From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Miller's Tale, lines 163-198

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From The Miller's Tale, lines 125-162:
Alison, the carpenter's wife

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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Miller's Tale
lines 163-198: Nicolas courts Alison

	Now, sire, and eft, sire, so bifel the cas,
	That on a day this hende Nicholas
165	Fil with this yonge wyf to rage and pleye,
	Whil that her housbonde was at Oseneye,
	As clerkes ben ful subtile and ful queynte;
	And prively he caughte hire by the queynte,
	And seyde, "Ywis, but if ich have my wille,
170	For deerne love of thee, lemman, I spille."
	And heeld hire harde by the haunchebones,
	And seyde, "Lemman, love me al atones,
	Or I wol dyen, also God me save!"
	And she sproong as a colt dooth in the trave,
175	And with hir heed she wryed faste awey,
	And seyde, "I wol nat kisse thee, by my fey!
	Why, lat be," quod she, "lat be, Nicholas,
	Or I wol crie 'out harrow' and 'allas!'
	Do wey youre handes, for youre curteisye!"

	Now, sir, and then, sir, go befell the case,
	That on a day this clever Nicholas
165	Fell in with this young wife to toy and play,
	The while her husband was down Osney way,
	Clerks being as crafty as the best of us;
	And unperceived he caught her by the puss,
	Saying: "Indeed, unless I have my will,
170	For secret love of you, sweetheart, I'll spill."
	And held her hard about the hips, and how!
	And said: "O darling, love me, love me now,
	Or I shall die, and pray you God may save!"
	And she leaped as a colt does in the trave,
175	And with her head she twisted fast away,
	And said: "I will not kiss you, by my fay!
	Why, let go," cried she, "let go, Nicholas!
	Or I will call for help and cry 'alas!'
	Do take your hands away, for courtesy!"

180	This Nicholas gan mercy for to crye,
	And spak so faire, and profred him so faste,
	That she hir love hym graunted atte laste,
	Ans swoor hir ooth, by seint Thomas of Kent,
	That she wol been at his comandement,
185	Whan that she may hir leyser wel espie.
	"Myn housbonde is so ful of jalousie
	That but ye wayte wel and been privee,
	I woot right wel I nam but deed," quod she.
	"Ye moste been ful deerne, as in this cas."
190	"Nay, therof care thee noght," quod Nicholas.
	"A clerk hadde litherly biset his whyle,
	But if he koude a carpenter bigyle."
	And thus they been accorded and ysworn
	To wayte a tyme, as I have told biforn.
195	Whan Nicholas had doon thus everideel,
	And thakked hire aboute the lendes weel,
	He kiste hire sweete and taketh his sawtrie,
	And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodie.

180	This Nicholas for mercy then did cry,
	And spoke so well, importuned her so fast
	That she her love did grant him at the last,
	And swore her oath, by Saint Thomas of Kent,
	That she would be at his command, content,
185	As soon as opportunity she could spy.
	"My husband is so full of jealousy,
	Unless you will await me secretly,
	I know I'm just as good as dead," said she.
	"You must keep all quite hidden in this case."
190	"Nay, thereof worry not," said Nicholas,
	"A clerk has lazily employed his while
	If he cannot a carpenter beguile."
	And thus they were agreed, and then they swore
	To wait a while, as I have said before.
195	When Nicholas had done thus every whit
	And patted her about the loins a bit,
	He kissed her sweetly, took his psaltery,
	And played it fast and made a melody.

Next:
From The Miller's Tale, lines 199-230:
Absalom, the parish clerk