The Miller's Tale
Folio 41v
5 of 17 folios
145
And pleyen songes in a smaƚƚ rebibe
Ther to he songe some time a loude quynyble
And also wele couþe he pleie on a geterne
In aƚƚ þe toune nas brewes ne tauerne
That he ne viset it wiþ his solas
150
There any gailerd tapstere was
Bot soþe to seine he was sumdele squaymous
Of fartinge & of speche daungerous
¶ This absolon þat Ioly was & gaie
Goþe wiþ a censer on þe haly daie
155
Sensynge þe wyues of þe perische faste
And many a louely loke on hem caste
And nameli on þis Carpenteers wif
To loken on hire him þouhte a mery lyf
Sche was so propre and swete & licorous
160
I dar wele seie if sche hade bue a mous
And he a cat he wolde her hinte anone
This Pariche clerce . þis Ioly Absolone
Haþe in his herte suche a loue longeinge
That of no wif toke he none offringe
165
For curtesye he seide he wolde none
The mone whan it was nyght ful briht schone
And absolon his geterne haþe .y take
For paramoures he þouhte for to wake
And for he goþ Iolif & amorous
170
Til he came to þe Carpenters hous
A litel after cokkes had .y crowe
And drissed him vp be aschot windowe
That was vp on þe carpenteers waƚƚ
He singes in his voice gentiƚƚ & smaƚƚ
175
Nowe dere lady if þi willes be
.I. preie ȝowe þat ȝe wil rewe on me
Ful wele accordant to his geterneynge
This Carpenter awoke & herd him singe
And spake vn to his wif & seide anone
180
What Alison heres þou not Absolone
That chaunteþ þus vnder oure boures wal
And sche ansewerde hir husbonde þer wiþ al
Ȝis god wote Ioħen .I. wote it euery dele
Þis passeþ forþe what wil ȝe bet þan wele
185
Fro daie to daie þis Ioli Absolon
So woweþ hire þat him is woo be goon