The Squire's Prologue

1: Squier, com neer, if it youre wille be, 
2: And sey somwhat of love; for certes ye 
3: Konnen theron as muche as any man. 
4: Nay, sire, quod he, but I wol seye as I kan 
5: With hertly wyl; for I wol nat rebelle 
6: Agayn youre lust; a tale wol I telle. 
7: Have me excused if I speke amys; 
8: My wyl is good, and lo, my tale is this.

The Squire's Tale
Part I
9: At sarray, in the land of tartarye, 
10: Ther dwelte a kyng that werreyed russye, 
11: Thurgh which ther dyde many a doughty man. 
12: This noble kyng was cleped cambyuskan, 
13: Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun 
14: That ther was nowher in no regioun 
15: So excellent a lord in alle thyng. 
16: Hym lakked noght that longeth to a king. 
17: As of the secte of which that he was born 
18: He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn; 
19: And therto he was hardy, wys, and riche, 
20: And pitous and just, alwey yliche; 
21: Sooth of this word, benigne, and honurable; 
22: Of his corage as any centre stable; 
23: Yong, fressh, and strong, in armes desirous 
24: As any bacheler of al his hous. 
25: A fair persone he was and fortunat, 
26: And kepte alwey so wel roial estat 
27: That ther was nowher swich another man. 
28: This noble kyng, this tartre cambyuskan, 
29: Hadde two sones on elpheta his wyf, 
30: Of whiche the eldeste highte algarsyf, 
31: That oother sone was cleped cambalo. 
32: A doghter hadde this worthy kyng also, 
33: That yongest was, and highte canacee. 
34: But for to telle yow al hir beautee, 
35: It lyth nat in my tonge, n' yn my konnyng; 
36: I dar nat undertake so heigh a thyng. 
37: Myn englissh eek is insufficient. 
38: It moste been a rethor excellent, 
39: That koude his colours longynge for that art, 
40: If he sholde hire discryven every part. 
41: I am noon swich, I moot speke as I kan. 
42: And so bifel that whan this cambyuskan 
43: Hath twenty wynter born his diademe, 
44: As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme, 
45: He leet the feeste of his nativitee 
46: Doon cryen thurghout sarray his citee, 
47: The laste idus of march, after the yeer. 
48: Phebus the sonne ful joly was and cleer; 
49: For he was neigh his exaltacioun 
50: In martes face, and in his mansioun 
51: In aries, the colerik hoote signe. 
52: Ful lusty was the weder benigne, 
53: For which the foweles, agayn the sonne sheene, 
54: What for the sesoun and the yonge grene, 
55: Ful loude songen hire affecciouns. 
56: Hem semed han geten hem protecciouns 
57: Agayn the swerd of wynter, keene and coold. 
58: This cambyuskan, of which I have yow toold, 
59: In roial vestiment sit on his deys, 
60: With diademe, ful heighe in his paleys, 
61: And halt his feeste so solempne and so ryche 
62: That in this world ne was ther noon it lyche; 
63: Of which if I shal tellen al th' array, 
64: Thanne wolde it occupie a someres day; 
65: And eek it nedeth nat for to devyse 
66: At every cours the ordre of hire servyse. 
67: I wol nat tellen of hir strange sewes, 
68: Ne of hir swannes, ne of hire heronsewes. 
69: Eek in that lond, as tellen knyghtes olde, 
70: Ther is som mete that is ful deynte holde, 
71: That in this lond men recche of it but smal; 
72: Ther nys no man that may reporten al. 
73: I wol nat taryen yow, for it is pryme, 
74: And for it is no fruyt, but los of tyme; 
75: Unto my firste I wole have my recours. 
76: And so bifel that after the thridde cours, 
77: Whil that this kyng sit thus in his nobleye, 
78: Herknynge his mynstralles hir thynges pleye 
79: Biforn hym at the bord deliciously, 
80: In at the halle dore al sodeynly 
81: Ther cam a knyght upon a steede of bras, 
82: And in his hand a brood mirour of glas. 
83: Upon his thombe he hadde of gold a ryng, 
84: And by his syde a naked swerd hangyng; 
85: And up he rideth to the heighe bord. 
86: In al the halle ne was ther spoken a word 
87: For merveille of this knyght; hym to biholde 
88: Ful bisily they wayten, yonge and olde. 
