The Miller's Tale
Folio 184r
16 of 17 folios
For he was heled of hese maladye
570
Ful ofte paramouris he gan defye
And wepte as doth a chyld þt is I bete
A softe pas he wente ouer the strete
Vn tyl a smyth men clepedȳ daū Ieruys
That in hese forge he smethede plow harneys
575
He scharpith schar & cultyr besyly
This absalon knokyth al besyly
And seyde ondo Geruays & þt a non
What ho art þu it am I absalon
What Absalon what crystis swete tre
580
Whi ryse ȝe so rathe ey bñdicyte
What eylyth ȝow / sū gay gerl god it wot
Hath brouȝt ȝow / þus vp on the merytot
Be seynte note ȝe wete wel what I mene
This Absolon ne roughte not a bene
585
Of al this pley no word he nespak
He hadde more tow on hese rak
Whan geruays knew & seyde fren so dere
That hote cultyr in the chemene here
As lene it me I haue þerwith to done
590
I wele bryngyn it þõ a geyn ful sone
Gerueys answerede sertis were it gold
Or in a poke nobellys al ontold
Thu schuldyst haue as I am trewe smyth
Ey crystis foo what wele ȝe do þerwith
595
Ther of quod Absalon be as be may
I schal wel telle it þõ to morwe day
And caughte þõ cultyr by the colde stele
Ful softe out at þõ dore hȳ gan stele
And wente vnto þõ carpenterys wal
600
He knokyth fyrst & \kal/lyth þerwithal
Vp on þõ wyndowe rygh as he dede er
This alyson answerde ho is ther
That knokyst so I warent the a thef
Wy nay quod he god wot myn swete lef