|
| Heere bigynneth the Millere his Tale |
|
| Whilom
ther was dwellynge at Oxenford |
| 80
| A riche gnof
that gestes heeld to bord, |
|
| And of his craft he was a carpenter. |
|
| With hym ther was dwellynge a poure scoler, |
|
| Hadde lerned art,
but al his fantasye
|
|
| Was turned for to lerne astrologye,
|
| 85
| 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 |
| 90
| Of
evry thyng -- I may nat rekene hem alle.
|
|
| This clerk was cleped
hende
Nicholas; |
|
| Of deerne
love he koude and of solas,
|
|
| And therto he was sleigh
and ful privee,
|
|
| And lyk a mayden meke
for to see. |
| 95
| 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.
|
| 100
| His Almageste
and bookes grete and smale, |
|
| His astrelabie,
longynge for his art,
|
|
| His augrym
stones, layen faire apart |
|
| On shelves couched at his beddes heed. |
|
| His presse ycovered with a faldyng
reed, |
| 105
| And al above ther lay a gay sautrie,
|
|
| On which he made a-nyghtes melodie
| [Commentary]
|
|
| So swetely that all the chambre rong; |
|
| And Angelus ad virginem he song, |
|
| And after that he song the
Kynges Noote. |
| 110
| Ful often
blessed was his myrie throte; |
|
| And thus this sweete clerk his tyme spente |
|
| After his
freendes fyndyng and his rente.
|
|
| This carpenter hadde wedded newe a wyf, |
|
| Which that he lovede moore than his lyf. |
| 115
| 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,
| [Commentary]
|
| 120
| That bad man sholde wedde his simylitude. |
|
| Men sholde wedden after
hire estaat, |
|
| For youthe and elde is often at debaat; |
|
| But sith
that he was fallen in the snare, |
|
| Her moste endure, as oother folk, his care.
|
| 125
| Fair was this yonge wyf, and therwithal |
|
| As any wezele hir body gent
and smal.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| A ceynt
she werede, barred
al of silk,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| A barmclooth
as whit as morne milk |
|
| Upon her lendes,
ful of many a goore.
|
| 130
| Whit was hir smok and broyden
al bifoore |
|
| And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute. |
|
| The tapes of hir white voluper
|
|
| Were of the same suyte of his coler; |
| 135
| Hir filet
brood of silk, and set ful hye. |
|
| And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Ful smale ypulled
were hire browes two, |
|
| And tho
were bent and blake as any sloo.
|
|
| She was ful moore blisful on to see |
| 140
| Than is the newe pere-jonette
tree, |
|
| And softer than the wolle is of a wether.
|
|
| And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Tasseled with silk and perled with latoun.
|
|
| In al this
world, to seken up and doun, |
| 145
| 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.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne
|
| 150
| As any swalwe sittynge on a berne.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Therto she koude skippe and make game, |
|
| 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. |
| 155
| 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; |
| 160
| She was a prymerole,
a piggesnye
-- |
|
| For any lord to leggen in his bedde, |
|
| Or yet for any good yeman to wedde!
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Now, sire,
and eft, sire, so bifel the cas, |
|
| That on a day this hende Nicholas |
| 165
| Fil with this yonge wyf to rage
and pleye, |
|
| Whil that hir housbonde was at Oseneye -- |
|
| As clerkes ben ful subtil
and ful queynte
-- |
|
| And prively he caughte hire by the queynte
| [Commentary]
|
|
| And seyde, "Ywis, but
if ich have my wille, |
| 170
| For deerne
love of thee, lemman,
I spille."