89: This strange knyght, that cam thus sodeynly, 
90: Al armed, save his heed, ful richely, 
91: Saleweth kyng and queene and lordes alle, 
92: By ordre, as they seten in the halle, 
93: With so heigh reverence and obeisaunce, 
94: As wel in speche as in his contenaunce, 
95: That gawayn, with his olde curteisye, 
96: Though he were comen ayeyn out of fairye, 
97: Ne koude hym nat amende with a word. 
98: And after this, biforn the heighe bord, 
99: He with a manly voys seide his message, 
100: After the forme used in his langage, 
101: Withouten vice of silable or of lettre; 
102: And, for his tale sholde seme the bettre, 
103: Accordant to his wordes was his cheere, 
104: As techeth art of speche hem that it leere. 
105: Al be it that I kan nat sowne his stile, 
106: Ne kan nat clymben over so heigh a style, 
107: Yet seye I this, as to commune entente, 
108: Thus muche smounteth al that evere he mente, 
109: If it so be that I have it in mynde. 
110: He seyde, the kyng of arabe and of inde, 
111: My lige lord, on this solempne day 
112: Saleweth yow, as he best kan and may, 
113: And sendeth yow, in honour of youre feeste, 
114: By me, that am al redy at youre heeste, 
115: This steede of bras, that esily and weel 
116: Kan in the space of o day natureel -- 
117: This is to seyn, in foure and twenty houres -- 
118: Wher-so yow lyst, in droghte or elles shoures, 
119: Beren youre body into every place 
120: To which youre herte wilneth for to pace; 
121: Withouten wem of yow, thurgh foul or fair; 
122: Or, if yow lyst to fleen as hye in the air 
123: As dooth an egle whan hym list to soore, 
124: This same steede shal bere yow evere moore, 
125: Withouten harm, til ye be ther yow leste, 
126: Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste, 
127: And turne ayeyn with writhyng of a pyn. 
128: He that it wroghte koude ful many a gyn. 
129: He wayted many a constellacion 
130: Er he had doon this operacion, 
131: And knew ful many a seel and many a bond. 
132: This mirour eek, that I have in myn hond, 
133: Hath swich a myght that men may in it see 
134: Whan ther shal fallen any adversitee 
135: Unto youre regne or to youreself also, 
136: And openly who is your freend or foo. 
137: And over al this, if any lady bright 
138: Hath set hire herte on any maner wight, 
139: If he be fals, she shal his tresoun see, 
140: His newe love, and al his subtiltee, 
141: So openly that ther shal no thyng hyde. 
142: Wherfore, ageyn this lusty someres tyde, 
143: This morour and this ryng, that ye may see, 
144: He hath sent to my lady canacee, 
145: Youre excellente doghter that is heere. 
146: The vertu of the ryng, if ye wol heere, 
147: Is this, that if hire lust it for to were 
148: Upon his thombe, or in hir purs it bere, 
149: Ther is no fowel that fleeth under the hevene 
150: That she ne shal wel understonde his stevene, 
151: And knowe his menyng openly and pleyn, 
152: And answere hym in his langage ageyn; 
153: And every gras that groweth upon roote 
154: She shal eek knowe, and whom it wol do boote, 
155: Al be his wondes never so depe and wyde. 
156: This naked swerd, that hangeth by my syde, 
157: Swich verty hath that, what man so ye smyte, 
158: Thurgh out his armure it wole kerve an byte, 
159: Were it as thikke as is a branched ook; 
160: And what man that is wounded with the strook 
161: Shal never be hool til that yow list, of grace, 
162: To stroke hym with the plat in thilke place 
163: Ther he is hurt; this is as muche to seyn, 
164: Ye moote with the platte swerd ageyn 
165: Stroke hym in the wounde, and it wol close. 
166: This is a verray sooth, withouten glose; 
167: It failleth nat whils it is in youre hoold. 
168: And whan this knyght hath thus his tale toold, 
169: He rideth out of halle, and doun he lighte. 
170: His steede, which that shoon as sonne brighte, 
171: Stant in the court as stille as any stoon. 
172: This knyght is to his chambre lad anoon, 
173: And is unarmed, and to mete yset. 
174: The presentes been ful roially yfet, -- 
175: This is to seyn, the swerd and the mirour, 
176: And born anon into the heighe tour 
177: With certeine officers ordeyned therfore; 
178: And unto canacee this ryng is bore 
179: Solempnely, ther she sit at the table. 
180: But sikerly, withouten any fable, 
181: The hors of bras, that may nat be remewed, 
182: It stant as it were to the ground yglewed. 
