The Canterbury tales

Whilom ther was dwellynge at oxenford

3187

A riche gnof, that gestes heeld to bord,

3188

And of his craft he was a carpenter.

3189

With hym ther was dwellynge a poure scoler,

3190

Hadde lerned art, but al his fantasye

3191

Was turned for to lerne astrologye,

3192

And koude a certeyn of conclusiouns,

3193

To demen by interrogaciouns,

3194

If that men asked hym in certein houres

3195

Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures,

3196

Or if men asked hym what sholde bifalle

3197

Of every thyng; I may nat rekene hem alle.

3198

This clerk was cleped hende nicholas.

3199

Of deerne love he koude and of solas;

3200

And therto he was sleigh and ful privee,

3201

And lyk a mayden meke for to see.

3202

A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye

3203

Allone, withouten any compaignye,

3204

Ful fetisly ydight with herbes swoote;

3205

And he hymself as sweete as is the roote

3206

Of lycorys, or any cetewale.

3207

His almageste, and bookes grete and smale,

3208

His astrelabie, longynge for his art,

3209

His augrym stones layen faire apart,

3210

On shelves couched at his beddes heed;

3211

His presse ycovered with a faldyng reed;

3212

And al above ther lay a gay sautrie,

3213

On which he made a-nyghtes melodie

3214

So swetely that all the chambre rong;

3215

And angelus ad virginem he song;

3216

And after that he song the kynges noote.

3217

Ful often blessed was his myrie throte.

3218

And thus this sweete clerk his tyme spente

3219

After his freendes fyndyng and his rente.

3220

This carpenter hadde wedded newe a wyf,

3221

Which that he lovede moore than his lyf;

3222

Of eighteteene yeer she was of age.

3223

Jalous he was, and heeld hire narwe in cage,

3224

For she was wylde and yong, and he was old, Page 49

3225

And demed hymself been lik a cokewold.

3226

He knew nat catoun, for his wit was rude,

3227

That bad man sholde wedde his simylitude.

3228

Men sholde wedden after hire estaat,

3229

For youthe and elde is often at debaat.

3230

But sith that he was fallen in the snare,

3231

He moste endure, as oother folk, his care.

3232

Fair was this yonge wyf, and therwithal

3233

As any wezele hir body gent and smal.

3234

A ceynt she werede, barred al of silk,

3235

A barmclooth eek as whit as morne milk

3236

Upon hir lendes, ful of many a goore.

3237

Whit was hir smok, and broyden al bifoore

3238

And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute,

3239

Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute.

3240

The tapes of hir white voluper

3241

Were of the same suyte of hir coler;

3242

Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye.

3243

And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye;

3244

Ful smale ypulled were hire browes two,

3245

And tho were bent and blake as any sloo.

3246

She was ful moore blisful on to see

3247

Than is the newe pere-jonette tree,

3248

And softer than the wolle is of a wether.

3249

And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether,

3250

Tasseled with silk, and perled with latoun.

3251

In al this world, to seken up and doun,

3252

There nys no man so wys that koude thenche

3253

So gay a popelote or swich a wenche.

3254

Ful brighter was the shynyng of hir hewe

3255

Than in the tour the noble yforged newe.

3256

But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne

3257

As any swalwe sittynge on a berne.

3258

Therto she koude skippe and make game,

3259

As any kyde or calf folwynge his dame.

3260

Hir mouth was sweete as bragot or the meeth,

3261

Or hoord of apples leyd in hey or heeth.

3262

Wynsynge she was, as is a joly colt,

3263

Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt.

3264

A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler,

3265

As brood as is the boos of a bokeler.

3266

Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye.

3267

She was a prymerole, a piggesnye,

3268

For any lord to leggen in his bedde,

3269

Or yet for any good yeman to wedde.

3270

Now, sire, and eft, sire, so bifel the cas,

3271

That on a day this hende nicholas

3272

Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye,

3273

Whil that hir housbonde was at oseneye,

3274

As clerkes ben ful subtile and ful queynte;

3275

And prively he caughte hire by the queynte,

3276

And seyde, ywis, but if ich have my wille,

3277

For deerne love of thee, lemman, I spille.

