The Miller's Tale
Folio 37r
17 of 18 folios
Ful softe oute at the dore he gan to stele
And went vn to the Carpenteres walle
600
He cougheth first and knokketh ther wyth alle
Vpon the wyndow ryght as he did yer
This Alison answerd who is ther
That knokketh so I warant him a theef
Nay nay quod he god wot my swete leef
605
I am thin absolon thi derlyng
Of gold quod he I haue the brought aryng
My moder yaf it me so god me saue
Ful fyn it is and ther to wel I graue
This wol I yeuen the yif thow me kysse
610
This Nicholas was rysen vp to pisse
And thought he wolde amende al the iape
He sholde kys his ers er that he scape
And vp the wyndow did he hastyly
And oute his ers he putteth piuely
615
Ouer the buttok to the haunche boon
And ther wyth spak this clerk this absolon
Speke swete brid I noot not where thow art
This Nicholas anon let fle a fart
As gret as it had ben a thonder dent
620
That wyth the strook he was wel nygh I brent
And he was redy wyth his yren hoot
And Nicholas in the ers he smoot
Of goth the skynne an handbred aboute
The hote cultur brend so his toute
625
That fxx xhe smert he wende for to dye
As he were wood for wo he gan to crye
Helpe water water hep for goddes herte
This Carpenter out of his slombre sterte
And herd on crye water as he were wood
630
And thought allas now comyth Noes flood
He set him vp wyth out wordes moo
And wyth his axe he smote the corde atwoo
Adoun goth al he founde neither to selle
Ne bred ne ale til he cam to the celle
635
Vp on the floore and there a swowne he lay
Vp sterte hir alison and Nicholay