Section 3:
THE REEVE'S TALE.
THE REEVE'S TALE.
| THE PROLOGUE. |
| WHEN folk had laughed all at this nice case |
| Of Absolon and Hendy Nicholas, |
| Diverse folk diversely they said, |
| But for the more part they laugh'd and play'd;* *were diverted |
| And at this tale I saw no man him grieve, |
| But it were only Osewold the Reeve. |
| Because he was of carpenteres craft, |
| A little ire is in his hearte laft*; *left |
| He gan to grudge* and blamed it a lite.** *murmur **little. |
| "So the* I," quoth he, "full well could I him quite** *thrive **match |
| With blearing* of a proude miller's eye, *dimming <1> |
| If that me list to speak of ribaldry. |
| But I am old; me list not play for age; <2> |
| Grass time is done, my fodder is now forage. |
| This white top* writeth mine olde years; *head |
| Mine heart is also moulded* as mine hairs; *grown mouldy |
| And I do fare as doth an open-erse*; *medlar <3> |
| That ilke* fruit is ever longer werse, *same |
| Till it be rotten *in mullok or in stre*. *on the ground or in straw* |
| We olde men, I dread, so fare we; |
| Till we be rotten, can we not be ripe; |
| We hop* away, while that the world will pipe; *dance |
| For in our will there sticketh aye a nail, |
| To have an hoary head and a green tail, |
| As hath a leek; for though our might be gone, |
| Our will desireth folly ever-in-one*: *continually |
| For when we may not do, then will we speak, |
| Yet in our ashes cold does fire reek.* *smoke<4> |
| Four gledes* have we, which I shall devise**, *coals ** describe |
| Vaunting, and lying, anger, covetise*. *covetousness |
| These foure sparks belongen unto eld. |
| Our olde limbes well may be unweld*, *unwieldy |
| But will shall never fail us, that is sooth. |
| And yet have I alway a coltes tooth,<5> |
| As many a year as it is passed and gone |
| Since that my tap of life began to run; |
| For sickerly*, when I was born, anon *certainly |
| Death drew the tap of life, and let it gon: |
| And ever since hath so the tap y-run, |
| Till that almost all empty is the tun. |
| The stream of life now droppeth on the chimb.<6> |
| The silly tongue well may ring and chime |
| Of wretchedness, that passed is full yore*: *long |
| With olde folk, save dotage, is no more. <7> |
| When that our Host had heard this sermoning, |
| He gan to speak as lordly as a king, |
| And said; "To what amounteth all this wit? |
| What? shall we speak all day of holy writ? |
| The devil made a Reeve for to preach, |
| As of a souter* a shipman, or a leach**. *cobbler <8> |
| Say forth thy tale, and tarry not the time: **surgeon <9> |
| Lo here is Deptford, and 'tis half past prime:<10> |
| Lo Greenwich, where many a shrew is in. |
| It were high time thy tale to begin." |
| "Now, sirs," quoth then this Osewold the Reeve, |
| I pray you all that none of you do grieve, |
| Though I answer, and somewhat set his hove*, *hood <11> |
| For lawful is *force off with force to shove.* *to repel force |
| This drunken miller hath y-told us here by force* |
| How that beguiled was a carpentere, |
| Paraventure* in scorn, for I am one: *perhaps |
| And, by your leave, I shall him quite anon. |
| Right in his churlish termes will I speak, |
| I pray to God his necke might to-break. |
| He can well in mine eye see a stalk, |
| But in his own he cannot see a balk."<12> |
| Notes to the Prologue to the Reeves Tale. |
 1. "With blearing of a proude miller's eye": dimming his eye; |
| playing off a joke on him. |
| 2. "Me list not play for age": age takes away my zest for |
| drollery. |
| 3. The medlar, the fruit of the mespilus tree, is only edible when |
| rotten. |
| 4. Yet in our ashes cold does fire reek: "ev'n in our ashes live |
| their wonted fires." |
| 5. A colt's tooth; a wanton humour, a relish for pleasure. |
| 6. Chimb: The rim of a barrel where the staves project beyond |
| the head. |
| 7. With olde folk, save dotage, is no more: Dotage is all that is |
| left them; that is, they can only dwell fondly, dote, on the past. |
