Chaucer’s Miller’s Tale, ll. 3233-3270

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Fair was this yonge wyf, and therwithal

3234 As any wezele hir body gent and smal.

3235 A ceynt she werede, barred al of silk,

3236 A barmclooth eek as whit as morne milk

3237 Upon hir lendes, ful of many a goore.

3238 Whit was hir smok, and broyden al bifoore

3239 And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute,

3240 Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute.

3241 The tapes of hir white voluper

3242 Were of the same suyte of hir coler;

3243 Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye.

3244 And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye;

3245 Ful smale ypulled were hire browes two,

3246 And tho were bent and blake as any sloo.

3247 She was ful moore blisful on to see

3248 Than is the newe pere-jonette tree,

3249 And softer than the wolle is of a wether.

3250 And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether,

3251 Tasseled with silk, and perled with latoun.

3252 In al this world, to seken up and doun,

3253 There nys no man so wys that koude thenche

3254 So gay a popelote or swich a wenche.

3255 Ful brighter was the shynyng of hir hewe

3256 Than in the tour the noble yforged newe.

3257 But of hir song, it was as loude and yerne

3258 As any swalwe sittynge on a berne.

3259 Therto she koude skippe and make game,

3260 As any kyde or calf folwynge his dame.

3261 Hir mouth was sweete as bragot or the meeth,

3262 Or hoord of apples leyd in hey or heeth.

3263 Wynsynge she was, as is a joly colt,

3264 Long as a mast, and upright as a bolt.

3265 A brooch she baar upon hir lowe coler,

3266 As brood as is the boos of a bokeler.

3267 Hir shoes were laced on hir legges hye.

3268 She was a prymerole, a piggesnye,

3269 For any lord to leggen in his bedde,

3270 Or yet for any good yeman to wedde.