|
|
| And heeld hire harde by the haunchebones |
|
| 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,
|
| 175
| 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!" |
| 180
| This Nicholas gan
mercy for to crye, |
|
| And spak so faire, and profred
him so faste, |
|
| That she hir love hym graunted atte laste,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| And swoor hir ooth, by Seint Thomas of Kent,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| That she wol been at his comandement, |
| 185
| 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." |
| 190
| "Nay, therof care thee noght," quod Nicholas;
|
|
| "A clerk
hadde litherly biset his whyle, |
|
| But if he koude a carpenter bigyle." |
|
| And thus they been accorded and ysworn |
|
| To wayte a tyme,
as I have told biforn. |
| 195
| Whan Nicholas had doon thus everideel,
|
|
| And thakked
hire aboute the lendes
weel, |
|
| He kiste hire sweete and taketh his sautrie, |
|
| And pleyeth faste and maketh melodie.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Thanne fil it thus, that to the paryssh chirche,
| [Commentary]
|
| 200
| Cristes owene werkes for to wirche,
|
|
| This goode wyf went on a haliday.
|
|
| 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,
| [Commentary]
|
| 205
| The which
that was ycleped
Absolon.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| 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.
| [Commentary]
|
| 210
| With Poules wyndow corven
on his shoos,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| In hoses rede he wente fetisly.
|
|
| Yclad
he was ful smal and proprely,
|
|
| Al in a kirtel
of a lyght waget;
|
|
| Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set.
| [Commentary]
|
| 215
| And therupon he hadde a gay surplys
| [Commentary]
|
|
| 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,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| And maken a chartre of lond or acquitaunce. |
| 220
| In twenty manere koude he trippe and daunce-- |
|
| After the scole of Oxenforde tho -- |
|
| And with his legges casten to and fro, |
|
| And pleyen songes on a smal rubible;
|
|
| Therto he song som tyme a loud quynyble,
|
| 225
| 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
|
| 230
| Of fartyng, and of speche daungerous.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| This Absolon, that jolif was and gay,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Gooth with a sencer on the haliday, |
|
| Sensynge
the wyves of the parisshe faste, |
|
| And many a lovely look on hem caste, |
| 235
| 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. |
| 240
| This parissh clerk, this joly Absolon, |
|
| Hath in his herte swich a love-longynge |
|
| That of no wyf took he noon offrynge;
| [Commentary]
|
|
| For curteisie, he seyde, he wolde noon.
|
|
| The moone, whan it was nyght, ful brighte shoon, |
| 245
| 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, |
| 250
| And dressed
hym up by a shot-wyndowe
|
|
| That was upon the carpenteres wall. |
|
| He syngeth in his voys gentil
and smal, |
|
| 'Now, deere lady, if thy wille be,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| I praye yow that ye wole rewe
on me,' |
| 255
| 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,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| That chaunteth thus under oure boures
wal?" |
| 260
| And she answerde hir housbonde therwithal,
|
|
| "Yis,
God woot, John, I heere it every
deel." |
|
| This passeth
forth -- what wol ye bet than weel? |
|
| Fro day to day this joly Absolon |
|
| So woweth hire that hym
is wo bigon. |
| 265
| 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,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| And swoor he wolde been hir owene page;
|
|
| He syngeth, brokkynge
as a nyghtyngale; |
| 270
| He sente hire pyment, meeth,
and spiced ale, |
|
| And wafres, pipyng hoot out of the gleede,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| And, for she was of towne, he profred meede.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| For som folk wol ben wonnen for richesse, |
|
| And somme for strokes,
and somme for gentillesse.
|
| 275
| Somtyme, to shewe his lightnesse and maistrye, |
|
| He pleyeth Herodes upon a scaffold
hye.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| But what
availleth hym as in the cas? |
|
| She loveth so this hende Nicholas, |
|
| That Absolon may blowe the bukkes horn; |
| 280
| He ne hadde for his labour but a scorn. |
|
| And thus
she maketh Absolon hire ape, |
|
| 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 |
| 285
| 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, |
| 290
| For Absolon may waille and synge 'allas.'
|
|
| And so bifel it on a Saterday, |
|
| This carpenter was goon til Osenay; |
|
| And hende Nicholas and Alisoun |
|
| Acorded been
to this conclusioun, |
| 295
| 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. |
| 300
| And right anon, withouten wordes mo,
|
|
| This Nicholas no lenger wolde tarie, |
|
| 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, |
| 305
| 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, |
| 310
| He
nolde answere for thyng that myghte falle.
