The Reevë was a slender choleric man, His beard was shav’d as nigh as ever he can. His hair was by his earës round y-shorn; His top was docked like a priest beforn. Full longë were his leggës, and full lean, Y-like a staff, there was no calf y-seen. Well could he keep a garner and a bin: There was no auditor could on him win. Well wist he by the drought, and by the rain, The yielding of his seed and of his grain. His lordë’s sheep, his neat, and his dairy. His swine, his horse, his store, and his poultrý, Were wholly in this Reevë’s governing, And by his cov’nant gave he reckoning, Since that his lord was twenty year of age; There could no man bring him in arrearáge. There was no bailiff, herd, nor other hine, That he ne knew his sleight and his covine: They were adrad of him, as of the death. His wonning was full fair upon an heath, With greenë trees y-shadow’d was his place. He couldë better than his lord purchase. Full rich he was y-stored privily. His lord well could he pleasë subtilly, To give and lend him of his owen good, And have a thank, and yet a coat and hood. In youth he learned had a good mistére. He was a well good wright, a carpentére This Reevë sate upon a right good stot, That was all pomely gray, and hightë Scot. A long surcoat of perse upon he had, And by his side he bare a rusty blade. Of Norfolk was this Reeve, of which I tell, Beside a town men clepen Baldeswell. Tucked he was, as is a friar, about, And ever rode the hinderest of the rout.
A Sompnour was there with us in that place, That had a fire-red cherubinnës face, For sausëfleme he was, with eyen narrow. As hot he was and lecherous as a sparrow, With scalled browës black, and pilled beard: Of his viságe children were sore afeard. There n’as quicksilver, litharge, nor brimstone, Boras, ceruse, nor oil of tartar none, Nor ointëment that wouldë cleanse or bite, That him might helpen of his whelkës white, Nor of the knobbës sitting on his cheeks. Well lov’d he