| At Sarray, in the land of Tartarye, |
| 10 | Ther dwelte a kyng that werreyed Russye, |
| Thurgh which ther dyde many a doughty man. |
| This noble kyng was cleped Cambyuskan, |
| Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun |
| That ther was nowher in no regioun |
| 15 | So excellent a lord in alle thyng: |
| Hym lakked noght that longeth to a kyng. |
| As of the secte of which that he was born |
| He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn; |
| And therto he was hardy, wys, and riche, |
| 20 | And pitous and just, alwey yliche; |
| Sooth of his word, benigne, and honurable; |
| Of his corage as any centre stable; |
| Yong, fressh, and strong, in armes desirous |
| As any bacheler of al his hous. |
| 25 | A fair persone he was and fortunat, |
| And kept alwey so wel roial estat |
| That ther was nowher swich another man. |
| This noble kyng, this Tartre Cambyuskan, |
| Hadde two sones on Elpheta his wyf, |
| 30 | Of whiche the eldeste highte Algarsyf; |
| That oother sone was cleped Cambalo. |
| A doghter hadde this worthy kyng also, |
| That yongest was, and highte Canacee. |
| But for to telle yow al hir beautee, |
| 35 | It lyth nat in my tonge, n' yn my konnyng; |
| I dar nat undertake so heigh a thyng. |
| Myn Englissh eek is insufficient. |
| It moste been a rethor excellent |
| That koude his colours longynge for that art, |
| 40 | If he sholde hire discryven every part. |
| I am noon swich, I moot speke as I kan. |
| And so bifel that whan this Cambyuskan |
| Hath twenty wynter born his diademe, |
| As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme, |
| 45 | He leet the feeste of his nativitee |
| Doon cryen thurghout Sarray his citee, |
| The laste Idus of March, after the yeer. |
| Phebus the sonne ful joly was and cleer, |
| For he was neigh his exaltacioun |
| 50 | In Martes face and in his mansioun |
| In Aries, the colerik hoote signe. |
| Ful lusty was the weder and benigne, |
| For which the foweles, agayn the sonne sheene, |
| What for the sesoun and the yonge grene, |
| 55 | Ful loude songen hire affecciouns. |
| Hem semed han geten hem protecciouns |
| Agayn the swerd of wynter, keene and coold. |
| This Cambyuskan, of which I have yow toold, |
| In roial vestiment sit on his deys, |
| 60 | With diademe, ful heighe in his paleys, |
| And halt his feeste so solempne and so ryche |
| That in this world ne was ther noon it lyche; |
| Of which if I shal tellen al th' array, |
| Thanne wolde it occupie a someres day, |
| 65 | And eek it nedeth nat for to devyse |
| At every cours the ordre of hire servyse. |
| I wol nat tellen of hir strange sewes, |
| Ne of hir swannes, ne of hire heronsewes. |
| Eek in that lond, as tellen knyghtes olde, |
| 70 | Ther is som mete that is ful deynte holde |
| That in this lond men recche of it but smal; |
| Ther nys no man that may reporten al. |
| I wol nat taryen yow, for it is pryme |
| And for it is no fruyt but los of tyme; |
| 75 | Unto my firste I wole have my recours. |
| And so bifel that after the thridde cours, |
| Whil that this kyng sit thus in his nobleye, |
| Herknynge his mynstralles hir thynges pleye |
| Biforn hym at the bord deliciously, |
| 80 | In at the halle dore al sodeynly |
| Ther cam a knyght upon a steede of bras, |
| And in his hand a brood mirour of glas. |
| Upon his thombe he hadde of gold a ryng, |
| And by his syde a naked swerd hangyng; |
| 85 | And up he rideth to the heighe bord. |
| In al the halle ne was ther spoken a word |
| For merveille of this knyght; hym to biholde |
| Ful bisily they wayten, yonge and olde. |
