Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE UNFORTUNATE MILLER, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE UNFORTUNATE MILLER, by                    
First Line: All you that desire to here [sic] of a jest
Last Line: And said he was very well serv'd in his kind
Subject(s): Unfaithfulness; Infidelity;adultery;inconstancy


All you that desire to here of a jest,
Come listen a while and it shall be exprest;
It is of a Miller that liv'd very near,
The like of this ditty you never did here,
A handsome young Damsel she came to his Mill,
To have her Corn Ground with a Ready good Will,
As soon as he saw her fair beauty so bright,
He caused this young Damosel to tarry all night.
Said he, my dear Jewel, it will be ne'r Morn,
Before my Man Lawrence can grind my Dears Corn,
And therefore if thou wilt be ruled by me,
At home in my Parlour thy Lodging shall be,
For I am inflam'd with thy Amorous Charms,
And therefore this Night thou shalt sleep in my arms,
I swear it, and therefore it needs must be so,
It is but in vain for to answer me no.
At this the young Damsel she blushing did stand,
But strait ways the Master took her by the hand,
And leading her home to young Gillian his wife,
Said he, my sweet honey, the joy of my Life,
Be kind to this Maid, for her Father I know,
And let her lye here in the Parlour below,
Stout Lawrence my servant, and I, we shall stay
All night in the Mill till the dawning of Day.
To what he desir'd she straitways agreed,
And then to the Mill he did hasten with speed,
He ready was then to leap out of his skin,
To think of the Bed which he meant to Lye in;
Now when he was gone, the Maid told his intent,
To Gillian, and they a new Project invent,
By which they well fitted this Crafty young blade;
The Miller by Lawrence a Cuckold was made.
The Maid and his Wife they chang'd Bed for that night,
So that when the Miller came for his delight,
Strait way to the Parlour Bed he did Repair,
Instead of the Damsel wife Gillian was there,
Which he did Imagin had been the young Lass,
When after some hours in pleasure they past,
He ris, and return'd to the Mill, like one wild,
For fear he had Got the young Damsel with child.
Then to his man Lawrence the miller did say,
I have a young damsel both bony and Gay,
Her Eyes are like diamonds, her cheeks sweet & fair,
They may with the Rose and the Lilly Compare,
Her lips they are like the rich coral for Red,
This Lass is at home in my Parlour a Bed,
And if you go home you may freely enjoy,
With her the sweet pleasure, for she is not Coy.
His masters kind Proffer he did not refuse,
But was brisk and Airy, and pleased with the News,
But said, to your self much beholding I am,
And for a Requital i'le give you my Ram;
This done lusty Lawrence away home he goes,
And stript of his Coat, Breeches, likewise shooes and hose,
And went into Bed to Gillian his dame,
Yet Lawrence for this was not worthy of blame.
He little Imagen'd his Dame was in bed,
And therefore his heart was the freeer from dread,
The minutes in Pastime and pleasure they spent,
Unknown to them both she injoy'd true content,
Now after a while he his dame had Imbrac'd,
He Rose and Return'd to the mill in all hast,
Telling his master of all the delight,
Which he had injoy'd with that damsel this Night.
Next morning the maid to the mill did Repair,
The miller and Lawrence his servant was there,
His master then whisper'd this word in her Ear,
How like you to lye with a miller, my dear?
At this the young damsel then laughing out Right;
And said I chang'd Beds with young Gillian last Night;
If you injoy'd any it was your sweet wife,
For my part I ne'r lay with man in my Life.
At this he began for to Rave, stamp and stare,
Both scratching his Elbows and Hauling his hair,
And like one distracted about he did Run,
And oftentimes Crying, ha! what have I done,
Was ever poor miller so finely betray'd,
By Lawrence my man, I am a Cuckold made,
The damsel she laught, and was pleas'd in her mind,
And said he was very well serv'd in his kind.





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