(18) THE MILLER
547- The millere was a stout (strong) carl (churl- rustic ), fellow for the nones (any occasion)
The MILLER (a person who owns or works a flour mill) was a stout fellow indeed;
548- Ful byg he was of brawn (muscles), and eek of bones.
He was very strong of muscle, and also of bones.
549- That proved wel, for over al there (everywhere) he cam,
That was well proven, for wherever he came,
550- At wrastlynge he wolde have alwey the ram (prize).
At wrestling he would always take the prize.
551- He was short-sholdred, brood (broad), a thikke knarre (rugged- stocky fellow)
He was stoutly built, broad, a large-framed fellow;
552- Ther was no dore that he nolde (would not) heve (heave- lift) of harre, (hinges)
There was no door that he would not heave off its hinges,
553- Or breke it at a rennyng (running) with his heed.
Or break it by running at it with his head.
554- His berd as any sowe (female pig) or fox was reed,
His beard was red as any sow or fox,
555- And therto brood, as though it were a spade (gardening tool).
And moreover broad, as though it were a spade.
556- Upon the cop (tip) right of his nose he hade
Upon the exact top of his nose he had
557- A werte (wart-infected skin), and theron stood a toft of herys,(tuft of hairs)
A wart, and thereon stood a tuft of hairs,
558- Reed as the brustles (bristles) of a sowes erys (sow’s ears)
Red as the bristles of a sow’s ears;
559- His nosethirles (nostrils) blake were and wyde.
His nostrils were black and wide.
560- A swerd (sword) and bokeler (shield) bar (carried) he by his syde.
He wore a sword and a buckler by his side.
561- His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys (cauldron).
His mouth was as large as a large furnace.
562- He was a janglere (big mouth-chatterer) and a goliardeys (ribald story- referring to sex in rude /humorous way teller)
He was a loudmouth and a buffoon,
563- And that was moost of synne and harlotries (vulgarities).
And that was mostly of sin and deeds of harlotry.
564- Wel koude he stelen corn (steal grain) and tollen thries (charge triple- toll);
He well knew how to steal corn and take payment three times;
565- And yet he hadde a thombe of gold (skill in swindling), pardee (in French by God).
And yet he had a thumb of gold, indeed.
566- A whit cote and a blew (blue) hood wered (wore) he.
He wore a white coat and a blue hood.
567- A baggepipe wel koude he blowe and sowne (play/sounds),
He well knew how to blow and play a bag-pipe,
568- And therwithal (in that way) he broghte us out of towne.
And with that he brought us out of town.
(19) THE MANCIPLE
569- A gentil maunciple (food supplier) was ther of a temple (inn of court),
There was a fine MANCIPLE of a temple (law school),
570- Of which achatours (purchasing agents) myghte take exemple
Of whom buyers of provisions might take example
571- For to be wise in byynge (buying) of vitaille (victuals- foodstuff);
For how to be wise in buying of victuals;
572- For wheither that he payde or took by taille (tally- on credit),
For whether he paid (cash) or took (goods) on credit,
573- Algate (Always) he wayted so in his achaat (purchase)
Always he watched so (carefully for his opportunity) in his purchases
574- That he was ay biforn (always ahead) and in good staat.
That he was always ahead and in good state.
575- Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace
Now is not that a very fair grace of God
576- That swich a lewed (such an unlearned) mannes (man’s) wit shal pace (pass)
That such an unlearned man’s wit shall surpass
577- The wisdom of an heep (heap) of lerned men?
The wisdom of a heap of learned men?
578- Of maistres hadde he mo (more) than thries (thrice) ten (30),
He had more than three times ten masters,
579- That weren of lawe expert and curious (skillful),
Who were expert and skillful in law,
580- Of which ther were a duszeyne (dozen) in that hous
Of whom there were a dozen in that house
581- Worthy to been stywardes (supervisors) of rente (income) and lond
Worthy to be stewards of rent and land
582- Of any lord that is in Engelond,
Of any lord that is in England,
583- To make hym lyve by his propre (own) good (wealth)
To make him live by his own wealth
584- In honour dettelees (free from debt) [but if unless he were wood (mad)],
In honor and debtless (unless he were mad),
585- Or lyve as scarsly (frugally- parsimoniously) as him lyst (desire/like- it pleases him to desire)
Or live as economically as it pleased him to desire;
586- And able for to helpen al a shire
And (they would be) able to help all a shire
587- In any caas (event/legal case) that myghte falle or happe (happen);
In any emergency that might occur or happen.
