¶ Heere bigynneth the Millere his tale.
WHilom / ther was dwellynge at Oxenford
A riche gnof / that gestes heeld to bord
Line 3188
And of his craft he was a Carpenter
With hym / ther was dwellynge a poure scoler
Hadde lerned Art but al his fantasye [[painting of the Miller]]
Was turned / for to lerne Astrologye
Line 3192
And koude / a certeyn of conclusions
To demen / by Interrogacions
If þat men asked hym / in certein houres
Whan þat men sholde haue droghte or elles shoures
Line 3196
Or if men asked hym / what sholde bifalle
Of euery thyng / I may nat rekene hem alle
¶ This clerk was cleped / hende Nicholas
Of deerne loue he koude and of solas
Line 3200
And ther-to / he was sleigh / and ful priuee
And lyk a mayden / meke for to see
A chambre hadde he in that hostelrye
Allone / with-outen any compaignye
Line 3204
fful fetisly ydight with herbes swoote
And he hym self / as sweete as is the roote
Of lycorys / or any Cetewale
His Almageste / and bookes grete and smale
Line 3208
His Astrelabie / longynge for his Art/
His Augrym stones / layen faire a part/
On shelues / couched at his beddes heed
His presse ycovered / with a faldyng reed
Line 3212
And all aboue / ther lay a gay Sautrie
On which / he made a nyghtes melodie
So swetely / that al the chambre rong
And Angelus ad virginem / he song
Line 3216
And after that he song the kynges noote
fful often / blessed was his myrie throte