183: Ther may no man out of the place it dryve 
184: For noon engyn of wyndas or polyve; 
185: And cause why? for they kan nat the craft. 
186: And therfore in the place they han it laft, 
187: Til that the knyght hath taught hem the manere 
188: To voyden hym, as ye shal after heere. 
189: Greet was the prees that swarmeth to and fro 
190: To gauren on this hors that stondeth so; 
191: For it so heigh was, and so brood and long, 
192: So wel proporcioned for to been strong, 
193: Right as it were a steede of lumbardye; 
194: Therwith so horsly, and so quyk of ye, 
195: As it a gentil poilleys courser were. 
196: For certes, fro his tayl unto his ere, 
197: Nature ne art ne koude hym nat amende 
198: In no degree, as al the peple wende. 
199: But everemoore hir mooste wonder was 
200: How that it koude gon, and was of bras; 
201: It was of fairye, as the peple semed. 
202: Diverse folk diversely they demed; 
203: As many heddes, as manye wittes ther been. 
204: They murmureden as dooth a swarm of been, 
205: And maden skiles after hir fantasies, 
206: Rehersynge of thise olde poetries, 
207: And seyden it was lyk the pegasee, 
208: The hors that hadde wynges for to flee; 
209: Or elles it was the grekes hors synon, 
210: That broghte troie to destruccion, 
211: As man moun in thise olde geestes rede. 
212: Myn herte, quod oon, is everemoore in drede; 
213: I trowe som men of armes been therinne, 
214: That shapen hem this citee for to wynne. 
215: It were right good that al swich thyng were knowe. 
216: Another rowned to his felawe lowe, 
217: And seyde, he lyeth, for it is rather lyk 
218: An apparence ymaad by som magyk, 
219: As jogelours pleyen at thise feestes grete. 
220: Of sondry doutes thus they jangle and trete, 
221: As lewed peple demeth comunly 
222: Of thynges that been maad moore subtilly 
223: Than they kan in hire lewednesse comprehende; 
224: They demen gladly to the badder ende. 
225: And somme of hem wondred on the mirour, 
226: That born was up into the maister-tour, 
227: Hou men myghte in it swiche thynges se. 
228: Another answerde, and seyde it myghte wel be 
229: Naturelly, by composiciouns 
230: Of anglis and of slye reflexiouns, 
231: And seyde that in rome was swich oon 
232: They speken of alocen and vitulon, 
233: And aristotle, that writen in hir lyves 
234: Of queynte mirours and of perspectives, 
235: As knowen they that han hire bookes herd. 
236: And oother folk han wondred on the swerd 
237: That wolde percen thurghout every thyng, 
238: And fille in speche of thelophus the kyng, 
239: And of achilles with his queynte swerd 
240: For he koude with it bothe heele and dere. 
241: Right in swich wise as men may with the swerd 
242: Of which right now ye han youreselven herd. 
243: They speken of sondry hardyng of metal, 
244: And speke of medicynes therwithal, 
245: And how and whanne it sholde yharded be, 
246: Which is unknowe, algates unto me. 
247: Tho speeke they of canacees ryng, 
248: And seyden alle that swich an wonder thyng 
249: Of craft of rynges herde they nevere noon, 
250: Save that he moyses and kyng salomon 
251: Hadde a name of konnyng in swich art. 
252: Thus seyn the peple, and drawen hem apart. 
253: But nathelees somme seiden that it was 
254: Wonder to maken of fern-asshen glas, 
255: And yet nys glas nat lyk asshen of fern; 
256: But, for they han yknowen it so fern, 
257: Therfore cesseth hir janglyng and hir wonder. 
258: As soore wondren somme on cause of thonder, 
259: On ebbe, on flood, on gossomer, and on myst, 
260: And alle thyng, til that the cause is wyst. 
261: Thus jangle they, and demen, and devyse, 
262: Til that the kyng gan fro the bord aryse. 
263: Phebus hath laft the angle meridional, 
264: And yet ascendynge was the beest roial, 
265: The gentil leon, with his aldiran, 
266: Whan that this tartre knyg, this cambyuskan, 
267: Roos fro his bord, ther as he sat ful hye. 
268: Toforn hym gooth the loude mynstralcye, 
269: Til he cam to his chambre of parementz, 
270: Ther as they sownen diverse instrumentz, 
271: That it is lyk an hevene for the heere. 
