RushinglReeveTrans

The Reeve's Portrait

587: The reve was a sclendre colerik man. The reeve was a slender choleric man. 588: His berd was shave as ny as ever he kan; His beard was shaved as close as a razor can; 589: His heer was by his erys ful round yshorn; His hair was cut round even with his ears; 590: His top was dokked lyk a preest biforn His top was cut like a pulpiteer's 591: Ful longe were his legges and ful lene, Long were his legs and lean, 592: Ylyk a staf, ther was no calf ysene. Like a staff, with no calf to be seen. 593: Wel koude he kepe a gerner and a bynne; Well could he manage granary and bin; 594: Ther was noon auditour koude on him wynne. There was no auditer that could ever win him. 595: Wel wiste he by the droghte and by the reyn He could foretell by the drought and by the rain 596: The yeldynge of his seed and of his greyn. The yielding of his seed and of his grain. 597: His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye, His lord's sheep, his oxen, and his dairy, 598: His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye His swine, his horses, his store, and his poultry 599: Was hoolly in this reves governynge, Was holy in this reeve's governing, 600: And by his covenant yaf the rekenynge, And by his agreement he made reckoning, 601: Syn that his lord was twenty yeer of age. Since his young lord of age was twenty. 602: Ther koude no man brynge hym in arrerage. Yet no man ever found him in arrears. 603: Ther nas baillif, ne hierde, nor oother hyne, There was no agent, hind, or herd wo would cheat, 604: That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne; But he knew well his cunning and deceit; 605: They were adrad of hym as of the deeth. They were afraid of him as of the death. 606: His wonyng was ful faire upon an heeth; His cottage was a good one on a heath; 607: With grene trees yshadwed was his place. With green trees shaded was his place. 608: He koude bettre than his lord purchace. He could purchase much better than his lord. 609: Ful riche he was astored pryvely: Right rich he was in his own private right: 610: His lord wel koude he plesen subtilly, Seeing he'd please his lord, by day or night, 611: To yeve and lene hym of his owene good, By giving and lending him his own goods, 612: And have a thank, and yet a cote and hood. And so got thanked, but yet got coats and hoods. 613: In youthe he hadde lerned a good myster; In youth he had learned a good trade; 614: He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. He was a fine carpenter. 615: This reve sat upon a ful good stot, This reeve sat a horse that well could trot, 616: That was al pomely grey and highte scot. That was all pomely grey and was named Scot. 617: A long surcote of pers upon he hade, A long surcoat of blue he had upon him, 618: And by his syde he baar a rusty blade. And by his side he bared a rusty blade. 619: Of northfolk was this reve of which I telle, Of Norfolk was this reeve of which I tell, 620: Biside a toun men clepen baldeswelle. Near a town that men call Badeswell. 621: Tukked he was as is a frere aboute, Bundled he was like a friar from chin to croup, 622: And evere he rood the hyndreste of oure route. And ever he rode the hindmost of our troop.

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