Astrolabe in Use Wikipedia on the Astrolabe Psaltery being played. Wikipedia article on the Almagest Censer with a censer. The coulter is mounted in front of the plowshare.

• "I know a splendid tale for the occasion / with which I'll now match ("quyte") the Knight's tale!" (p. 203, lines 18-19)
• The Miller's philosophy:"If he [a husband] can find God's plenty in his wife, / there's no need to inquire about the rest" (p. 205, lines 57-58).
• Geoffrey's philosophy: "Take heed and don't put the blame on me; / And then, too, one should not take a game seriously" (p. 207, lines 77-78).

The Miller's Tale (pp.207-243):

• "Once upon a time there lived at Oxford / a rich churl who boarded paying guests" (p. 207, lines 11-12) -- Mostly about "hende" Nicholas, who is not at all a "churl," but very sophisticated.
• "This carpenter had recently married a wife / who he loved more than his life" (p. 209, lines 35-36) -- He's jealous and holds her "narwe in cage": she's 18, & a beautiful combination of sophistication and naturalness.
• "Now sir, and again sir, it so happened / that one day this pleasant Nicholas / happened to flirt and play with this young wife" (p. 211, lines 85-87) -- He uses a combination of courtly love words and very agressive hands. She soon consents, the only question being where and when?
• "Then it happened that this good wife / went to the parish church on a holy day" (p. 213, lines 121-122) -- Absolam's character and his attempts to woo the young wife. (Contrast his approach to her with Nicholas's.)
• "This Absalom, who was lively and playful, / went with a censer on the holdy day / censing the wives of the parish zealously" (p.215, lines 153-155)
• "From day to day this pretty Absalom / wooed her until he was woebegone" (p. 217, lines 185-186)
• "For some will be won with riches, / some with blows, and some with kindness" (p. 217, lines 195-196)
• "Now play your part well, you pleasant Nicholas" (p. 219, line 211) -- Nicholas sets up John by pretending to be in a kind of trance.
• "Yea, ever blessed be an unschooled man / who knows nothing but his creed" (p. 221, lines 269-270) -- John congratulates himself for not being an intellectual, like Nicholas. See also, "Think on God, as we do—we men who work" (p.223, line 305). Nicholas then cons the carpenter into making flotation devices to prepare for the second flood.
• "Look what a great thing emotion is" (p. 229, line 425) -- The carpenter makes and provisions the tubs, sends away the servants, then falls asleep, and Nicholas and Alison take advantage of their opportunity.
• "This parish clerk, this amorous Absalom" (p. 233, line 471) -- Absalom begs and receives the "kiss."
• "Who now rubs, who wipes his lips / witth sand, with straw, with cloth, with chips, / but Absalom " (p. 237, line 561) -- Absalom's revenge