The Miller's Tale
Folio 36v
16 of 18 folios
And on his lippe he gan for anger byte
And to him self he seide I shaƚƚ the quyte
Who rubbeth now who frotheth now his lippes
560
Wyth dust wyth sond wyth strow wt cloth wt chippes
But absolon that seith ful ofte allas
Mi saule betake vnto Sathanas
But me were leuer than al this toun quod he
Of this despite awroken for to be
565
Allas quod he allas I ne hadde I bleynt
His hot loue was colde and I queynt
For fro the tyme that he had kist hir ers
Of paramours he rought not a kers
For he was heelid of his maladye
570
Ful ofte paramours he gan defye
And weep as doth a childe that ys y bete
A softe pas he went him ouer the strete
Vn til a smyth men clepeth daun Gerneys
That in his forge smythed plow herneys
575
He sharpeth share and cultree bisily
This absolon knokketh al esily
And seide vnto Gerueys and that anon
What who artow it am .I Absolon
What absolon what cristes swete tree
580
Whi rise ye so rathe ey benedicitee
What eyleth yow som gay gerle god it wot
Hath broght yow thus vpon the viritoot
Be seint note ye woot wel what I mene
This absolon ne rought not a bene
585
Of al this pley ne word ayeyn he yaf
He had moore towe on his distaf
Than Gerueys knew and seide frend so dere
That hote cultre in the chymney heere
As lene it me I haue ther wyth to done
590
¶ I wol bryng it the agayn ful sone
Gerueys answerd certes were it gold
Or in a pole nobles al vntold
Thow sholdest haue as I am trew smytħ
Ey crystes foo what wol ye do ther wyth
595
Ther of quod absolon be as be may
I shaƚƚ wel telle it the another day
He caught the cultur by the colde stele