa{s}te slepte
Til he {s}o neigh was / er she myghte e{s}pie
That it hadde been / to late for to crie
And shortly for to {s}eyn / they were at oon
Now pley Aleyn / for I wol speke of |Iohan|
¶This |Iohan| lith {s}tille / a furlang wey / or two
And to hym self/ he maketh routhe and wo
Allas quod he / this is a wikked Iape
Now may I seyn / |þt| I is but an ape
{{Folio 55r}}
Yet has my felawe / som what for his harm
He has the Milleris doghter / in his arm
He auntred hym / and has his nedes sped
And I lye / as a draf sak / in my bed
And whan this iape / is told another day
I sal ben halden / a daf a Cokenay
I wil ari{s}e and auntre it/ by my fayth
Vnhardy is vn{s}ely / thus men sayth
¶And vp he roos / and softely he wente
Vn to the Cradel / and in his hand it hente
And baar it softe / vn to his beddes feet/
Soone after this / the wyf hir routynt leet/
And gan awake / and wente hir out to pi{ss}e
And cam agayn / and gan hir Cradel my{ss}e
And groped heer and ther / but she foond noon
Allas quod she / I hadde almoo{s}t my{s}goon
I hadde almoo{s}t/ goon to the clerkes bed
Ey benedicite / thanne had I foule y{s}ped
And forth she gooth / til she the Cradel fond
She gropeth alwey / forther |with| hir hond
And foond the bed / and thoghte noght but good
By cau{s}e / |þt| the Cradel by it {s}tood
And ny{s}te wher she was / for it was derk/
But faire and wel / she creep in to the clerk/
And lyth ful {s}tille / and wolde haue caught a sleep
With Inne a while / this |Iohan| the clerk vp leep
And on this goode wyf / he leyth on {s}oore
So murie a fyt/ ne hadde she nat ful yoore
He priketh harde and depe / as he were mad
This ioly lyf / han thi{s}e two clerkes lad
Til |þt| / the thridde cok/ bigan to synge
¶Aleyn wax wery / in the dawenynge
ffor he hadde swonken / al the longe nyght/
And seyde / fare wel Malyn swete wight/
The day is come / I may no lenger byde
But euere mo / wher {s}o I go or ryde
I is thyn awen clerk/ so haue I sel
¶Now deere lemman quod she / go fare wel
But er thow go / o thyng/ I wol thee telle
Whan that thow wende{s}t / homward by the Melle
{{Folio 55v}}
Right at the entree / of the dore bihynde
Thow shalt a Cake / of half a bu{ss}hel fynde
That was ymaked / of thyn owene mele
Which |þt| I heelp / my {s}ire for to {s}tele
And good lemman / god thee saue and kepe
And with that word / almoo{s}t he gan to wepe
¶Aleyn vp ri{s}t/ and thoghte er |þt| it dawe
I wol go crepen In / by my felawe
And fond the Cradel / with his hond anon
By god thoghte he / al wrang I haue my{s}gon
Myn heed is toty / of my swynk to nyght/
That maketh me / |þt| I go noght aright/
I woot wel by the Cradel / I haue my{s}go
Here lyth the Millere / and his wyf al{s}o
And forth he gooth / on twenty deueleway
Vn to the bed / ther as the Millere lay
He wende haue cropen / by his felawe |Iohan|
And by the Millere / In he creep anoon
And caughte hym by the nekke / and softe he spak/
He seyde thou |Iohan| / thow Swyne{s}hed awak/
ffor cri{s}tes saule / and here a noble game
ffor by that lord / |þt| called is Seint Iame
As I haue thries / in this shorte nyght
Swyued the Milleris doghter / both vp right
Whil thow ha{s}t / as a coward been aga{s}t/
¶Ye fal{s}e harlot/ quod the Millere ha{s}t/
A fal{s}e traytour / fal{s}e clerk/ quod he
Thou shalt be deed / by goddes dignytee
Who dor{s}te be {s}o bold / to di{s}parage
My doghter / that is come of swich lynage
And by the throte bolle / he caughte Alayn
And he hente hym / de{s}pitou{s}ly agayn
And on the no{s}e / he smoot hym with his fe{s}t/
Doun ran the blody streem / vp on his bre{s}t/
And on the floor / with no{s}e and mouth tobroke
They walwen / as doon two pigges in a poke
And vp they goon / and doun agayn anoon
Til |þt| the Millere / sporned on a {s}toon
And doun he fil / bakward vp on his wyf
That wi{s}te no thyng/ of this nyce stryf
{{Folio 56r}}
ffor she was falle a{s}lepe / alitel wight/
With |Iohan| the clerk / that waked hadde al nyght/
And with the fal / out of hir sleep she brayde
Help holy cros of Bornholm / she sayde
In manus tuas / lord to thee I calle
Awake Symond / the feend is on me falle
Myn herte is broken / help I nam but ded
Ther lyth oon vp on my wombe / and vp myn hed
Help Symkyn / for the fal{s}e clerkes fighte
¶This |Iohan| sterte vp / as fa{s}te as e|uer|e he myghte
And gra{s}peth by the walles / to and fro
To fynde a {s}taf / and she {s}terte vp al{s}o
And knew the e{s}tres / bet than dide this |Iohan|
And by the wal / a staf she foond anon
And saugh / a litel shymeryng of a light
ffor at an hole / in shoon the moone bright/
And by that light/ she saugh hem bothe two
But sikerly / she ny{s}te who was who
But as she saugh / a whit thyng in hir Iye
And whan she gan / this white thyng e{s}pye
She wende the clerk/ hadde wered a voluper
And with the {s}taf / she drow ay ner and ner
And wende han hit/ this Aleyn atte fulle
And smoot the Millere / on the piled skulle
That doun he gooth / and cryde harrow I dye
Thi{s}e clerkes bette hym wel / and lete hym lye
And greithen hem / and tooke hir hors anon
And eek hir mele / and on hir wey they gon
And at the Mille / yet they toke hir cake
Of half a bu{ss}hel flour/ ful wel ybake
¶Thus is the proude Millere / wel ybete
And hath ylo{s}t/ the gryndyng of the whete
And payed for the souper / euerydel
Of Aleyn / and of |Iohan| / that bette hym wel
His wyf is swyued / and his doghter als
Lo which it is / a Millere to be fals
And therfore this |pro|uerbe / is seyd ful {s}ooth
Hym thar nat wene wel / |þt| yuele dooth
A gilour shal hym self / bigiled be
And god / that sitteth heighe in mage{s}tee
{{Folio 56v}}
Saue al this compaignie / grete and smale
Thus haue I quyt the Millere / in my tale
¶Here endeth the Reues tale