| This strange knyght, that cam thus sodeynly, |
| 90 | Al armed, save his heed, ful richely, |
| Saleweth kyng and queene and lordes alle, |
| By ordre, as they seten in the halle, |
| With so heigh reverence and obeisaunce, |
| As wel in speche as in contenaunce, |
| 95 | That Gawayn, with his olde curteisye, |
| Though he were comen ayeyn out of Fairye, |
| Ne koude hym nat amende with a word. |
| And after this, biforn the heighe bord, |
| He with a manly voys seide his message, |
| 100 | After the forme used in his langage, |
| Withouten vice of silable or of lettre; |
| And for his tale sholde seme the bettre, |
| Accordant to his wordes was his cheere, |
| As techeth art of speche hem that it leere. |
| 105 | Al be that I kan nat sowne his stile, |
| Ne kan nat clymben over so heigh a style, |
| Yet seye I this, as to commune entente: |
| Thus muche amounteth al that evere he mente, |
| If it so be that I have it in mynde. |
| 110 | He seyde, "The kyng of Arabe and of Inde, |
| My lige lord, on this solempne day |
| Saleweth yow, as he best kan and may, |
| And sendeth yow, in honour of youre feeste, |
| By me, that am al redy at youre heeste, |
| 115 | This steede of bras, that esily and weel |
| Kan in the space of o day natureel -- |
| This is to seyn, in foure and twenty houres -- |
| Wher-so yow lyst, in droghte or elles shoures, |
| Beren youre body into every place |
| 120 | To which youre herte wilneth for to pace, |
| Withouten wem of yow, thurgh foul or fair; |
| Or, if yow lyst to fleen as hye in the air |
| As dooth an egle whan hym list to soore, |
| This same steede shal bere yow evere moore, |
| 125 | Withouten harm, til ye be ther yow leste, |
| Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste, |
| And turne ayeyn with writhyng of a pyn. |
| He that it wroghte koude ful many a gyn. |
| He wayted many a constellacion |
| 130 | Er he had doon this operacion, |
| And knew ful many a seel and many a bond. |
| "This mirour eek, that I have in myn hond, |
| Hath swich a myght that men may in it see |
| Whan ther shal fallen any adversitee |
| 135 | Unto youre regne or to youreself also, |
| And openly who is youre freend or foo. |
| "And over al this, if any lady bright |
| Hath set hire herte on any maner wight, |
| If he be fals, she shal his tresoun see, |
| 140 | His newe love, and al his subtiltee, |
| So openly that ther shal no thyng hyde. |
| Wherfore, ageyn this lusty someres tyde, |
| This mirour and this ryng, that ye may see, |
| He hath sent to my lady Canacee, |
| 145 | Youre excellente doghter that is heere. |
| "The vertu of the ryng, if ye wol heere, |
| Is this: that if hire lust it for to were |
| Upon hir thombe or in hir purs it bere, |
| Ther is no fowel that fleeth under the hevene |
| 150 | That she ne shal wel understonde his stevene, |
| And knowe his menyng openly and pleyn, |
| And answere hym in his langage ageyn; |
| And every gras that groweth upon roote |
| She shal eek knowe, and whom it wol do boote, |
| 155 | Al be his woundes never so depe and wyde. |
| "This naked swerd, that hangeth by my syde, |
| Swich vertu hath that what man so ye smyte |
| Thurghout his armure it wole kerve and byte, |
| Were it as thikke as is a branched ook; |
| 160 | And what man that is wounded with the strook |
| Shal never be hool til that yow list, of grace, |
| To stroke hym with the plat in thilke place |
| Ther he is hurt; this is as muche to seyn, |
| Ye moote with the platte swerd ageyn |
| 165 | Stroke hym in the wounde, and it wol close. |
| This is a verray sooth, withouten glose; |
