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‘Nay ther-of care thee noght,’ quod Nicholas, ‘A clerk had litherly biset his whyle, But-if he coude a carpenter bigyle.’ And thus they been acorded and y-sworn To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn. Whan Nicholas had doon thus everydeel, And thakked hir aboute the lendes weel, He kist hir swete, and taketh his sautrye, And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodye. ‘Nay ther-of care thee noght,’ quod Nicholas, ‘A clerk had litherly biset his whyle, But-if he coude a carpenter bigyle.’ And thus they been acorded and y-sworn To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn. Whan Nicholas had doon thus everydeel, And thakked hir aboute the lendes weel, He kist hir swete, and taketh his sautrye, And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodye.
Than fil it thus, that to the parish-chirche, Cristes owne werkes for to wirche, This gode wyf wente on an haliday; Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day, So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk. Than fil it thus, that to the parish-chirche, Cristes owne werkes for to wirche, This gode wyf wente on an haliday; Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day, So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk.
Now was ther of that chirche a parish-clerk, The which that was y-cleped Absolon. Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon, And strouted as a fanne large and brode; Ful streight and even lay his Ioly shode. His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos; With Powles window corven on his shoos, In hoses rede he wente fetisly. Y-clad he was ful smal and proprely, Al in a kirtel of a light wachet; Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set. And ther-upon he hadde a gay surplys As whyt as is the blosme upon the rys. A mery child he was, so God me save, Wel coude he laten blood and clippe and shave, And make a chartre of lond or acquitaunce. In twenty manere coude he trippe and daunce After the scole of Oxenforde tho, And with his legges casten to and fro, And pleyen songes on a small rubible; Ther-to he song som-tyme a loud quinible; And as wel coude he pleye on his giterne. In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne That he ne visited with his solas, Ther any gaylard tappestere was. But sooth to seyn, he was somdel squaymous Of farting, and of speche daungerous. Now was ther of that chirche a parish-clerk, The which that was y-cleped Absolon. Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon, And strouted as a fanne large and brode; Ful streight and even lay his Ioly shode. His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos; With Powles window corven on his shoos, In hoses rede he wente fetisly. Y-clad he was ful smal and proprely, Al in a kirtel of a light wachet; Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set. And ther-upon he hadde a gay surplys As whyt as is the blosme upon the rys. A mery child he was, so God me save, Wel coude he laten blood and clippe and shave, And make a chartre of lond or acquitaunce. In twenty manere coude he trippe and daunce After the scole of Oxenforde tho, And with his legges casten to and fro, And pleyen songes on a small rubible; Ther-to he song som-tyme a loud quinible; And as wel coude he pleye on his giterne. In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne That he ne visited with his solas, Ther any gaylard tappestere was. But sooth to seyn, he was somdel squaymous Of farting, and of speche daungerous.

Original Text

Modern Text

‘Nay ther-of care thee noght,’ quod Nicholas, ‘A clerk had litherly biset his whyle, But-if he coude a carpenter bigyle.’ And thus they been acorded and y-sworn To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn. Whan Nicholas had doon thus everydeel, And thakked hir aboute the lendes weel, He kist hir swete, and taketh his sautrye, And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodye. ‘Nay ther-of care thee noght,’ quod Nicholas, ‘A clerk had litherly biset his whyle, But-if he coude a carpenter bigyle.’ And thus they been acorded and y-sworn To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn. Whan Nicholas had doon thus everydeel, And thakked hir aboute the lendes weel, He kist hir swete, and taketh his sautrye, And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodye.
Than fil it thus, that to the parish-chirche, Cristes owne werkes for to wirche, This gode wyf wente on an haliday; Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day, So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk. Than fil it thus, that to the parish-chirche, Cristes owne werkes for to wirche, This gode wyf wente on an haliday; Hir forheed shoon as bright as any day, So was it wasshen whan she leet hir werk.
Now was ther of that chirche a parish-clerk, The which that was y-cleped Absolon. Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon, And strouted as a fanne large and brode; Ful streight and even lay his Ioly shode. His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos; With Powles window corven on his shoos, In hoses rede he wente fetisly. Y-clad he was ful smal and proprely, Al in a kirtel of a light wachet; Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set. And ther-upon he hadde a gay surplys As whyt as is the blosme upon the rys. A mery child he was, so God me save, Wel coude he laten blood and clippe and shave, And make a chartre of lond or acquitaunce. In twenty manere coude he trippe and daunce After the scole of Oxenforde tho, And with his legges casten to and fro, And pleyen songes on a small rubible; Ther-to he song som-tyme a loud quinible; And as wel coude he pleye on his giterne. In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne That he ne visited with his solas, Ther any gaylard tappestere was. But sooth to seyn, he was somdel squaymous Of farting, and of speche daungerous. Now was ther of that chirche a parish-clerk, The which that was y-cleped Absolon. Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon, And strouted as a fanne large and brode; Ful streight and even lay his Ioly shode. His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos; With Powles window corven on his shoos, In hoses rede he wente fetisly. Y-clad he was ful smal and proprely, Al in a kirtel of a light wachet; Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set. And ther-upon he hadde a gay surplys As whyt as is the blosme upon the rys. A mery child he was, so God me save, Wel coude he laten blood and clippe and shave, And make a chartre of lond or acquitaunce. In twenty manere coude he trippe and daunce After the scole of Oxenforde tho, And with his legges casten to and fro, And pleyen songes on a small rubible; Ther-to he song som-tyme a loud quinible; And as wel coude he pleye on his giterne. In al the toun nas brewhous ne taverne That he ne visited with his solas, Ther any gaylard tappestere was. But sooth to seyn, he was somdel squaymous Of farting, and of speche daungerous.