115 | And thus they ben acorded and y sworn | |
| To wayte a tyme as I haue told beforn | |
| Whan Nicholas hadde do thus euerideel | |
| And thackyd here aboute the lendis wel | |
| He kiste hir swete and took his sawtrye | |
120 | And pleyde faste and made melodye | |
| Than fil it thus that to the parish chirche | |
| Cristis owen workis forto werche | |
| This good wyf wente on an holyday | |
| Her forhed shoon as brighte as ony day | |
125 | So was it wasshe when she leet her werk | |
| Now was ther of that chirche a parish clerk | |
| The whiche was y clepyd absolon | |
| Crulled was his heer and as the gold it shoon | |
| And strowtid as a fane large and brood | |
130 | Ful streyght and euene lay his ioly shode | |
| His rode was reed his yen gray as goos | |
| With powlis wyndowes coruen in his shoos | |
| In hosis reed he wente ful fetously | |
| I clad he was ful smal and fetously | |
135 | In a kirtyl or a lityl waget | |
| Ful faire and wel be the poyntis set | |
| And ther vpon he hadde agay surplis | |
| As whyte as blossom on the rys | |
| Amery child he was so god me saue | |
140 | Wel coude he lete blood and ek shaue | |
| And make a chartir of lond & aquytance | |
| In twenty maners coude he tryppe & daunce | |
| Aftir the scole of Oxenforde tho | |