| | And by your leue I shal hym quyte anon | |
| | Right in his chorlis termys wol I speke | |
| | I pray to god his necke mowe to breke | |
| 65 | He can wel in myn ye se a stalk | |
| | But in his owen he can not se a balk | |
| | ¶ Here endeth the Reuys prolog . | |
| | ¶ And here begynneth his tale . | |
| | A | T trompynton not fer fro Cambrige | |
| | Ther goth a brook and ouer that a brige | |
| | Vp on the whiche brook ther stondith a mylle | |
| | And this is verry soth that I you telle | |
| 5 | A myller was ther dwellyng many a day | |
| | As ony pecok he was proud and gay | |
| | Pipe he coude and fisshe and nettis bete | |
| | And turne cuppis and wel wrastil and lepe | |
| | And by his belt he baar a long pauade | |
| 10 | And of a swerd ful trenchant was the blaad | |
| | A ioly popper baar he in his pouche | |
| | Ther was noman for peril durste hym touche | |
| | A sheffeld thwytel bare he in his hose | |
| | Round was his face & camoysid was his nose | |
| 15 | Also pilled as an ape was his skulle | |
| | He was a market beter at the fulle | |
| | Ther durste no wight hond vp on hym legge | |
| | That he ne swoor anon he sholde abegge | |
| | A thef he was for sothe of corn and mele | |
| 20 | And that a sligh and vsant forto stele | |
| | His name whas I hote deynus Symkyn | |
| | A wyf he hadde come of nobyl kyn | |
