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The Canterbury Tales and Other Works of Chaucer (Middle English), by Geoffery Chaucer, [14th cent.], at sacred-texts.com

The Canterbury Tales

The Miller's Tale

 Whilom ther was dwellynge at Oxenford
 A riche gnof, that gestes heeld to bord,
 And of his craft he was a carpenter.
3190 With hym ther was dwellynge a poure scoler,
 Hadde lerned art, but al his fantasye
 Was turned for to lerne astrologye,
 And koude a certeyn of conclusiouns,
 To demen by interrogaciouns,
 If that men asked hym, in certein houres
 Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures,
 Or if men asked hym what sholde bifalle
 Of every thyng; I may nat rekene hem alle.
 This clerk was cleped hende Nicholas.
3200 Of deerne love he koude and of solas;
 And therto he was sleigh and ful privee,
 And lyk a mayden meke for to see.
 A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye
 Allone, withouten any compaignye,
 Ful fetisly ydight with herbes swoote;
 And he hymself as sweete as is the roote
 Of lycorys or any cetewale.
 His Almageste, and bookes grete and smale,
 His astrelabie, longynge for his art,
3210 His augrym stones layen faire apart,
 On shelves couched at his beddes heed;
 His presse ycovered with a faldyng reed;
 And al above ther lay a gay sautrie,
 On which he made a-nyghtes melodie
 So swetely that all the chambre rong;
 And Angelus ad virginem he song;
 And after that he song the Kynges Noote.
 Ful often blessed was his myrie throte.
 And thus this sweete clerk his tyme spente
3220 After his freendes fyndyng and his rente.
 This carpenter hadde wedded newe a wyf,
 Which that he lovede moore than his lyf;
 Of eighteteene yeer she was of age.
 Jalous he was, and heeld hire narwe in cage,
 For she was wylde and yong, and he was old
 And demed hymself been lik a cokewold.
 He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude,
 That bad man sholde wedde his simylitude.
 Men sholde wedden after hire estaat,
3230 For youthe and elde is often at debaat.
 But sith that he was fallen in the snare,
 He moste endure, as oother folk, his care.
 Fair was this yonge wyf, and therwithal
 As any wezele hir body gent and smal.
 A ceynt she werede, barred al of silk,
 A barmclooth as whit as morne milk
 Upon hir lendes, ful of many a goore.
 Whit was hir smok, and broyden al bifoore
 And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute,
3240 Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute.
 The tapes of hir white voluper
 Were of the same suyte of hir coler;
 Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye.
 And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye;
 Ful smale ypulled were hire browes two,
 And tho were bent and blake as any sloo.
 She was ful moore blisful on to see
 Than is the newe pere-jonette tree,
 And softer than the wolle is of a wether.
3250 And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether,
 Tasseled with silk and perled with latoun.
 In al this world, to seken up and doun,
 There nys no man so wys that koude thenche
 So gay a popelote or swich a wenche.
 Ful brighter was the shynyng of hir hewe
 Than in the Tour the noble yforged newe.
 But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne
 As any swalwe sittynge on a berne.
 Therto she koude skippe and make game,
3260 As any kyde or calf folwynge his dame.
 Hir mouth was sweete as bragot or the meeth,
 Or hoord of apples leyd in hey or heeth.
 Wynsynge she was, as is a joly colt,
 Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt.
 A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler,
 As brood as is the boos of a bokeler.
 Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye.
 She was a prymerole, a piggesnye,
 For any lord to leggen in his bedde,
3270 Or yet for any good yeman to wedde.
 Now, sire, and eft, sire, so bifel the cas
 That on a day this hende Nicholas
 Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye,
 Whil that hir housbonde was at Oseneye,
 As clerkes ben ful subtile and ful queynte;
 And prively he caughte hire by the queynte,
 And seyde, "Ywis, but if ich have my wille,
 For deerne love of thee, lemman, I spille."
 And heeld hire harde by the haunchebones,
3280 And seyde, "Lemman, love me al atones,
 Or I wol dyen, also God me save!"
 And she sproong as a colt dooth in the trave,
 And with hir heed she wryed faste awey,
 And seyde, "I wol nat kisse thee, by my fey!
 Why, lat be!" quod she. "Lat be, Nicholas,
 Or I wol crie `out, harrow' and `allas'!
 Do wey youre handes, for youre curteisye!"