| 8. Souter: cobbler; Scottice, "sutor;"' from Latin, "suere," to |
| sew. |
| 9. "Ex sutore medicus" (a surgeon from a cobbler) and "ex |
| sutore nauclerus" (a seaman or pilot from a cobbler) were both |
| proverbial expressions in the Middle Ages. |
| 10. Half past prime: half-way between prime and tierce; about |
| half-past seven in the morning. |
| 11. Set his hove; like "set their caps;" as in the description of |
| the Manciple in the Prologue, who "set their aller cap". "Hove" |
| or "houfe," means "hood;" and the phrase signifies to be even |
| with, outwit. |
| 12. The illustration of the mote and the beam, from Matthew. |
| THE TALE.<1> |
| At Trompington, not far from Cantebrig,* *Cambridge |
| There goes a brook, and over that a brig, |
| Upon the whiche brook there stands a mill: |
| And this is *very sooth* that I you tell. *complete truth* |
| A miller was there dwelling many a day, |
| As any peacock he was proud and gay: |
| Pipen he could, and fish, and nettes bete*, *prepare |
| And turne cups, and wrestle well, and shete*. *shoot |
| Aye by his belt he bare a long pavade*, *poniard |
| And of his sword full trenchant was the blade. |
| A jolly popper* bare he in his pouch; *dagger |
| There was no man for peril durst him touch. |
| A Sheffield whittle* bare he in his hose. *small knife |
| Round was his face, and camuse* was his nose. *flat <2> |
| As pilled* as an ape's was his skull. *peeled, bald. |
| He was a market-beter* at the full. *brawler |
| There durste no wight hand upon him legge*, *lay |
| That he ne swore anon he should abegge*. *suffer the penalty |
| A thief he was, for sooth, of corn and meal, |
| And that a sly, and used well to steal. |
| His name was *hoten deinous Simekin* *called "Disdainful Simkin"* |
| A wife he hadde, come of noble kin: |
| The parson of the town her father was. |
| With her he gave full many a pan of brass, |
| For that Simkin should in his blood ally. |
| She was y-foster'd in a nunnery: |
| For Simkin woulde no wife, as he said, |
| But she were well y-nourish'd, and a maid, |
| To saven his estate and yeomanry: |
| And she was proud, and pert as is a pie*. *magpie |
| A full fair sight it was to see them two; |
| On holy days before her would he go |
| With his tippet* y-bound about his head; *hood |
| And she came after in a gite* of red, *gown <3> |
| And Simkin hadde hosen of the same. |
| There durste no wight call her aught but Dame: |
| None was so hardy, walking by that way, |
| That with her either durste *rage or play*, *use freedom* |
| *But if* he would be slain by Simekin *unless |
| With pavade, or with knife, or bodekin. |
| For jealous folk be per'lous evermo': |
| Algate* they would their wives *wende so*. *unless *so behave* |
| And eke for she was somewhat smutterlich*, *dirty |
| She was as dign* as water in a ditch, *nasty |
| And all so full of hoker*, and bismare**. *ill-nature **abusive speech |
| Her thoughte that a lady should her spare*, *not judge her hardly |
| What for her kindred, and her nortelrie* *nurturing, education |
| That she had learned in the nunnery. |
| One daughter hadde they betwixt them two |
| Of twenty year, withouten any mo, |
| Saving a child that was of half year age, |
| In cradle it lay, and was a proper page.* *boy |
| This wenche thick and well y-growen was, |
| With camuse* nose, and eyen gray as glass; *flat |
| With buttocks broad, and breastes round and high; |
| But right fair was her hair, I will not lie. |
| The parson of the town, for she was fair, |
| In purpose was to make of her his heir |
| Both of his chattels and his messuage, |
| And *strange he made it* of her marriage. *he made it a matter |
| His purpose was for to bestow her high of difficulty* |
| Into some worthy blood of ancestry. |
| For holy Church's good may be dispended* *spent |
| On holy Church's blood that is descended. |
| Therefore he would his holy blood honour |
| Though that he holy Churche should devour. |