588- And yet this manciple sette hir aller cappe (deceived/befooled them all)
And yet this Manciple fooled them all.
(20) THE REEVE
589- The reve was a sclendre (slender) colerik (choleric- hot tempered) man.
The REEVE (reeve- legal caretaker of a manor) was a slender choleric man.
590- His berd was shave as ny (close) as ever he kan;
His beard was shaved as close as ever he can;
591- His heer (hair) was by his erys (ears) ful round yshorn (shorn- shear- to cut )
His hair was closely cropped by his ears;
592- His top was dokked (cut short) lyk a preest biforn (in front)
The top of his head in front was cut short like a priest’s.
593- Ful longe were his legges and ful lene,
His legs were very long and very lean,
594- Ylyk (Like) a staf (a long piece of wooden stick), ther was no calf ysene (seen).
Like a stick; there was no calf to be seen.
595- Wel koude he kepe a gerner (granary- a building where grain is stored) and a bynne (bin);
He well knew how to keep a granary and a storage bin;
596- Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne (get the best of him).
There was no auditor who could earn anything (by catching him).
597- Wel wiste (knew) he by the droghte and by the reyn
He well knew by the drought and by the rain
598- The yeldynge (yield) of his seed and of his greyn.
(What would be) the yield of his seed and of his grain.
599- His lordes sheep, his neet (cattle), oxen, his dayerye (dairy cows),
His lord’s sheep, his cattle, his herd of dairy cows,
600- His swyn (swine- pig), his hors, his stoor (store- livestock), and his pultrye (poultry)
His swine, his horses, his livestock, and his poultry
601- Was hoolly in this reves governynge (management),
Was wholly in this Reeve’s control,
602- And by his covenant (contract) yaf the rekenynge (reckoning- accounts),
And in accord with his contract he gave the reckoning,
603- Syn (since) that his lord was twenty yeer of age.
Since his lord was twenty years of age.
604- Ther koude no man brynge hym (could detect him as a defaulter) in arrerage (arrears).
There was no man who could find him in arrears.
605- Ther nas (was not) baillif (land steward), ne hierde (herdsman), nor oother hyne (hind- skilled farm worker),
There was no farm manager, nor herdsman, nor other servant,
606- That he ne knew his sleighte (sleight- deceptions) and his covyne (treachery);
Whose trickery and treachery he did not know;
607- They were adrad (afraid) of hym as of the deeth.
They were afraid of him as of the plague.
608- His wonyng (dwelling) was ful faire upon an heeth (heath- open land);
His dwelling was very nicely situated upon an heath;
609- With grene trees yshadwed (shadowed) was his place.
His place was shaded by green trees.
610- He koude bettre than his lord purchace (make money).
He could buy property better than his lord could.
611- Ful riche he was astored (stocked) pryvely (privately):
He was secretly very richly provided.
612- His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly (artfully),
He well knew how to please his lord subtly,
613- To yeve (give) and lene (lend) hym of his owene good (property- possessions),
By giving and lending him some of his lord’s own possessions,
614- And have a thank, and yet (besides) a cote and hood.
And have thanks, and also a coat and hood (as a reward).
615- In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster (trade);
In youth he had learned a good craft:
616- He was a wel good wrighte (craftsman), a carpenter.
He was a very good craftsman, a carpenter.
617- This reve sat upon a ful good stot (farm horse),
This Reeve sat upon a very good horse
618- That was al pomely (dappled- marked with spots) grey and highte (named, called) Scot.
That was all dapple gray and was called Scot.
619- A long surcote (outer coat) of pers (blue) upon he hade,
He had on a long outer coat of dark blue,
620- And by his syde he baar a rusty blade.
And by his side he wore a rusty sword.
621- Of Northfolk (place in east England) was this reve of which I telle,
Of Northfolk was this Reeve of whom I tell,
622- Biside a toun men clepen (call) Baldeswelle.
Near to a town men call Bawdeswelle.
623- Tukked (Tucked- to push, fold or turn the ends or edges of clothes) he was as is a frere (friar) aboute,
He had his coat hitched up and belted, like a friar,
624- And evere he rood the hyndreste (hindmost- furthest back) of oure route (group).
And ever he rode as the last of our company.
