The Miller's Tale
Folio 46v
17 of 20 folios
90
And priuely ħe caught hir by þe queynte
And seyde I wis but if ich haue my wille
For derne loue of þe lēman I spille /
And held hir harde by þe haunche bones
And seyde lēman loue me wel al at ones
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Or I wol deyen al so god me saue
And sche sprong as a cold doþ in þe traue
And with hir hed sche wried faste awey
Sche seide I wil nat kisse þe by my fey
Whi labbe qd ich labbe Nicholas
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Or I wol crie out harrow and allas
Dowey ȝoure hondes for ȝoure curtesye
This Nicholas gan mercy for to crie
And spak so faire and profred him so fast
That sche hir loue gaunted him atte last
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And swor hir oþ by sent Thomas of kent
That sche wolde ben at his comaundemēt
Whan þat sche may hir leysir wel aspye
Myn housbonde is so ful of Ialousye
That but I wayte wel and be priue
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I woot right wel I nam but deed quoþ sche
Ye moote ben ful derne as in þis caas
Nay þer of kare ȝe nought qd Nicholas
A clerk hadde litherly biset his while
But if he couþe a carpunter begile
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And þus þey ben acorded and y sworn
To wayte a tyme as I haue told biforn
Whan Nicholas hadde þis euerydel
And thakked hire aboute þe lendes wel
He kist hir sweete and takþ his Sauterie
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And playeþ faste and makeþ melodye
Than fil it þus þat to þe parissche cherche /
Cristes owne werkes for to werche
This goode wijf wente on an haly day
Hir forhed schon as bright as any day
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So was it waissche whan sche leet hir werk