272: Now dauncen lusty venus children deere, 
273: For in the fyssh hir lady sat ful hye, 
274: And looketh on hem with a freendly ye. 
275: This noble kyng is set upon his trone. 
276: This strange knyght is fet to hym ful soone, 
277: And on the daunce he gooth with canacee. 
278: Heere is the revel and the jolitee 
279: That is nat able a dul man to devyse. 
280: He moste han knowen love and his servyse, 
281: And been a feestlych man as fressh as may, 
282: That sholde yow devysen swich array. 
283: Who koude telle yow the forme of daunces 
284: So unkouthe, and swiche fresshe contenaunces, 
285: Swich subtil lookyng and disymulynges 
286: For drede of jalouse meenes aperceyvynges? 
287: No man but launcelot, and he is deed. 
288: Therfore I passe of al this lustiheed; 
289: I sey namoore, but in this jolynesse 
290: I lete hem, til men to the soper dresse. 
291: The styward bit the spices for the hye, 
292: And eek the wyn, in al this melodye. 
293: The usshers and the squiers been ygoon, 
294: The spices and the wyn is come anoon. 
295: They ete and drynke; and whan this hadde and ende, 
296: Unto the temple, as reson was, they wende. 
297: The service doon, they soupen al by day. 
298: What nedeth yow rehercen hire array? 
299: Ech man woot wel that at a kynges feeste 
300: Hath plentee to the meeste and to the leeste, 
301: And deyntees mo than been in my knowyng. 
302: At after-soper gooth this noble kyng 
303: To seen this hors of bras, with al a route 
304: Of lordes and of ladyes hym aboute. 
305: Swich wondryng was ther on this hors of bras 
306: That syn the grete sege of troie was, 
307: Theras men wondreden on an hors also, 
308: Ne was ther swich a wondryng as was tho. 
309: But fynally the kyng axeth this knyght 
310: The vertu of this courser and the myght, 
311: And preyde hym to telle his governaunce. 
312: This hors anoon bigan to trippe and daunce, 
313: Whan that this knyght leyde hand upon his reyne, 
314: And seyde, sire, ther is namoore to seyne, 
315: But, whan yow list to ryden anywhere, 
316: Ye mooten trille a pyn, stant in his ere, 
317: Which I shal telle yow bitwix us two. 
318: Ye moote nempne hym to what place also, 
319: Or to what contree, that yow list to ryde. 
320: And whan ye come ther as yow list abyde, 
321: Bidde hym descende, and trille another pyn, 
322: For therin lith th' effect of al the gyn, 
323: And he wol doun descende and doon youre wille, 
324: And in that place he wol abyde stille. 
325: Though al the world the contrarie hadde yswore, 
326: He shal nat thennes been ydrawe ne ybore. 
327: Or, if yow liste bidde hym thennes goon, 
328: Trille this pyn, and he wol vanysshe anoon 
329: Out of the sighte of every maner wight, 
330: And come agayn, be it by day or nyght, 
331: Whan that yow list to clepen hym ageyn 
332: In swich a gyse as I shal to yow seyn 
333: Bitwixe yow and me, and that ful soone. 
334: Ride whan yow list, ther is namoore to doone. 
335: Enformed whan the kyng was of that knyght, 
336: And hath conceyved in his wit aright 
337: The manere and the forme of al this thyng, 
338: Ful glad and blithe, this noble doughty kyng 
339: Repeireth to his revel as biforn. 
340: The brydel is unto the tour yborn 
341: And kept among his jueles leeve and deere, 
342: The hors vanysshed, I noot in what manere, 
343: Out of hir sighte; ye gete namoore of me. 
344: But thus I lete in lust and jolitee 
345: This cambyuskan his lordes festeiynge, 
346: Til wel ny the day bigan to sprynge. 
Explicit prima pars. 

Sequitur pars secunda
347: The norice of digestioun, the sleep, 
348: Gan on hem wynke and bad hem taken keep 
349: That muchel drynke and labour wolde han reste; 
350: And with a galpyng mouth hem alle he keste, 
351: And seyde that it was tyme to lye adoun, 
352: For blood was in his domynacioun. 
353: Cherisseth blood, natures freend, quod he. 
354: They thanken hym galpynge, by two, by thre, 
355: And every wight gan drawe hym to his reste, 
356: As sleep hem bad; they tooke it for the beste. 
