Canterbury Tales (Middle English) — The Miller's Tale
HERE FOLWEN THE WORDES BITWENE THE HOST AND THE MILLERE.
Whan that the Knight had thus his tale y-told, In al the route nas ther yong ne old 3110 That he ne seyde it was a noble storie, And worthy for to drawen to memorie;
And namely the gentils everichoon.
Our Hoste lough and swoor, ‘so moot I goon, This gooth aright; unbokeled is the male; 3115 Lat see now who shal telle another tale: For trewely, the game is wel bigonne.
Now telleth ye, sir Monk, if that ye conne, (10) Sumwhat, to quyte with the Knightes tale.
’ The Miller, that for-dronken was al pale, 3120 So that unnethe up-on his hors he sat, He nolde avalen neither hood ne hat, Ne abyde no man for his curteisye, But in Pilates vois he gan to crye, And swoor by armes and by blood and bones, 3125 ‘I can a noble tale for the nones, With which I wol now quyte the Knightes tale.
’ HEADING.
_From_ E. Heere; hoost.
3118. E.
on; _rest_ ye.
Our Hoste saugh that he was dronke of ale, (20) And seyde: ‘abyd, Robin, my leve brother, Som bettre man shal telle us first another: 3130 Abyd, and lat us werken thriftily.
’ 3128. Ln.
oste; E. hoost; Hl.
_has_—Oure hoost saugh wel how.
[90: T.
3134-3166. ] ‘By goddes soul,’ quod he, ‘that wol nat I;
For I wol speke, or elles go my wey.
’ Our Hoste answerde: ‘tel on, a devel wey!
Thou art a fool, thy wit is overcome.
’ 3135 3134. Pt.
hooste; Ln.
oste; E. hoost.
‘Now herkneth,’ quod the Miller, ‘alle and some!
But first I make a protestacioun That I am dronke, I knowe it by my soun; (30) And therfore, if that I misspeke or seye, Wyte it the ale of Southwerk, I yow preye; 3140 For I wol telle a legende and a lyf Bothe of a Carpenter, and of his wyf, How that a clerk hath set the wrightes cappe.
’ 3140. E.
Hn.
Cm.
_om.
_ yow.
The Reve answerde and seyde, ‘stint thy clappe, Lat be thy lewed dronken harlotrye.
3145 It is a sinne and eek a greet folye To apeiren any man, or him diffame, And eek to bringen wyves in swich fame.
(40) Thou mayst y-nogh of othere thinges seyn.
’ 3147. E.
Ln.
Hl.
defame; _rest_ diffame.
This dronken Miller spak ful sone ageyn, 3150 And seyde, ‘leve brother Osewold, Who hath no wyf, he is no cokewold.
But I sey nat therfore that thou art oon;
Ther been ful gode wyves many oon, 3154 And ever a thousand gode ayeyns oon badde, [T. _om.
_ That knowestow wel thy-self, but-if thou madde.
[T.
_om.
_ Why artow angry with my tale now?
I have a wyf, pardee, as well as thou, (50) Yet nolde I, for the oxen in my plogh, Taken up-on me more than y-nogh, 3160 As demen of my-self that I were oon;
I wol beleve wel that I am noon.
An housbond shal nat been inquisitif Of goddes privetee, nor of his wyf.
So he may finde goddes foyson there, 3165 Of the remenant nedeth nat enquere.
’ 3150. E.
dronke; Cm.
dronkyn; _rest_ dronken.
3155, 6. _These two lines are in_ E. Cm.
Hl.
only.
3160. Cm.
Takyn; _rest_ Take, Tak.
3166. enquere] Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
to enquere.
[91: T.
3167-3186. ] What sholde I more seyn, but this Millere He nolde his wordes for no man forbere, (60) But tolde his cherles tale in his manere;
Me thinketh that I shal reherce it here.
3170 And ther-fore every gentil wight I preye, For goddes love, demeth nat that I seye Of evel entente, but that I moot reherce Hir tales alle, be they bettre or werse, Or elles falsen som of my matere.
3175 And therfore, who-so list it nat y-here, Turne over the leef, and chese another tale;
For he shal finde y-nowe, grete and smale, (70) Of storial thing that toucheth gentillesse, And eek moralitee and holinesse; 3180 Blameth nat me if that ye chese amis.
The Miller is a cherl, ye knowe wel this;
So was the Reve, and othere many mo, And harlotrye they tolden bothe two.
Avyseth yow and putte me out of blame; 3185 And eek men shal nat make ernest of game.
HERE ENDETH THE PROLOGE.
3170. E.
Mathynketh; Hn.
Cp.
Ln.
Hl.
Me athynketh; Cm.
Me thynkyth.
3172. demeth] Hl.
as deme.
3173. E.
yuel; Cm.
euyl.
3177. Cp.
chees; Cm.
ches; _rest_ chese.
3185. E.
Cm.
_om.
_ and.
E.
Cp.
putteth; _rest_ putte, put.
3186. E.
Hn.
Cm.
maken; _rest_ make.
COLOPHON.
_From_ Cm.
