The Canterbury Tales · The Miller’s Tale · The Prologue

The Prologue

When that the Knight had thus his talë told,

In all the rout was neither young nor old,

That he not said it was a noble story,

And worthy to be drawen to memóry;907

And namëly the gentles every one.908

Our Host then laugh’d and swore, “So may I gon,909

This goes aright; unbuckled is the mail;910

Let see now who shall tell another tale:

For truëly this game is well begun.

Now telleth ye, Sir Monk, if that ye conne,911

Somewhat, to quiten912 with the Knightë’s tale.”

The Miller that fordrunken was all pale,913

So that unnethes914 upon his horse he sat,

He would avalen915 neither hood nor hat,

Nor abide916 no man for his courtesy,

But in Pilatë’s voice917 he gan to cry,

And swore by armës, and by blood, and bones,

“I can a noble talë for the nones,918

With which I will now quite919 the Knightë’s tale.”

Our Host saw well how drunk he was of ale,

And said; “Robin, abide, my levë920 brother,

Some better man shall tell us first another:

Abide, and let us workë thriftily.”921

“By Goddë’s soul,” quoth he, “that will not I,

For I will speak, or ellës go my way!”

Our Host answer’d; “Tell on a devil way;922

Thou art a fool; thy wit is overcome.”

“Now hearken,” quoth the Miller, “all and some:

But first I make a protestatioún.

That I am drunk, I know it by my soun’:

And therefore if that I misspeak or say,

Wite923 it the ale of Southwark, I you pray:

For I will tell a legend and a life

Both of a carpenter and of his wife,

How that a clerk hath set the wrightë’s cap.”924

The Reeve answér’d and saidë, “Stint thy clap,925

Let be thy lewëd drunken harlotry.

It is a sin, and eke a great folly

To apeiren926 any man, or him defame,

And eke to bringë wives in evil name.

Thou may’st enough of other thingës sayn.”

This drunken Miller spake full soon again,

And saidë, “Levë brother Osëwold,

Who hath no wifë, he is no cuckóld.

But I say not therefore that thou art one;

There be full goodë wivës many one.

Why art thou angry with my talë now?

I have a wife, pardie, as well as thou,

Yet n’old927 I, for the oxen in my plough,

Taken upon me morë than enough,

To deemen928 of myself that I am one;

I will believë well that I am none.

An husband should not be inquisitive

Of Goddë’s privity, nor of his wife.

So he may findë Goddë’s foison929 there,

Of the remnant needeth not to enquére.”

What should I more say, but that this Millére

He would his wordës for no man forbear,

But told his churlish930 tale in his mannére;

Me thinketh, that I shall rehearse it here.

And therefore every gentle wight I pray,

For Goddë’s love to deem not that I say

Of evil intent, but that I must rehearse

Their tales all, be they better or worse,

Or ellës falsen931 some of my mattere.

And therefore whoso list it not to hear,

Turn o’er the leaf, and choose another tale;

For he shall find enough, both great and smale,

Of storial932 thing that toucheth gentiless,

And eke morality and holiness.

Blame not me, if that ye choose amiss.

The Miller is a churl, ye know well this,

So was the Reeve, with many other mo’,

And harlotry933 they toldë bothë two.

Avise you934 now, and put me out of blame;

And eke men should not make earnest of game.935