357: Hire dremes shul nat now been toold for me; 
358: Ful were hire heddes of fumositee, 
359: That causeth dreem of which ther nys no charge. 
360: They slepen til that it was pryme large, 
361: The mooste part, but it were canacee. 
362: She was ful mesurable, as wommen be; 
363: For of hir fader hadde she take leve 
364: To goon to reste soone after it was eve. 
365: Hir liste nat appalled for to be, 
366: Ne on the morwe unfeestlich for to se, 
367: And slepte hire firste sleep, and thanne awook. 
368: For swich a joye she in hir herte took 
369: Bothe of hir queynte ryng and hire mirour, 
370: That twenty tyme she changed hir colour; 
371: And in hire sleep, right for impressioun 
372: Of hire mirour, she hadde a visioun. 
373: Wherfore, er that the sonne gan up glyde, 
374: She cleped on hir maistresse hire bisyde, 
375: And seyde that hire liste for to ryse. 
376: Thise olde wommen that been gladly wyse, 
377: As is hire maistresse, answerde hire anon, 
378: And seyde, madame, whider wil ye goon 
379: Thus erly, for the folk been alle on reste? 
380: I wol, quod she, arise, for me leste 
381: Ne lenger for to slepe, and walke aboute. 
382: Hire maistresse clepeth wommen a greet route, 
383: And up they rysen, wel a ten or twelve; 
384: Up riseth fresshe canacee hireselve, 
385: As rody and bright as dooth the yonge sonne, 
386: That in the ram is foure degrees up ronne -- 
387: Noon hyer was he whan she redy was -- 
388: And forth she walketh esily a pas, 
389: Arrayed after the lusty seson soote 
390: Lightly, for to pleye and walke on foote, 
391: Nat but with fyve or sixe of hir meynee; 
392: And in a trench forth in the park gooth she. 
393: The vapour which that fro the erthe glood 
394: Made the sonne to seme rody and brood; 
395: But nathelees it was so fair a sighte 
396: That it made alle hire hertes for to lighte, 
397: What for the seson and the morwenynge, 
398: And for the foweles that she herde synge. 
399: For right anon she wiste what they mente, 
400: Right by hir song, and knew al hire entente. 
401: The knotte why that every tale is toold, 
402: If it be taried til that lust be coold 
403: Of hem that han it after herkned yoore, 
404: The savour passeth ever lenger the moore, 
405: For fulsomnesse of his prolixitee; 
406: And by the same resoun, thynketh me, 
407: I sholde to the knotte condescende, 
408: And maken of hir walkyng soone an ende. 
409: Amydde a tree, for drye as whit as chalk, 
410: As canacee was pleyyng in hir walk, 
411: Ther sat a faucon over hire heed ful hye, 
412: That with a pitous voys so gan to crye 
413: That all the wode resouned of hire cry. 
414: Ybeten hadde she hirself so pitously 
415: With bothe hir wynges, til the rede blood 
416: Ran endelong the tree ther-as she stood. 
417: And evere in oon she cryde alwey and shrighte, 
418: And with hir beek herselven so she prighte, 
419: That ther nys tygre, ne noon so crueel beest, 
420: That dwelleth outher in wode or in forest, 
421: That nolde han wept, if that he wepe koude, 
422: For sorwe of hire, she shrighte alwey so loude. 
423: For ther nas nevere yet no man on lyve, 
424: If that I koude a faucon wel discryve, 
425: That herde of swich another of fairnesse, 
426: As wel of plumage as of gentillesse 
427: Of shap, of al that myghte yrekened be. 
428: A faucon peregryn thanne semed she 
429: Of fremde land; and everemoore, as she stood, 
430: She swowneth now and now for lak of blood, 
431: Til wel neigh is she fallen fro the tree. 
432: This faire kynges doghter, canacee, 
433: That on hir fynger baar the queynte ryng, 
434: Thurgh which she understood wel every thyng 
435: That any fowel may in his leden seyn, 
436: And koude answeren hym in his ledene ageyn, 
437: Hath understonde what this faucon seyde, 
438: And wel neigh for the routhe almoost she deyde. 
439: And to the tree she gooth ful hastily, 
440: And on this faukon looketh pitously, 
441: And heeld hir lappe abrood, for wel she wiste 
442: The faukon moste fallen fro the twiste, 
443: Whan that it swowned next, for lak of blood. 
