The Reeve's Tale
Folio 58r
7 of 13 folios
They couþe nought þougħ þei dede aƚƚ here migħt
185
Here capel cacche he ran alwey so faste
Til in a diche þei caught him atte laste
Wery and wet as beest is in þe rayn
Comeþ seely Ioħn and with him comþ alayn
¶ Allas qd Ioħn þe day þat I was born
190
Now ere we dryuen til hething and til scorn
Oure corn is stole men wil vs fooles calle
Boþe þe wardein and oure felawes alle
And namely þe meller weylawey
Thus pleyneþ Iohan as he goþ by þe wey
195
Toward þe melle and bayard in his hond
The meller sittyng by þe fyr he fond
For it was nyght and ferþer might he nought
But for þe loue of god þei him bisougħt
Of herberwe and of eese as for here peny
200
The mellere seyde agayn if þer be eny
Such as it is ȝit schal ȝe haue ȝoure part
Myn hous is streit but ȝe han lerned art
Ȝe can by argumentes make a place
A myle brood of twenty foote of space
205
Lat se now if þis place mow suffise
Or make it rowmere with speche as is your gyse
Now Symond seyde þis Ioħn by Seint Cuthberd
As is þou mery and þat is faire answerd
I haue herd say men sal take of tua þinges
210
Swilk as he fyndes or take swilk as he brynges /
But specially I pray þe ooste deere
Gete vs som mete and drynk and mak vs cheere
And we wol payen trewly atte fulle
With empty handes men may naan haukes tulle
215
Lo heer oure siluer reedy for til spende
This meller to þe toun his doughter sende
For ale and breed and rosted hem a goos
And boond here hors it scholde namoore go loos
And in his owne chambre he made a bedde