God loued he best with al his hoole herte At alle tymes thogh hym gamed or smerte And thanne his Neighebore right as hymselue He wolde thresshe and therto dyke and delue For Cristes sake for euery poure wight Withouten hyre if it laye in his myght His tythes payde he ful faire and wel Bothe of his propre swynk and his catel In a Tabard he rood vpon a Mere Ther was also a Reue and a Millere A Somonour and a Pardoner also A Maunciple and myself ther weere namo The Millere was a stout carl for the nones Ful byg he was of brawen and eek of bones That proeued wel for oueral ther he cam At wrastlynge he wolde haue alwey the Ram He was shortshuldred brood a thikke knarre Ther was no dore that he ne wolde heue of harre Or breke it at a rennynge with his heed His beerd as any sowe or fox was reed And therto brood as thogh it weere a spaade Vpon the cop right of his nose he haade A werte and theron stood a tuft of heerys Reede as the bristles of a sowes eerys Hise nosethirles blake weere and wyde A swerd and a bokeler baar he by his syde His mouth as greet was as a greet fourneys He was a Ianglere a Golyardeys And that was moost of synne and harlotryes Wel koude he stelen corn and tollen thryes