The Miller's Prologue
Folio 175r
1 of 3 folios
SO whan þõ knyght hath þë hese tale told
In al þõ route nas þere ȝyng ne old
That he ne seyde / it nas a noble story
And worthy for to drawe to memory
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And nameli þõ gentilis euerychon
Oure ost lougħ and swor so mote I gon
Thys goth aryght onbokeled is the male
Let sen now who schal telle a noþer tale
For trewely the game is wel begunne
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Now tellyth ȝe sere monk ȝyf þt ȝe cūne
Sūwhat to quite wt þõ knyghtis tale
The mellere that dronke was al pale
So that a nethe vp on his hors he sat
He nulde a vale neythyr hod ne hat
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Ne abyde no man for hese curteysye
But in pilat voys he gan to crye
And swor by armys & by blod & bonys
I can a noble tale for thenonys
With whiche he wele now quyte þõ knyghtes tale
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Oure ost saw þt he was dronke of ale
And seyde a byd Robyn myn leue brothyr
Sū betere man schal telle vs fyrst a nothyr
Onbyd & lat vs werke thryftyly
By goddys soule / quod he þt wele nat I
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For I wele speke or ellys gon myn wey
Oure ost answerde telle on a delewey
Thow art a fol thy wit is ouercome
Now herkenygh quod the mellere alle & some
But fyrst I make a protestacyoun
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That I am dronke I knowe it be myn soū
And þerfore ȝif I mys speke or seye
Wite it the ale of Southwerk I preye
For I wele telle alegende & a lyf
Bothe of acarpenter & hese wyf
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How that a clerk hath set the wryghtis cappe
The reue answerde & seyde stynt þȳ clappe