The Miller's Tale
Folio 40v
13 of 15 folios
But me were leuere / than al this toun quod he
Of this despit awroken for to be
565
Allas quod he / allas I ne hadde ybleynt
His hoote loue / was coold and al yqueynt
For fro that tyme / that he hadde kist hir ers
Of paramours / he sette nat a kers
For he was / heeled of his maladie
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Ful ofte / paramours he gan deffie
And weepe / as dooth a child that is ybete
A softe paas / he wente ouer the strete
Vn til a smyth / men cleped daun Gerueys
That in his forge / smythed plougħ harneys
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He sharpeth shaar / and kultour bisily
This Absolon / knokketh al esily
And seyde / vndo Gerueys / and that anon
¶ What who artow ; / I am heere Absolon
What Absolon / for cristes sweete tree
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Why rise ye so rathe / ey benedicitee
What eyleth yow / som gay gerl god it woot
Hath broght yow thus / vp on the viritoot
By seinte note / ye woot wel what I mene
¶ This Absolon / ne roghte nat a bene
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Of al his pley / no word agayn he yaf
He hadde / moore tow / on his distaf
Than Gerueys knew / and seyde freend so deere
That hoote kultour / in the chymenee heere
As lene it me / I haue ther with to doone
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And I wol / brynge it thee / agayn ful soone
¶ Gerueys answerde / certes were it gold
Or in a poke / nobles alle vntold
Thou sholdest haue / as I am trewe smytħ
Ey cristes foo / what wol ye do ther witħ ;
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¶ Ther of quod Absolon / be as be may
I shal wel telle it thee / tomorwe day
And caughte the kultour / by the colde stele
Ful softe / out at the dore he gan to stele
And wente / vn to the Carpenteris wal
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He cogheth first / and knokketh ther with al
Vp on the wyndowe / rigħt as he dide er
¶ This Alison answerde / who is ther ;
That knokketh so / I warante it a theef
¶ Why nay quod he / god woot my sweete leef
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I am thyn Absolon / my deerelyng
Of gold quod he / I haue thee broght a ryng
My mooder yaf it me / so god me saue
Ful fyn it is / and ther to wel ygraue
This wol I yeue thee / if thou me kisse
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¶ This Nicholas / was risen for to pisse