 This Nicholas gan mercy for to crye,
 And spak so faire, and profred him so faste,
3290 That she hir love hym graunted atte laste,
 And swoor hir ooth, by Seint Thomas of Kent,
 That she wol been at his comandement,
 Whan that she may hir leyser wel espie.
 "Myn housbonde is so ful of jalousie
 That but ye wayte wel and been privee,
 I woot right wel I nam but deed," quod she.
 "Ye moste been ful deerne, as in this cas."
 "Nay, therof care thee noght," quod Nicholas.
 "A clerk hadde litherly biset his whyle,
3300 But if he koude a carpenter bigyle."
 And thus they been accorded and ysworn
 To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn.
 Whan Nicholas had doon thus everideel
 And thakked hire aboute the lendes weel,
 He kiste hire sweete and taketh his sawtrie,
 And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodie.
 Thanne fil it thus, that to the paryssh chirche,
 Cristes owene werkes for to wirche,
 This goode wyf went on an haliday.
3310 Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day,
 So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk.
 Now was ther of that chirche a parissh clerk,
 The which that was ycleped Absolon.
 Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon,
 And strouted as a fanne large and brode;
 Ful streight and evene lay his joly shode.
 His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos.
 With Poules wyndow corven on his shoos,
 In hoses rede he wente fetisly.
3320 Yclad he was ful smal and proprely
 Al in a kirtel of a lyght waget;
 Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set.
 And therupon he hadde a gay surplys
 As whit as is the blosme upon the rys.
 A myrie child he was, so God me save.
 Wel koude he laten blood, and clippe and shave,
 And maken a chartre of lond or acquitaunce.
 In twenty manere koude he trippe and daunce
 After the scole of Oxenforde tho,
3330 And with his legges casten to and fro,
 And pleyen songes on a smal rubible;
 Therto he song som tyme a loud quynyble;
 And as wel koude he pleye on a giterne.
 In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne
 That he ne visited with his solas,
 Ther any gaylard tappestere was.
 But sooth to seyn, he was somdeel squaymous
 Of fartyng, and of speche daungerous.
 This Absolon, that jolif was and gay,
3340 Gooth with a sencer on the haliday,
 Sensynge the wyves of the parisshe faste;
 And many a lovely look on hem he caste,
 And namely on this carpenteris wyf.
 To looke on hire hym thoughte a myrie lyf,
 She was so propre and sweete and likerous.
 I dar wel seyn, if she hadde been a mous,
 And he a cat, he wolde hire hente anon.
 This parissh clerk, this joly Absolon,
 Hath in his herte swich a love-longynge
3350 That of no wyf took he noon offrynge;
 For curteisie, he seyde, he wolde noon.
 The moone, whan it was nyght, ful brighte shoon,
 And Absolon his gyterne hath ytake;
 For paramours he thoghte for to wake.
 And forth he gooth, jolif and amorous,
 Til he cam to the carpenteres hous
 A litel after cokkes hadde ycrowe,
 And dressed hym up by a shot-wyndowe
 That was upon the carpenteris wal.
3360 He syngeth in his voys gentil and smal,
 "Now, deere lady, if thy wille be,
 I praye yow that ye wole rewe on me,"
 Ful wel acordaunt to his gyternynge.
 This carpenter awook, and herde him synge,
 And spak unto his wyf, and seyde anon,
 "What! Alison! Herestow nat Absolon,
 That chaunteth thus under oure boures wal?"
 And she answerde hir housbonde therwithal,
 "Yis, God woot, John, I heere it every deel."
3370 This passeth forth; what wol ye bet than weel?
 Fro day to day this joly Absolon
 So woweth hire that hym is wo bigon.
 He waketh al the nyght and al the day;
 He kembeth his lokkes brode, and made hym gay;
 He woweth hire by meenes and brocage,
 And swoor he wolde been hir owene page;
 He syngeth, brokkynge as a nyghtyngale;
 He sente hire pyment, meeth, and spiced ale,
 And wafres, pipyng hoot out of the gleede;
3380 And, for she was of town, he profred meede;
 For som folk wol ben wonnen for richesse,
 And somme for strokes, and somme for gentillesse.
 Somtyme, to shewe his lightnesse and maistrye,
 He pleyeth Herodes upon a scaffold hye.
 But what availleth hym as in this cas?
 She loveth so this hende Nicholas
 That Absolon may blowe the bukkes horn;
 He ne hadde for his labour but a scorn.
