The Miller's Tale
Folio 39v
11 of 15 folios
Til that the belle of laudes gan to rynge
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And freres in the Chauncel gonne synge
This parissħ clerk / this Amorous Absolon
That is for loue alwey so wo bigon
Vp on the Monday / was at Oseneye
With a compaignye / hym to disporte and pleye
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And axed vp on cas a Cloistrer
Ful piuely / after Ioħn the Carpenter
And he drough hym a part out of the chirche
And seyde I noot I saugh hym heere nat wirche
Syn Saterday / I trowe that he be went
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For tymber / ther oure Abbot hath hym sent
For he is wont for tymber for to go
And dwellen at the grange / a day or two
Or elles / he is at his hous certeyn
Wher that he be / I kan nat soothly seyn
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¶ This Absolon / ful ioly was and ligħt
And thoghte / now is tyme wake al nygħt
For sikirly / I saugh hym nat stirynge
Aboute his dore / syn day bigan to sprynge
¶ So moot I thryue / I shal at cokkes crowe
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Ful pryuely / knokke at his wyndowe
That stant ful lowe / vp on his boures wal
To Alison / now wol I tellen al
My loue longynge / for yet I shal nat mysse
That at the leeste wey / I shal hir kisse
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Som maner confort shal I haue parfay
My mouth hath icched al this longe day
That is a signe of kissyng atte leeste
Al nyght me mette eek / I was at a feeste
Therfore I wol goon slepe / an houre or tweye
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And al the nyght thanne wol I wake and pleye
Whan that the firste cok hath crowe anon
Vp rist this ioly louer Absolon
And hym arraieth / gay at poynt deuys
But first he cheweth greyn of lycorys
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To smellen sweete / er he hadde kembd his heer
Vnder his tonge / a trewe loue he beer
For ther by / wende he to ben gracious
He rometh / to the Carpenteres hous
And stille he stant vnder the shot wyndowe
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Vn to his brist it raughte / it was so lowe
And softe he knokketh / with a semy soun
What do ye hony comb / sweete Alisoun
My faire bryd / my sweete cynamome
Awaketh lemman myn / and speketh to me
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Wel / litel thynken ye / vp on my wo
That for youre loue / I swete ther I go