*THIS ALISON . ANSWERD WHO IS THERE . *THAT KNOKKETH SO . J WARANT HIT A THEFE . *WHY NAY Q\D HE GOD WOTE MY SWETE LEFE *J . AM THYN ABSOLON . THY DERLYNG *OF GOLD Q\D HE J HAUE BROGHT THE RYNG *MY MODER zAF HIT ME SO GOD ME SAVE . *FULL FYNE HIT IS AND YER-TO WELE YGRAUE . *THIS WOLE J zIF THE . zIF YOW ME KYSSE . *THIS *NYCHOLAS . WAS RYSEN . FOR TO PYSSE . *AND THOUGHT HE WOLDE AMENDEN . ALL THE JAPE . HE SHULD KYSSE HYS ERS OR THAT HE SCAPE . *AND VP THE WYNDOW . DID HE HASTILY *AND OUT HYS ERS HE PUTTE PRYUELY *OUER THE BUTTOK TO THE HANCHE-BONE . *AND THER-WITH SPAKE . THIS CLERK THIS ABSOLON . *SPEKE SWOTE BRYD J . NOT WHERE THOW ERT *THIS *NYCHOLAS LETE FLYE A FERT *AS GRETE AS HIT AS HIT HADDE . BEN A THONDER-DENT *THAT WITH THE STROKE HE WAS ALMOST YBLENT *AND HE WAS REDY WITH THE YREN . HOOT *AND *NYCHOLAS IN THE ERS HE SMOTE . *OF GOTH THE SKYN AN HANDBREDE ABOUTE *THE HOOTE CULTER BRENNED SO HIS TOUTE . *AND FOR HIT SMERTE HE WENT FOR TO DYE . *AS HE WERE WODE FOR WOO . HE CAN TO CRYE . *HELP WATER WATER HELPE FOR GODDES HERT *THIS CARPENTER OUTE OF HIS SLOMBER STERT *AND HERD ONE CRYE WATER AS HE WERE WOODE *AND THOGHT ALAS NOW COmMETH *NOE FLOODE *AND SETTE HYM VP WITH-OUTE WORDES MO *AND WITH AN AXE . HE SMOTE THE CORDE ATWO . *AND DONE GOTH ALL HE FONDE NEITHER TO SELLE *NE BREDE NE ALE TYLLE HE COME TO THE FELLE *VPPON THE FLOURE . AND THER A-SWONE HE LAY *VP STERTE HIR ALISON . AND *NYCHOLAY *AND CRIED OUT HAROW IN THE STRETE *THE NEIGHBOURS BOTH SMALE & GRETE . *YRONNEN FOR TO GAUREN . ON THIS MAN . *THAT A-SWONE LAY BOTH PALE . & WAN . *FOR WITH THAT FALLE HE BROSTEN HATH HIS ARME *BUT STONDEN HE MOST VNTO HIS OWNE . HARME *FOR WHAN HE SPAKE HE WAS ANON BORNE . DONE . *WITH HEND *NYCHOLAS AND ALISON *THEI TOLDE EUERY MAN THAT HE WAS WODE HE WAS AGAST SO OF *NOES FLOODE . *THURGH FANTASIE THAT OF HIS VANYTE . HE HADDE . YBOGHT HYM KNEDYNG TUBBES THRE . *AND HAD HEM HANGED IN THE ROOF ABOUE . *AND THAT HE PRAYD HEM FOR GODDES LOUE . *TO SETTEN IN THE ROOF Par COMPANY *THIS FOLK GAN LAUGHEN . AT HIS FANTASY *AND TO THE ROOF THEI KIKEN . AND THEI GAPE . *AND TURNED HYM HARME VN-TO A *JAPE *FOR WHAT SO THIS . CARPENTER ANSUERDE HIT WAS FOR NOGHT NO MAN . HIS RESON HERDE . *WITH OTHES GRETE HE WAS SO SWORNE A-DONE . *THAT HE WAS HOLDEN WODE IN ALL THE TOUNE . *FOR EUERY CLERK A-NOONE-RYzT HELD WITH OTHER *THEI SEID THE MAN IS WOOD MY LEFE BROTHER *AND EUERY WIGHT GAN LAGHEN . AT HIS STRYFE . *THUS CHAPED THE CARPENTERS WYFE *FOR ALL HIS KEPYNG AND HIS IELOUSIE *AND ABSOLON HATH KYST HER NETHER EYE *AND NYCHOLAS IS SCALDED IN THE TOUTE *THIS TALE IS DONE AND GOD SAUE ALL THE ROUTE **WHAN FOLK HADE LAUGHEN AT THIS NYCE CAAS *OF ABSOLON . AND HEND *NYCHOLAS *DYUERSE FOLK DYUERSLY THEI SEYD . *BUT FOR THE MORE PART LOUGHE AND PLEYD . *NE AT THIS TALE . J SAUGH NO MAN~ HYM GREUE . *BUT HIT WERE ONELY *OSWOLD THE *REFE *BYCAUS HE WAS OF THE . CARPENTER CRAFTE *A LITELL JRE . IN HIS HERTE LAFTE HE GAN TO GRUTCHE & BLAMEDE HIT A LITE *SO THEKE Q\D HE FULL WELE . COUDE *J zOW QUYTE . *WITH BLERYNG OF A . PROUDE MYLLER EYE . *YF THAT ME LYST TO SPEKE OF RYBALDRYE . *BUT IKE AM OLDE ME LYST NOT PLEY FOR AGE *GRASE TYME IS DONE . MY FODDER IS FORAGE . *THIS WHITE TOPPE . WRYTETH MYN . OLDE zERES *MYN HERTE ALSO IS MOVLED AS MY HERES *BUT YF *J FARE . AS DOTHE AN OPYN-ERS *THAT ILKE FRUYT IS EUER LENGER THE WERS *TILL HIT BE ROTEN . IN MULLOK OR IN STREE *WE OLDE MEN J DREDE SO FAIRE . WE . *TILL WE BE ROTEN . KAN WE NOGHT BE RYPE . *WE HOPEN . ALWEY WHILE THE WORLDE WILL PIPE *FOR IN OURE WILL THER STYKETH EUERE A NAYLE . *TO HAUE AN HOORE . HEDE & A GRENE TAILE . *AS HAITH A LEKE . FOR YOUGH OURE MYGHT BE GONE *OURE WILLE DESIRETH EUer STILL AN OONE *FOR WHAN WE MAY NOzT DONE THAN WILL WE SPEKE . *zEF IN OURE ASSHEN . OLDE IS FIRE YREKE . *FOURE GLEDES HAN . WE WHICHE J . SHALL DEUYSE *AUAUNTYNG LYI%NG ANGER COUETYSE . *THIS FOURE SPERKETH LONGETH VN-TO ELDE . *OURE OLDE LYMES MAY WELE BEN~ VNWELDE . *BUT WILLE NE SHALL NOT FAYLE . THAT IS SOTHE . *AND zET HAUE *J . ALL-WEYS A COLTES TOTH *AS MANY A zEERE . AS HIT IS PASSED HENNE *SYN THAT MY TAPPE OF LYF BEGAN TO RENNE *FOR SIKERLY WHAN . J WAS BORNE A-NONE . *DETH DROUGH THE TAPPE OF LYF & LETE HIT GONE *AND EUER SITHEN . HAITH SO THE TAPPE YRONNE *TILL THAT ALMOST ALL EMPTY IS THE TONNE *THE STREME OF LYF NOW DROPPETH ON THE CHYNNE . *THE SELY TONGE MAY WELE RYNGE & CHYMBE . *OF WRETCHEDNESSE . THAT PASSYD IS FULL zORE . *WITH OLDE FOLK SAUE DOTAGE . IS THE MORE . *WHAN THAT OURE OOSTE HAD HERD THIS SerMONYNG HE GAN TO SPEKEN. AS LORDELY AS A KYNG HE SEID WHAT AMONTETH ALL THIS WYTTE . *WHAT SHALL WE SPEKE . ALL DAY OF HOLY WRYTTE . *THE DEUELL MADE A REFE FOR TO PRECHE . *OR OF A SOUTER A SHIPMAN . OR A LECHE . *SEY FORTH THI TALE . AND TARYE NOT THE TYME . LOO *DEPFORD . AND HIT IS HALF-WEY PRYME . LOO *GRENEWHICH THAT