The Reeve's Prologue
Whan folk hadde laughen at this nyce cas Line 3855
Of absolon and hende nicholas, Line 3856
Diverse folk diversely they seyde, Line 3857
But for the moore part they loughe and pleyde. Line 3858
Ne at this tale I saugh no man hym greve, Line 3859
But it were oonly osewold the reve. Line 3860
By cause he was of carpenteris craft, Line 3861
A litel ire is in his herte ylaft; Line 3862
He gan to grucche, and blamed it a lite. Line 3863
So theek, quod he, ful wel koude I thee quite Line 3864
With bleryng of a proud milleres ye, Line 3865
If that me liste speke of ribaudye. Line 3866
But ik am oold, me list not pley for age; Line 3867
Gras tyme is doon, my fodder is now forage; Line 3868
This white top writeth myne olde yeris; Line 3869
Myn herte is also mowled as myne heris, Line 3870
But if I fare as dooth an open-ers, -- Line 3871
That ilke fruyt is ever lenger the wers, Line 3872
Til it be roten in mullok or in stree. Line 3873
We olde men, I drede, so fare we: Line 3874
Til we be roten, kan we nat be rype; Line 3875
We hoppen alwey whil the world wol pype. Line 3876
For in oure wyl ther stiketh evere a nayl, Line 3877
To have an hoor heed and a grene tayl, Line 3878
As hath a leek; for thogh oure myght be goon, Line 3879
Oure wyl desireth folie evere in oon. Line 3880
For whan we may nat doon, than wol we speke; Line 3881
Yet in oure asshen olde is fyr yreke. Line 3882
Foure gleedes han we, which I shal devyse, -- Line 3883
Avauntyng, liyng, anger, coveitise; Line 3884
Thise foure sparkles longen unto eelde. Line 3885
Oure olde lemes mowe wel been unweelde, Line 3886
But wyl ne shal nat faillen, that is sooth. Line 3887
And yet ik have alwey a coltes tooth, Line 3888
As many a yeer as it is passed henne Line 3889
Syn that my tappe of lif bigan to renne. Line 3890
For sikerly, whan I was bore, anon Line 3891
Deeth drough the tappe of lyf and leet it gon; Line 3892
And ever sithe hath so the tappe yronne Line 3893
Til that almoost al empty is the tonne. Line 3894
The streem of lyf now droppeth on the chymbe. Line 3895
The sely tonge may wel rynge and chymbe Line 3896
Of wrecchednesse that passed is ful yoore; Line 3897
With olde folk, save dotage, is namoore! Line 3898
Whan that oure hoost hadde herd this sermonyng, Line 3899
He gan to speke as lordly as a kyng. Line 3900
He seide, what amounteth al this wit? Line 3901
What shul we speke alday of hooly writ? Line 3902
The devel made a reve for to preche, Line 3903
Or of a soutere a shipman or a leche. Line 3904
Sey forth thy tale, and tarie nat the tyme Line 3905
Lo depeford! and it is half-wey pryme. Line 3906
Lo grenewych, ther many a shrewe is inne! Line 3907
It were al tyme thy tale to bigynne. Line 3908
Now, sires, quod this osewold the reve, Line 3909
I pray yow alle that ye nat yow greve, Line 3910
Thogh I answere, and somdeel sette his howve; Line 3911
For leveful is with force force of-showve. Line 3912
This dronke millere hath ytoold us heer Line 3913
How that bigyled was a carpenteer, Line 3914
Peraventure in scorn, for I am oon. Line 3915
And, by youre leve, I shal hym quite anoon; Line 3916
Right in his cherles termes wol I speke. Line 3917
I pray to God his nekke mote to-breke; Line 3918
He kan wel in myn eye seen a stalke, Line 3919
But in his owene he kan nat seen a balke. Line 3920