That hadde yladled of dongdung ful many a fothercartload;
A trewe swynkereworker and a good was he,
Lyvynge in peespeace and parfit charitee.
God loved he best with al his hoole herte
At alle tymes, thogh him gamedplayed or smertesuffered,
And thanne his neighebor right as hymselve.
He wolde thresshe, and therto dyke and delve,
For Cristes sake, for every povre wightpoor person,
Withouten hirepayment, if it lay in his myght.
His tithes payde he ful faire and wel,
Bothe of his propreown swynkwork and his catelproperty.
In a tabardworkman's smock he rood upon a meremare.
Ther was also a reveestate foreman, and a millere,
A somnoursummoner, and a pardoner also,
A mauncipleprovisions manager, and myself -- ther were namo.
The millere was a stout carlguy, fellow for the nones;
Ful byg he was of brawn, and eek of bones.
That proved wel, for over al thereverywhere he cam,
At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram.
He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre;
Ther was no dore that he nolde heve of harre,
Or breke it at a rennyngrunning with his heedhead.
His berd as any sowe or fox was reed,
And therto brood, as though it were a spade.
Upon the cop rightvery tip of his nose he hade
A wertewart, and theron stood a toft of herys,
Reed as the brustlesbristles of a sowes erys;
His nosethirlesnostrils blake were and wyde.
A swerd and bokelershield bar he by his syde.
His mouth as greet was as a greet forneyscauldron.
He was a janglerebig mouth and a goliardeys,
And that was moost of synne and harlotriesvulgarities.
Wel koude he stelen cornsteal grain and tollen thries;
And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee.
A whit cote and a blewblue hood wered he.
A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowneplay,
And therwithalin that way he broghte us out of towne.
A gentil maunciple was ther of a temple,
Of which achatourspurchasing agents myghte take exemple
For to be wise in byynge of vitaillevictuals;
For wheither that he payde or took by taille,
AlgateAlways he wayted so in his achaatpurchase
That he was ay bifornalways ahead and in good staat.
Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace
That swich a lewedsuch an unlearned mannes wit shal pacepass
The wisdom of an heepheap of lerned men?
Of maistres hadde he momore than thriesthrice ten,
That weren of lawe expert and curiousskillful,
Of which ther were a duszeynedozen in that hous
Worthy to been stywardessupervisors of renteincome and lond
Of any lord that is in Engelond,
To make hym lyve by his propre good
In honour dettelees (but ifunless he were woodcrazy),
Or lyve as scarslyfrugally as him lyst desire;
And able for to helpen al a shire
In any caasevent that myghte falle or happe;
And yet this manciple sette hir aller cappe.
The reve was a sclendreslender colerik man.
His berd was shave as nyclose as ever he kan;
His heerhair was by his erys ful round yshorn;
His top was dokkedcut short lyk a preest bifornin front
Ful longe were his legges and ful lene,
YlykLike a staf, ther was no calf yseneseen.
Wel koude he kepe a gernergranary and a bynne;
Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne.
Wel wisteknew he by the droghte and by the reyn
The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn.
His lordes sheep, his neetcattle, oxen, his dayerye,
His swyn, his hors, his stoorlivestock, and his pultryepoultry
Was hoolly in this reves governynge,
And by his covenantcontract yaf the rekenyngekept the books,
Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age.
Ther koude no man brynge hym in arreragearrears.
Ther nas was notbaillif, ne hierdeherdsman, nor oother hyne,
That he ne knew his sleightedeceptions and his covynetreachery;
They were adradafraid of hym as of the deeth.
His wonyngdwelling was ful faire upon an heeth;
With grene trees yshadwedshadowed was his place.
He koude bettre than his lord purchace.
Ful riche he was astored pryvelystocked privately:
His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly,
To yevegive and lenelend hym of his owene goodproperty,
And have a thank, and yetbesides a cote and hood.
In youthe he hadde lerned a good mystertrade;
He was a wel good wrightecraftsman, a carpenter.
This reve sat upon a ful good stot
That was al pomelydappled grey and hightenamed Scot.
A long surcoteouter coat of persblue upon he hade,
And by his syde he baar a rusty blade.
Of NorthfolkNorfolk was this reve of which I telle,
Biside a toun men clepencall Baldeswelle.
TukkedTucked in he was as is a frere aboute,
And evere he rood the hyndrestehindmost of oure routegroup.
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