MANY A SHREW IS *JN . HIT WERE ALL TYME . THY TALE FOR TO GYNNE . *NOW SIRS Q\D THIS OSWOLD *REFE . *J PraYE zOW ALL THAT zE NOzT zO\U GREFE . YOGH J . ANSUERE . AND SOMDELE SETTE HIS HOUWE . *FOR LEUEFULL HIT IS WITH FORCE . OF SHOUWE . *THIS DRONKEN MYLLER HATH YTOLD VS HERE . HOW THAT BEGYLED WAS A CARPENTER PerAUENTURE . IN SCORN . FOR *J . AM ONE . *AND BY YOURE . LEFE . *J SHALL HYM QUYTE ANONE *RIGHT IN HIS CHERLES TERMES WILL . *J . SPEKE . *J PraY TO GOD HIS NEKKE MOTE TO-BREKE . HE CAN . WELE IN MYN EYE SEE A STALKE . *BUT ^In HIS OWNE . HE CAN NOzT SEEN . A BALKE **AT *TRUMPYNGTON~ NOGHT FER FRO CAMBRYGE . *THER GOTHE . A BROKE AND OUER THAT A BRYGE *VPPON . THE WHICHE BROKE THER STANT A MYLLE *AND THIS IS VERRAY SOTH THAT *J . zOW TELLE . *A MYLLER WAS THER DUELLYNG MANY A DAY *AS ANY PECOK HE WAS PROUDE & GAY *PIPEN HE COUTH AND FISSHEN AND NETTYS KNETE *AND TORNE COPPES AND WELE WRASTELL & SHETE *AND BY HIS BELT HE BARE A LONG PANADE . *AND OF A SWERDE . FULL TRENCHANT WAS THE BLADE . *A IOLY POPPER BARE HE IN HIS POUCHE . *THER WAS NO MAN~ FOR PARELL DURST HYM HYM TOUCHE . *A SHEFELD *TWYTELL BARE HE IN HIS HOSE . *ROUNDE WAS HIS FACE AND CAMYS WAS HIS NOSE . *AS PILED AS AN HAPE WAS HIS SCULLE HE WAS A MARKET-BETER AT THE FULLE *THER WAS NO WIGHT THAT DURST HAND ON HYm LEGGE *BUT IF HE SWORE . HE SHULD ANOONE A-BEGGE . *A *THEF HE WAS FOR SOTHE OF CORNE & MYLE . *AND THAT A SLEIGH AND VSANT FOR TO STELE HIS NAME WAS HOTEN . DEYNOUS SYMKEN . *A WYF HE HAD COmMEN OF A NOBLE KYN *THE PerSON . OF YE TOWNE . HER FADER WAS *WITH HER HE zAF FULL MANY A PAnNE OF BRAS *FOR THAT SYMKYN SHULD IN HIS BLOODE ALLYE *SHE WAS YFOSTERED IN A *NONNERYE . *FOR SYMKYN WOLD NO WYF AS HE SEIDE . *BUT SHE WERE . WELE . YNORYSSHEDE & A MAYDE . *TO SAUEN HIS ASTATE OF zOMANRY *AND SHE WAS PROUDE . & PERT AS IS A PYE . *A FULL FAIR SIGHT WAS HIT VPPON HEM TWO *ON HALY-DAIES AFORNE HER WOLD HE GO . *WITH HIS TYPET WONDEN . ABOUT HIS HEEDE . *AND SHE COME AFTER IN A GYTE OF REEDE *AND SYMKEN HAD HOSEN OF THE SAME *THER DURST NO WIGHT CLEPEN HIR BUT DAME *WAS NOON SO HARDY THAT WENT BY THE WEY *THAT WITH HIR DURST ONES RAGE OR PLEY *BUT zIF HE WOLDE . BEN SLAYN OF *SYMKYN *WITH PANADE OR WITH KNYF OR BODEKYN *FOR IELOUS FOLK BEN PerELOUS EUERMO . *ALGATE THEI WOLDE . THER WYFES WENDEN SO . *AND EK FOR SHE WAS SOMDELE SMOTERLICH *SHE WAS AS DEIGNE . AS WATER IN THE DICH *THE HYE GOD FORBARREITH SWERYNG