The Reeve's Tale
Folio 39r
3 of 11 folios
And atte the last the wardeyn yaf hem leue
Ioħn hight that oon and aleyn hight that other
Of oon toun were thei born that hight strother
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Fer in the northe I kan nat telle where
¶ This aleyn maketh redy al his gere
And on his hors the sak he cast anon
Forth goth aleyn the clerk and also Ioħn
Wyth good swerde and bokeler bi his syde
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Ioħn knew the wey hym neden no gyde
And atte mylle the sak a doun he layth
Aleyn spak first alhail symond in faith
How fares thi fair doughter and thi wyf
¶ Aleyn welcome quod symkyn bi my lyf
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And Ioħn also how now what do ye here
¶ By god quod Ioħn need has na peere
Hym bihoues to serue himself that has na swayne
Or elles he is a fole as clerkes sayn
Oure Maunciple I hope he wil be ded
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Swa wyrkes ay the wanges in his hed
And therfore is y come and eke aleyn
To grynde oure corn and cary hame agayn
I pay yow spedeth vs hethen that we may
¶ It shal be doon quod symkyn by my fay
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What wil ye doon whil that it is in hande
¶ By god ryght bi the hoper wol I stande
Quod Iohñ and se how the corn gas ynne
Yit saugh I neuer bi my fader kynne
How that the hoper wagges til and fra
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Aleyn answered Ioħn wiltow swa
Thanne wil I be benethe bi my croun
And se how that the mele falles doun
In to the trough that shal be my desport
For Ioħn in faith I may ben of your sort
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I is als ille a miller as er ye
¶ This miller smyled of hir nycetee
And thought al this nys doon but for a wyle
Thei wene that no man may ham bigyle
But by my thrift yit shal y blere hir eye
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For al the sleight in hir philosophie