The Miller's Tale
Folio 176r
1 of 17 folios
Blamyth not me ȝif ȝe chesyn amys
The mellere is a cherl ȝeknowe wel this
So was the reue & oþere manye mo
And harlotrye þey tolde bothe to
75
Avyseth ȝow put me out of blame
And ek men schal not makyn ernest of game
Here endith the prologe / & here begȳnyth the tale
Here endith the prologe / & here begȳnyth the tale
WHilō þere was dwellī~ger ī oxenforde
A ryche gnoff þt gestis helde to borde
And of his craft acarpenter
W hȳ þere was dwellȳge apore scoler
5
Hadde lernede art but of hese fantasye
Was turned for to lernyn astronomye
And coude a certeyn of cōclusiounys
To demyn by interrogacyoūnys
Ȝif that men axsed hȳ in certeyn hourys
10
Whā men schulde haue droughte or eƚƚ schourys
Or ȝif men axsede hȳ what schulde be falle
Of euery thyng I may not rekene hē alle
This clerk was clepid hende nycholas
Of derne loue he coude & of solas
15
And þerto he was sly & ful preue
And lyk a mayde meke for to se
A chābre hadde he in that ostelrye
Alone with outyn ony cōpaygnye
Ful fetously I dygh wt erbis sote
20
And he hȳ self as swete as is the rote
Of licorys or ony Cetewale
Hese almageste & bokys grete & smale
Hese astellabre longynge for hese art
Hese augrym stonys lynge fayre apart
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On scheluys couchede at hese bedys hed
Hese presse I couered wt a faldynge red
And al aboue þere lay a gay sautrye
On whiche he made on nyghtis melodye