444: A longe whil to wayten hire she stood, 
445: Til atte laste she spak in this manere 
446: Unto the hauk, as ye shal after heere: 
447: What is the cause, if it be for to telle, 
448: That ye be in this furial pyne of helle? 
449: Quod canacee unto this hauk above. 
450: Is this for sorwe of deeth or los of love? 
451: For, as I trowe, thise been causes two 
452: That causen moost a gentil herte wo; 
453: Of oother harm it nedeth nat to speke. 
454: For ye youreself upon yourself yow wreke, 
455: Which proveth wel that outher ire or drede 
456: Moot been enchesoun of youre cruel dede, 
457: Syn that I see noon oother wight yow chace. 
458: For love of god, as dooth youreselven grace, 
459: Or what may been youre help? for west nor est 
460: Ne saugh I nevere er now no bryd ne beest 
461: That ferde with hymself so pitously. 
462: Ye sle me with youre sorwe verraily, 
463: I have of yow so greet compassioun. 
464: For goddes love, com fro the tree adoun; 
465: And as I am a kynges doghter trewe, 
466: If that I verraily the cause knewe 
467: Of youre disese, if it lay in my myght, 
468: I wole amenden it er that it were nyght, 
469: As wisly helpe me grete God of kynde! 
470: And herbes shal I right ynowe yfynde 
471: To heel with youre hurtes hastily. 
472: Tho shrighte this faucon yet moore pitously 
473: Than ever she dide, and fil to grounde anon, 
474: And lith aswowne, deed and lyk a stoon, 
475: Til canacee hath in hire lappe hire take 
476: Unto the tyme she gan of swough awake. 
477: And after that she of hir swough gan breyde, 
478: Right in hir haukes ledene thus she seyde: 
479: That pitee renneth soone in gentil herte, 
480: Feelynge his similitude in peynes smerte, 
481: Is preved alday, as men may it see, 
482: As wel by werk as by auctoritee; 
483: For gentil herte kitheth gentillesse. 
484: I se wel that ye han of my distresse 
485: Compassion, my faire canacee, 
486: Of verray wommanly benignytee 
487: That nature in youre principles hath set. 
488: But for noon hope for to fare the bet, 
489: But for to obeye unto youre herte free, 
490: And for to maken othere be war by me, 
491: As by the whelp chasted is the leon, 
492: Right for that cause and that conclusion, 
493: Whil that I have a leyser and a space, 
494: Myn harm I wol confessen er I pace. 
495: And evere, whil that oon hir sorwe tolde, 
496: That oother weep as she to water wolde, 
497: Til that the faucon bad hire to be stille, 
498: And, with a syk, right thus she seyde hir wille: 
499: Ther I was bred -- allas, that ilke day! -- 
500: And fostred in a roche of marbul gray 
501: So tendrely that no thyng eyled me, 
502: I nyste nat what was adversitee, 
503: Til I koude flee ful hye under the sky. 
504: Tho dwelte a tercelet me faste by, 
505: That semed welle of alle gentillesse; 
506: Al were he ful of treson and falsnesse, 
507: It was so wrapped under humble cheere, 
508: And under hewe of trouthe in swich manere, 
509: Under plesance, and under bisy peyne, 
510: That no wight koude han wend he koude feyne, 
511: So depe in greyn he dyed his coloures. 
512: Right as a serpent hit hym under floures 
513: Til he may seen his tyme for to byte, 
514: Right so this God of loves ypocryte 
515: Dooth so his cerymonyes and obeisaunces, 
516: And kepeth in semblaunt alle his observaunces 
517: That sownen into gentillesse of love. 
518: As in a toumbe is al the faire above, 
519: And under is the corps, swich as ye woot, 
520: Swich was this ypocrite, bothe coold and hoot. 
521: And in this wise he served his entente, 
522: That, save the feend, noon wiste what he mente, 
523: Til he so longe hadde wopen and compleyned, 
524: And many a yeer his service to me feyned, 
525: Til that myn herte, to pitous and to nyce, 
526: Al innocent of his crouned malice, 
527: Forfered of his deeth, as thoughte me, 
528: Upon his othes and his seuretee, 
529: Graunted hym love, on this condicioun, 
530: That everemoore myn honour and renoun 
531: Were saved, bothe privee and apert; 
532: This is to seyn, that after his desert, 
533: I yaf hym al myn herte and al my thoght -- 
534: God woot and he, that ootherwise noght -- 
535: And took his herte in chaunge of myn for ay. 
