The Reeve's Tale
Folio 42r
9 of 11 folios
320
Now dere lemman quod she go fare wel
But er thow go o thing I wol the telle
Whan that thow wendest homward bi the mille
Ryght at the entree of the door bihynde
Thow shalt a kake of half a busshel fynde
325
That was I maked of thyn owne mele
Which that I hilpe my sire for to stele
And good lemman god the saue and kepe
And wyth that word almoost she gan to wepe
¶ Aleyn vprist and thought er that it dawe
330
I wil go crepe ynne by my felaw
And fand the cradil wyth his hand anon
By god thought he al wrang I haue mysgon
Myn heed is toty of my swynke to nyght
That maketh me that I go nat aryght
335
I wot wel by the cradel I haue misgo
Here lith the Miller and his wyf also
And forth he goth on twenty deuelway
Vn to the bedde ther as the miller lay
He wend haue cropen bi his felaw Ioħn
340
And bi the miller ynne creep he anon
And caught him by the nekke and soft he spake
And seide thow Iohn thow swyneshed awake
For cristes soule and here a noble game
For bi that lord that called is seint Iame
345
As I haue thries in this short nyght
Swyfyd the millers doughter bolt vpryght
Wil thow hast as a coward ben agast
¶ Ye fals harlot quod the miller hast
A fals traitur fals Clerk quod he
350
Thow shalt be deed by goddes dignyte
Who dorste be so bold to desparage
My doughter that is come of swich lynage
And bi the throtebolle he caught Aƚeyn
And hent him despitously ageyn
355
And on the nose he smot him wyth his fist
Doun ron the blody stremes by his brist
And in the floor wyth nose and mouthe to broke
The walow as doon two pigges in a poke