3278

And heeld hire harde by the haunchebones,

3279

And seyde, lemman, love me al atones,

3280

Or I wol dyen, also God me save!

3281

And she sproong as a colt dooth in the trave,

3282

And with hir heed she wryed faste awey,

3283

And seyde, I wol nat kisse thee, by my fey!

3284

Why, lat be, quod she, lat be, nicholas,

3285

Or I wol crie -- out, harrow -- and -- allas! --

3286

Do wey youre handes, for youre curteisye!

3287

This nicholas gan mercy for to crye,

3288

And spak so faire, and profred him so faste,

3289

That she hir love hym graunted atte laste,

3290

And swoor hir ooth, by seint thomas of kent,

3291

That she wol been at his comandement,

3292

Whan that she may hir leyser wel espie.

3293

Myn housbonde is so ful of jalousie

3294

That but ye wayte wel and been privee,

3295

I woot right wel I nam but deed, quod she.

3296

Ye moste been ful deerne, as in this cas.

3297

Nay, therof care thee noght, quod nicholas.

3298

A clerk hadde litherly biset his whyle,

3299

But if he koude a carpenter bigyle.

3300

And thus they been accorded and ysworn

3301

To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn.

3302

Whan nicholas had doon thus everideel,

3303

And thakked hire aboute the lendes weel,

3304

He kiste hire sweete and taketh his sawtrie,

3305

And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodie.

3306

Thanne fil it thus, that to the paryssh chirche,

3307

Cristes owene werkes for to wirche,

3308

This goode wyf went on an haliday.

3309

Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day,

3310

So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk.

3311

Now was ther of that chirche a parissh clerk,

3312

The which that was ycleped absolon.

3313

Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon,

3314

And strouted as a fanne large and brode;

3315

Ful streight and evene lay his joly shode.

3316

His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos.

3317

With poules wyndow corven on his shoos,

3318

In hoses rede he wente fetisly.

3319

Yclad he was ful smal and proprely

3320

Al in a kirtel of a lyght waget;

3321

Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set.

3322

And therupon he hadde a gay surplys

3323

As whit as is the blosme upon the rys.

3324

A myrie child he was, so God me save.

3325

Wel koude he laten blood and clippe and shave,

3326

And maken a chartre of lond or acquitaunce.

3327

In twenty manere koude he trippe and daunce

3328

After the scole of oxenforde tho,

3329

And with his legges casten to and fro,

3330

And pleyen songes on a smal rubible;

3331

Therto he song som tyme a loud quynyble; Page 50

3332

And as wel koude he pleye on a giterne.

3333

In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne

3334

That he ne visited with his solas,

3335

Ther any gaylard tappestere was.

3336

But sooth to seyn, he was somdeel squaymous

3337

Of fartyng, and of speche daungerous.

3338

This absolon, that jolif was and gay,

3339

Gooth with a sencer on the haliday,

3340

Sensynge the wyves of the parisshe faste;

3341

And many a lovely look on hem he caste,

3342

And namely on this carpenteris wyf.

3343

To looke on hire hym thoughte a myrie lyf,

3344

She was so propre and sweete and likerous.

3345

I dar wel seyn, if she hadde been a mous,

3346

And he a cat, he wolde hire hente anon.

3347

This parissh clerk, this joly absolon,

3348

Hath in his herte swich a love-longynge

3349

That of no wyf took he noon offrynge;

3350

For curteisie, he seyde, he wolde noon.

3351

The moone, whan it was nyght, ful brighte shoon,

3352

And absolon his gyterne hath ytake,

3353

For paramours he thoghte for to wake.

3354

And forth he gooth, jolif and amorous,

3355

Til he cam to the carpenteres hous

3356

A litel after cokkes hadde ycrowe,

3357

And dressed hym up by a shot-wyndowe

3358

That was upon the carpenteris wal.

3359

He syngeth in his voys gentil and smal,

3360

Now, deere lady, if thy wille be,

3361

I praye yow that ye wole rewe on me,

3362

Ful wel acordaunt to his gyternynge.

3363

This carpenter awook, and herde him synge,

3364

And spak unto his wyf, and seyde anon,

3365

What! alison! herestow nat absolon,

3366

That chaunteth thus under oure boures wal?

