The Reeve's Tale
Folio 56v
10 of 13 folios
An hundred tyme more þanne biforn
For þer biforn he stal but curteysly
But now he was a theef outrageously
For which þe wardein chidde and made fare /
80
But þer of sette þe meller nougħt a tare /
He crakede bost and swor it was nought so /
Thanne were þere ȝonge scoleres tuo
That dwelten in þe halle of which I seye
Testyf þey were and lusty for to pleye
85
And oonly for here mirthe and reuerye
Vpon þe wardein bisily þei crye
To ȝif hem leue but a litel stounde
To go to melle and seen here corn y grounde
And hardily þei dorste leye here nekke
90
The mellere schulde nat stele hem half a pekke
Of corn ne by sleigħt ne by force hem Reue
And atte laste þe wardeyn yaf hem leue
Iohñ hight þat oon and alayn hight þat oþer
Of oo toun were þei born þat highte strother
95
Fer in the North I can not telle where
This alayn makeþ redy aƚƚ his gere
And on an hors þe sak he cast anon
Forþ goþ alayn þe clerk and also Ioħn
Wiþ good swerd and wiþ bokeler by his syde
100
Ioħn knew þe wey him needede no guyde /
And atte melle þe sak a doun he layth
Alain spak first . alhail Symoū in faiþ
How fares þi faire doughter and þi wyf
Alayn welcome qd Symkyn by my lyf
105
And Ioħn also how now what do ȝe heere
By god qd Ioħn Symond neede haþ no peere
Him bihoues serue himself þat has na swayn
Or elles he is a folt as clerkes sayn
Oure manciple I hope he wil be deed
110
Swa werkes him ay þe wanges in his heed
And þerfore is I come and eek alayn To grynde