The Miller's Tale
Folio 41r
4 of 17 folios
And spake so faire & proferd him so fast
That sche hire loue gauntide him att last
105
And swore \an/ he oþe be seinte Thomas of kent
That sche wolde be att is cōmandement
Whan þat sche maie hir leisere wele aspie
Mine husbonde is so ful of Ielousye
That bot .I. weite wele & be piue
110
.I. whote riht wele .I. name but dede qd sche
Ȝe motte be ful derne as in þis cas
Nay þere of care þe nouht qd Nicholas
A clerke hadde liþerli be sette his while
Bot if he couþe a carpenter begile
115
And þus þei accorden and.y sworne
To wayte a time as .I. haue tolde be forne
Whan Nicholas hadde þis euerydele
And þakked hire aboute þe lendes wele
He kiste hire swete & takeþ his sautrie
120
And plaieþ fast & makeþ melodie
¶ Than fel it þus þat \to/ þe Parissche cherche
Cristes owen werke for to werche
This good wife went on an haly daie
Hire forhed schone as briht as any daie
125
So was it whassche whan sche lete hir werke
Nowe was þere of þat chirche a parische clerke
The whiche þat was ycleped Absolon
Cruƚƚ was his here and as þe golde it schone
And strouted as a Fan large & brode
130
Ful streighte & euen lay his Ioly schode
His rud.was rede his yen grei as goos
Wiþ poules wyndowe coruen on his schoos
In hoses rede he went fetisly
Y cladde he was ful smal & propurly
135
Al in a kerteƚƚ of aliht wachett
Ful faire & ful þike be þe pointes sett
And þere vpon he hadd a gaie surplise
As white as is þe blossome on þe Rise
A mery childe he was as god me saue
140
And wele couþe he laten blode or clippe or schaue
And make a charter of londe or on quitance
In twenti manere qd he trip & daunce
After þe scole of Oxenforde þo
And wiþ his legges casten to & fro