 And thus she maketh Absolon hire ape,
3390 And al his ernest turneth til a jape.
 Ful sooth is this proverbe, it is no lye,
 Men seyn right thus: "Alwey the nye slye
 Maketh the ferre leeve to be looth."
 For though that Absolon be wood or wrooth,
 By cause that he fer was from hire sight,
 This nye Nicholas stood in his light.
 Now ber thee wel, thou hende Nicholas,
 For Absolon may waille and synge "allas."
 And so bifel it on a Saterday,
3400 This carpenter was goon til Osenay;
 And hende Nicholas and Alisoun
 Acorded been to this conclusioun,
 That Nicholas shal shapen hym a wyle
 This sely jalous housbonde to bigyle;
 And if so be the game wente aright,
 She sholde slepen in his arm al nyght,
 For this was his desir and hire also.
 And right anon, withouten wordes mo,
 This Nicholas no lenger wolde tarie,
3410 But dooth ful softe unto his chambre carie
 Bothe mete and drynke for a day or tweye,
 And to hire housbonde bad hire for to seye,
 If that he axed after Nicholas,
 She sholde seye she nyste where he was;
 Of al that day she saugh hym nat with ye;
 She trowed that he was in maladye,
 For, for no cry hir mayde koude hym calle,
 He nolde answere for thyng that myghte falle.
 This passeth forth al thilke Saterday,
3420 That Nicholas stille in his chambre lay,
 And eet and sleep, or dide what hym leste,
 Til Sonday, that the sonne gooth to reste.
 This sely carpenter hath greet merveyle
 Of Nicholas, or what thyng myghte hym eyle,
 And seyde, "I am adrad, by Seint Thomas,
 It stondeth nat aright with Nicholas.
 God shilde that he deyde sodeynly!
 This world is now ful tikel, sikerly.
 I saugh today a cors yborn to chirche
3430 That now, on Monday last, I saugh hym wirche.
 "Go up," quod he unto his knave anoon,
 "Clepe at his dore, or knokke with a stoon.
 Looke how it is, and tel me boldely."
 This knave gooth hym up ful sturdily,
 And at the chambre dore whil that he stood,
 He cride and knokked as that he were wood,
 "What, how! What do ye, maister Nicholay?
 How may ye slepen al the longe day?"
 But al for noght; he herde nat a word.
3440 An hole he foond, ful lowe upon a bord,
 Ther as the cat was wont in for to crepe,
 And at that hole he looked in ful depe,
 And at the laste he hadde of hym a sight.
 This Nicholas sat evere capyng upright,
 As he had kiked on the newe moone.
 Adoun he gooth, and tolde his maister soone
 In what array he saugh this ilke man.
 This carpenter to blessen hym bigan,
 And seyde, "Help us, Seinte Frydeswyde!
3450 A man woot litel what hym shal bityde.
 This man is falle, with his astromye,
 In some woodnesse or in som agonye.
 I thoghte ay wel how that it sholde be!
 Men sholde nat knowe of Goddes pryvetee.
 Ye, blessed be alwey a lewed man
 That noght but oonly his bileve kan!
 So ferde another clerk with astromye;
 He walked in the feeldes for to prye
 Upon the sterres, what ther sholde bifalle,
3460 Til he was in a marle-pit yfalle;
 He saugh nat that. But yet, by Seint Thomas,
 Me reweth soore of hende Nicholas.
 He shal be rated of his studiyng,
 If that I may, by Jhesus, hevene kyng!
 Get me a staf, that I may underspore,
 Whil that thou, Robyn, hevest up the dore.
 He shal out of his studiyng, as I gesse."
 And to the chambre dore he gan hym dresse.
 His knave was a strong carl for the nones,
3470 And by the haspe he haaf it of atones;
 Into the floor the dore fil anon.
 This Nicholas sat ay as stille as stoon,
 And evere caped upward into the eir.
 This carpenter wende he were in despeir,
 And hente hym by the sholdres myghtily,
 And shook hym harde, and cride spitously,
 "What! Nicholay! What, how! What, looke adoun!
 Awak, and thenk on Cristes passioun!
 I crouche thee from elves and fro wightes."
3480 Therwith the nyght-spel seyde he anon-rightes
 On foure halves of the hous aboute,
 And on the thresshfold of the dore withoute:
 "Jhesu Crist and Seinte Benedight,
 Blesse this hous from every wikked wight,
 For nyghtes verye, the white pater-noster!