3367

And she answerde hir housbonde therwithal,

3368

Yis, God woot, john, I heere it every deel.

3369

This passeth forth; what wol ye bet than weel?

3370

Fro day to day this joly absolon

3371

So woweth hire that hym is wo bigon.

3372

He waketh al the nyght and al the day;

3373

He kembeth his lokkes brode, and made hym gay;

3374

He woweth hire by meenes and brocage,

3375

And swoor he wolde been hir owene page;

3376

He syngeth, brokkynge as a nyghtyngale;

3377

He sente hire pyment, meeth, and spiced ale,

3378

And wafres, pipyng hoot out of the gleede;

3379

And, for she was of town, he profred meede.

3380

For som folk wol ben wonnen for richesse,

3381

And somme for strokes, and somme for gentillesse.

3382

Somtyme, to shewe his lightnesse and maistrye,

3383

He pleyeth herodes upon a scaffold hye.

3384

But what availleth hym as in this cas?

3385

She loveth so this hende nicholas

3386

That absolon may blowe the bukkes horn;

3387

He ne hadde for his labour but a scorn.

3388

And thus she maketh absolon hire ape,

3389

And al his ernest turneth til a jape.

3390

Ful sooth is this proverbe, it is no lye,

3391

Men seyn right thus, alwey the nye slye

3392

Maketh the ferre leeve to be looth.

3393

For though that absolon be wood or wrooth,

3394

By cause that he fer was from hire sight,

3395

This nye nicholas stood in his light.

3396

Now ber thee wel, thou hende nicholas,

3397

For absolon may waille and synge allas.

3398

And so bifel it on a saterday,

3399

This carpenter was goon til osenay;

3400

And hende nicholas and alisoun

3401

Acorded been to this conclusioun,

3402

That nicholas shal shapen hym a wyle

3403

This sely jalous housbonde to bigyle;

3404

And if so be the game wente aright,

3405

She sholde slepen in his arm al nyght,

3406

For this was his desir and hire also.

3407

And right anon, withouten wordes mo,

3408

This nicholas no lenger wolde tarie,

3409

But dooth ful softe unto his chambre carie

3410

Bothe mete and drynke for a day or tweye,

3411

And to hire housbonde bad hire for to seye,

3412

If that he axed after nicholas,

3413

She sholde seye she nyste where he was,

3414

Of al that day she saugh hym nat with ye;

3415

She trowed that he was in maladye,

3416

For for no cry hir mayde koude hym calle,

3417

He nolde answere for thyng that myghte falle.

3418

This passeth forth al thilke saterday,

3419

That nicholas stille in his chambre lay,

3420

And eet and sleep, or dide what hym leste,

3421

Til sonday, that the sonne gooth to reste.

3422

This sely carpenter hath greet merveyle

3423

Of nicholas, or what thyng myghte hym eyle,

3424

And seyde, I am adrad, by seint thomas,

3425

It stondeth nat aright with nicholas.

3426

God shilde that he deyde sodeynly!

3427

This world is now ful tikel, sikerly.

3428

I saugh to-day a cors yborn to chirche

3429

That now, on monday last, I saugh hym wirche.

3430

Go up, quod he unto his knave anoon,

3431

Clepe at his dore, or knokke with a stoon.

3432

Looke how it is, and tel me boldely.

3433

This knave gooth hym up ful sturdily, Page 51

3434

And at the chambre dore whil that he stood,

3435

He cride and knokked as that he were wood,

3436

What! how! what do ye, maister nicholay?

3437

How may ye slepen al the longe day?

3438

But al for noght, he herde nat a word.

3439

An hole he foond, ful lowe upon a bord,

3440

Ther as the cat was wont in for to crepe,

3441

And at that hole he looked in ful depe,

3442

And at the laste he hadde of hym a sight.

3443

This nicholas sat evere capyng upright,

3444

As he had kiked on the newe moone.

3445

Adoun he gooth, and tolde his maister soone

3446

In what array he saugh this ilke man.

3447

This carpenter to blessen hym bigan,

3448

And seyde, help us, seinte frydeswyde!

