Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue 22, The Reeve - (A Minimalist Translation) Poem by Forrest Hainline

Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: General Prologue 22, The Reeve - (A Minimalist Translation)

The Reeve was a slender choleric man.
His beard was shaved as nigh as ever he can;
His hair was by his ears full round shorn;
His top was docked like a priest before.
Full long were his legs and full leen,
Like a staff; there was no calf seen.
Well could he keep a garner and bin;
There was no auditor could on him win.
Well wist he by the drought and by the rain
The yielding of his seed and of his grain.
His lord's sheep, his neet, his dairy,
His swine, his horse, his stores, and his poultry
Was wholly in this Reeve's governing,
And by his covenant gave the reckoning,
Since that his lord was twenty year of age.
There could no man bring him in arrearage.
There's no bailiff, no herder, no other hine,
That he not knew his sleight and his covine;
They were adread of him as of the death.
His dwelling was full fair upon the heath,
With green trees shaded was his place.
He could better than his lord purchase.
Full rich he was astored privily.
His lord well could he please subtlely,
To give and lend him of his own good,
And have a thank, and yet a coat and hood.
In youth he had learned a good mister:
He was a well good wright, a carpenter.
This Reeve sat upon a full good stot
That was all pomely grey, and called Scot.
A long surcoat of perse upon him hade,
And by his side he bore a rusty blade.
Of Norfolk was this Reeve of which I tell,
Beside a town men call Baldeswell.
Tucked he was as is a friar about,
And ever he rode the hindmost of our route.

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Forrest Hainline