"Now John," quod Nicholas, "I wol nat lye;                     "Now John," said Nicholas, "I will not lie; 3514         I have yfounde in myn astrologye,                     I have found in my astrology, 3515         As I have looked in the moone bright,                     As I have looked on the bright moon, 3516         That now a Monday next, at quarter nyght,                     That now on Monday next, after midnight, 3517         Shal falle a reyn, and that so wilde and wood                     Shall fall a rain, and that so wild and raging 3518         That half so greet was nevere Noes flood.                     That Noah's flood was never half so large. 3519         This world," he seyde, "in lasse than an hour                     This world," he said, "in less than an hour 3520         Shal al be dreynt, so hidous is the shour.                     Shall all be drowned, so hideous is the shower. 3521         Thus shal mankynde drenche, and lese hir lyf."                     Thus shall mankind drown, and lose their lives."

Fair was this yonge wyf, and therwithal                     Fair was this young wife, and moreover 3234         As any wezele hir body gent and smal.                     As any weasel was her body graceful and slender. 3235         A ceynt she werede, barred al of silk,                     A belt she wore, with decorative strips all of silk, 3236         A barmclooth as whit as morne milk                     An apron as white as morning milk 3237         Upon hir lendes, ful of many a goore.                     Upon her loins, full of many a flounce. 3238         Whit was hir smok, and broyden al bifoore                     White was her smock, and embroidered all in front 3239         And eek bihynde, on hir coler aboute,                     And also behind, around her collar, 3240         Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute.                     With coal-black silk, within and also without. 3241         The tapes of hir white voluper                     The ribbons of her white cap 3242         Were of the same suyte of hir coler;                     Were of the same color as her collar; 3243         Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye.                     Her headband broad of silk, and set very high. 3244         And sikerly she hadde a likerous ye;                     And surely she had a wanton eye; 3245         Ful smale ypulled were hire browes two,                     Her two eyebrows were plucked very thin, 3246         And tho were bent and blake as any sloo.                     And those were bent and black as any sloe. 3247         She was ful moore blisful on to see                     She was much more blissful to look upon 3248         Than is the newe pere-jonette tree,                     Than is the new early-ripe pear tree, 3249         And softer than the wolle is of a wether.                     And softer than the wool is of a sheep. 3250         And by hir girdel heeng a purs of lether,                     And by her girdle hung a purse of leather, 3251         Tasseled with silk and perled with latoun.                     Tasseled with silk and ornamented with latten "pearls."