|
|
| This passeth forth al thilke
Saterday, |
|
| That Nicholas stille in his chambre lay, |
|
| And eet and sleep or dide what hym leste,
|
|
| Til Sonday, that the sonne gooth to reste. |
| 315
| 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! |
| 320
| This world is now ful tikel,
sikerly. |
|
| I saugh today
a cors yborn to chirche |
|
| That now
on Monday last I saugh hym wyrche. |
|
| Go up," quod he unto his knave
anoon,
|
|
| "Clepe
at his dore, or knokke with a stoon. |
| 325
| 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? |
| 330
| How may ye
slepen al the longe day?" |
|
| But al for noghte, he herde nat a word. |
|
| 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, |
| 335
| 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 mayster soone
|
|
| In what array
he saugh this ilke man. |
| 340
| This carpenter to
blessen hym bigan |
|
| And seyde, "Help us, Seinte
Frydeswyde! |
|
| A man woot
litel what hym shal bityde. |
|
| This man is falle, with his astromye,
|
|
| In som woodnesse or in som agonye;
|
| 345
| 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; |
| 350
| He walked in the feeldes for to prye
|
|
| Upon the sterres, what ther sholde bifalle, |
|
| Til he was in a marle-pit
yfalle -- |
|
| He saugh nat that. But yet, by Seint Thomas, |
|
| Me reweth
soore of hende Nicholas. |
| 355
| He shal be rated
of his studiyng, |
|
| If that I may, by Jhesus, hevene kyng.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| 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", |
| 360
| And to the chambre dore he gan
hym dresse. |
|
| His knave
was a strong carl for the nones |
|
| And by the
haspe he haaf it of atones; |
|
| Into the floor the dore fil anon. |
|
| This Nicholas sat ay as stille as stoon, |
| 365
| And evere caped
upward into the eir. |
|
| This carpenter wende
he were in despeir, |
|
| And hente
hym by the sholdres myghtily |
|
| And shook him harde, and cride spitously,
|
|
| "What! Nicholay! what, how! what, looke adoun!
|
| 370
| Awak, and thenk on Cristes passioun!
| [Commentary]
|
|
| I crouche
thee from elves and fro wightes".
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Therwith the nyght-spel
seyde he anon-rightes
|
|
| On foure halves
of the hous aboute, |
|
| And on the tresshfold of the dore withoute. |
| 375
| "Jhesu Crist and Seinte Benedight,
|
|
| Blesse this hous from every wikked wight, |
|
| For nyghtes verye,
the white pater-noster!
|
|
| Where wentestow,
Seinte Petres soster?"
| [Commentary
1]
[Commentary 2]
|
|
| And atte laste this hende Nicholas |
| 380
| Gan for to
sike soore, and seyde, "Allas! |
|
| Shal al the world be lost eftsoones
now?"
| [Commentary]
|
|
| This carpenter answerde, "What seystow? |
|
| What! Thynk on God, as we doon, men that
swynke."
|
|
| This Nicholas answerde, "Fecche me drynke, |
| 385
| 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 gooth doun, and comth ageyn, |
|
| And broghte of myghty ale a large quart. |
| 390
| And whan that ech of hem had dronke his part, |
|
| This Nicholas his dore faste shette, |
|
| And doun
the carpenter by hym he sette. |
|
| He seyde, "John, myn hooste, liefight">
and deere, |
|
| Thou shalt
upon thy trouthe swere me heere |
| 395
| 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."
| [Commentary]
|
| 400
| "Nay, Crist forbede it, for his hooly blood!"
