A sompnour was ther with us in that place, 625 That hadde a fire-red cherubinnés face, For sausefleme he was, with eyen narwe; As hote he was, and likerous as a sparwe, With scalled browes blake, and pilled berd: Of his visage children were sore aferd. 630 * * * * * Wel loved he garlike, onions, and lekes, 636 And for to drinke strong win as rede as blood. Than wolde he speke, and crie as he were wood. And whan that he wel dronken had the win, Than wold he speken no word but Latin. 640 A fewe termes coude he, two or three, That he had lerned out of som decree; No wonder is, he herd it all the day. And eke ye knowen wel, how that a jay Can clepen watte, as wel as can the pope. 645 But who so wolde in other thing him grope, Than hadde he spent all his philosophie, Ay, _Quæstio quid juris_, wolde he crie. 648 Among others of the Sompnour’s iniquities which the poet lashes was his sale of silence. He would countenance the worst deviation from rectitude for a quart of wine. Quotation is withheld. Before the pilgrims started from the Tabarde Inn, they had well drunk, as appears from Prologue, lines 749-752. Gret chere made oure hoste us everich on, And to the souper sette he us anon: And served us with vitaille of the beste; Strong was the win, and wel to drinke us leste. Nor was this all. After some conversation with mine host, and certain suggestions made by him as to their behaviour on the way, we read in Prologue, lines 819-823:-- Thus by on assent We ben accorded to his jugement, And therupon the win was fette anon. We dronken, and to reste wenten eche on, Withouten any lenger tarying. It was just as well they did. Pass we on to the _Canterbury Tales_ themselves. There is nothing in the Knighte’s Tale, as indeed we should have expected nothing from this ‘veray parfit gentil knight,’ apropos of our subject. But directly the Knighte’s Tale was ended, and mine host had requested the Monk to follow suit, the Miller strikes in, and insists on telling his tale, a very improper one indeed. This is the description of the drunken miller and his conduct--