| Great soken* hath this miller, out of doubt, *toll taken for grinding |
| With wheat and malt, of all the land about; |
| And namely* there was a great college *especially |
| Men call the Soler Hall at Cantebrege,<4> |
| There was their wheat and eke their malt y-ground. |
| And on a day it happed in a stound*, *suddenly |
| Sick lay the manciple* of a malady, *steward <5> |
| Men *weened wisly* that he shoulde die. *thought certainly* |
| For which this miller stole both meal and corn |
| An hundred times more than beforn. |
| For theretofore he stole but courteously, |
| But now he was a thief outrageously. |
| For which the warden chid and made fare*, *fuss |
| But thereof *set the miller not a tare*; *he cared not a rush* |
| He *crack'd his boast,* and swore it was not so. *talked big* |
| Then were there younge poore scholars two, |
| That dwelled in the hall of which I say; |
| Testif* they were, and lusty for to play; *headstrong <6> |
| And only for their mirth and revelry |
| Upon the warden busily they cry, |
| To give them leave for but a *little stound*, *short time* |
| To go to mill, and see their corn y-ground: |
| And hardily* they durste lay their neck, *boldly |
| The miller should not steal them half a peck |
| Of corn by sleight, nor them by force bereave* *take away |
| And at the last the warden give them leave: |
| John hight the one, and Alein hight the other, |
| Of one town were they born, that highte Strother,<7> |
| Far in the North, I cannot tell you where. |
| This Alein he made ready all his gear, |
| And on a horse the sack he cast anon: |
| Forth went Alein the clerk, and also John, |
| With good sword and with buckler by their side. |
| John knew the way, him needed not no guide, |
| And at the mill the sack adown he lay'th. |
| Alein spake first; "All hail, Simon, in faith, |
| How fares thy faire daughter, and thy wife." |
| "Alein, welcome," quoth Simkin, "by my life, |
| And John also: how now, what do ye here?" |
| "By God, Simon," quoth John, "need has no peer*. *equal |
| Him serve himself behoves that has no swain*, *servant |
| Or else he is a fool, as clerkes sayn. |
| Our manciple I hope* he will be dead, *expect |
| So workes aye the wanges* in his head: *cheek-teeth <8> |
| And therefore is I come, and eke Alein, |
| To grind our corn and carry it home again: |
| I pray you speed us hence as well ye may." |
| "It shall be done," quoth Simkin, "by my fay. |
| What will ye do while that it is in hand?" |
| "By God, right by the hopper will I stand," |
| Quoth John, "and see how that the corn goes in. |
| Yet saw I never, by my father's kin, |
| How that the hopper wagges to and fro." |
| Alein answered, "John, and wilt thou so? |
| Then will I be beneathe, by my crown, |
| And see how that the meale falls adown |
| Into the trough, that shall be my disport*: *amusement |
| For, John, in faith I may be of your sort; |
| I is as ill a miller as is ye." |
| This miller smiled at their nicety*, *simplicity |
| And thought, "All this is done but for a wile. |
| They weenen* that no man may them beguile, *think |
| But by my thrift yet shall I blear their eye,<9> |
| For all the sleight in their philosophy. |
| The more *quainte knackes* that they make, *odd little tricks* |
| The more will I steal when that I take. |
| Instead of flour yet will I give them bren*. *bran |
| The greatest clerks are not the wisest men, |
| As whilom to the wolf thus spake the mare: <10> |
| Of all their art ne count I not a tare." |
| Out at the door he went full privily, |
| When that he saw his time, softely. |
| He looked up and down, until he found |
| The clerkes' horse, there as he stood y-bound |
| Behind the mill, under a levesell:* *arbour<11> |
| And to the horse he went him fair and well, |
| And stripped off the bridle right anon. |
| And when the horse was loose, he gan to gon |
| Toward the fen, where wilde mares run, |
| Forth, with "Wehee!" through thick and eke through thin. |
| This miller went again, no word he said, |