|
|
| Quod tho
this sely man, "I nam no labbe; |
|
| 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!" |
| 405
| "Now John," quod Nicholas, "I wol nat
lye; |
|
| I have yfounde in myn astrologye,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| As I have looked in the moone bright,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| That now a Monday next, at quarter
nyght,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Shal falle a reyn, and that so wilde and wood, |
| 410
| That half so greet was nevere Noes flood. |
|
| This world," he seyde, "in lasse than an hour
|
|
| Shal al be
dreynt, so hidous is the shour. |
|
| Thus shal
mankynde drenche, and lese hir lyf."
|
|
| This carpenter answerde, "Allas, my wyf! |
| 415
| 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. |
| 420
| Thou mayst nat werken after thyn owene heed, |
|
| For thus seith Salomon, that was ful trewe,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| 'Werk al by conseil and thou shalt not rewe.'
|
|
| And, if thou werken wolt by good conseil, |
|
| I undertake, withouten mast and seyl,
| [Commentary]
|
| 425
| 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." |
| 430
| "Hastou nat herd," quod Nicholas, "also
|
|
| The sorwe of Noe with his felaweshipe, |
|
| Er that he myghte gete his wyf to shipe?
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Hym hadde
be levere, I dar wel undertake |
|
| At thilke tyme, than alle wetheres
blake, |
| 435
| That she hadde had a ship hirself allone. |
|
| And therfore, woostou
what is best to doone? |
|
| FootThis
asketh haste, and of an hastif thyng
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Men may nat
preche or maken tariyng. |
|
| Anon go gete us faste into
this in |
| 440
| A knedyng-trogh or ellis a kymelyn
|
|
| For ech of us, but looke that they be large, |
|
| In which we mowe
swymme as in a barge, |
|
| And han therinne vitaille suffisant |
|
| But for a day: fy
on the remenant!
| [Commentary]
|
| 445
| 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, |
| 450
| I wol nat tellen Goddes pryvetee.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Suffiseth
thee, but if thy wittes madde, |
|
| To han as greet a grace as Noe hadde.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute. |
|
| Go now thy wey, and speed
thee heer-aboute. |
| 455
| "But whan thou hast, for hire and thee and me,
|
|
| Ygeten us thise knedyng tubbes thre,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Thanne shaltow hange hem in the roof ful hye, |
|
| That no man of oure purveiaunce
spye. |
|
| And whan thou thus hast doon, as I have seyd, |
| 460
| And hast
oure vitaille faire in hem yleyd, |
|
| And eek an ax, to smyte the corde atwo,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| 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, |
| 465
| 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.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Thanne wol I clepe,
'How, Alison! how, John! |
| 470
| Be myrie for the flood wol passe anon.' |
|
| And thou wolt seyn, 'Hayl, maister Nicholay! |
|
| Good morwe, I se thee wel, for it is day.' |
|
| And thanne shul we be lordes al oure lyf
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Of al the world, as Noe and his wyf. |
| 475
| 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; |
| 480
| For it is
Goddes owene heeste deere.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Thy wyf and thou moote hange fer
atwynne,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| For that
bitwixe yow shal be no synne, |
|
| Namoore in lookyng than
ther shal in deede; |
|
| This ordinance
is seyd. Go, God thee speede! |
| 485
| 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. |
| 490
| Men seyn thus, 'sende the wise, and sey no thyng'.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Thou art so wys it needeth thee nat teche. |
|
| Go, save
oure lyf, and that I the biseche."
|
|
| This sely carpenter goth forth his wey; |
|
| Ful ofte he seide 'allas' and 'weylawey,' |
| 495
| 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 natheless she ferde
as she wolde deye,
|
|
| And seyde, "Allas! go forth thy wey anon, |
| 500
| Help us to scape or we been dede echon!
|
|
| I am thy trewe, verray
wedded wyf. |
|
| Go, deere spouse, and help to save oure lyf."
