And here bygynneþ his tale
AT Trompyngtoun nat fer fro Cantebrigge
Ther goth a brook and ouer þat a brigge
Vpon þe whiche brook þer stant a melle
And þis is verray soþ þat I ȝou telle /
Line 3924
A meller was þer dwellyng many a day
As eny Pecok he was prowd and gay
Pipen he coude and fissh and nettys beete
And turne cuppes wrastle wel and scheete
Line 3928
Ay by his belt he bar a long panade
And of a swerd ful trenchaunt was þe blade
A Ioly popper bar he in his pouche
Ther was no man for perel durst him touche /
Line 3932
A Scheffeld thwitel bar he in his hose
Round was his face and camois was his nose
As pyled as an ape was his skulle/
he was a market beter at þe fulle
Line 3936
Ther durste no wight hand vpon him legge
That he ne swor anon he schuld abegge /
A þeef he was for-soþ of corn and mele
And þat a sleigh and vsyng for to stele /
Line 3940
his name was hoote deynous Symekyn
A wyf he hadde / come of noble kyn
The parsoun of the toun hir fader was
with hire he ȝaf ful many a panne of bras
Line 3944
For þat Symkyn schuld in his blood allye
Sche was I-fostryd in a Nonnerye
For Symkyn wolde no wyf as he sayde
But sche were wel I-norissched and a mayde /
Line 3948
To sauen his estaat and ȝomanrye
And sche was proud and pert/ as is a pye
A ful fair sighte was þer on hem two /
On haly dayes bifore hir wolde he go
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