| But did his note*, and with these clerkes play'd, *business <12> |
| Till that their corn was fair and well y-ground. |
| And when the meal was sacked and y-bound, |
| Then John went out, and found his horse away, |
| And gan to cry, "Harow, and well-away! |
| Our horse is lost: Alein, for Godde's bones, |
| Step on thy feet; come off, man, all at once: |
| Alas! our warden has his palfrey lorn.*" *lost |
| This Alein all forgot, both meal and corn; |
| All was out of his mind his husbandry*. *careful watch over |
| "What, which way is he gone?" he gan to cry. the corn* |
| The wife came leaping inward at a renne*, *run |
| She said; "Alas! your horse went to the fen |
| With wilde mares, as fast as he could go. |
| Unthank* come on his hand that bound him so *ill luck, a curse |
| And his that better should have knit the rein." |
| "Alas!" quoth John, "Alein, for Christes pain |
| Lay down thy sword, and I shall mine also. |
| I is full wight*, God wate**, as is a roe. *swift **knows |
| By Godde's soul he shall not scape us bathe*. *both <13> |
| Why n' had thou put the capel* in the lathe**? *horse<14> **barn |
| Ill hail, Alein, by God thou is a fonne.*" *fool |
| These silly clerkes have full fast y-run |
| Toward the fen, both Alein and eke John; |
| And when the miller saw that they were gone, |
| He half a bushel of their flour did take, |
| And bade his wife go knead it in a cake. |
| He said; I trow, the clerkes were afeard, |
| Yet can a miller *make a clerkes beard,* *cheat a scholar* <15> |
| For all his art: yea, let them go their way! |
| Lo where they go! yea, let the children play: |
| They get him not so lightly, by my crown." |
| These silly clerkes runnen up and down |
| With "Keep, keep; stand, stand; jossa*, warderere. *turn |
| Go whistle thou, and I shall keep* him here." *catch |
| But shortly, till that it was very night |
| They coulde not, though they did all their might, |
| Their capel catch, he ran alway so fast: |
| Till in a ditch they caught him at the last. |
| Weary and wet, as beastes in the rain, |
| Comes silly John, and with him comes Alein. |
| "Alas," quoth John, "the day that I was born! |
| Now are we driv'n till hething* and till scorn. *mockery |
| Our corn is stol'n, men will us fonnes* call, *fools |
| Both the warden, and eke our fellows all, |
| And namely* the miller, well-away!" *especially |
| Thus plained John, as he went by the way |
| Toward the mill, and Bayard* in his hand. *the bay horse |
| The miller sitting by the fire he fand*. *found |
| For it was night, and forther* might they not, *go their way |
| But for the love of God they him besought |
| Of herberow* and ease, for their penny. *lodging |
| The miller said again," If there be any, |
| Such as it is, yet shall ye have your part. |
| Mine house is strait, but ye have learned art; |
| Ye can by arguments maken a place |
| A mile broad, of twenty foot of space. |
| Let see now if this place may suffice, |
| Or make it room with speech, as is your guise.*" *fashion |
| "Now, Simon," said this John, "by Saint Cuthberd |
| Aye is thou merry, and that is fair answer'd. |
| I have heard say, man shall take of two things, |
| Such as he findes, or such as he brings. |
| But specially I pray thee, hoste dear, |
| Gar <16> us have meat and drink, and make us cheer, |
| And we shall pay thee truly at the full: |
| With empty hand men may not hawkes tull*. *allure |
| Lo here our silver ready for to spend." |
| This miller to the town his daughter send |
| For ale and bread, and roasted them a goose, |
| And bound their horse, he should no more go loose: |
| And them in his own chamber made a bed. |
| With sheetes and with chalons* fair y-spread, *blankets<17> |
| Not from his owen bed ten foot or twelve: |
| His daughter had a bed all by herselve, |
| Right in the same chamber *by and by*: *side by side* |
| It might no better be, and cause why, |
| There was no *roomer herberow* in the place. *roomier lodging* |
| They suppen, and they speaken of solace, |
