Chaucer's Works-The Canterbury Tales Part 20

And, er that we departen from this place, 3070 I rede that we make, of sorwes two, O parfyt Ioye, lasting ever-mo; And loketh now, wher most sorwe is her-inne, Ther wol we first amenden and biginne.

3071. Hl. that; _rest om._

'Suster,' quod he, 'this is my fulle a.s.sent, 3075 With al thavys heer of my parlement, That gentil Palamon, your owne knight, That serveth yow with wille, herte, and might, (2220) And ever hath doon, sin that ye first him knewe, That ye shul, of your grace, up-on him rewe, 3080 And taken him for housbonde and for lord: Leen me your hond, for this is our acord.

Lat see now of your wommanly pitee.

He is a kinges brother sone, pardee; And, though he were a povre bacheler, 3085 Sin he hath served yow so many a yeer, And had for yow so greet adversitee, It moste been considered, leveth me; (2230) For gentil mercy oghte to pa.s.sen right.'

3077. your] E. thyn. 3082. Hn. Leen; _rest_ Lene.

Than seyde he thus to Palamon ful right; 3090 'I trowe ther nedeth litel sermoning To make yow a.s.sente to this thing.

Com neer, and tak your lady by the hond.'

[88: T. 3096-3110.]

Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond, That highte matrimoine or mariage, 3095 By al the counseil and the baronage.

And thus with alle blisse and melodye Hath Palamon y-wedded Emelye. (2240) And G.o.d, that al this wyde world hath wroght, Sende him his love, that hath it dere a-boght. 3100 For now is Palamon in alle wele, Living in blisse, in richesse, and in hele; And Emelye him loveth so tendrely, And he hir serveth al-so gentilly, That never was ther no word hem bitwene 3105 Of Ielousye, or any other tene.

Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye; And G.o.d save al this faire companye!--Amen. (2250)

HERE IS ENDED THE KNIGHTES TALE.

3095. E. Hn. Cp. Ln. matrimoigne; Pt. matrimoyne; Hl. matrimoyn.

3100. E. _om._ hath. 3104. Hl. also; _rest_ so. 3106. E. Hn. Cp.

Ialousye. Hl. ne of non othir teene. COLOPHON; _so_ E. Hn.; Pt. Hl.

endeth.

[89: T. 3111-3133.]

THE MILLER'S PROLOGUE.

HERE FOLWEN THE WORDES BITWENE THE HOST AND THE MILLERE.

Whan that the Knight had thus his tale y-told, In al the route nas ther yong ne old 3110 That he ne seyde it was a n.o.ble storie, And worthy for to drawen to memorie; And namely the gentils everichoon.

Our Hoste lough and swoor, 'so moot I goon, This gooth aright; unbokeled is the male; 3115 Lat see now who shal telle another tale: For trewely, the game is wel bigonne.

Now telleth ye, sir Monk, if that ye conne, (10) Sumwhat, to quyte with the Knightes tale.'

The Miller, that for-dronken was al pale, 3120 So that unnethe up-on his hors he sat, He nolde avalen neither hood ne hat, Ne abyde no man for his curteisye, But in Pilates vois he gan to crye, And swoor by armes and by blood and bones, 3125 'I can a n.o.ble tale for the nones, With which I wol now quyte the Knightes tale.'

HEADING. _From_ E. Heere; hoost. 3118. E. on; _rest_ ye.

Our Hoste saugh that he was dronke of ale, (20) And seyde: 'abyd, Robin, my leve brother, Som bettre man shal telle us first another: 3130 Abyd, and lat us werken thriftily.'

3128. Ln. oste; E. hoost; Hl. _has_--Oure hoost saugh wel how.

[90: T. 3134-3166.]

'By G.o.ddes soul,' quod he, 'that wol nat I; For I wol speke, or elles go my wey.'

Our Hoste answerde: 'tel on, a devel wey!

Thou art a fool, thy wit is overcome.' 3135

3134. Pt. hooste; Ln. oste; E. hoost.

'Now herkneth,' quod the Miller, 'alle and some!

