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

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

	Thanne fil it thus, that to the paryssh chirche,
200	Cristes owene werkes for to wirche,
	This goode wyf went on a 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 parissh clerk,
205	The which that was ycleped Absolon.
	Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon,
	And strouted as a fanne large and brode;
	Ful streight and evene lay his joly shode;
	His rode was reed, his eyen greye as goos.
210	With Poules wyndow corven on his shoos,
	In hoses rede he wente fetisly.
	Yclad he was ful smal and proprely
	Al in a kirtel of a lyght waget;
	Ful faire and thikke been the poyntes set.
215	And therupon he hadde a gay surplys
	As whit as is the blosme upon the rys.
	A myrie child he was, so God me save.
	Wel koude he laten blood and clippe and shave,
	And maken a chartre of lond or acquitaunce.
220	In twenty manere koude he trippe and daunce
	After the scole of Oxenforde tho,
	And with his legges casten to and fro,
	And pleyen songes on a smal rubible;
	Therto he song som tyme a loud quynyble;
225	And as wel koude he pleye on a 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 somdeel squaymous
230	Of fartyng, and of speche daungerous.

	Then fell it thus, that to the parish church,
200	The Lord Christ Jesus' own works for to work,
	This good wife went, upon a holy day;
	Her forehead shone as bright as does the May,
	So well she'd washed it when she left off work.
	Now there was of that church a parish clerk
205	Whose name was (as folk called him) Absalom.
	Curled was his hair, shining like gold, and from
	His head spread fanwise in a thick bright mop;
	'Twas parted straight and even on the top;
	His cheek was red, his eyes grey as a goose;
210	With Saint Paul's windows cut upon his shoes,
	He stood in red hose fitting famously.
	And he was clothed very well and properly
	All in a coat of blue, in which were let
	Holes for the lacings, which were fairly set.
215	And over all he wore a fine surplice
	As white as ever hawthorn spray, and nice.
	A merry lad he was, so God me save,
	And well could he let blood, cut hair, and shave,
	And draw a deed or quitclaim, as might chance.
220	In twenty manners could he trip and dance,
	After the school that reigned in Oxford, though,
	And with his two legs swinging to and fro;
	And he could play upon a violin;
	Thereto he sang in treble voice and thin;
225	And as well could he play on his guitar.
	In all the town no inn was, and no bar,
	That he'd not visited to make good cheer,
	Especially were lively barmaids there.
	But, truth to tell, he was a bit squeamish
230	Of farting and of arrogant language.