John, “good Allen, haste amain; Lay down thy sword, as I will mine also; Heaven knoweth I am as nimble as a roe; He shall not ’scape us baith, or my saul’s dead! Why didst not put the horse within the shed? By the mass, Allen, thou’rt a fool, I say!”

Those silly clerks have scampered fast away Unto the fen; Allen and nimble John: And when the Miller saw that they were gone, He half a bushel of their flour doth take, And bade his wife go knead it in a cake. He said, “I trow these clerks feared what they’ve found; Yet can a miller turn a scholar round For all his art. Yea, let them go their way! See where they run! yea, let the children play: They get him not so lightly, by my crown.”

The simple clerks go running up and down, With “Soft, soft!—stand, stand!—hither!—back! take care! Now whistle thou, and I shall keep him here!” But, to be brief, until the very night They could not, though they tried with all their might, The palfrey catch; he always ran so fast: Till in a ditch they caught him at the last.

Weary and wet as beasts amid the rain, Allen and John come slowly back again. “Alas,” quoth John, “that ever I was born! Now are we turned into contempt and scorn. Our corn is stolen; fools they will us call; The Warden, and our college fellows all, And ’specially the Miller—’las the day!”

Thus plaineth John while going by the way Toward the mill, the bay nag in his hand. The Miller sitting by the fire they found, For it was night: no further could they move; But they besought him, for Heaven’s holy love, Lodgment and food to give them for their penny.

And Simkin answered, “If that there be any, Such as it is, yet shall ye have your part. My house is small, but ye have learnéd art; Ye can, by arguments, well make a place A mile broad, out of twenty foot of space! Let’s see now if this place, as ’tis, suffice; Or make more room with speech, as is your guise.”  “Now, Simon, by Saint Cuthbert,” said this John, “Thou’rt ever merry, and that’s answered soon. I’ve heard that man must needs choose o’ twa things; Such as he finds, or else such as he brings. But specially I pray thee, mine host dear, Let us have meat and drink, and make us cheer, And we shall pay you to the full, be sure: With empty hand men may na’ hawks allure. Lo! here’s our siller ready to be spent!”

The Miller to the town his daughter sent For ale and bread, and roasted them a goose; And bound their horse; he should no more get loose; And in his own room made for them a bed, With blankets, sheets, and 

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