AT ALL *WITTENES OF MATHEV . BUT IN ESPesiALE . *O SWERYNG THE HOLY IEROMYE *THOU SHALT SWERE SOTH YI%N OTHES & NOT LYE *AND SWERE IN DOME . & EKE IN RIzTWISSENES *BUT YDELL SWERYNG IS A CURSIDNES *BEHOLD & SEE Y\T . IN YE FIRST TABLE *OF HYE GODDIS HESTES HONORABLE . HOW Y\T TWO HESTES OF HYM IS YIS *TAKE NOzT MY TALE IN IDELNES AMYS LOO RATHER HE FORBEDITH SUCH SWERYNG *THAN HOMICIDE . OR ANY OTHER THYNG *J SAY AS THRIS BY ORDRE . IT STONDITH *THIS KNOWETH YAT HIS HESTES VNDERSTONDETH HOW . Y\T YE SECOUND HESTE . OF GOD IS THAT *AND FORTHER OUer J WILL THE TELLE . ALLE PLATTE . *THAT VENGEAUNCE SHALL NOT PARTE FROm HIS HOUS *THAT OF HIS OTHES IS SO OUTERAGEOUS *BY GODDIS PreCIOUS HERT & HIS NAYLES *AND BY HIS BLOODE YAT IS IN HAILES *SEUEN IS MY CHAUnCE & HIS FYFE & THREE *BY GODDIS ARMES zIF Y\U FALSELY PLEY ME *THIS DAGGER SHALL YORGH THYN HERT GOO . *THIS FRUYTE COMETH OR YILKE BONES TWOO *FOR-SWERYNG JRE FALSENES HOMICIDE . *NOW FOR YE LOUE OF CRISTE Y\T FOR HUS DEYDE . LEUYTH zOUR~ OTHES BOTH GRETE & SMALE . *FOR J SHALL TELLE zO\U A MerVELOUS TALE . *THESE RYOTOURS OF WHICH . J . zO\U TELLE LONG ERST OR PRYME RONG ANY BELLE . *WER~ SETTE IN A TAUERNE TO DRYNKE . *AND AS YEI . SATTE YEI SEID YEI HERD A BELLE CLYNKE . *BYFORE . A CORPS WAS CARIED TO HIS GRAVE *THAT ONE OF HEM . GANE CALLE TO HIS KNAVE . *GO BET QUOD HE . AND ASKE REDYLY *WHAT CORPS IS YAT PASSITH FORTH BY *AND LOKE YOW REPORTE HIS NAME WELE *SIR Q\D YIS KNAVE IT NEDITH NEUer A+DELE . HIT WAS ME TOLD ER zE COME HERE TWO OWRES HE WAS PARDE AN OLDE . FELAWE OF YOURES *AL SODENLY WAS HE SLAYN .TO-NYzT *FOR-DRONKEN AS HE SAT VPPON~ HIS BENCH VP-RIGHT *THER COME A PREVY THEFE . MEN~ CLEPITH DEITH *THAT IN YIS CONTREY ALL YE PEPLE SLEIGH *AND WITH HIS SPERE HE SMOTE HIS HERT ATWO *AND WENTE HIS WEY W\T-OUTEn WORDES MO HE HATH A YOSAND SLAYN YIS PESTILENCE . *AND MAISTER ER zE COME IN HIS PreSENCE . *ME THINKETH YAT IT WERE NECESSARIE . *FOR TO BE WARE . OF SUCH AN ADUerSARIE . *BETH REDY FOR TO METE HYM EUerMORE *THUS TAUGHT ME MY DAME J. SAY NOMORE *BY SEINT *MARIE SAID YIS TAUERNER~ *THE CHILD SEITH SOTH FOR HE HAITH SLAYN TO zER~ HENS BUT A MYLE . W\TIN A GRETE VILLAGE . *BOTH MAN & WOmMAN CHILDE & PAGE . *J . TROWE HIS HABITACION~ BE THERE . *TO BEN AVISED GRETE WISDOME . IT WERE . *OR YAT HE DID A MAN~ DISHONOUR~ *zE GODDES ARMES Q\D THIS RYOTOUR~ *JS IT SUCH PerIL . W\T HYM FOR TO METE *J SHAL HYM SECH BY STYE & BY STRETE *J MAKE AVOW . BY GODDES DIGNE BONES HERKENETH FELAWES WE THREE . BENE AL ONES LETE YCH OF HUS HOLD VP HOND TO OTHER *AND ECHE OF HUS BYCOME OTHER BROTHER *AND WE WIL SLE YIS FALS TRAYTOUR DETH . HE SALL BE SLAYNE HE YAT SO MONY SLETH *BY GODDIS DIGNITE ER IT BE NYGHT *TO-GEDRE HAN YES THREE HER HERTES PLIGHT *TO LYFE & DYE . ILKE OF HEM W\T OTHER *AS YOUGH HE WERE . HIS OWNE BORNE BROTHER *AND VP YEI STERTEN . AND DRONKEN~ IN THIS RAGE . *AND FORTH THEI GONE TOWAR\D THAT VILLAGE . *OF WHICH YE TAUERNER HATH SPOKEN~ BYFORNE *AND MONY A GRISELY OTHE YEN . HAN YEI SWORNE *AND CRISTES BLISSED BODY YEI TO-RENT *THAT DEITH SHALL BE DED zIF Y\T WE MAY HYM HEnTE *WHAN YEI HAN GONE NOT FULLY A MYLE . *RIGHT AS YEI WOLE HAUE TRODEN . ON A STILE . *AND OLDE & A POUR~ MAN~ WITH HEM METTE *THIS OLDE MAN~ FUL MEKELY HEM GRETTE *AND SEID YUS NOW LORDES GOD YO\U SEE . *THE PROUDEST OF THIS RYOTOURS THRE *ANSUERDE AzEN . WHAT CHERLE W\T HARDE GraCE *WHY ART YOU . ALL FOR-WRAPPED SAVE YI FACE . *WHY LYVEST YOU SO LONG IN SO GRET AGE . *THIS OLD MAN~ GAN LOKE IN HIS VISAGE *AND SEID THUS FOR J CAN~ NOT FYNDE . *A MAN~ YOUGH J WOLDE . IN-TO JNDE . *NEITHER IN CITE NE IN NO VILLAGE . *THAT WILL CHAUNGEN HIS zOUTHE FOR MYn AGE . *AND THERFORE MOTE J . HAUE MYN . AGE STILLE . *AS LONG TYME AS IT IS GODDIS WILLE . *NE DETH ALAS NYL NOT HAUE MY LYFE . *THUS WALKE J . LYKE A RESTLES CAYTYFE *AND ON~ YE GROUNDE WHICH IS MY MODER GATE . *J KNOCKE W\T MY STAF ERLY AND LATE . *AND SAY LEVE MODER LATTE ME JN . LOW HOW J VANESSH FLESSH BLODE & SKYNNE *ALAS WHAL J MY BONES BENE AT RESTE . *MODER WITH zOW WOLE J CHANGE MY CHEST *THAT IN MY CHAMBRE . LONG TYME HATH BE *zE FOR AN HYER CLOTE . TO WRAPPE ME *BUT zIT TO ME . SHE WOLE NOT DO Y\T GraCE *FOR WHICH FULL WELKYD IS MY FACE *BUT SIRS TO zO\U IT IS NO CURTESIE . *TO SPEKE TO AN OLDE . MAN~ VILANYE . *BUT HE TRESPAS IN WORDE OR ELLIS IN DEDE . *JN HOLY WRITTE . zE MAY zOUR~ SELF WELE REDE . *AzENS AN OLD MAN~ HOORE VPPON HIS HEED *zE SHULD ARYSE . THERFORE J zIF zO\U REDE . *NE DOTH VN-TO AN OLDE MAN~ HARME AS NOW . *NOMORE . YAN zE WOLD A MAN DID zO\U . *JN AGE . zIF YAT zE SO LONG ABYDE . *AND GOD BE WITH zO\U WHETHIR zE GO OR RYDE . *J MOTE GO THIDER AS . J HAUE TO GO . *NAY OLD CHURLE . BY GOD YOU SHALT NOT SOO . *SAIDE YIS OTHER HASARDOURS ANONE . *THOU PARTEST NOT SO LIGHTELY BY SEINT *JOHN *THOU SPAKE RIzT NOW OF THILK TRAYTOUR DETH *THAT IN THIS CONTREY ALL