The Reeve's Tale
Folio 41r
7 of 11 folios
245
His wyf bar him a burdoun a ful stronge
Men myght hir routyng heren a forlonge
The wenche routeth per compaignye
¶ Aleyn the clerk that herd this melodye
He poketh Ioħn and seide slepestow
250
Herd thow euyr slik a sang er now
Lo slik a couplyng is y mel hem alle
A wylde fir on ther bodyes falle
Wha herkened euyr slik a ferly thinge
\Ye thei/ shal haue the flour of ille endynge
255
This lange nyght ther tides me na rest
But yit na force al shal be for the best
For Ioħn seyde he as euer mote I thryue
Gif that I may yon wenche wol x xxxxx
Som esement has law I shapen vs
260
For Ioħn ther is a law that says thus
That gif a man in a point be agreued
That in a nother he shal be releued
Our corn is stolen sothely it is no nay
And we han had an ille fit this day
265
And syn I shal haue nan amendement
Agayn my losse I wil haue esement
By goddes saule it shal na nother be
¶ This Ioħn answerd aleyn auyse the
The Miller is perilous man he seide
270
And yif that he out of his sleep brayde
He myght doon vs bothe a vilenye
¶ Aleyn answerd I counte him nat a flye
And vp he riste and by the wenche he crepe
This wenche lay vp ryght and fast a slepe
275
Til he so nygh was er she myght espye
That it had ben to late for to crye
And shortly for to seyn thei were aton
Now pley aleyn for I wil speke of Ioħn
¶ This Ioħn lith stil a forlong wey or two
280
And to him selfe he maketh routh and wo
Allas quod he this is a wykked Iape