Could pipe, and fish, and wrestle, throw a net,
Turn drinking cups, and teach young dogs to fet;
Brawny, big-bon'd, ftrong made was every limb,
But few durft venture to contend with him.
A dagger hanging at his belt he had,
Made of an ancient fword's well-temper'd blade.
He wore a Sheffield whittle in his hose ;
Broad was his face, and very flat his nose;
Bald as an ape behind was this man's crown,
No one could better beat a market down,
But millers will be thieves; he us'd to fteal,
Slyly, and artfully, much corn and meal.

This miller's wife came of a better race,
The parfon's daughter of the town she was
Her portion fmall, her education high,
She had her breeding in a Nunnery.
Whoe'er he marry'd (Simkin boldly faid)
Should be a maid well-born, and nicely bred.
You'd laugh to fee him in his beft array,
Strutting before her on a holy-day:
If any boldly durft accoft his wife,
He drew his dagger, or his Sheffield knife.
'Tis dang'rous to provoke a jealous fool;
She manag'd cunningly her ftubborn tool.

Τα

To all beneath her infolently high,

Walk'd like a duck, and chatter'd like a pye :
Proud of her breeding, froward, full of fcorn,
As if he were of noble parents born.
With other virtues of the fame degree,

All learn'd in that choice school, the Nunnery.
Their daughter was just twenty, coarse and bold:
A boy too in a cradle, fix months old.

Thick, fhort, and brawny this plump damfel was,
Her nose was flat, her eyes were grey as glass.
Her haunches broad, with breasts up to her chin,
Fair was her hair, but tawny was her skin.

A mighty trade this lufty miller drove,
All for convenience came, not one for love.
Much grift from Cambridge to his lot did fall,
And all the corn they us'd at Scholars-hall.
Their manciple fell dangerously ill;

Bread must be had, their grist went to the mill:

This Simkin moderately ftole before,

Their steward fick, he robb'd them ten times more,

Their bread fell fhort; the warden ftorm'd; with skill

Examin'd those who brought it from the mill.

The miller to a strict account they call,

He impudently fwears he gave 'em all.

Two

Two poor young scholars, hungry, much diftrefs'd,. (Who thought themselves more wife than all the reft) Intreat the warden the next corn he sent

To truft it to their prudent management:
Both would attend him with fuch care and art,
Defy him then to steal the smallest part.

At last the warden grants what they desire,
All is got ready as thefe two require.
Bold men, tho' difappointed, ne'er are fham'd;
One was call'd Allen, t'other John was nam'd :
Both northern men, both in one town were born,
They mount, and lead the horse that bears the corn.
Be careful, Allen cries, and do not stray :
Fear nothing, he replies, I know the way.
Thus they jog on, and on the road contrive
To catch the thief; 'till at the mill they 'rive.

Ho Sim, fays John, what ho, the miller there? Who calls, cries Simkin, tell me who you are? How fares your comely daughter and your wife ? What, John and Allen? welcome by my life! The miller faid, what wind has brought you hither? That which makes old wives trudge, brought us to gether.

Who

Who keeps no man, must his own servant be,
Our manciple is very fick, and we

Are with the corn from our good warden come,
To fee it grownd, and bring it safely home:
Difpatch it, Sim, with all the hafte you may.
It fhall be done (he fays) without delay.
What will you do while I have this in hand?
Says John, juft at the hopper will I ftand,
(In my whole life I never faw grift grownd,)
And mark the clack how justly it will sound.

A ha, chum John, cries Allen, will you
Then will I watch how it steals out below.

Sim, at their plot, maliciously did fmile;

fo

None could, they thought, fuch learned clerks beguile..
He meant to cast a mist before their

eye,

(In spight of all their fine philosophy,)

Neither should find where he convey'd the meal ;

The narrower they watch'd, the more he'd steal.
These scholars for their flower, shall have the bran ;:
The learned'ft clerk is not the wifeft man :

Then out he steals, and finds, where, by the head,.
Their horse hung faften'd underneath a shed;

He flips the bridle o'er his neck; the steed

Makes to the fenns, where mares and fillies feed.

Unmifs'd

Unmifs'd comes Sim, finds John fix'd at his post,

And Allen diligent, no meal was lost :

Now do me juftice, friends, he says, you can
Convince your Warden I'm an honeft man.

Now the great work is done, their corn is grownd,
The grift is fack'd, and ev'ry fack well bound:
John runs to fetch the horse; aloud he cries,
Come hither Allen; Allen to him flies.

O friend, we are undone- -What mean you, John?
Look, there's the bridle, but our horse is gone!
Gone! whither? fays he-Nay heav'n knows,

not I

Out bolts Sim's wife, and (with a ready lye) She cries, I faw him toss his head and play, Then flip the loosen'd reins, and trot away. Which way? they both demand

bounds,

-With wanten

I saw him scamp'ring tow'rd yon fenny grounds:
Wild mares and colts in those low marshes feed.

Away the scholars run with utmost speed,
Forget their former cautious husbandry;

Their fack does at the miller's mercy lie.
He half a bufhel of their flour does take,

Then bids his wife secure it in a cake.