; Pt.
Thus endeth the prologe; Ln.
Explicit prologus; Hl.
Here endeth the prologe of the Miller.
[92: T.
3187-3214. ] * * * * * THE MILLERES TALE.
* * * * * HERE BIGINNETH THE MILLERE HIS TALE.
Whylom ther was dwellinge at Oxenford A riche gnof, that gestes heeld to bord, And of his craft he was a Carpenter.
With him ther was dwellinge a povre scoler, 3190 Had lerned art, but al his fantasye Was turned for to lerne astrologye, And coude a certeyn of conclusiouns To demen by interrogaciouns, If that men axed him in certein houres, 3195 Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures, (10) Or if men axed him what sholde bifalle Of every thing, I may nat rekene hem alle.
3187. Cm.
Pt.
in (_for_ at).
3190. Cm.
Pt.
Hl.
pore; E. Hn.
poure (= povre); Cp.
Ln.
pouer (= pover).
3195, 7. E.
asked; _rest_ axed.
This clerk was cleped hende Nicholas;
Of derne love he coude and of solas; 3200 And ther-to be was sleigh and ful privee, And lyk a mayden meke for to see.
A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye Allone, with-outen any companye, Ful fetisly y-dight with herbes swote; 3205 And he him-self as swete as is the rote (20) Of licorys, or any cetewale.
His Almageste and bokes grete and smale, His astrelabie, longinge for his art, His augrim-stones layen faire a-part 3210 On shelves couched at his beddes heed: His presse y-covered with a falding reed.
And al above ther lay a gay sautrye, On which he made a nightes melodye [93: T.
3215-3250. ] So swetely, that al the chambre rong; 3215 And _Angelus ad virginem_ he song; (30) And after that he song the kinges note;
Ful often blessed was his mery throte.
And thus this swete clerk his tyme spente After his freendes finding and his rente.
3220 3218. Cm.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
mery; E. myrie.
This Carpenter had wedded newe a wyf Which that he lovede more than his lyf;
Of eightetene yeer she was of age.
Ialous he was, and heeld hir narwe in cage, For she was wilde and yong, and he was old 3225 And demed him-self ben lyk a cokewold.
(40) He knew nat Catoun, for his wit was rude, That bad man sholde wedde his similitude.
Men sholde wedden after hir estaat, For youthe and elde is often at debaat.
3230 But sith that he was fallen in the snare, He moste endure, as other folk, his care.
3223. Hl.
eyghteteene; _rest_ xviij.
3225. E.
yong and wylde.
3230. Cm.
Hl.
ben; _rest_ is.
Fair was this yonge wyf, and ther-with-al As any wesele hir body gent and smal.
A ceynt she werede barred al of silk, 3235 A barmclooth eek as whyt as morne milk (50) Up-on hir lendes, ful of many a gore.
Whyt was hir smok, and brouded al bifore And eek bihinde, on hir coler aboute, Of col-blak silk, with-inne and eek with-oute.
3240 The tapes of hir whyte voluper Were of the same suyte of hir coler;
Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye: And sikerly she hadde a likerous yë.
Ful smale y-pulled were hir browes two, 3245 And tho were bent, and blake as any sloo.
(60) She was ful more blisful on to see Than is the newe pere-ionette tree;
And softer than the wolle is of a wether.
And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether 3250 [94: T.
3251-3285. ] Tasseld with silk, and perled with latoun.
In al this world, to seken up and doun, There nis no man so wys, that coude thenche So gay a popelote, or swich a wenche.
Ful brighter was the shyning of hir hewe 3255 Than in the tour the noble y-forged newe.
(70) But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne As any swalwe sittinge on a berne.
Ther-to she coude skippe and make game, As any kide or calf folwinge his dame.
3260 Hir mouth was swete as bragot or the meeth, Or hord of apples leyd in hey or heeth.
Winsinge she was, as is a Ioly colt, Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt.
A brooch she baar up-on hir lowe coler, 3265 As brood as is the bos of a bocler.
(80) Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye;
She was a prymerole, a pigges-nye For any lord to leggen in his bedde, Or yet for any good yeman to wedde.
3270 3235. E.
y-barred; _rest_ barred.
3236. Hl.
eek; _rest om.
_ 3238. Cp.
brouded; Hl.
browdid; Cm.
I-brouded; E. Hn.
broyden.
3251. E.
Hn.
Tasseled; Ln.
Tassilde; Hl.
Cp.
Tassid.
E.
grene; _rest_ silk.
3253. E.
nas; Hn.
Pt.
Hl.
nys; Cm.
Cp.
Ln.
is.
3261. Cm.
Pt.
Cp.
Ln.
braket.
3265. Cm.
lowe; _rest_ loue.
3266. Cp.
bocler; Hl.
bocleer;
_rest_ bokeler.
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, Whyl that hir housbond was at Oseneye, As clerkes ben ful subtile and ful queynte; 3275 And prively he caughte hir by the queynte, (90) And seyde, ‘y-wis, but if ich have my wille, For derne love of thee, lemman, I spille.