3449

A man woot litel what hym shal bityde.

3450

This man is falle, with his astromye,

3451

In some woodnesse or in som agonye.

3452

I thoghte ay wel how that it sholde be!

3453

Men sholde nat knowe of goddes pryvetee.

3454

Ye, blessed be alwey a lewed man

3455

That noght but oonly his bileve kan!

3456

So ferde another clerk with astromye;

3457

He walked in the feeldes, for to prye

3458

Upon the sterres, what ther sholde bifalle,

3459

Til he was in a marle-pit yfalle;

3460

He saugh nat that. But yet, by seint thomas,

3461

Me reweth soore of hende nicholas.

3462

He shal be rated of his studiyng,

3463

If that I may, by jhesus, hevene kyng!

3464

Get me a staf, that I may underspore,

3465

Whil that thou, robyn, hevest up the dore.

3466

He shal out of his studiyng, as I gesse --

3467

And to the chambre dore he gan hym dresse.

3468

His knave was a strong carl for the nones,

3469

And by the haspe he haaf it of atones;

3470

Into the floor the dore fil anon.

3471

This nicholas sat ay as stille as stoon,

3472

And evere caped upward into the eir.

3473

This carpenter wende he were in despeir,

3474

And hente hym by the sholdres myghtily,

3475

And shook hym harde, and cride spitously,

3476

What! nicholay! what, how! what, looke adoun!

3477

Awak, and thenk on cristes passioun!

3478

I crouche thee from elves and fro wightes.

3479

Therwith the nyght-spel seyde he anon-rightes

3480

On foure halves of the hous aboute,

3481

And on the thresshfold of the dore withoute:

3482

Jhesu crist and seinte benedight,

3483

Blesse this hous from every wikked wight,

3484

For nyghtes verye, the white pater-noster!

3485

Where wentestow, seinte petres soster?

3486

And atte laste this hende nicholas

3487

Gan for to sik soore, and seyde, allas!

3488

Shal al the world be lost aftsoones now?

3489

This carpenter answerde, what seystow?

3490

What! thynk on god, as we doon, men that swynke.

3491

This nicholas answerde, fecche me drynke,

3492

And after wol I speke in pryvetee

3493

Of certeyn thyng that toucheth me and thee.

3494

I wol telle it noon oother man, certeyn.

3495

This carpenter goth doun, and comth ageyn,

3496

And broghte of myghty ale a large quart;

3497

And whan that ech of hem had dronke his part,

3498

This nicholas his dore faste shette,

3499

And doun the carpenter by hym he sette.

3500

He seyde john, myn hooste, lief and deere,

3501

Thou shalt upon thy trouthe swere me heere

3502

That to no wight thou shalt this conseil wreye;

3503

For it is cristes conseil that I seye,

3504

And if thou telle it man, thou art forlore;

3505

For this vengeaunce thou shalt han therfore,

3506

That if thou wreye me, thou shalt be wood.

3507

Nay, crist forbede it, for his hooly blood!

3508

Quod tho this sely man, I nam no labbe;

3509

Ne, though I seye, I nam nat lief to gabbe.

3510

Sey what thou wolt, I shal it nevere telle

3511

To child ne wyf, by hym that harwed helle!

3512

Now john, quod nicholas, I wol nat lye;

3513

I have yfounde in myn astrologye,

3514

As I have looked in the moone bright,

3515

That now a monday next, at quarter nyght,

3516

Shal falle a reyn, and that so wilde and wood,

3517

That half so greet was nevere noes flood.

3518

This world, he seyde, in lasse than an hour

3519

Shal al be dreynt, so hidous is the shour.

3520

Thus shal mankynde drenche, and lese hir lyf.

3521

This carpenter answerde, allas, my wyf!

3522

And shal she drenche? allas, myn alisoun!

3523

For sorwe of this he fil almoost adoun,

3524

And seyde, is ther no remedie in this cas?

3525

Why, yis, for gode, quod hende nicholas,

3526

If thou wolt werken after loore and reed.

