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The Complete Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer
The Complete Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer Author:Geoffrey Chaucer, Percy MacKaye, John Strong Perry Tatlock Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Thus is the proud miller well beaten, and has lost his toll for grinding their corn, and paid every penny for the supper of Alan and John who beat him. Lo, such ... more »a thing it is for a miller to be false ! And therefore this proverb is full sooth, ' Look not for good and do iniquity, The guileful shall himself beguiled be.' And God That sits on high in glory save all this company, high and low. Thus have I requited the Miller in my tale. Here is ended the Reeve's Tale. The Prologue of the Cook's Tale. Whilst the Reeve was speaking, the Cook from London clawed him on the back for joy. ' Ha, ha!' quoth he. ' By the rood, this miller had a sharp experience in the matter of lodging for the night. Well said Solomon, " Bring not every man into thine house;" lodging by night is perilous. A man ought to advise well with himself whom he brings into his privacy. May I come to a bad end if ever I heard of a miller better set a-work, since I was called Hodge of Ware; he had a shrewd turn in the dark. But God forbid that we stop here ! And therefore, if you vouchsafe to listen to a tale from me, that am a poor man, I will tell you as well as I am able a little jest that befell in our town.' Our Host answered and said, c I agree; now tell on, Roger, look it be good. Many a meat-pie have you served out that has been twice hot and twice cold, and (many a pasty have you let blood. From many a pilgrim have you had Christ's malison, for of your parsley that they have eaten with your fatted goose they fare the worse yet; for many a fly is at large in your shop. Now tell on, gentle Roger. But yet I prithee be not wroth for a privy nip; a man may say full sooth in jest.' ' You say full sooth, by my faith,' answered Roger. ' But "sooth jest, ill jest," as the Flemings say. And therefor...« less