The Reeve's Tale
Folio 58v
6 of 13 folios
220
With scheetes and wiþ chalons faire y spredde
Nought from his oughne bed ten foote or twelue /
His doughter hadde a bed al by hir selue /
Right in þe same chambre by and by
It mighte be no bette and cause why
225
Ther was no romer herberwe in þe place
Þey soupen and þey speken hem of solace
And drynken euere strong ale atte beste
A boute mydnygħt wente þei to reste
Wel haþ þe mellere vernysshed his heed
230
Ful pale he was for drunken and nouȝt reed
He yexeth and he spekeþ þurgħ þe nose /
As he were on þe quakke or on þe pose /
To bedde he goþ and with him goþ his wijf
As eny Iay he light was and Iolif
235
So was hire Ioly whistel wel y wette
The cradell at hire beddes feet is sette /
To rokken and to yeue þe childe to souke
And whan þat dronken was al in þe crouke
To bedde wente þe doughter right anoon
240
To bedde goþ Alayn and also Ioħn
Ther was nomore þem needede no dwale
This meller haþ so wisly bibbed ale
That as an hors he snorteþ in his slepe
Ne of his tayl behynde he took no keepe
245
His wijf bar him a burdoū a ful strong
Men mighten heere here routyng a furlong
The wenche routeþ eek par compaignie
Alayn þe clerk þat herde þis melodye
He pokede Ioħn and seyde sleepist þou
250
Herdestow euer slik a sang ar now
Lo swilk a couplyng is bitwixe hem aƚƚ
A wilde fyr on þair bodies faƚƚ
Ho herkned euer slik a ferly þing
Ye þai saƚƚ haue þe flour of yƚƚ endyng
255
This lange night þer tydes me na reste /