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Lo, which a greet thyng is affeccioun!
|
|
| Men may dyen of ymaginacioun,
|
| 505
| So depe may
impressioun be take.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| 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. |
| 510
| He wepeth, weyleth, maketh
sory cheere; |
|
| He siketh
with ful many a sory swogh;
|
|
| He gooth and geteth hym a knedyng-trogh,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| And after that a tubbe and a kymelyn,
|
|
| And pryvely he sente hem to his in,
|
| 515
| 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, |
| 520
| With breed and chese, and good ale in a jubbe,
|
|
| Suffisynge right ynogh as for a day. |
|
| 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. |
| 525
| 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.
|
| 530
| "Now,
Pater-noster, clom!" seyde Nicholay,
|
|
| And "Clom," quod John, and "clom,"
seyde Alisoun. |
|
| This carpenter seyde his devocioun,
|
|
| And stille he sit, and biddeth
his preyere, |
|
| Awaitynge on the reyn, if
he it heere. |
| 535
| 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.
|
| 540
| Doun of the laddre stalketh Nicholay, |
|
| And Alisoun ful softe adoun she spedde. |
|
| Withouten wordes mo
they goon to bedde, |
|
| Ther as the
carpenter is wont to lye. |
|
| Ther was the revel and the melodye! |
| 545
| And thus lith
Alisoun and Nicholas, |
|
| In bisynesse of myrthe and of solas,
|
|
| Til that the belle of laudes gan to rynge,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| And freres
in the chauncel gonne synge.
|
|
| This parissh clerk, this amorous Absolon, |
| 550
| That is for love alwey so wo bigon, |
|
| Upon the Monday was at Oseneye
|
|
| With compaignye, hym
to disporte and pleye, |
|
| And axed
upon cas a cloisterer |
|
| Ful prively after John the carpenter; |
| 555
| 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 abott hath hym sent, |
|
| For he is wont for tymber for to go, |
| 560
| And dwellen at the grange
a day or two; |
|
| Or elles he is at his hous, certeyn. |
|
| 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, |
| 565
| 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.
| [Commentary]
|
| 570
| To Alisoun now wol I tellen al |
|
| My love-longynge, for yet I shal nat mysse |
|
| That at the leeste wey I shal hire kisse.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Som maner
confort shal I have, parfay. |
|
| My mouth hath icched al this longe day -- |
| 575
| 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 hathe crowe, anon
|
| 580
| Up rist
this joly lovere Absolon, |
|
| And hym arrayeth
gay, at poynt-devys. |
|
| But first he cheweth greyn
and lycorys |
|
| To smellen sweete, er he hadde kembd his heer. |
|
| Under his tonge a trewe-love
he beer,
|
| 585
| 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: |
| 590
| "What do ye, hony-comb, sweete Alisoun, |
|
| My faire bryd,
my sweete cynamome?
|
|
| Awaketh, lemman
myn, and speketh to me! |
|
| Wel litel thynken ye upon me wo, |
|
| That for youre love I swete
ther I go.
| [Commentary]
|
| 595
| 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 maide."
| [Commentary]
|
| 600
| "Go fro the wyndow, Jakke fool, she sayde; |
|
| As help me God, it wol nat be 'com
pa me'.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| 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, |
| 605
| 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." |
| 610
| "Wiltow
thanne go thy wey therwith?" quod she.
|
|
| "Ye, certes, lemman", quod this Absolon. |
|
| "Thanne make thee redy", quod she: "I
come anon".
|
|
| And unto Nicholas she seyde stille,
|
|
| "Now hust
and thou shalt laughen al thy fille". |
| 615
| 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!"
| [Commentary]
|
|
| The wyndow she undoth
and that in haste. |
| 620
| "Have
do", quod she, "com
of, and speed the faste, |
|
| Lest that oure neighebores thee espie" |
|
| 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; |
| 625
| 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. |
| 630
| He felte a thyng al rough and long yherd,
|
|
| And seyde, "Fy! allas! what have I do?"
|
|
| "Tehee!" quod she and clapte the wyndow to;
|
|
| And Absolon gooth forth a
sory pas. |
|
| "A berd! a berd!" quod hende Nicholas,
| [Commentary]
|
| 635
| "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".