| It failleth nat whils it is in youre hoold." |
| And whan this knyght hath thus his tale toold, |
| He rideth out of halle and doun he lighte. |
| 170 | His steede, which that shoon as sonne brighte, |
| Stant in the court, stille as any stoon. |
| This knyght is to his chambre lad anoon, |
| And is unarmed, and to mete yset. |
| The presentes been ful roially yfet -- |
| 175 | This is to seyn, the swerd and the mirour -- |
| And born anon into the heighe tour |
| With certeine officers ordeyned therfore; |
| And unto Canacee this ryng is bore |
| Solempnely, ther she sit at the table. |
| 180 | But sikerly, withouten any fable, |
| The hors of bras, that may nat be remewed, |
| It stant as it were to the ground yglewed. |
| Ther may no man out of the place it dryve |
| For noon engyn of wyndas or polyve; |
| 185 | And cause why? For they kan nat the craft. |
| And therfore in the place they han it laft |
| Til that the knyght hath taught hem the manere |
| To voyden hym, as ye shal after heere. |
| Greet was the prees that swarmeth to and fro |
| 190 | To gauren on this hors that stondeth so, |
| For it so heigh was, and so brood and long, |
| So wel proporcioned for to been strong, |
| Right as it were a steede of Lumbardye; |
| Therwith so horsly, and so quyk of ye, |
| 195 | As it a gentil Poilleys courser were. |
| For certes, fro his tayl unto his ere |
| Nature ne art ne koude hym nat amende |
| In no degree, as al the people wende. |
| But everemoore hir mooste wonder was |
| 200 | How that it koude gon, and was of bras; |
| It was a fairye, as the peple semed. |
| Diverse folk diversely they demed; |
| As many heddes, as manye wittes ther been. |
| They murmureden as dooth a swarm of been, |
| 205 | And maden skiles after hir fantasies, |
| Rehersynge of thise olde poetries, |
| And seyden it was lyk the Pegasee, |
| The hors that hadde wynges for to flee; |
| Or elles it was the Grekes hors Synon, |
| 210 | That broghte Troie to destruccion, |
| As men in thise olde geestes rede. |
| "Myn herte," quod oon, "is everemoore in drede; |
| I trowe som men of armes been therinne, |
| That shapen hem this citee for to wynne. |
| 215 | It were right good that al swich thyng were knowe." |
| Another rowned to his felawe lowe, |
| And seyde, "He lyeth, for it is rather lyk |
| An apparence ymaad by som magyk, |
| As jogelours pleyen at thise feestes grete." |
| 220 | Of sondry doutes thus they jangle and trete, |
| As lewed peple demeth comunly |
| Of thynges that been maad moore subtilly |
| Than they kan in hir lewednesse comprehende; |
| They demen gladly to the badder ende. |
| 225 | And somme of hem wondred on the mirour, |
| That born was up into the maister-tour, |
| Hou men myghte in it swiche thynges se. |
| Another answerde and seyde it myghte wel be |
| Naturelly, by composiciouns |
| 230 | Of anglis and of slye reflexiouns, |
| And seyde that in Rome was swich oon. |
| They speken of Alocen, and Vitulon, |
| And Aristotle, that writen in hir lyves |
| Of queynte mirours and of perspectives, |
| 235 | As knowen they that han hir bookes herd. |
| And oother folk han wondred on the swerd |
| That wolde percen thurghout every thyng, |
| And fille in speche of Thelophus the kyng, |
| And of Achilles with his queynte spere, |
| 240 | For he koude with it bothe heele and dere, |
| Right in swich wise as men may with the swerd |
| Of which right now ye han youreselven herd. |
| They speken of sondry hardyng of metal, |
| And speke of medicynes therwithal, |
| 245 | And how and whanne it sholde yharded be, |
