The Miller's Tale
Folio 31v
6 of 18 folios
170
Til he come to the carpenteres hous
A litil aftyr the cokkes had y crowe
He dressyd him vp by a shop wyndowe
That was vp on the carpenters walle
Hye settyng his vois gentil and smalle
175
He seide dere lady yif thi wil bee
I prey yow that ye wol rew on me
Ful wel accordyng to his git eryng
This Carpenter awook and herd hym syng
And spak vn to his wyf and seide anon
180
What alison herest thow not absolon
That chaunteth thus vnder our boures walle
And she answerd and seide hir husbond ther wt alle
Yis god wot Iohñ I here it euerydeel
¶ This passeth forth what wol ye bettr than wel
185
From day to day this ioly absolon
So loueth hir that he is wo bigon
He walweth al the nyght and al the day
He kembeth his lokkes brode and made him gay
He woweth hir by menes and brokage
190
He swore he wolde be hir verrey page
And syngen brokkynges as a nyghtyngale
He sent hir pynnes and eke spyced ale
And wanfours pipyng hote out of the glede
For she was of the toun he profered hir mede
195
For som folk wol be wonwed for richesse
And som for strokes and som for gentilnesse
¶ Som tyme to shew his lyghtenes and his maistrye
He pleyde heroude vp on a scaffald hye
But what auayleth him in this cas .
200
She loueth so this hende Nicholas
That absolon may blow the bukkes horn
He ne hed for his labour but a scorn
And thus she maketh absolon hir ape
And al this ernest torneth in to a Iape
205
Ful sothe is this prouerbe and no lye
Men seith ryght thus al weye the nye slye
Maketh the fer leef to be looth