 Where wentestow, Seinte Petres soster?"
 And atte laste this hende Nicholas
 Gan for to sik soore, and seyde, "Allas!
 Shal al the world be lost eftsoones now?"
3490 This carpenter answerde, "What seystow?
 What! Thynk on God, as we doon, men that swynke."
 This Nicholas answerde, "Fecche me drynke,
 And after wol I speke in pryvetee
 Of certeyn thyng that toucheth me and thee.
 I wol telle it noon oother man, certeyn."
 This carpenter goth doun, and comth ageyn,
 And broghte of myghty ale a large quart;
 And whan that ech of hem had dronke his part,
 This Nicholas his dore faste shette,
3500 And doun the carpenter by hym he sette.
 He seyde, "John, myn hooste, lief and deere,
 Thou shalt upon thy trouthe swere me heere
 That to no wight thou shalt this conseil wreye,
 For it is Cristes conseil that I seye,
 And if thou telle it man, thou art forlore;
 For this vengeaunce thou shalt han therfore,
 That if thou wreye me, thou shalt be wood."
 "Nay, Crist forbede it, for his hooly blood!"
 Quod tho this sely man, "I nam no labbe,
3510 Ne, though I seye, I nam nat lief to gabbe.
 Sey what thou wolt, I shal it nevere telle
 To child ne wyf, by hym that harwed helle!"
 "Now John," quod Nicholas, "I wol nat lye;
 I have yfounde in myn astrologye,
 As I have looked in the moone bright,
 That now a Monday next, at quarter nyght,
 Shal falle a reyn, and that so wilde and wood
 That half so greet was nevere Noes flood.
 This world," he seyde, "in lasse than an hour
3520 Shal al be dreynt, so hidous is the shour.
 Thus shal mankynde drenche, and lese hir lyf."
 This carpenter answerde, "Allas, my wyf!
 And shal she drenche? Allas, myn Alisoun!"
 For sorwe of this he fil almoost adoun,
 And seyde, "Is ther no remedie in this cas?"
 "Why, yis, for Gode," quod hende Nicholas,
 "If thou wolt werken after loore and reed.
 Thou mayst nat werken after thyn owene heed;
 For thus seith Salomon, that was ful trewe:
3530 `Werk al by conseil, and thou shalt nat rewe.'
 And if thou werken wolt by good conseil,
 I undertake, withouten mast and seyl,
 Yet shal I saven hire and thee and me.
 Hastow nat herd hou saved was Noe,
 Whan that oure Lord hadde warned hym biforn
 That al the world with water sholde be lorn?"
 "Yis," quod this Carpenter, "ful yoore ago."
 "Hastou nat herd," quod Nicholas, "also
 The sorwe of Noe with his felaweshipe,
3540 Er that he myghte gete his wyf to shipe?
 Hym hadde be levere, I dar wel undertake,
 At thilke tyme, than alle his wetheres blake
 That she hadde had a ship hirself allone.
 And therfore, woostou what is best to doone?
 This asketh haste, and of an hastif thyng
 Men may nat preche or maken tariyng.
 "Anon go gete us faste into this in
 A knedyng trogh, or ellis a kymelyn,
 For ech of us, but looke that they be large,
3550 In which we mowe swymme as in a barge,
 And han therinne vitaille suffisant
 But for a day -- fy on the remenant!
 The water shal aslake and goon away
 Aboute pryme upon the nexte day.
 But Robyn may nat wite of this, thy knave,
 Ne eek thy mayde Gille I may nat save;
 Axe nat why, for though thou aske me,
 I wol nat tellen Goddes pryvetee.
 Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde,
3560 To han as greet a grace as Noe hadde.
 Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute.
 Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.
 "But whan thou hast, for hire and thee and me,
 Ygeten us thise knedyng tubbes thre,
 Thanne shaltow hange hem in the roof ful hye,
 That no man of oure purveiaunce espye.
 And whan thou thus hast doon as I have seyd,
 And hast oure vitaille faire in hem yleyd,
 And eek an ax to smyte the corde atwo,
3570 Whan that the water comth, that we may go
 And breke an hole an heigh, upon the gable,
 Unto the gardyn-ward, over the stable,
 That we may frely passen forth oure way,
 Whan that the grete shour is goon away.
 Thanne shaltou swymme as myrie, I undertake,
 As dooth the white doke after hire drake.
 Thanne wol I clepe, `How, Alison! How, John!