| Which is unknowe, algates unto me. |
| Tho speeke they of Canacees ryng, |
| And seyden alle that swich a wonder thyng |
| Of craft of rynges herde they nevere noon, |
| 250 | Save that he Moyses and kyng Salomon |
| Hadde a name of konnyng in swich art. |
| Thus seyn the peple and drawen hem apart. |
| But nathelees somme seiden that it was |
| Wonder to maken of fern-asshen glas, |
| 255 | And yet nys glas nat lyk asshen of fern; |
| But, for they han yknowen it so fern, |
| Therfore cesseth hir janglyng and hir wonder. |
| As soore wondren somme on cause of thonder, |
| On ebbe, on flood, on gossomer, and on myst, |
| 260 | And alle thyng, til that the cause is wyst. |
| Thus jangle they, and demen, and devyse |
| Til that the kyng gan fro the bord aryse. |
| Phebus hath laft the angle meridional, |
| And yet ascendynge was the beest roial, |
| 265 | The gentil Leon, with his Aldiran, |
| Whan that this Tartre kyng, Cambyuskan, |
| Roos fro his bord, ther as he sat ful hye. |
| Toforn hym gooth the loude mynstralcye |
| Til he cam to his chambre of parementz, |
| 270 | Ther as they sownen diverse instrumentz |
| That it is lyk an hevene for to heere. |
| Now dauncen lusty Venus children deere, |
| For in the Fyssh hir lady sat ful hye, |
| And looketh on hem with a freendly ye. |
| 275 | This noble kyng is set upon his trone. |
| This strange knyght is fet to hym ful soone, |
| And on the daunce he gooth with Canacee. |
| Heere is the revel and the jolitee |
| That is nat able a dul man to devyse. |
| 280 | He moste han knowen love and his servyse |
| And been a feestlych man as fressh as May, |
| That sholde yow devysen swich array. |
| Who koude telle yow the forme of daunces |
| So unkouthe, and swiche fresshe contenaunces, |
| 285 | Swich subtil lookyng and dissymulynges |
| For drede of jalouse mennes aperceyvynges? |
| No man but Launcelot, and he is deed. |
| Therfore I passe of al this lustiheed; |
| I sey namoore, but in this jolynesse |
| 290 | I lete hem til men to the soper dresse. |
| The styward bit the spices for to hye, |
| And eek the wyn, in al this melodye. |
| The usshers and the squiers been ygoon, |
| The spices and the wyn is come anoon. |
| 295 | They ete and drynke, and whan this hadde an ende, |
| Unto the temple, as reson was, they wende. |
| The service doon, they soupen al by day. |
| What nedeth yow rehercen hire array? |
| Ech man woot wel that a kynges feeste |
| 300 | Hath plentee to the meeste and to the leeste, |
| And deyntees mo than been in my knowyng. |
| At after-soper gooth this noble kyng |
| To seen this hors of bras, with al a route |
| Of lordes and of ladyes hym aboute. |
| 305 | Swich wondryng was ther on this hors of bras |
| That syn the grete sege of Troie was, |
| Theras men wondreden on an hors also, |
| Ne was ther swich a wondryng as was tho. |
| But fynally the kyng axeth this knyght |
| 310 | The vertu of this courser and the myght, |
| And preyde hym to telle his governaunce. |
| This hors anoon bigan to trippe and daunce, |
| Whan that this knyght leyde hand upon his reyne, |
| And seyde, "Sire, ther is namoore to seyne, |
| 315 | But, whan yow list to ryden anywhere, |
| Ye mooten trille a pyn, stant in his ere, |
| Which I shal yow telle bitwix us two. |
| Ye moote nempne hym to what place also, |
| Or to what contree, that yow list to ryde. |
| 320 | And whan ye come ther as yow list abyde, |
| Bidde hym descende, and trille another pyn, |
| For therin lith th' effect of al the gyn, |
| And he wol doun descende and doon youre wille, |
| And in that place he wol abyde stille. |
