The Reeve's Tale
Folio 48v
1 of 10 folios
Þe revese tale begynneþ her
At Trumpyngton nouht fer fro Canibrugge
There goþe a broke & ouere þat a brugge
Vppon þe whiche broke þere stant a melle
And þis is verrey soþ þat .I. telle
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A meller was þere duellinge mony a daie
As any pekok he was proude & gaie
Pipe he couþe & fisshen & nettes bete
And torne coppes & wele wrastel & schete .
Ay be his belte he bare a longe Panade
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And of a swerde ful trenchant was þe blade
A Ioly popper bare he in his puche
Ther was no man for perile dorst him touche
A scheffeld þwitel bare he in his hose
Rounde was his face & kamuse was his nose
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As pilled as an hape was his Sculle
He was a market beter att þe fulle
Ther was no whihte þat dorst honde oñhim ligge
Bot if he swore he schole a none abegge
A þefe he was for soþe of corne & mele
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And þat a sleigħ . & vsant for to stele
His name was hoten deynous symkyne
A wife he had cōmen of Noble kinne
The persoū of þe toune hir fadere was
Wiþe hire he ȝafe mony a panne of bras
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For þat Simkin schold in his blode allye
Sche was yfostrede in a Nōnerye
For Simkin wold no wif as he seide
Bot sche were wele y norissched & a maide
To saue his astate of ȝomanrye
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And sche was proude & pert as a pye
A ful faire siht was it vppon hem tuo
On Halidaies be forne hire wolde he go
W his tepet wonden aboute his hede
And sche cam after in a gide of rede
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And simkyn hadd hosen of þe same
Thare dorste no whiht clepen hir bot dame
Was none so hardy þat wente be þe weie
That dorste wiþ hire ones rage or pleie
Bot if he wolde be sleine of Simkynne
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Wiþ Panade or wiþ knyf or wiþ Boydekynne
For Ielous folke bene perlous euer mo
Algates þei wolde here wives wenden so