¶ The prologe of the Milleres tale.
WHan that the knyght hadde thus his tale ytoold
In al the compaignie / nas ther yong ne oold
That he ne seyde / it was a noble Storie
And worthy / for to drawen to memorie
Line 3112
And namely / the gentils euerichon
¶ Oure hoost lough / and swoor so moot I gon
This gooth aright vnbokeled is the male
Lat se now / who shal telle another tale
Line 3116
ffor trewely / the game is wel bigonne
Now telleth ye sire Monk / if þat ye konne
Som what / to quite with the knyghtes tale
¶ The Millere / that for-dronken was a pale
Line 3120
So that vnnethe / vp on his hors he sat
He nolde aualen / neither hood ne hat
Ne abiden no man / for his curteisye
But in Pilates voys / he gan to crye
Line 3124
And swoor by armes / and by blood and bones
I kan a noble tale / for the nones
With which / I wol now quite the knyghtes tale
¶ Oure Hoost saugh / þat he was dronke of ale
Line 3128
¶ And seyde / abyde Robyn leeue brother [folio 41b]
Som bettre man / shal telle vs first another
Abyde / and lat vs werken thriftily
¶ By goddes soule quod he / that wol nat I
Line 3132
ffor I wol speke / or ellis go my wey
¶ Oure Hoost answerde / tel on a deuele wey
Thow art a fool / thy wit is ouercome
¶ Now herkneth quod the Millere / alle and some
Line 3136
But first I make a protestacioun
That I am dronke / I knowe it by my sown
And therfore / if þat I mysspeke / or seye
Wite it / the ale of Southwerk I preye
Line 3140