3527

Thou mayst nat werken after thyn owene heed;

3528

For thus seith salomon, that was ful trewe,

3529

Werk al by conseil, and thou shalt nat rewe. --

3530

And if thou werken wolt by good conseil,

3531

I undertake, withouten mast and seyl,

3532

Yet shal I saven hire and thee and me.

3533

Hastow nat herd hou saved was noe,

3534

Whan that oure lord hadde warned hym biforn

3535

That al the world with water sholde be lorn?

3536

Yis, quod this carpenter, ful yoore ago.

3537

Hastou nat herd, quod nicholas, also

3538

The sorwe of noe with his felaweshipe, Page 52

3539

Er that he myghte gete his wyf to shipe?

3540

Hym hadde be levere, I dar wel undertake

3541

At thilke tyme, than alle his wetheres blake

3542

That she hadde had a ship hirself allone.

3543

And therfore, woostou what is best to doone?

3544

This asketh haste, and of an hastif thyng

3545

Men may nat preche or maken tariyng.

3546

Anon go gete us faste into this in

3547

A knedyng trogh, or ellis a kymelyn,

3548

For ech of us, but looke that they be large,

3549

In which we mowe swymme as in a barge,

3550

And han therinne vitaille suffisant

3551

But for a day, -- fy on the remenant!

3552

The water shal aslake and goon away

3553

Aboute pryme upon the nexte day.

3554

But robyn may nat wite of this, thy knave,

3555

Ne eek thy mayde gille I may nat save;

3556

Axe nat why, for though thou aske me,

3557

I wol nat tellen goddes pryvetee.

3558

Suffiseth thee, but if thy wittes madde,

3559

To han as greet a grace as noe hadde.

3560

Thy wyf shal I wel saven, out of doute.

3561

Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.

3562

But whan thou hast, for hire and thee and me,

3563

Ygeten us thise knedyng tubbes thre,

3564

Thanne shaltow hange hem in the roof ful hye,

3565

That no man of oure purveiaunce spye.

3566

And whan thou thus hast doon, as I have seyd,

3567

And hast oure vitaille faire in hem yleyd,

3568

And eek an ax, to smyte the corde atwo,

3569

Whan that the water comth, that we may go,

3570

And breke an hole an heigh, upon the gable,

3571

Unto the gardyn-ward, over the stable,

3572

That we may frely passen forth oure way,

3573

Whan that the grete shour is goon away,

3574

Thanne shaltou swymme as myrie, I undertake,

3575

As dooth the white doke after hire drake.

3576

Thanne wol I clepe, -- how, alison! how, john!

3577

Be myrie, for the flood wol passe anon. --

3578

And thou wolt seyn, -- hayl, maister nicholay!

3579

Good morwe, I se thee wel, for it is day. --

3580

And thanne shul we be lordes al oure lyf

3581

Of al the world, as noe and his wyf.

3582

But of o thyng I warne thee ful right:

3583

Be wel avysed on that ilke nyght

3584

That we ben entred into shippes bord,

3585

That noon of us ne speke nat a word,

3586

Ne clepe, ne crie, but be in his preyere;

3587

For it is goddes owene heeste deere.

3588

Thy wyf and thou moote hange fer atwynne;

3589

For that bitwixe yow shal be no synne,

3590

Namoore in lookyng than ther shal in deede,

3591

This ordinance is seyd. Go, God thee speede!

3592

Tomorwe at nyght, whan men ben alle aslepe,

3593

Into oure knedyng-tubbes wol we crepe,

3594

And sitten there, abidyng goddes grace.

3595

Go now thy wey, I have no lenger space

3596

To make of this no lenger sermonyng.

3597

Men seyn thus, -- sende the wise, and sey no thyng: --

3598

Thou art so wys, it needeth thee nat teche.

3599

Go, save oure lyf, and that I the biseche.

3600

This sely carpenter goth forth his wey.

3601

Ful ofte he seide allas and weylawey,

3602

And to his wyf he tolde his pryvetee,

3603

And she was war, and knew it bet than he,

3604

What al this queynte cast was for to seye.

3605

But nathelees she ferde as she wolde deye,

3606

And seyde, allas! go forth thy wey anon,

3607

Help us to scape, or we been dede echon!

