The Reeve's Tale
Folio 55v
7 of 11 folios
225
Ther was no rommer herberw in þe place
They sowpen and þey speke hem to solace
And dronken euer stong a le atte beste
Aboute mydnyght wente þey to reste
Wel haþ þe myller vernysshed his heed
230
Ful pale he was for dronken and nat reed
He ȝoxeth and he spekeþ þurgh þe nose /
As he were on þe quakke or on þe pose /
To bed he goþ and wiþ him goþ his wyf
As eny Iay sche light was and iolyf
235
So was his ioly whistel wel y wet
The cradil at hire beddes feet is set
To rokken and to ȝiue þe child to souke /
And whan þat dronken was al in þe crouke
To bedde went þe douȝter right anon
240
To bedde goþ aleyn and also Ion
Ther nas no more him needed no dwale
This meller haþ so wysly bibbed ale /
That as an hors he snortith in his sleep
Ne of his tayl bihynd took he no keep
245
His wyf burdoū a ful strong
Men migħt her rowtyng heeren a forlong
The wenche routeþ eek par companye
Aleyn þe clerk þat herde þis melodye
He pokyd Iohñ / and seyde slepistow
250
Herdistow euer slik a sang er now
Lo slik a couplyng is betwix hem aƚƚ
A wilde fyr vpon þair bodyes falle
Wha herkned euer swilk a ferly þing /
Ȝe þei sul haue þe flour of ille endyng
255
This lange night þer tydes me na rest
But ȝet na fors al sal be for þe best
For Iohñ sayd he as euer mot I þryue
If þat I may ȝone wenche sal I swyue
Som esement haþ lawe schapen vs
260
For Ioħn þer is a lawe þat says þus
That if a man in a poynt be agreued
That in anoþer he sal be releeued