have heard say, man shall take of two things, Such as he findës, or such as he brings. But specially I pray thee, hostë dear, Gar us have meat and drink, and make us cheer, And we shall pay thee truly at the full: With empty hand men may not hawkës tull. Lo here our silver ready for to spend.”
This miller to the town his daughter send For ale and bread, and roasted them a goose, And bound their horse, he should no more go loose: And them in his own chamber made a bed. With sheetës and with chalons fair y-spread, Not from his owen bed ten foot or twelve: His daughter had a bed all by herselve, Right in the samë chamber by and by: It might no better be, and causë why— There was no roomer herberow in the place. They suppen, and they speaken of solace, And drinken ever strong ale at the best. Aboutë midnight went they all to rest. Well had this miller varnished his head; Full pale he was, fordrunken, and nought red. He yoxed, and he spake thorough the nose, As he were in the quakke, or in the pose. To bed he went, and with him went his wife, As any jay she light was and jolife, So was her jolly whistle well y-wet. The cradle at her beddë’s feet was set, To rock, and eke to give the child to suck. And when that drunken was all in the crock To beddë went the daughter right anon, To beddë went Alein, and also John. There was no morë; needed them no dwale. This miller had so wisly bibbed ale, That as a horse he snorted in his sleep, Nor of his tail behind he took no keep. His wife bare him a burdoun, a full strong; Men might their routing hearen a furlong. The wenchë routed eke for company.
Alein the clerk, that heard this melody, He poked John, and saidë: “Sleepest thou? Heardest thou ever such a song ere now? Lo what a compline is y-mell them all. A wildë fire upon their bodies fall, Who hearken’d ever such a ferly thing? Yea, they shall have the flow’r of ill ending! This longë night there tidës me no rest. But yet no force, all shall be for the best. For, John,” said he, “as ever may I thrive, If that I may, yon wenchë will I swive. Some easëment has law y-shapen us. For, John,