 Be myrie, for the flood wol passe anon.'
 And thou wolt seyn, `Hayl, maister Nicholay!
3580 Good morwe, I se thee wel, for it is day.'
 And thanne shul we be lordes al oure lyf
 Of al the world, as Noe and his wyf.
 "But of o thyng I warne thee ful right:
 Be wel avysed on that ilke nyght
 That we ben entred into shippes bord,
 That noon of us ne speke nat a word,
 Ne clepe, ne crie, but be in his preyere;
 For it is Goddes owene heeste deere.
 "Thy wyf and thou moote hange fer atwynne,
3590 For that bitwixe yow shal be no synne,
 Namoore in lookyng than ther shal in deede.
 This ordinance is seyd. Go, God thee speede!
 Tomorwe at nyght, whan men ben alle aslepe,
 Into oure knedyng-tubbes wol we crepe,
 And sitten there, abidyng Goddes grace.
 Go now thy wey; I have no lenger space
 To make of this no lenger sermonyng.
 Men seyn thus, `sende the wise, and sey no thyng.'
 Thou art so wys, it needeth thee nat teche.
3600 Go, save oure lyf, and that I the biseche."
 This sely carpenter goth forth his wey.
 Ful ofte he seide "Allas and weylawey,"
 And to his wyf he tolde his pryvetee,
 And she was war, and knew it bet than he,
 What al this queynte cast was for to seye.
 But nathelees she ferde as she wolde deye,
 And seyde, "Allas! go forth thy wey anon,
 Help us to scape, or we been dede echon!
 I am thy trewe, verray wedded wyf;
3610 Go, deere spouse, and help to save oure lyf."
 Lo, which a greet thyng is affeccioun!
 Men may dyen of ymaginacioun,
 So depe may impressioun be take.
 This sely carpenter bigynneth quake;
 Hym thynketh verraily that he may see
 Noees flood come walwynge as the see
 To drenchen Alisoun, his hony deere.
 He wepeth, weyleth, maketh sory cheere;
 He siketh with ful many a sory swogh;
3620 He gooth and geteth hym a knedyng trogh,
 And after that a tubbe and a kymelyn,
 And pryvely he sente hem to his in,
 And heng hem in the roof in pryvetee.
 His owene hand he made laddres thre,
 To clymben by the ronges and the stalkes
 Unto the tubbes hangynge in the balkes,
 And hem vitailled, bothe trogh and tubbe,
 With breed, and chese, and good ale in a jubbe,
 Suffisynge right ynogh as for a day.
3630 But er that he hadde maad al this array,
 He sente his knave, and eek his wenche also,
 Upon his nede to London for to go.
 And on the Monday, whan it drow to nyght,
 He shette his dore withoute candel-lyght,
 And dressed alle thyng as it sholde be.
 And shortly, up they clomben alle thre;
 They seten stille wel a furlong way.
 "Now, Pater-noster, clom!" seyde Nicholay,
 And "Clom!" quod John, and "Clom!" seyde Alisoun.
3640 This carpenter seyde his devocioun,
 And stille he sit, and biddeth his preyere,
 Awaitynge on the reyn, if he it heere.
 The dede sleep, for wery bisynesse,
 Fil on this carpenter right, as I gesse,
 Aboute corfew-tyme, or litel moore;
 For travaille of his goost he groneth soore,
 And eft he routeth, for his heed myslay.
 Doun of the laddre stalketh Nicholay,
 And Alisoun ful softe adoun she spedde;
3650 Withouten wordes mo they goon to bedde,
 Ther as the carpenter is wont to lye.
 Ther was the revel and the melodye;
 And thus lith Alison and Nicholas,
 In bisynesse of myrthe and of solas,
 Til that the belle of laudes gan to rynge,
 And freres in the chauncel gonne synge.
 This parissh clerk, this amorous Absolon,
 That is for love alwey so wo bigon,
 Upon the Monday was at Oseneye
3660 With compaignye, hym to disporte and pleye,
 And axed upon cas a cloisterer
 Ful prively after John the carpenter;
 And he drough hym apart out of the chirche,
 And seyde, "I noot; I saugh hym heere nat wirche
 Syn Saterday; I trowe that he be went
 For tymber, ther oure abbot hath hym sent;
 For he is wont for tymber for to go
 And dwellen at the grange a day or two;
 Or elles he is at his hous, certeyn.