536: But sooth is seyd, goon sithen many a day, 
537: -- A trewe wight and a theef thenken nat oon. -- 
538: And whan he saugh the thyng so fer ygoon 
539: That I hadde graunted hym fully my love, 
540: In swich a gyse as I have seyd above, 
541: And yeven hym my trewe herte as free 
542: As he swoor he yaf his herte to me; 
543: Anon this tigre, ful of doublenesse, 
544: Fil on his knees with so devout humblesse, 
545: With so heigh reverence, and, as by his cheere, 
546: So lyk a gentil lovere of manere, 
547: So ravysshed, as it semed, for the joye, 
548: That nevere jason ne parys of troye -- 
549: Jason? certes, ne noon oother man 
550: Syn lameth was, that alderfirst bigan 
551: To loven two, as writen folk biforn -- 
552: Ne nevere, syn the firste man was born, 
553: Ne koude man, by twenty thousand part, 
554: Countrefete the sophymes of his art, 
555: Ne were worthy unbokelen his galoche, 
556: Ther doublenesse or feynyng sholde approche, 
557: Ne so koude thonke a wight as he dide me! 
558: His manere was an hevene for to see 
559: Til any womman, were she never so wys, 
560: So peynted he and kembde at point-devys 
561: As wel his wordes as his contenaunce. 
562: And I so loved hym for his obeisaunce, 
563: And for the trouthe I demed in his herte, 
564: That if so were that any thyng hym smerte, 
565: Al were it never so lite, and I it wiste, 
566: Me thoughte I felte deeth myn herte twiste. 
567: And shortly, so ferforth this thyng is went, 
568: That my wyl was his willes instrument; 
569: This is to seyn, my wyl obeyed his wyl 
570: In alle thyng, as fer as reson fil, 
571: Kepynge the boundes of my worshipe evere. 
572: Ne nevere hadde I thyng so lief, ne levere, 
573: As hym, God woot! ne nevere shal namo. 
574: This laste lenger than a yeer or two, 
575: That I supposed of hym noght but good. 
576: But finally, thus atte laste it stood, 
577: That fortune wolde that he moste twynne 
578: Out of that place which that I was inne. 
579: Wher me was wo, that is no questioun; 
580: I kan nat make of it discripsioun; 
581: For o thyng dar I tellen boldely, 
582: I knowe what is the peyne of deeth therby; 
583: Swich harm I felte for he ne myghte bileve. 
584: So on a day of me he took his leve, 
585: So sorwefully eek that I wende verraily 
586: That he had felt as muche harm as I, 
587: Whan that I herde hym speke, and saugh his hewe. 
588: But nathelees, I thoughte he was so trewe, 
589: And eek that he repaire sholde ageyn 
590: Withinne a litel while, sooth to seyn; 
591: And resoun wolde eek that he moste go 
592: For his honour, as ofte it happeth so, 
593: That I made vertu of necessitee, 
594: And took it wel, syn that it moste be. 
595: As I best myghte, I hidde fro hym my sorwe, 
596: And took hym by the hond, seint john to borwe, 
597: And seyde hym thus: lo, I am youres al; 
598: Beth swich as I to yow have been and shal. -- 
599: What he answerde, it nedeth noght reherce; 
600: Who kan sey bet than he, who kan do werse? 
601: Whan he hath al wel seyd, thanne hath he doon. 
602: -- Therfore bihoveth hire a ful long spoon 
603: That shal ete with a feend, -- thus herde I seye. 
604: So atte laste he moste forth his weye, 
605: And forth he fleeth til he cam ther hym leste. 
606: Whan it cam hym to purpos for to reste, 
607: I trowe he hadde thilke text in mynde, 
608: That -- alle thyng, repeirynge to his kynde, 
609: Gladeth hymself; -- thus seyn men, as I gesse. 
610: Men loven of propre kynde newefangelnesse, 
611: As briddes doon that men in cages fede. 
612: For though thou nyght and day take of hem hede, 
613: And strawe hir cage faire and softe as silk, 
614: And yeve hem sugre, hony, breed and milk, 
615: Yet right anon as that his dore is uppe, 
616: He with his feet wol spurne adoun his cuppe, 
617: And to the wode he wole, and wormes ete; 
618: So newefangel been they of hire mete, 
619: And loven novelries of propre kynde; 
620: No gentillesse of blood ne may hem bynde. 
621: So ferde this tercelet, allas the day! 