| 325 | Though al the world the contrarie hadde yswore, |
| He shal nat thennes been ydrawe ne ybore. |
| Or, if yow liste bidde hym thennes goon, |
| Trille this pyn, and he wol vanysshe anoon |
| Out of the sighte of every maner wight, |
| 330 | And come agayn, be it by day or nyght, |
| Whan that yow list to clepen hym ageyn |
| In swich a gyse as I shal to yow seyn |
| Bitwixe yow and me, and that ful soone. |
| Ride whan yow list; ther is namoore to doone." |
| 335 | Enformed whan the kyng was of that knyght, |
| And hath conceyved in his wit aright |
| The manere and the forme of al this thyng, |
| Ful glad and blithe, this noble doughty kyng |
| Repeireth to his revel as biforn. |
| 340 | The brydel is unto the tour yborn |
| And kept among his jueles leeve and deere. |
| The hors vanysshed, I noot in what manere, |
| Out of hir sighte; ye gete namoore of me. |
| But thus I lete in lust and jolitee |
| 345 | This Cambyuskan his lordes festeiynge |
| Til wel ny the day bigan to sprynge. |
| |
| |
| The norice of digestioun, the sleep, |
| Gan on hem wynke and bad hem taken keep |
| That muchel drynke and labour wolde han reste; |
| 350 | And with a galpyng mouth hem alle he keste, |
| And seyde that it was tyme to lye adoun, |
| For blood was in his domynacioun. |
| "Cherisseth blood, natures freend," quod he. |
| They thanken hym galpynge, by two, by thre, |
| 355 | And every wight gan drawe hym to his reste, |
| As sleep hem bad; they tooke it for the beste. |
| Hire dremes shul nat now been toold for me; |
| Ful were hire heddes of fumositee, |
| That causeth dreem of which ther nys no charge. |
| 360 | They slepen til that it was pryme large, |
| The mooste part, but it were Canacee. |
| She was ful mesurable, as wommen be; |
| For of hir fader hadde she take leve |
| To goon to reste soone after it was eve. |
| 365 | Hir liste nat appalled for to be, |
| Ne on the morwe unfeestlich for to se, |
| And slepte hire firste sleep, and thanne awook. |
| For swich a joye she in hir herte took |
| Bothe of hir queynte ryng and hire mirour, |
| 370 | That twenty tyme she changed hir colour; |
| And in hire sleep, right for impressioun |
| Of hire mirour, she hadde a visioun. |
| Wherfore, er that the sonne gan up glyde, |
| She cleped on hir maistresse hire bisyde, |
| 375 | And seyde that hire liste for to ryse. |
| Thise olde wommen that been gladly wyse, |
| As is hire maistresse, answerde hire anon, |
| And seyde, "Madame, whider wil ye goon |
| Thus erly, for the folk been alle on reste?" |
| 380 | "I wol," quod she, "arise, for me leste |
| Ne lenger for to slepe, and walke aboute." |
| Hire maistresse clepeth wommen a greet route, |
| And up they rysen, wel a ten or twelve; |
| Up riseth fresshe Canacee hireselve, |
| 385 | As rody and bright as dooth the yonge sonne, |
| That in the Ram is foure degrees up ronne -- |
| Noon hyer was he whan she redy was -- |
| And forth she walketh esily a pas, |
| Arrayed after the lusty seson soote |
| 390 | Lightly, for to pleye and walke on foote, |
| Nat but with fyve or sixe of hir meynee; |
| And in a trench forth in the park gooth she. |
| The vapour which that fro the erthe glood |
| Made the sonne to seme rody and brood; |
| 395 | But nathelees it was so fair a sighte |
| That it made alle hire hertes for to lighte, |
| What for the seson and the morwenynge, |
| And for the foweles that she herde synge. |
| For right anon she wiste what they mente |
| 400 | Right by hir song, and knew al hire entente. |
| The knotte why that every tale is toold, |
| If it be taried til that lust be coold |
