And that a sly, and usuant for to stele.

(85 – 86)

Symkyn regularly cheats his customers by shorting them of the corn and meal they bring to him for grinding. A miller was entitled to a certain portion of whatever he ground as payment for his labor. A miller might take more than his fair share, however, perhaps padding the customer's sacks with a less expensive substance, and in this way increase his profits

B.Pipen he koude and fisshe, and nettes beete,

And turne coppes, and wel wrastle and sheete;

Ay by his belt he baar a long panade,

And of a swerd ful trenchant was the blade.

A joly poppere baar he in his pouche;

Ther was no man, for peril, dorste hym touche.

(73 – 78)
The miller, Symkyn, seems to be a physically aggressive man from this description. We learn that not only can he wrestle and shoot, but he likes to carry both sword and knife with him wherever he goes. That everyone is afraid to step up to him suggests that he is not afraid to use his weapons and fighting skills.

C.A Sheffeld thwitel baar he in his hose.

Round was his face, and camus was his nose;

As piled as an ape was his skulle.

He was a market-betere atte fulle.

Ther dorste no wight hand upon hym legge,

That he ne swoor he sholde anon abegge.

(79 – 84)
A "Sheffeld thwitel" is a long knife from Sheffield. This knife is in addition to the sword and other knife he carries. A "market betere" is someone who loiters around markets trying to start fights. The passage's reiteration that everyone's afraid to lay a hand on him highlights his violent nature. Immediately following this passage, the narrator tells how Symkyn cheats his customers; the placement of that passage directly after this implies that this cheating is something he is able to get away with because people are so afraid of his violence.