OUR~ FRENDETH SLEETH HAUE+HERE MY TROUTH AS YOU ERT HIS ASPYE . *TELLE WHER~ HE IS . OR ELLIS Y\U SHALT DYE . *BY GOD & BY YE HOLY SACRAMENT *FOR SOTHELY YOU . ARTE OF HIS ASSENT *TO SLEEN HUS zONG FOLKE . YOU FALS THEEFE . *NOW . SIRS zIF IT BE . TO zOW SO LEEFE . *TO FYNDE . DETH TURNE VP YIS CROKED WAY *FOR IN YAT GROVE . J . LEFTE HYM BY MY FAY *VNDYR A TREE . AND THER HE WOLE ABYDE . *NE FOR YOUR~ BOSTE . HE NYL HYM NO THYNG HYDE . *SEE zE Y\T OKE . RIzT THERE . zE SHULD HYM FYNDE . *GOD SAVE zO\U YAT BOGHT AzAYN MANKYNDE . *AND zOW . AMEND YUS SAYD THIS OLD MAN~ *AND EUerY OF THESE RYOTOURS RAN *TIL YEI COME TO YE TREE . & YerE YEI FONDE . *FLOREYNS OF GOLD FYNE YCOYNED RONDE *WELE NYGH A SEVEN . BUSSHELS AS HEM YOUGHT *NO LENGER YAN AFTER DETH YEI SOGHT *BUT YCHE OF HEM . SO GLAD WAS OF Y\T SYGHT *FOR YAT YE FLORENS SO FAIR~ BE & BRIGHT *THAT DOUN~ YEI SETTE . HEM BY YE PreCIOUS HORDE . *THE WORST OF HEM HE SPAKE . YE FIRST WORDE *BRETHEREN Q\D HE . TAKE HEEDE WHAT J . SAY *MY WYTTE . IS GRETTE . YOUGH J. BORDE . & PLAY *THIS TRESOUR~ HATH FORTUNE . TO VS zEVEN *JN MYRTH & IOLYTE . OUR~ LYFE . TO LYVEN . *AND LIGHTLY SO AS IT COmMETH SO WILL WE SPEND *EIE PreCIOUS GODDES HERT WHO WENDE . *TODAY Y\T WE . SHULD HAUE SO FAIR~ A GraCE *BUT MYGHT THIS GOLD BE CARIED FRO THIS PLACE . HOME TO MYN HOUS OR ELLIS TO zOURES . *FOR WELE J . WOTE . Y\T ALL THIS GOLD IS OURES *THAN WER~ WE IN HYE FELICITE . *BUT TRULY BY DAY IT MAY NOT BE . *MEN WOLD SAYN . Y\T WE WEREN . THEEFES STRONG *AND FOR OUR~ OWNE TRESOUR~ DONE VS HONGE . *AS WYSELY AND AS SO SLEIGHLY AS IT MYGHT *THIS TRESOUR~ MOST YCARIED BE BY NYGHT *WHERFORE . J REDE . LETE LOKE AMONG VS ALLE . *TO DRAWE . AND LETE . SEE . WHERE . YE CUT WILL FALLE . HE YAT HATH YE CUTTE . WITH HERT BLITH *SHALL RENNE . TO TOWN~ AND YAT FULL SWYTH *TO BRYNG VS BREDE . & DRYNK FULL PriUELY *AND TWO OF VS SHALL KEPEN FULL SUBTILLY *THIS TRESOURE . WELE . AND zIF HE WILL NOT TARYE . *WHAN IT IS NYGHT WE WILL YIS TRESSOUR~ CARIE . *BY OONE ASSENT WHERE AS HUS LYKETH BEST *THAT OONE OF HEM . BROUGHT GRESSE IN HIS FYSTE *AND BADDE HEM DRAWE & LOKE ON WHOME IT WILL FALLE . *AND IT FELL ON YE zONGEST OF HEM ALLE *AND FORTH TOWARD YE TOUN~ HE WENT ANONE . *AND ALSO SONE AS HE WAS GONE *THAT ON OF HEM SPAKE VN-TO YAT OTHER *THOU WOSTE WELE YOU ART MYN~ OWNE SWORNE BROTHER *THYN . ProFITE WILL . J . ProFITE . TELLE YE ANONE *THOU WOSTE WELE YAT OUR~ FELAW IS GONE .