’ And heeld hir harde by the haunche-bones, And seyde, ‘lemman, love me al at-ones, 3280 Or I wol dyen, also god me save!
’ And she sprong as a colt doth 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, 3285 [95: T.
3286-3322. ] Or I wol crye out “harrow” and “allas.
” (100) Do wey your handes for your curteisye!
’ 3283. Cm.
wrythed.
3285. Pt.
she; Cm.
Hl.
sche; Ln.
iche; _rest_ ich.
This Nicholas gan mercy for to crye, And spak so faire, and profred hir so faste, That she hir love him graunted atte laste, 3290 And swoor hir ooth, by seint Thomas of Kent, That she wol been at his comandement, Whan that she may hir leyser wel espye.
‘Myn housbond is so ful of Ialousye, That but ye wayte wel and been privee, 3295 I woot right wel I nam but deed,’ quod she.
(110) ‘Ye moste been ful derne, as in this cas.
’ ‘Nay ther-of care thee noght,’ quod Nicholas, ‘A clerk had litherly biset his whyle, But-if he coude a Carpenter bigyle.
’ 3300 And thus they been acorded and y-sworn To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn.
Whan Nicholas had doon thus everydeel, And thakked hir aboute the lendes weel, He kist hir swete, and taketh his sautrye, 3305 And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodye.
(120) 3289. E.
hir; _rest_ him.
Than fil it thus, that to the parish-chirche, Cristes owne werkes for to wirche, This gode wyf wente on an haliday;
Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day, 3310 So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk.
Now was ther of that chirche a parish-clerk, The which that was y-cleped Absolon.
Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon, And strouted as a fanne large and brode; 3315 Ful streight and even lay his Ioly shode.
(130) His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos;
With Powles window corven on his shoos, In hoses rede he wente fetisly.
Y-clad he was ful smal and proprely, 3320 Al in a kirtel of a light wachet;
Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set.
[96: T.
3323-3358. ] And ther-up-on he hadde a gay surplys As whyt as is the blosme up-on the rys.
A mery child he was, so god me save, 3325 Wel coude he laten blood and clippe and shave, (140) And make a chartre of lond or acquitaunce.
In twenty manere coude he trippe and daunce After the scole of Oxenforde tho, And with his legges casten to and fro, 3330 And pleyen songes on a small rubible;
Ther-to he song som-tyme a loud quinible;
And as wel coude he pleye on his giterne.
In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne That he ne visited with his solas, 3335 Ther any gaylard tappestere was.
(150) But sooth to seyn, he was somdel squaymous Of farting, and of speche daungerous.
3319. Cm.
hosyn; Pt.
hosen; _rest_ hoses.
3321. Hl.
fyn (_for_ light).
Hl.
Ln.
wachet; Cm.
vachet; _rest_ waget.
3325. E.
myrie;
Hn.
murye.
3327. E.
Hn.
maken.
3329. E.
Hn.
Oxenford; Cm.
Oxenforthe; _rest_ Oxenforde.
3333. E.
his; _rest_ a. This Absolon, that Iolif was and gay, Gooth with a sencer on the haliday, 3340 Sensinge the wyves of the parish faste;
And many a lovely look on hem he caste, And namely on this carpenteres wyf.
To loke on hir him thoughte a mery lyf, She was so propre and swete and likerous.
3345 I dar wel seyn, if she had been a mous, (160) And he a cat, he wolde hir hente anon.
3344. E.
myrie; Hn.
murye.
3347. E.
Hl.
wold; _rest_ wolde.
This parish-clerk, this Ioly Absolon, Hath in his herte swich a love-longinge, That of no wyf ne took he noon offringe; 3350 For curteisye, he seyde, he wolde noon.
The mone, whan it was night, ful brighte shoon, And Absolon his giterne hath y-take, For paramours, he thoghte for to wake.
And forth he gooth, Iolif and amorous, 3353 Til he cam to the carpenteres hous (170) A litel after cokkes hadde y-crowe;
And dressed him up by a shot-windowe [97: T.
3359-3392. ] That was up-on the carpenteres wal.
He singeth in his vois gentil and smal, 3360 ‘Now, dere lady, if thy wille be, I preye yow that ye wol rewe on me,’ Ful wel acordaunt to his giterninge.
This carpenter awook, and herde him singe, And spak un-to his wyf, and seyde anon, 3365 ‘What!
Alison!
herestow nat Absolon (180) That chaunteth thus under our boures wal?
’ And she answerde hir housbond ther-with-al, ‘Yis, god wot, Iohn, I here it every-del.
’ 3350. Hn.
Hl.
ne; _rest om.
_ 3362. Cm.
preye; Hl.
praye; Ln.
preie;
E.
Hn.
Cp.
Pt.
pray.
E.
wole; Cm.
wele; Hn.
Hl.
wol; _rest_ wil.
E.
thynke; _rest_ rewe.
3364. E.
_om.
_ him.
This passeth forth; what wol ye bet than wel?
3370 Fro day to day this Ioly Absolon So woweth hir, that him is wo bigon.