| Of hem that han it after herkned yoore, |
| The savour passeth ever lenger the moore, |
| 405 | For fulsomnesse of his prolixitee; |
| And by the same resoun, thynketh me, |
| I sholde to the knotte condescende, |
| And maken of hir walkyng soone an ende. |
| Amydde a tree, for drye as whit as chalk, |
| 410 | As Canacee was pleyyng in hir walk, |
| Ther sat a faucon over hire heed ful hye, |
| That with a pitous voys so gan to crye |
| That all the wode resouned of hire cry. |
| Ybeten hadde she hirself so pitously |
| 415 | With bothe hir wynges til the rede blood |
| Ran endelong the tree ther-as she stood. |
| And evere in oon she cryde alwey and shrighte, |
| And with hir beek hirselven so she prighte |
| That ther nys tygre, ne noon so crueel beest |
| 420 | That dwelleth outher in wode or in forest, |
| That nolde han wept, if that he wepe koude, |
| For sorwe of hire, she shrighte alwey so loude. |
| For ther nas nevere yet no man on lyve, |
| If that I koude a faucon wel discryve, |
| 425 | That herde of swich another of fairnesse, |
| As wel of plumage as of gentillesse |
| Of shap, of al that myghte yrekened be. |
| A faucon peregryn thanne semed she |
| Of fremde land; and everemoore, as she stood, |
| 430 | She swowneth now and now for lak of blood, |
| Til wel neigh is she fallen fro the tree. |
| This faire kynges doghter, Canacee, |
| That on hir fynger baar the queynte ryng, |
| Thurgh which she understood wel every thyng |
| 435 | That any fowel may in his leden seyn, |
| And koude answeren hym in his ledene ageyn, |
| Hath understonde what this faucon seyde, |
| And wel neigh for the routhe almoost she deyde. |
| And to the tree she gooth ful hastily, |
| 440 | And on this faukon looketh pitously, |
| And heeld hir lappe abrood, for wel she wiste |
| The faukon moste fallen fro the twiste, |
| Whan that it swowned next, for lak of blood. |
| A longe whil to wayten hire she stood |
| 445 | Til atte laste she spak in this manere |
| Unto the hauk, as ye shal after heere: |
| "What is the cause, if it be for to telle, |
| That ye be in this furial pyne of helle?" |
| Quod Canacee unto this hauk above. |
| 450 | "Is this for sorwe of deeth or los of love? |
| For, as I trowe, thise been causes two |
| That causen moost a gentil herte wo; |
| Of oother harm it nedeth nat to speke. |
| For ye youreself upon yourself yow wreke, |
| 455 | Which proveth wel that outher ire or drede |
| Moot been enchesoun of youre cruel dede, |
| Syn that I see noon oother wight yow chace. |
| For love of God, as dooth youreselven grace, |
| Or what may been youre help? For west nor est |
| 460 | Ne saugh I nevere er now no bryd ne beest |
| That ferde with hymself so pitously. |
| Ye sle me with youre sorwe verraily, |
| I have of yow so greet compassioun. |
| For Goddes love, com fro the tree adoun; |
| 465 | And as I am a kynges doghter trewe, |
| If that I verraily the cause knewe |
| Of youre disese, if it lay in my myght, |
| I wolde amenden it er that it were nyght, |
| As wisly helpe me grete God of kynde! |
| 470 | And herbes shal I right ynowe yfynde |
| To heel with youre hurtes hastily." |
| Tho shrighte this faucon yet moore pitously |
| Than ever she dide, and fil to grounde anon, |
| And lith aswowne, deed and lyk a stoon, |
| 475 | Til Canacee hath in hire lappe hire take |
| Unto the tyme she gan of swough awake. |
| And after that she of hir swough gan breyde, |
| Right in hir haukes ledene thus she seyde: |
| "That pitee renneth soone in gentil herte, |
| 480 | Feelynge his similitude in peynes smerte, |