3608

I am thy trewe, verray wedded wyf;

3609

Go, deere spouse, and help to save oure lyf.

3610

Lo, which a greet thyng is affeccioun!

3611

Men may dyen of ymaginacioun,

3612

So depe may impressioun be take.

3613

This sely carpenter bigynneth quake;

3614

Hym thynketh verraily that he may see

3615

Noees flood come walwynge as the see

3616

To drenchen alisoun, his hony deere.

3617

He wepeth, weyleth, maketh sory cheere;

3618

He siketh with ful many a sory swogh;

3619

He gooth and geteth hym a knedyng trogh,

3620

And after that a tubbe and a kymelyn,

3621

And pryvely he sente hem to his in,

3622

And heng hem in the roof in pryvetee.

3623

His owene hand he made laddres thre,

3624

To clymben by the ronges and the stalkes

3625

Unto the tubbes hangynge in the balkes,

3626

And hem vitailled, bothe trogh and tubbe,

3627

With breed and chese, and good ale in a jubbe,

3628

Suffisynge right ynogh as for a day.

3629

But er that he hadde maad al this array,

3630

He sente his knave, and eek his wenche also,

3631

Upon his nede to london for to go.

3632

And on the monday, whan it drow to nyght,

3633

He shette his dore withoute candel-lyght,

3634

And dressed alle thyng as it sholde be.

3635

And shortly, up they clomben alle thre;

3636

They seten stille wel a furlong way.

3637

Now, pater-noster, clom! seyde nicholay,

3638

And clom, quod john, and clom, seyde alisoun.

3639

This carpenter seyde his devocioun,

3640

And stille he sit, and biddeth his preyere,

3641

Awaitynge on the reyn, if he it heere.

3642

The dede sleep, for wery bisynesse,

3643

Fil on this carpenter right, as I gesse, Page 53

3644

Aboute corfew-tyme, or litel moore;

3645

For travaille of his goost he groneth soore,

3646

And eft he routeth, for his heed myslay.

3647

Doun of the laddre stalketh nicholay,

3648

And alisoun ful softe adoun she spedde;

3649

Withouten wordes mo they goon to bedde,

3650

Ther as the carpenter is wont to lye.

3651

Ther was the revel and the melodye;

3652

And thus lith alison and nicholas,

3653

In bisynesse of myrthe and of solas,

3654

Til that the belle of laudes gan to rynge,

3655

And freres in the chaunsel gonne synge.

3656

This parissh clerk, this amorous absolon,

3657

That is for love alwey so wo bigon,

3658

Upon the monday was at oseneye

3659

With compaignye, hym to disporte and pleye,

3660

And axed upon cas a cloisterer

3661

Ful prively after john the carpenter;

3662

And he drough hym apart out of the chirche,

3663

And seyde, I noot, I saugh hym heere nat wirche

3664

Syn saterday; I trowe that he be went

3665

For tymber, ther oure abbot hath hym sent;

3666

For he is wont for tymber for to go,

3667

And dwellen at the grange a day or two;

3668

Or elles he is at his hous, certeyn.

3669

Where that he be, I kan nat soothly seyn.

3670

This absolon ful joly was and light,

3671

And thoghte, now is tyme to wake al nyght;

3672

For sikirly I saugh hym nat stirynge

3673

Aboute his dore, syn day bigan to sprynge.

3674

So moot I thryve, I shal, at cokkes crowe,

3675

Ful pryvely knokken at his wyndowe

3676

That stant ful lowe upon his boures wal.

3677

To alison now wol I tellen al

3678

My love-longynge, for yet I shal nat mysse

3679

That at the leeste wey I shal hire kisse.

3680

Som maner confort shal I have, parfay.

3681

My mouth hath icched al this longe day;

3682

That is a signe of kissyng atte leeste.

3683

Al nyght me mette eek I was at a feeste.

3684

Therfore I wol go slepe an houre or tweye,

3685

And al the nyght thanne wol I wake and pleye.

3686

Whan that the firste cok hath crowe, anon

3687

Up rist this joly lovere absolon

3688

And hym arraieth gay, at poynt-devys.

3689

But first he cheweth greyn and lycorys,

3690

To smellen sweete, er he hadde kembd his heer.

