| | And eke men shul not make ernest of game | |
| | ¶ Here begynneth the Milleres tale . | |
| | W | Hilom therwas dwellyng in Oxenforde | |
| | A riche chuf that gestis hadde to borde | |
| | And of his craft he was a Carpenter | |
| | With hym ther was dwellinge a poure scoler | |
| 5 | Hadde lernyd art but al his fantasye | |
| | Was turnyd for to lerne astrologye | |
| | And coude a certeyn of conclusions | |
| | To demyn by interrogacions | |
| | If that men axed hym certayn houres | |
| 10 | Whether they shold haue drought or shoures | |
| | Or yf that men axed hym what sholde befalle | |
| | Of euery thyng I may not rekene alle | |
| | This clerk was clepid hende Nicholas | |
| | Of dern loue he coude and of solas | |
| 15 | And therto he was sly and ful pryue | |
| | And lyk amayden meke forto se | |
| | A chambir hadde he in that hostelrye | |
| | Alone withoute ony companye | |
| | Ful fetously I dight with herbis sote | |
| 20 | And he hym self was swete as is the rote | |
| | Of licorice or of ony Cetewale | |
| | His almegeste his bokis grete and smale | |
| | His astrologye . longinge for his art | |
| | His awgrym stones lay feire apart | |
| 25 | On sheluis cowchid at his beddis hed | |
| | His presse ycouered with a foldyng reed | |
| | And al aboue ther lay agay sawtre | |
