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The REVE was a sclendre colerik man. |
| 590 | His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan; |
| His heer was by his erys ful round yshorn; |
| His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn. |
| Ful longe were his legges, and ful lene, |
| Ylyk a staf, ther was no calf ysene. |
| 595 | Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne; |
| Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne. |
| Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn, |
| The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn. |
| His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye, |
| 600 | His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye, |
| Was hoolly in this Reves governynge, |
| And by his covenant yaf the rekenynge, |
| Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age, |
| Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage. |
| 605 | Ther nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne, |
| That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne; |
| They were adrad of hym as of the deeth. |
| His wonyng was ful faire upon an heeth; |
| With grene trees shadwed was his place. |
| 610 | He koude bettre than his lord purchace. |
| Ful riche he was astored pryvely: |
| His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly, |
| To yeve and lene hym of his owene good, |
| And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood. |
| 615 | In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster; |
| He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. |
| This Reve sat upon a ful good stot, |
| That was al pomely grey, and highte Scot. |
| A long surcote of pers upon he hade, |
| 620 | And by his syde he baar a rusty blade. |
| Of Northfolk was this Reve, of which I telle, |
| Bisyde a toun men clepen Baldeswelle. |
| Tukked he was as is a frere aboute, |
| And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route. |
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The REEVE was a slender choleric man |
| 590 | Who shaved his beard as close as ever he can. |
| His hair was closely cropped around his ears; |
| His head, the top was cut alike a pulpiteer's. |
| Long were his legs, and they were very lean, |
| And like a staff, with no calf to be seen. |
| 595 | Well could he manage granary and bin; |
| No auditor could ever find anything. |
| He could foretell, by drought and by the rain, |
| The yielding of his seed and of his grain. |
| His lord's sheep and his cattle and his dairy cows, |
| 600 | His swine and horses, his stores, his poultry house, |
| Were wholly in the Reve his managing; |
| And, by agreement, he'd gave reckoning |
| Since his young lord of age was twenty years; |
| Yet no man ever found him in arrears. |
| 605 | There was no agent, herd, or servant who'd cheat; |
| He knew too well their cunning and deceit; |
| They were afraid of him as of the death. |
| His cottage was a good one, on a heath; |
| By green trees shaded was his dwelling-place. |
| 610 | Much better than his lord could he purchase. |
| Very rich and well he was provided all secretly, |
| He knew well how to please his lord subtly, |
| By giving him, or lending, of his own goods, |
| And so got thanked - but yet got coats and hoods. |
| 615 | In youth he'd learned a good trade, and had been |
| A carpenter, good skillful and keen. |
| This Reve sat on a horse that could well trot, |
| And was all dapple grey, and was named Scot. |
| A long surcoat of blue did he parade, |
| 620 | And at his side he bore a rusty blade. |
| Of Norfolk was this Reeve of whom I tell, |
| From near a town that men call Badeswell. |
| His coat was like a friar's tightly closed, |
| From our company he rode always hindmost. |
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