3691

Under his tonge a trewe-love he beer,

3692

For therby wende he to ben gracious.

3693

He rometh to the carpenteres hous,

3694

And stille he stant under the shot-wyndowe --

3695

Unto his brest it raughte, it was so lowe --

3696

And softe he cougheth with a semy soun --

3697

What do ye, hony-comb, sweete alisoun,

3698

My faire bryd, my sweete cynamome?

3699

Awaketh, lemman myn, and speketh to me!

3700

Wel litel thynken ye upon my wo,

3701

That for youre love I swete ther I go.

3702

No wonder is thogh that I swelte and swete;

3703

I moorne as dooth a lamb after the tete.

3704

Ywis, lemman, I have swich love-longynge,

3705

That lik a turtel trewe is my moornynge.

3706

I may nat ete na moore than a mayde.

3707

go fro the wyndow, jakke fool, she sayde;

3708

As help me god, it wol nat be 'com pa me.'

3709

I love another -- and elles I were to blame --

3710

Wel bet than thee, by jhesu, absolon.

3711

Go forth thy wey, or I wol caste a ston,

3712

And lat me slepe, a twenty devel wey!

3713

allas, quod absolon, and weylawey,

3714

That trewe love was evere so yvel biset!

3715

Thanne kysse me, syn it may be no bet,

3716

For jhesus love, and for the love of me.

3717

Wiltow thanne go thy wey therwith? quod she.

3718

Ye, certes, lemman, quod this absolon.

3719

Thanne make thee redy, quod she, I come anon.

3720

And unto nicholas she seyde stille,

3721

Now hust, and thou shalt laughen al thy fille.

3722

This absolon doun sette hym on his knees

3723

And seyde, I am a lord at alle degrees;

3724

For after this I hope ther cometh moore.

3725

Lemman, thy grace, and sweete bryd, thyn oore!

3726

The wyndow she undoth, and that in haste.

3727

Have do, quod she, com of, and speed the faste,

3728

Lest that oure neighebores thee espie.

3729

This absolon gan wype his mouth ful drie.

3730

Derk was the nyght as pich, or as the cole,

3731

And at the wyndow out she putte hir hole,

3732

And absolon, hym fil no bet ne wers,

3733

But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers

3734

Ful savourly, er he were war of this.

3735

Abak he stirte, and thoughte it was amys,

3736

For wel he wiste a womman hath no berd.

3737

He felte a thyng al rough and long yherd,

3738

And seyde, fy! allas! what have I do?

3739

Tehee! quod she, and clapte the wyndow to,

3740

And absolon gooth forth a sory pas.

3741

A berd! a berd! quod hende nicholas,

3742

By goddes corpus, this goth faire and weel.

3743

This sely absolon herde every deel,

3744

And on his lippe he gan for anger byte, Page 54

3745

And to hymself he seyde, I shal thee quyte.

3746

Who rubbeth now, who froteth now his lippes

3747

With dust, with sond, with straw, with clooth, with chippes,

3748

But absolon, that seith ful ofte, allas!

3749

My soule bitake I unto sathanas,

3750

But me were levere than al this toun, quod he,

3751

Of this despit awroken for to be.

3752

Allas, quod he, allas, I ne hadde ybleynt!

3753

His hoote love was coold and al yqueynt;

3754

For fro that tyme that he hadde kist hir ers,

3755

Of paramours he sette nat a kers;

3756

For he was heeled of his maladie.

3757

Ful ofte paramours he gan deffie,

3758

And weep as dooth a child that is ybete.

3759

A softe paas he wente over the strete

3760

Until a smyth men cleped daun gerveys,

3761

That in his forge smythed plough harneys;

3762

He sharpeth shaar and kultour bisily.

3763

This absolon knokketh al esily,

3764

What, who artow? it am I, absalon.

3766

And seyde, undo, gerveys, and that anon.

3765

What, absolon! for cristes sweete tree,

3767

Why rise ye so rathe? ey, benedicitee!

3768

What eyleth yow? som gay gerl, God it woot,

3769

Hath broght yow thus upon the viritoot.

3770

By seinte note, ye woot wel what I mene.