| [Commentary]
|
|
| Who rubbeth now, who froteth
now his lippes |
| 640
| With dust, with sond, with straw, with clooth, with
chippes,
|
|
| But Absolon, that seith ful ofte, "Allas! |
|
| My soule
bitake I unto Sathanas, |
|
| But me were
levere than al this toun," quod he, |
|
| "Of
this despit awroken for to be. |
| 645
| 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.
|
| 650
| Ful ofte
paramours he gan deffie, |
|
| And weep as dooth a child that is ybete.
|
|
| A softe paas
he wente over the strete |
|
| Until a smyth men cleped
daun
Gerveys, |
|
| That in his forge smythed
plough harneys. |
| 655
| 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, |
| 660
| Why rise ye so rathe?
ey, benedicitee! |
|
| What eyleth
yow? Som gay gerl, God it woot, |
|
| Hath broght yow thus upon the viritoot.
|
|
| By Seinte Note,
ye woot
wel what I mene." |
|
| This Absolon
ne roghte nat a bene |
| 665
| 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, |
| 670
| And I wol brynge it thee agayn ful soone." |
|
| Gerveys answerde, "Certes,
were it gold |
|
| Or in a poke,
nobles alle untold, |
|
| Thou sholdest have, as I am trewe smyth. |
|
| Ey, Cristes foo,
what wol ye do therwith?" |
| 675
| "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. |
| 680
| He cogheth first, and knokketh therwithal |
|
| Upon the
wyndowe, right as he dide er.
|
|
| This Alisoun answerde, "Who is ther |
|
| That knokketh so? I warante
it a theef." |
|
| "Why, nay", quod he, "God woot, my sweete
leef, |
| 685
| 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. |
| 690
| This Nicholas was risen for to pisse, |
|
| And thoughte he wolde amenden
al the jape. |
|
| He sholde kisse his ers er
that he scape; |
|
| And up the
wyndowe dide he hastily, |
|
| And out his ers he putteth pryvely |
| 695
| 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 dentght">,
|
| 700
| That with the strook he was almoost yblent.
|
|
| And he was redy with his yren hoot, |
|
| And Nicholas amydde the ers he smoot. |
|
| Of gooth
the skyn an hande-brede aboute -- |
|
| The hoote kultour brende so his toute
-- |
| 705
| And for the
smert he wende for to dye. |
|
| As he were wood,
for wo he gan to crye,
| [Commentary]
|
|
| "Help! water! water! help, for goddes herte!"
|
|
| This carpenter out of his slomber sterte,
|
|
| And herde oon crien "Water" as
he were wood, |
| 710
| And thoughte, allas, now comth Nowelis Flood!
| [Commentary]
|
|
| He sit
hym up withouten wordes mo, |
|
| 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
|
| 715
| Upon the floor, and ther aswowne
he lay.
|
|
| Up stirte
hire Alisoun and Nicholay, |
|
| And criden "out" and "harrow"
in the strete.
| [Commentary]
|
|
| The neighebores, both smale
and grete, |
|
| In ronnen
for to gauren on this man, |
| 720
| That yet aswowne lay, bothe pale and wan, |
|
| For with the fal he brosten
hadde his arm. |
|
| But stonde
he moste unto his owene harm, |
|
| For whan he spak, he was anon
bore doun |
|
| With hende Nicholas and Alisoun. |
| 725
| 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; |
| 730
| And that
he preyed hem, for Goddes love, |
|
| To sitten in the roof, par
compaignye.
|
|
| The folk gan laughen at his fantasye. |
|
| Into the roof they kiken
and they cape, |
|
| And turned
al his harm unto a jape. |
| 735
| 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. |
| 740
| They seyde, "The man is wood, my leeve
brother." |
|
| And every wight
gan laughen at this stryf.
|
|
| Thus swyved
was this carpenteris wyf, |
|
| For al his kepyng
and his jalousye; |
|
| And Absolon hath kist hir nether
ye; |
| 745
| And Nicholas is scalded in the towte.
|
|
| This tale is doon, and God save al the rowte!
|
Heere endeth the Millere his tale.