The Reeve's Tale
Folio 41v
8 of 11 folios
Now may I seyn that I is but an ape
Yit has my felaw somwhat for his harm
He has the miller doughter in his arm
285
He auntred him and has his nedes sped
And I lye as a draf sak in my bed
And whan this Iape is talde another day
I shal be halden a daffe a cokenay
I wil arise and auntre it by my faith
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Vnhardy is vnsely thus men seith
And vp he roos and softely he went
Vn to the cradel and in his hond hit hent
And bar it softe vnto his beddes feet
¶ Soon aftyr this the wyf hir routyng leet
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And gan awake and went hir out to pisse
And cam agayn and can hir cradel misse
And groped here and ther but she founde non
Allas quod she I had Almost mys gon
I had almost goon to the clerkes bed
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Ey benedicite than had I foule sped
And forth she goth til she the cradel fonde
She gropeth alwey forther wyth hir honde
And fonde the bed and thought not but good
By cause that the cradel bi it stood
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And nyst where hys was for it was derke
But fair and wel she creep in by the clerke
And lith ful stil and wold haue caught a sleep
Wyth ynne a while this Ioħn the clerk vp leep
And on this good wyf he leith on soore
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So mury a fit ne had she nat ful yore
He xxxxxxx xxxxx and xxxx xx he were mad
This ioly lyf han thise two clerkes lad
Til that the xxx Cok bigan to crow
¶ Aleyn waxe wery in the dawenynge
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For he had swonken al the longe nyght
And seide farewel malyn swete wyght
The day is come I may no lenger byde
But euer mo wher so I go or ryde
I is thyn own clerke so haue I sel