But first I make a protestacioun That I am dronke, I knowe it by my soun; (30) And therfore, if that I misspeke or seye, Wyte it the ale of Southwerk, I yow preye; 3140 For I wol telle a legende and a lyf Bothe of a Carpenter, and of his wyf, How that a clerk hath set the wrightes cappe.'

3140. E. Hn. Cm. _om._ yow.

The Reve answerde and seyde, 'stint thy clappe, Lat be thy lewed dronken harlotrye. 3145 It is a sinne and eek a greet folye To apeiren any man, or him diffame, And eek to bringen wyves in swich fame. (40) Thou mayst y-nogh of othere thinges seyn.'

3147. E. Ln. Hl. defame; _rest_ diffame.

This dronken Miller spak ful sone ageyn, 3150 And seyde, 'leve brother Osewold, Who hath no wyf, he is no c.o.kewold.

But I sey nat therfore that thou art oon; Ther been ful G.o.de wyves many oon, 3154 And ever a thousand G.o.de ayeyns oon badde, [T. _om._ That knowestow wel thy-self, but-if thou madde. [T. _om._ Why artow angry with my tale now?

I have a wyf, pardee, as well as thou, (50) Yet nolde I, for the oxen in my plogh, Taken up-on me more than y-nogh, 3160 As demen of my-self that I were oon; I wol beleve wel that I am noon.

An housbond shal nat been inquisitif Of G.o.ddes privetee, nor of his wyf.

So he may finde G.o.ddes foyson there, 3165 Of the remenant nedeth nat enquere.'

3150. E. dronke; Cm. dronkyn; _rest_ dronken. 3155, 6. _These two lines are in_ E. Cm. Hl. only. 3160. Cm. Takyn; _rest_ Take, Tak.

3166. enquere] Cp. Pt. Ln. to enquere.

[91: T. 3167-3186.]

What sholde I more seyn, but this Millere He nolde his wordes for no man forbere, (60) But tolde his cherles tale in his manere; Me thinketh that I shal reherce it here. 3170 And ther-fore every gentil wight I preye, For G.o.ddes love, demeth nat that I seye Of evel entente, but that I moot reherce Hir tales alle, be they bettre or werse, Or elles falsen som of my matere. 3175 And therfore, who-so list it nat y-here, Turne over the leef, and chese another tale; For he shal finde y-nowe, grete and smale, (70) Of storial thing that toucheth gentillesse, And eek moralitee and holinesse; 3180 Blameth nat me if that ye chese amis.

The Miller is a cherl, ye knowe wel this; So was the Reve, and othere many mo, And harlotrye they tolden bothe two.

Avyseth yow and putte me out of blame; 3185 And eek men shal nat make ernest of game.

HERE ENDETH THE PROLOGE.

3170. E. Mathynketh; Hn. Cp. Ln. Hl. Me athynketh; Cm. Me thynkyth.

3172. demeth] Hl. as deme. 3173. E. yuel; Cm. euyl. 3177. Cp.

chees; Cm. ches; _rest_ chese. 3185. E. Cm. _om._ and. E. Cp.

putteth; _rest_ putte, put. 3186. E. Hn. Cm. maken; _rest_ make.

COLOPHON. _From_ Cm.; Pt. Thus endeth the prologe; Ln. Explicit prologus; Hl. Here endeth the prologe of the Miller.

[92: T. 3187-3214.]

THE MILLERES TALE.

HERE BIGINNETH THE MILLERE HIS TALE.

Whylom ther was dwellinge at Oxenford A riche gnof, that gestes heeld to bord, And of his craft he was a Carpenter.

With him ther was dwellinge a povre scoler, 3190 Had lerned art, but al his fantasye Was turned for to lerne astrologye, And coude a certeyn of conclusiouns To demen by interrogaciouns, If that men axed him in certein houres, 3195 Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures, (10) Or if men axed him what sholde bifalle Of every thing, I may nat rekene hem alle.

3187. Cm. Pt. in (_for_ at). 3190. Cm. Pt. Hl. pore; E. Hn. poure (= povre); Cp. Ln. pouer (= pover). 3195, 7. E. asked; _rest_ axed.