| And drinken ever strong ale at the best. |
| Aboute midnight went they all to rest. |
| Well had this miller varnished his head; |
| Full pale he was, fordrunken, and *nought red*. *without his wits* |
| He yoxed*, and he spake thorough the nose, *hiccuped |
| As he were in the quakke*, or in the pose**. *grunting **catarrh |
| To bed he went, and with him went his wife, |
| As any jay she light was and jolife,* *jolly |
| So was her jolly whistle well y-wet. |
| The cradle at her beddes feet was set, |
| To rock, and eke to give the child to suck. |
| And when that drunken was all in the crock* *pitcher<18> |
| To bedde went the daughter right anon, |
| To bedde went Alein, and also John. |
| There was no more; needed them no dwale.<19> |
| This miller had, so wisly* bibbed ale, *certainly |
| That as a horse he snorted in his sleep, |
| Nor of his tail behind he took no keep*. *heed |
| His wife bare him a burdoun*, a full strong; *bass <20> |
| Men might their routing* hearen a furlong. *snoring |
| The wenche routed eke for company. |
| Alein the clerk, that heard this melody, |
| He poked John, and saide: "Sleepest thou? |
| Heardest thou ever such a song ere now? |
| Lo what a compline<21> is y-mell* them all. *among |
| A wilde fire upon their bodies fall, |
| Who hearken'd ever such a ferly* thing? *strange <22> |
| Yea, they shall have the flow'r of ill ending! |
| This longe night there *tides me* no rest. *comes to me* |
| But yet no force*, all shall be for the best. *matter |
| For, John," said he, "as ever may I thrive, |
| If that I may, yon wenche will I swive*. *enjoy carnally |
| Some easement* has law y-shapen** us *satisfaction **provided |
| For, John, there is a law that sayeth thus, |
| That if a man in one point be aggriev'd, |
| That in another he shall be relievd. |
| Our corn is stol'n, soothly it is no nay, |
| And we have had an evil fit to-day. |
| And since I shall have none amendement |
| Against my loss, I will have easement: |
| By Godde's soul, it shall none, other be." |
| This John answer'd; Alein, *avise thee*: *have a care* |
| The miller is a perilous man," he said, |
| "And if that he out of his sleep abraid*, *awaked |
| He mighte do us both a villainy*." *mischief |
| Alein answer'd; "I count him not a fly. |
| And up he rose, and by the wench he crept. |
| This wenche lay upright, and fast she slept, |
| Till he so nigh was, ere she might espy, |
| That it had been too late for to cry: |
| And, shortly for to say, they were at one. |
| Now play, Alein, for I will speak of John. |
| This John lay still a furlong way <23> or two, |
| And to himself he made ruth* and woe. *wail |
| "Alas!" quoth he, "this is a wicked jape*; *trick |
| Now may I say, that I is but an ape. |
| Yet has my fellow somewhat for his harm; |
| He has the miller's daughter in his arm: |
| He auntred* him, and hath his needes sped, *adventured |
| And I lie as a draff-sack in my bed; |
| And when this jape is told another day, |
| I shall be held a daffe* or a cockenay <24> *coward |
| I will arise, and auntre* it, by my fay: *attempt |
| Unhardy is unsely, <25> as men say." |
| And up he rose, and softely he went |
| Unto the cradle, and in his hand it hent*, *took |
| And bare it soft unto his beddes feet. |
| Soon after this the wife *her routing lete*, *stopped snoring* |
| And gan awake, and went her out to piss |
| And came again and gan the cradle miss |
| And groped here and there, but she found none. |
| "Alas!" quoth she, "I had almost misgone |
| I had almost gone to the clerkes' bed. |
| Ey! Benedicite, then had I foul y-sped." |
| And forth she went, till she the cradle fand. |
| She groped alway farther with her hand |
| And found the bed, and *thoughte not but good* *had no suspicion* |
| Because that the cradle by it stood, |
| And wist not where she was, for it was derk; |
| But fair and well she crept in by the clerk, |
| And lay full still, and would have caught a sleep. |
| Within a while this John the Clerk up leap |