622: Though he were gentil born, and fressh and gay, 
623: And goodlich for to seen, and humble and free, 
624: He saugh upon a tyme a kyte flee, 
625: And sodeynly he loved this kyte so 
626: That al his love is clene fro me ago; 
627: And hath his trouthe falsed in this wyse. 
628: Thus hath the kyte my love in hire servyse, 
629: And I am lorn withouten remedie! 
630: And with that word this faucon gan to crie, 
631: And swowned eft in canacees barm. 
632: Greet was the sorwe for the haukes harm 
633: That canacee and alle hir wommen made; 
634: They nyste hou they myghte the faucon glade. 
635: But canacee hom bereth hire in hir lappe, 
636: And softely in plastres gan hire wrappe, 
637: Ther as she with hire beek hadde hurt hirselve. 
638: Now kan nat canacee but herbes delve 
639: Out of the ground, and make salves newe 
640: Of herbes preciouse and fyne of hewe, 
641: To heelen with this hauk. Fro day to nyght 
642: She dooth hire bisynesse and al hire myght, 
643: And by hire beddes heed she made a mewe, 
644: And covered it with veluettes blewe, 
645: In signe of trouthe that is in wommen sene. 
646: And al withoute, the mewe is peynted grene, 
647: In which were peynted alle this false fowles, 
648: As ben thise tidyves, tercelettes, and owles; 
649: Right for despit were peynted hem bisyde, 
650: Pyes, on hem for to crie and chyde. 
651: Thus lete I canacee hir hauk kepyng; 
652: I wol namoore as now speke of hir ryng, 
653: Til it come eft to purpos for to seyn 
654: How that this faucon gat hire love ageyn 
655: Repentant, as the storie telleth us, 
656: By mediacion of cambalus, 
657: The kynges sone, of which that I yow tolde. 
658: But hennesforth I wol my proces holde 
659: To speken of aventures and of batailles, 
660: That nevere yet was herd so grete mervailles. 
661: First wol I telle yow of cambyuskan, 
662: That in his tyme many a citee wan; 
663: And after wol I speke of algarsif, 
664: How that he wan theodora to his wif, 
665: For whom ful ofte in greet peril he was, 
666: Ne hadde he ben helpen by the steede of bras; 
667: And after wol I speke of cambalo, 
668: That faught in lystes with the bretheren two 
669: For canacee er that he myghte hire wynne. 
670: And ther I lefte I wol ayeyn bigynne. 
Explicit secunda pars. 

Incipit pars tercia.

671: Appollo whirleth up his chaar so hye, 
672: Til that the God mercurius hous, the slye - 


The Franklin's words to the Squire
673: In feith, squier, thow hast thee wel yquit 
674: And gentilly. I preise wel thy wit, 
675: Quod the frankeleyn, considerynge thy yowthe, 
676: So feelyngly thou spekest, sire, I allow the! 
677: As to my doom, ther is noon that is heere 
678: Of eloquence that shal be thy peere, 
679: If that thou lyve; God yeve thee good chaunce, 
680: And in vertu sende thee continuance! 
681: For of thy speche I have greet deyntee. 
682: I have a sone, and by the trinitee, 
683: I hadde levere than twenty pounnd worth lond, 
684: Though it right now were fallen in myn hond, 
685: He were a man of swich discrecioun 
686: As that ye been! fy on possessioun, 
687: But if a man be vertuous withal! 
688: I have my sone snybbed, and yet shal, 
689: For he to vertu listeth nat entende; 
690: But for to pleye at dees, and to despende 
691: And lese al that he hath, is his usage. 
692: And he hath levere talken with a page 
693: Than to comune with any gentil wight 
694: Where he myghte lerne gentillesse aright. 
695: Straw for youre gentillesse! quod oure hoost. 
696: What, frankeleyn! pardee, sire, wel thou woost 
697: That ech of yow moot tellen atte leste 
698: A tale or two, or breken his biheste. 
699: That knowe I wel, sire, quod the frankeleyn. 
700: I prey yow, haveth me nat in desdeyn, 
701: Though to this man I speke a word or two. 
702: Telle on thy tale withouten wordes mo. 
703: Gladly, sire hoost, quod he, I wole obeye 
704: Unto your wyl; now herkneth what I seye. 
705: I wol yow nat contrarien in no wyse 
706: As fer as that my wittes wol suffyse. 
707: I prey to God that it may plesen yow; 
708: Thanne woot I wel that it is good ynow.

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