3670 Where that he be, I kan nat soothly seyn."
 This Absolon ful joly was and light,
 And thoghte, "Now is tyme to wake al nyght,
 For sikirly I saugh hym nat stirynge
 Aboute his dore, syn day bigan to sprynge.
 "So moot I thryve, I shal, at cokkes crowe,
 Ful pryvely knokken at his wyndowe
 That stant ful lowe upon his boures wal.
 To Alison now wol I tellen al
 My love-longynge, for yet I shal nat mysse
3680 That at the leeste wey I shal hire kisse.
 Som maner confort shal I have, parfay.
 My mouth hath icched al this longe day;
 That is a signe of kissyng atte leeste.
 Al nyght me mette eek I was at a feeste.
 Therfore I wol go slepe an houre or tweye,
 And al the nyght thanne wol I wake and pleye."
 Whan that the firste cok hath crowe, anon
 Up rist this joly lovere Absolon,
 And hym arraieth gay, at poynt-devys.
3690 But first he cheweth greyn and lycorys,
 To smellen sweete, er he hadde kembd his heer.
 Under his tonge a trewe-love he beer,
 For therby wende he to ben gracious.
 He rometh to the carpenteres hous,
 And stille he stant under the shot-wyndowe --
 Unto his brest it raughte, it was so lowe --
 And softe he cougheth with a semy soun:
 "What do ye, hony-comb, sweete Alisoun,
 My faire bryd, my sweete cynamome?
3700 Awaketh, lemman myn, and speketh to me!
 Wel litel thynken ye upon my wo,
 That for youre love I swete ther I go.
 No wonder is thogh that I swelte and swete;
 I moorne as dooth a lamb after the tete.
 Ywis, lemman, I have swich love-longynge
 That lik a turtel trewe is my moornynge.
 I may nat ete na moore than a mayde."
 "Go fro the wyndow, Jakke fool," she sayde;
 "As help me God, it wol nat be `com pa me.'
3710 I love another -- and elles I were to blame --
 Wel bet than thee, by Jhesu, Absolon.
 Go forth thy wey, or I wol caste a ston,
 And lat me slepe, a twenty devel wey!"
 "Allas," quod Absolon, "and weylawey,
 That trewe love was evere so yvel biset!
 Thanne kysse me, syn it may be no bet,
 For Jhesus love, and for the love of me."
 "Wiltow thanne go thy wey therwith?" quod she.
 "Ye, certes, lemman," quod this Absolon.
3720 "Thanne make thee redy," quod she, "I come anon."
 And unto Nicholas she seyde stille,
 "Now hust, and thou shalt laughen al thy fille."
 This Absolon doun sette hym on his knees
 And seyde, "I am a lord at alle degrees;
 For after this I hope ther cometh moore.
 Lemman, thy grace, and sweete bryd, thyn oore!"
 The wyndow she undoth, and that in haste.
 "Have do," quod she, "com of, and speed the faste,
 Lest that oure neighebores thee espie."
3730 This Absolon gan wype his mouth ful drie.
 Derk was the nyght as pich, or as the cole,
 And at the wyndow out she putte hir hole,
 And Absolon, hym fil no bet ne wers,
 But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers
 Ful savourly, er he were war of this.
 Abak he stirte, and thoughte it was amys,
 For wel he wiste a womman hath no berd.
 He felte a thyng al rough and long yherd,
 And seyde, "Fy! allas! what have I do?"
3740 "Tehee!" quod she, and clapte the wyndow to,
 And Absolon gooth forth a sory pas.
 "A berd! A berd!" quod hende Nicholas,
 "By Goddes corpus, this goth faire and weel."
 This sely Absolon herde every deel,
 And on his lippe he gan for anger byte,
 And to hymself he seyde, "I shal thee quyte."
 Who rubbeth now, who froteth now his lippes
 With dust, with sond, with straw, with clooth, with chippes,
 But Absolon, that seith ful ofte, "Allas!"
3750 "My soule bitake I unto Sathanas,
 But me were levere than al this toun," quod he,
 "Of this despit awroken for to be.
 Allas," quod he, "allas, I ne hadde ybleynt!"
 His hoote love was coold and al yqueynt;
 For fro that tyme that he hadde kist hir ers,
 Of paramours he sette nat a kers,
 For he was heeled of his maladie.
 Ful ofte paramours he gan deffie,
 And weep as dooth a child that is ybete.
