The Miller's Prologue
Folio 28v
2 of 3 folios
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Ne abiden no man of his curtesye
But in pilates vois he gan to crye
And swore by armes and blood and boones
I kan a noble tale for the nones
Wyth which I wol now quyte the knyght his tale
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Our oost saw that he was dronke of ales
And seide Abyde Robyn leue brother
Som better man shal telle vs first another
Abyde and lat vs wyrke thriftyly
¶ By gooddes soule quod he that wil nat .I.
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For I wol speke or elles go my weye
Our hoost answered telle on a deuelweye
Thow art a fool thi wit is ouercome
¶ Now herkeneth quod the Miller al and some
But first I make a protestacyoun
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That I am dronke I know it bi my soun
And therfore yif I mys speke or seye
Wite it the ale of Southwark I yow preye
For I wol telle a legend and a lyf
Bothe of a Carpenter and of his wyf .
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How that a Clerke hath set the wryghtes cappe
The Reue answerd and seide stynt thi clappe
Lat be thi lewd dronken harlotrye
It is a synne and ek a gret folye
To appairen eny man or him defame
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And eke to brynge wyues in swich name
Thow maist I nogh of othir thinges seyn
¶ This dronken Miller spak ful sone ageyn
And seide leue brother Oswald
Who hath no wyf he is no Cokewald
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But that I sey for that thow art oon
There ben ful good wyues many oon
And euere a thousand good ayeyns oon bad
That knowest thow wel but if that thow be madde
What art thow angry wyth my tale now
I haue a wyf pardee as wel as thow
I nolde for the oxen in my plogh
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Take vp on me Moore than ynogh .