The Miller's Tale
Folio 35r
13 of 18 folios
And hem vitailled both trogh and tubbe
Wyth bred and chese and good ale in a Iubbe
Suffysing right y nogh as for a day
But er that he had mad al this array
445
He sent his knaue and eke his wenche also
Vpon his nede to london for to go
And on the monday whan it drogh to nyght
He shette his dore wyth outen candil lyght
And dressed al thing as it shold be
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And shortly vp thei clomben al thre
Thei seten still wel a forlong way
¶ Now pater noster clum seyde Nicholay
And clum quod Ioħn and clum seide Alisoun
This Carpenter seide his deuocioun
455
And stil he sit and biddeth his preyere
Awaityng on the reyne yif he it here
¶ The deed sleep for wery bisinesse
Fil on this carpenter ryght as I gesse
Aboute corfue tyme or litel more
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For trauaille of his gost he groneth sore
And eft he routeth for his hed mys lay
Doun of the laddre stalketh Nicholay
And Alison ful softe a doun she spedde
Wyth outen wordes mo thei gon to bedde
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Ther as the carpenter is wont to lye
Ther was the reuel and the melodye
And thus lyen Alison and Nicholas
In bisines or murthe and in solas
Til that the belle of laudes gan to rynge
470
And freres in the chauncel gon synge
This parysh clerk this amorous absolon
That is for loue alwey so wo bigon
Vp on the monday was at Osneye
Wyth companye him to disport and pleye
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And axed vp on cas a cloysterere
Ful pryuely aftyr Ioħn the carpentere
And drogh him apart out of the chirche
And seyde I noot I sagh him here noght wyrche