He wayted after no pompe and reverence,
Ne maked him a spyced conscience,
But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve,
He taughte, and first he folwed it himselve.

With him ther was a PLOWMAN, was his
brother,
That hadde y-lad of dong ful many a fother,
A trewe swinker and a good was he,
Livinge in pees and parfit charitee.
God loved he best with al his hole herte
At alle tymes, thogh him gamed or smerte,
And thanne his neighebour right as himselve.
He wolde thresshe, and ther-to dyke and delve,
For Cristes sake, for every povre wight,
Withouten hyre, if it lay in his might.
His tythes payed he ful faire and wel,
Bothe of his propre swink and his catel.
In a tabard he rood upon a mere.
As a shitcovered shepherd with clean sheep.
Well ought a priest example for to give,
By his cleanliness, how his sheep should live.
He rented not his benefice out to hire,
And left his sheep encumbered in the mire,
And ran into London to Saint Paul’s
To seek him a sinecure as a chantry-priest,
Or a retainer as chaplain for a guild,32
But dwelt at home and kept well his fold.
So that the wolf didn’t make it come to grief;
He was a shepherd and not a mercenary.
And though he holy was, and virtuous,
He was to sinful men not despising,
Nor in speech haughty or disdainful,
But in his teaching discreet and benign.
To draw folk to heaven by fairness,
By good example, that was his business;
But were there any person obstinate,
Whoever he was, of high or low estate,
He would him rebuke sharply in that instance.
A better priest I believe there nowhere is.
He yearned not for pomp and reverence,
Nor made a show of righteousness,
But Christ’s teaching and his apostles twelve,
He taught, and first he followed it himself.

With him there was a PLOWMAN,33 who was his
brother,
Who had hauled of dung full many a cart.
An honest worker, and a good one was he,
Living in peace and perfect charity.
God loved he best with his whole heart
At all times, both happy and tough,
And his neighbor much as himself.
He would thresh and ditch and shovel,
For Christ’s sake, for every poor soul,
Without payment, if it lay in his power.
His tithes he paid full fair and well,
Both of his work and his property.
In a smock he rode upon a mare.

Ther was also a Reve and a Millere,
A Somnour and a Pardoner also,
A Maunciple, and my-self; there were namo.

The MILLER was a stout carl, for the nones,
Ful big he was of braun, and eek of bones;
That proved wel, for over-al ther he cam,
At wrastling he wolde have alwey the ram.
He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre,
Ther nas no dore that he nolde heve of harre,
Or breke it, at a renning, with his heed.
His berd as any sowe or fox was reed,
And ther-to brood, as though it were a spade.
Up-on the cop right of his nose he hade
A werte, and ther-on stood a tuft of heres,
Reed as the bristles of a sowes eres;
His nose-thirles blake were and wyde.
A swerd and bokeler bar he by his syde;
His mouth as greet was as a greet forneys.
He was a janglere and a goliardeys,
And that was most of sinne and harlotryes.
Wel coude he stelen corn, and tollen thryes;
And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee.
A whyt cote and a blew hood wered he.
A baggepype wel coude he blowe and sowne,
And ther-with-al he broghte us out of towne.

A gentil MAUNCIPLE was ther of a temple;
Of which achatours mighte take exemple
For to be wyse in bying of vitaille
For whether that he payde, or took by taille,
Algate he wayted so in his achat,
That he was ay biforn and in good stat.
Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace,
That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace
The wisdom of an heep of lerned men?
Of maistres hadde he mo than thryes ten,
That were of lawe expert and curious;
Of which there were a doseyn in that hous
Worthy to been stiwardes of rente and lond
Of any lord that is in Engelond,

There was also a Reeve34 and a Miller,
A Summoner35 and a Pardoner36 also,
A Manciple,37 and myself—there were no more.

The MILLER was indeed a stout fellow;
Full big he was of muscle and bones—
Who proved himself, for wherever he went,
At wrestling he would always win the ram.
He was short-shouldered, a broad, thick cudgel:
There was no door he couldn’t yank off its hinges,
Or go through by ramming it with his noggin.
His beard as any sow or fox was red,
And thereto broad, as though it were a spade.
Upon the tip of his nose he had
A wart, and thereon stood a tuft of hairs,
Red as the bristles of a sow’s ears;
His nostrils were black and wide.