3760 A softe paas he wente over the strete
 Until a smyth men cleped daun Gerveys,
 That in his forge smythed plough harneys;
 He sharpeth shaar and kultour bisily.
 This Absolon knokketh al esily,
 And seyde, "Undo, Gerveys, and that anon."
 "What, who artow?" "It am I, Absolon."
 "What, Absolon! for Cristes sweete tree,
 Why rise ye so rathe? Ey, benedicitee!
 What eyleth yow? Som gay gerl, God it woot,
3770 Hath broght yow thus upon the viritoot.
 By Seinte Note, ye woot wel what I mene."
 This Absolon ne roghte nat a bene
 Of al his pley; no word agayn he yaf;
 He hadde moore tow on his distaf
 Than Gerveys knew, and seyde, "Freend so deere,
 That hoote kultour in the chymenee heere,
 As lene it me; I have therwith to doone,
 And I wol brynge it thee agayn ful soone."
 Gerveys answerde, "Certes, were it gold,
3780 Or in a poke nobles alle untold,
 Thou sholdest have, as I am trewe smyth.
 Ey, Cristes foo! What wol ye do therwith?"
 "Therof," quod Absolon, "be as be may.
 I shal wel telle it thee to-morwe day" --
 And caughte the kultour by the colde stele.
 Ful softe out at the dore he gan to stele,
 And wente unto the carpenteris wal.
 He cogheth first, and knokketh therwithal
 Upon the wyndowe, right as he dide er.
3790 This Alison answerde, "Who is ther
 That knokketh so? I warante it a theef."
 "Why, nay," quod he, "God woot, my sweete leef,
 I am thyn Absolon, my deerelyng.
 Of gold," quod he, "I have thee broght a ryng.
 My mooder yaf it me, so God me save;
 Ful fyn it is, and therto wel ygrave.
 This wol I yeve thee, if thou me kisse."
 This Nicholas was risen for to pisse,
 And thoughte he wolde amenden al the jape;
3800 He sholde kisse his ers er that he scape.
 And up the wyndowe dide he hastily,
 And out his ers he putteth pryvely
 Over the buttok, to the haunche-bon;
 And therwith spak this clerk, this Absolon,
 "Spek, sweete bryd, I noot nat where thou art."
 This Nicholas anon leet fle a fart
 As greet as it had been a thonder-dent,
 That with the strook he was almoost yblent;
 And he was redy with his iren hoot,
3810 And Nicholas amydde the ers he smoot.
 Of gooth the skyn an hande-brede aboute,
 The hoote kultour brende so his toute,
 And for the smert he wende for to dye.
 As he were wood, for wo he gan to crye,
 "Help! Water! Water! Help, for Goddes herte!"
 This carpenter out of his slomber sterte,
 And herde oon crien "water!" as he were wood,
 And thoughte, "Allas, now comth Nowelis flood!"
 He sit hym up withouten wordes mo,
3820 And with his ax he smoot the corde atwo,
 And doun gooth al; he foond neither to selle,
 Ne breed ne ale, til he cam to the celle
 Upon the floor, and ther aswowne he lay.
 Up stirte hire Alison and Nicholay,
 And criden "Out" and "Harrow" in the strete.
 The neighebores, bothe smale and grete,
 In ronnen for to gauren on this man,
 That yet aswowne lay, bothe pale and wan,
 For with the fal he brosten hadde his arm.
3830 But stonde he moste unto his owene harm;
 For whan he spak, he was anon bore doun
 With hende Nicholas and Alisoun.
 They tolden every man that he was wood;
 He was agast so of Nowelis flood
 Thurgh fantasie that of his vanytee
 He hadde yboght hym knedyng tubbes thre,
 And hadde hem hanged in the roof above;
 And that he preyed hem, for Goddes love,
 To sitten in the roof, par compaignye.
3840 The folk gan laughen at his fantasye;
 Into the roof they kiken and they cape,
 And turned al his harm unto a jape.
 For what so that this carpenter answerde,
 It was for noght; no man his reson herde.
 With othes grete he was so sworn adoun
 That he was holde wood in al the toun;
 For every clerk anonright heeld with oother.
 They seyde, "The man is wood, my leeve brother";
 And every wight gan laughen at this stryf.
3850 Thus swyved was this carpenteris wyf,
 For al his kepyng and his jalousye,
 And Absolon hath kist hir nether ye,
 And Nicholas is scalded in the towte.
 This tale is doon, and God save al the rowte!

Next: The Reeve's Prologue