Here the little man turned his back upon the Friar and continued hastily thus:
“A lord there is, a lord of lofty pride,
Who for our lady oft hath sued and sighed—”
FRIAR JOHN: Whom she as oft hath scornfully denied!
THE REEVE: A mighty lord who seeketh her to wife—
FRIAR JOHN: Though he, 'tis said, doth lead most evil life!
THE REEVE: To which fair lord our wilful maid we'd wed—
FRIAR JOHN: Since this fair lord the council holds in dread!
THE REEVE: But she, defying us, this very day
Like wicked thief hath stole herself away.
Thus this poor lord such deeps of gloom is in
Vows he'll not wash, nor shave again his chin
Till found is she: He groaneth, sheddeth tears—
THE FRIAR: And swears her guardians ten shall lose their ears!
THE REEVE: Wherefore are we in mighty perturbation,
Amazed, distraught and filled with consternation.
Thus do our bells ring out their wild alarms,
Our civic bands do muster under arms;
Drums shall be drummed the countryside around,
Until our truant Duchess we have found,
And we have wed this most elusive dame
Unto Sir Agramore of Biename.
THE FRIAR: And yield her thus to woes and bitter shame!
THE REEVE: So speak me, fellows; as ye came this way
Saw ye aught of this wilful, errant may?
Answered JOCELYN: “Neither to-day nor any other day.”
“Why then,” fumed the Reeve, “here have we been at great expense o' breath and time and all to no purpose. Come, Friar, beseech thee, let us haste to begone.”
So Friar John got slowly to his feet
Complaining loud of hurry and of heat,
But paused behind the hasteful Reeve to linger,
And to plump nose he slyly laid plump finger.
Now stood Sir Pertinax thoughtful, chin on fist, insomuch that Jocelyn, thrumming his lute, questioned him:
“Good Pertinax, how now
What pond'rest thou
With furrowed brow?
Thy care, Sir Knight, avow!”
Saith Pertinax: “I meditate the way wondrous of woman, the frowardness of creatures feminine. For mark me, sir, here is one hath guardians ten, yet despite them she is fled away and they ten!”
“Why truly, Pertinax, they are ten, so is she fled.”
“Aye, but if they be ten that ward her and she one that would flee, how shall this one flee these ten?”
“For that they be ten.”