| And on this goode wife laid on full sore; |
| So merry a fit had she not had *full yore*. *for a long time* |
| He pricked hard and deep, as he were mad. |
| This jolly life have these two clerkes had, |
| Till that the thirde cock began to sing. |
| Alein wax'd weary in the morrowing, |
| For he had swonken* all the longe night, *laboured |
| And saide; "Farewell, Malkin, my sweet wight. |
| The day is come, I may no longer bide, |
| But evermore, where so I go or ride, |
| I is thine owen clerk, so have I hele.*" *health |
| "Now, deare leman*," quoth she, "go, fare wele: *sweetheart |
| But ere thou go, one thing I will thee tell. |
| When that thou wendest homeward by the mill, |
| Right at the entry of the door behind |
| Thou shalt a cake of half a bushel find, |
| That was y-maked of thine owen meal, |
| Which that I help'd my father for to steal. |
| And goode leman, God thee save and keep." |
| And with that word she gan almost to weep. |
| Alein uprose and thought, "Ere the day daw |
| I will go creepen in by my fellaw:" |
| And found the cradle with his hand anon. |
| "By God!" thought he, "all wrong I have misgone: |
| My head is *totty of my swink* to-night, *giddy from my labour* |
| That maketh me that I go not aright. |
| I wot well by the cradle I have misgo'; |
| Here lie the miller and his wife also." |
| And forth he went a twenty devil way |
| Unto the bed, there as the miller lay. |
| He ween'd* t' have creeped by his fellow John, *thought |
| And by the miller in he crept anon, |
| And caught him by the neck, and gan him shake, |
| And said; "Thou John, thou swines-head, awake |
| For Christes soul, and hear a noble game! |
| For by that lord that called is Saint Jame, |
| As I have thries in this shorte night |
| Swived the miller's daughter bolt-upright, |
| While thou hast as a coward lain aghast*." *afraid |
| "Thou false harlot," quoth the miller, "hast? |
| Ah, false traitor, false clerk," quoth he, |
| "Thou shalt be dead, by Godde's dignity, |
| Who durste be so bold to disparage* *disgrace |
| My daughter, that is come of such lineage?" |
| And by the throate-ball* he caught Alein, *Adam's apple |
| And he him hent* dispiteously** again, *seized **angrily |
| And on the nose he smote him with his fist; |
| Down ran the bloody stream upon his breast: |
| And in the floor with nose and mouth all broke |
| They wallow, as do two pigs in a poke. |
| And up they go, and down again anon, |
| Till that the miller spurned* on a stone, *stumbled |
| And down he backward fell upon his wife, |
| That wiste nothing of this nice strife: |
| For she was fall'n asleep a little wight* *while |
| With John the clerk, that waked had all night: |
| And with the fall out of her sleep she braid*. *woke |
| "Help, holy cross of Bromeholm," <26> she said; |
| "In manus tuas! <27> Lord, to thee I call. |
| Awake, Simon, the fiend is on me fall; |
| Mine heart is broken; help; I am but dead: |
| There li'th one on my womb and on mine head. |
| Help, Simkin, for these false clerks do fight" |
| This John start up as fast as e'er he might, |
| And groped by the walles to and fro |
| To find a staff; and she start up also, |
| And knew the estres* better than this John, *apartment |
| And by the wall she took a staff anon: |
| And saw a little shimmering of a light, |
| For at an hole in shone the moone bright, |
| And by that light she saw them both the two, |
| But sickerly* she wist not who was who, *certainly |
| But as she saw a white thing in her eye. |
| And when she gan this white thing espy, |
| She ween'd* the clerk had wear'd a volupere**; *supposed **night-cap |
| And with the staff she drew aye nere* and nere*, *nearer |
| And ween'd to have hit this Alein at the full, |
| And smote the miller on the pilled* skull; *bald |
| That down he went, and cried," Harow! I die." |
| These clerkes beat him well, and let him lie, |
| And greithen* them, and take their horse anon, *make ready, dress |