3771

This absolon ne roghte nat a bene

3772

Of al his pley; no word agayn he yaf;

3773

He hadde moore tow on his distaf

3774

Than gerveys knew, and seyde, freend so deere,

3775

That hoote kultour in the chymenee heere,

3776

As lene it me, I have therwith to doone,

3777

And I wol brynge it thee agayn ful soone.

3778

Gerveys answerde, certes, were it gold,

3779

Or in a poke nobles alle untold,

3780

Thou sholdest have, as I am trewe smyth.

3781

Ey, cristes foo! what wol ye do therwith?

3782

Therof, quod absolon, be as be may.

3783

I shal wel telle it thee to-morwe day --

3784

And caughte the kultour by the colde stele.

3785

Ful softe out at the dore he gan to stele,

3786

And wente unto the carpenteris wal.

3787

He cogheth first, and knokketh therwithal

3788

Upon the wyndowe, right as he dide er.

3789

This alison answerde, who is ther

3790

That knokketh so? I warante it a theef.

3791

Why, nay, quod he, God woot, my sweete leef,

3792

I am thyn absolon, my deerelyng.

3793

Of gold, quod he, I have thee broght a ryng.

3794

My mooder yaf it me, so God me save;

3795

Ful fyn it is, and therto wel ygrave.

3796

This wol I yeve thee, if thou me kisse.

3797

This nicholas was risen for to pisse,

3798

And thoughte he wolde amenden al the jape;

3799

He sholde kisse his ers er that he scape.

3800

And up the wyndowe dide he hastily,

3801

And out his ers he putteth pryvely

3802

Over the buttok, to the haunche-bon;

3803

And therwith spak this clerk, this absolon,

3804

Spek, sweete bryd, I noot nat where thou art.

3805

This nicholas anon leet fle a fart,

3806

As greet as it had been a thonder-dent,

3807

That with the strook he was almoost yblent;

3808

And he was redy with his iren hoot,

3809

And nicholas amydde the ers he smoot.

3810

Of gooth the skyn an hande-brede aboute,

3811

The hoote kultour brende so his toute,

3812

And for the smert he wende for to dye.

3813

As he were wood, for wo he gan to crye,

3814

Help! water! water! water! help, for goddes herte!

3815

This carpenter out of his slomber sterte,

3816

And herde oon crien water as he were wood,

3817

And thoughte, allas, now comth nowelis flood!

3818

He sit hym up withouten wordes mo,

3819

And with his ax he smoot the corde atwo,

3820

And doun gooth al; he foond neither to selle,

3821

Ne breed ne ale, til he cam to the celle

3822

Upon the floor, and ther aswowne he lay.

3823

Up stirte hire alison and nicholay,

3824

And criden out and harrow in the strete.

3825

The neighebores, bothe smale and grete,

3826

In ronnen for to gauren on this man,

3827

That yet aswowne lay, bothe pale and wan,

3828

For with the fal he brosten hadde his arm.

3829

But stonde he moste unto his owene harm;

3830

For whan he spak, he was anon bore doun

3831

With hende nicholas and alisoun.

3832

They tolden every man that he was wood,

3833

He was agast so of nowelis flood

3834

Thurgh fantasie, that of his vanytee

3835

He hadde yboght hym knedyng tubbes thre,

3836

And hadde hem hanged in the roof above;

3837

And that he preyed hem, for goddes love,

3838

To sitten in the roof, par compaignye.

3839

The folk gan laughen at his fantasye;

3840

Into the roof they kiken and they cape,

3841

And turned al his harm unto a jape.

3842

For what so that this carpenter answerde,

3843

It was for noght, no man his reson herde.

3844

With othes grete he was so sworn adoun

3845

That he was holde wood in al the toun;

3846

For every clerk anonright heeld with oother. Page 55

3847

They seyde, the man is wood, my leeve brother;

3848

And every wight gan laughen at this stryf.

3849

Thus swyved was this carpenteris wyf,

3850

For al his kepyng and his jalousye;

3851

And absolon hath kist hir nether ye;

3852

And nicholas is scalded in the towte.

3853

This tale is doon, and God save al the rowte!

3854

The Miller's Tale