there is a law that sayeth thus, That if a man in one point be aggriev’d, That in another he shall be reliev’d. Our corn is stol’n, soothly it is no nay, And we have had an evil fit to-day. And since I shall have none amendëment Against my loss, I will have easëment: By Goddë’s soul, it shall none, other be.” This John answér’d; “Alein, avisë thee: The miller is a perilous man,” he said, “And if that he out of his sleep abraid, He mightë do us both a villainy.” Alein answér’d; “I count him not a fly.” And up he rose, and by the wench he crept. This wenchë lay upright, and fast she slept, Till he so nigh was, ere she might espy, That it had been too latë for to cry: And, shortly for to say, they were at one. Now play, Alein, for I will speak of John.
This John lay still a furlong way or two, And to himself he madë ruth and woe. “Alas!” quoth he, “this is a wicked jape; Now may I say, that I is but an ape. Yet has my fellow somewhat for his harm; He has the miller’s daughter in his arm: He auntred him, and hath his needës sped, And I lie as a draff-sack in my bed; And when this jape is told another day, I shall be held a daffe or a cockenay: I will arise, and auntre it, by my fay: Unhardy is unsely, as men say.” And up he rose, and softëly he went Unto the cradle, and in his hand it hent, And bare it soft unto his beddë’s feet. Soon after this the wife her routing lete, And gan awake, and went her out to piss, And came again, and gan the cradle miss, And groped here and there, but she found none. “Alas!” quoth she, “I had almost misgone, I had almost gone to the clerkës’ bed. Ey! benedicite , then had I foul y-sped.” And forth she went, till she the cradle fand. She groped alway farther with her hand, And found the bed, and thoughtë not but good, Becausë that the cradle by it stood, And wist not where she was, for it was derk; But fair and well she crept in by the clerk, And lay full still, and would have caught a sleep. Within a while this John the Clerk up leap, And on this goodë wife laid on full sore; So merry a fit had she not had full yore. He pricked hard and deep, as he were mad.
This jolly life have these two clerkës lad, Till that the thirdë cock began to sing. Alein wax’d weary in the morrowing, For he had swonken all the