| And eke their meal, and on their way they gon: |
| And at the mill door eke they took their cake |
| Of half a bushel flour, full well y-bake. |
| Thus is the proude miller well y-beat, |
| And hath y-lost the grinding of the wheat; |
| And payed for the supper *every deal* *every bit |
| Of Alein and of John, that beat him well; |
| His wife is swived, and his daughter als*; *also |
| Lo, such it is a miller to be false. |
| And therefore this proverb is said full sooth, |
| "*Him thar not winnen well* that evil do'th, *he deserves not to gain* |
| A guiler shall himself beguiled be:" |
| And God that sitteth high in majesty |
| Save all this Company, both great and smale. |
| Thus have I quit* the Miller in my tale. *made myself quits with |
| Notes to the Reeve's Tale |
| 1. The incidents of this tale were much relished in the Middle |
| Ages, and are found under various forms. Boccaccio has told |
| them in the ninth day of his "Decameron". |
| 2. Camuse: flat; French "camuse", snub-nosed. |
| 3. Gite: gown or coat; French "jupe." |
| 4. Soler Hall: the hall or college at Cambridge with the gallery |
| or upper storey; supposed to have been Clare Hall. |
| (Transcribers note: later commentators identify it with King's |
| Hall, now merged with Trinity College) |
| 5. Manciple: steward; provisioner of the hall. See also note 47 |
| to the prologue to the Tales. |
| 6. Testif: headstrong, wild-brained; French, "entete." |
| 7. Strother: Tyrwhitt points to Anstruther, in Fife: Mr Wright |
| to the Vale of Langstroth, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. |
| Chaucer has given the scholars a dialect that may have belonged |
| to either district, although it more immediately suggests the |
| more northern of the two. |
| (Transcribers note: later commentators have identified it with a |
| now vanished village near Kirknewton in Northumberland. |
| There was a well-known Alein of Strother in Chaucer's |
| lifetime.) |
| 8. Wanges: grinders, cheek-teeth; Anglo-Saxon, "Wang," the |
| cheek; German, "Wange." |
| 9. See note 1 to the Prologue to the Reeves Tale |
| 10. In the "Cento Novelle Antiche," the story is told of a mule, |
| which pretends that his name is written on the bottom of his |
| hind foot. The wolf attempts to read it, the mule kills him with a |
| kick in the forehead; and the fox, looking on, remarks that |
| "every man of letters is not wise." A similar story is told in |
| "Reynard the Fox." |
| 11. Levesell: an arbour; Anglo-Saxon, "lefe-setl," leafy seat. |
| 12. Noth: business; German, "Noth," necessity. |
| 13. Bathe: both; Scottice, "baith." |
| 14. Capel: horse; Gaelic, "capall;" French, "cheval;" Italian, |
| "cavallo," from Latin, "caballus." |
| 15. Make a clerkes beard: cheat a scholar; French, "faire la |
| barbe;" and Boccaccio uses the proverb in the same sense. |
| 16. "Gar" is Scotch for "cause;" some editions read, however, |
| "get us some". |
| 17. Chalons: blankets, coverlets, made at Chalons in France. |
| 18. Crock: pitcher, cruse; Anglo-Saxon, "crocca;" German, |
| "krug;" hence "crockery." |
| 19. Dwale: night-shade, Solanum somniferum, given to cause |
| sleep. |
| 20. Burdoun: bass; "burden" of a song. It originally means the |
| drone of a bagpipe; French, "bourdon." |
| 21. Compline: even-song in the church service; chorus. |
| 22. Ferly: strange. In Scotland, a "ferlie" is an unwonted or |
| remarkable sight. |
| 23. A furlong way: As long as it might take to walk a furlong. |
| 24. Cockenay: a term of contempt, probably borrowed from the |
| kitchen; a cook, in base Latin, being termed "coquinarius." |
| compare French "coquin," rascal. |
| 25. Unhardy is unsely: the cowardly is unlucky; "nothing |
| venture, nothing have;" German, "unselig," unhappy. |
| 26. Holy cross of Bromeholm: A common adjuration at that |
| time; the cross or rood of the priory of Bromholm, in Norfolk, |
| was said to contain part of the real cross and therefore held in |
| high esteem. |
| 27. In manus tuas: Latin, "in your hands". |
