Prologue


1 Squier, come neer, if it your wille be,
2 And sey somwhat of love, for certes, ye
3 Konnen theron as muche as any man.
4 Nay sir, quod he, but I wol seye as I kan,
5 With hertly wyl, for I wol nat rebelle
6 Agayn your 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.


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


　　　　　 　　　　　Part 2


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


667 Appollo whirleth up his chaar so hye
668 Til that the god Mercurius hous, the slye-