| Is preved alday, as men may it see, |
| As wel by werk as by auctoritee; |
| For gentil herte kitheth gentillesse. |
| I se wel that ye han of my distresse |
| 485 | Compassion, my faire Canacee, |
| Of verray wommanly benignytee |
| That Nature in youre principles hath set. |
| But for noon hope for to fare the bet, |
| But for to obeye unto youre herte free, |
| 490 | And for to maken othere be war by me, |
| As by the whelp chasted is the leon, |
| Right for that cause and that conclusion, |
| Whil that I have a leyser and a space, |
| Myn harm I wol confessen er I pace." |
| 495 | And evere, whil that oon hir sorwe tolde, |
| That oother weep as she to water wolde |
| Til that the faucon bad hire to be stille, |
| And, with a syk, right thus she seyde hir wille: |
| "Ther I was bred -- allas, that ilke day! -- |
| 500 | And fostred in a roche of marbul gray |
| So tendrely that no thyng eyled me, |
| I nyste nat what was adversitee |
| Til I koude flee ful hye under the sky. |
| Tho dwelte a tercelet me faste by, |
| 505 | That semed welle of alle gentillesse; |
| Al were he ful of treson and falsnesse, |
| It was so wrapped under humble cheere, |
| And under hewe of trouthe in swich manere, |
| Under plesance, and under bisy peyne, |
| 510 | That no wight koude han wend he koude feyne, |
| So depe in greyn he dyed his coloures. |
| Right as a serpent hit hym under floures |
| Til he may seen his tyme for to byte, |
| Right so this god of loves ypocryte |
| 515 | Dooth so his cerymonyes and obeisaunces, |
| And kepeth in semblaunt alle his observaunces |
| That sownen into gentillesse of love. |
| As in a toumbe is al the faire above, |
| And under is the corps, swich as ye woot, |
| 520 | Swich was this ypocrite, bothe coold and hoot. |
| And in this wise he served his entente |
| That, save the feend, noon wiste what he mente, |
| Til he so longe hadde wopen and compleyned, |
| And many a yeer his service to me feyned, |
| 525 | Til that myn herte, to pitous and to nyce, |
| Al innocent of his crouned malice, |
| Forfered of his deeth, as thoughte me, |
| Upon his othes and his seuretee, |
| Graunted hym love, upon this condicioun, |
| 530 | That everemoore myn honour and renoun |
| Were saved, bothe privee and apert; |
| This is to seyn, that after his desert, |
| I yaf hym al myn herte and al my thoght -- |
| God woot and he, that ootherwise noght -- |
| 535 | And took his herte in chaunge of myn for ay. |
| But sooth is seyd, goon sithen many a day, |
| `A trewe wight and a theef thenken nat oon.' |
| And whan he saugh the thyng so fer ygoon |
| That I hadde graunted hym fully my love |
| 540 | In swich a gyse as I have seyd above, |
| And yeven hym my trewe herte as free |
| As he swoor he yaf his herte to me, |
| Anon this tigre, ful of doublenesse, |
| Fil on his knees with so devout humblesse, |
| 545 | With so heigh reverence, and, as by his cheere, |
| So lyk a gentil lovere of manere, |
| So ravysshed, as it semed, for the joye |
| That nevere Jason ne Parys of Troye -- |
| Jason? certes, ne noon oother man |
| 550 | Syn Lameth was, that alderfirst bigan |
| To loven two, as writen folk biforn -- |
| Ne nevere, syn the firste man was born, |
| Ne koude man, by twenty thousand part, |
| Countrefete the sophymes of his art, |
| 555 | Ne were worthy unbokelen his galoche, |
| Ther doublenesse or feynyng sholde approche, |
| Ne so koude thonke a wight as he dide me! |
| His manere was an hevene for to see |
| Til any womman, were she never so wys, |
| 560 | So peynted he and kembde at point-devys |
| As wel his wordes as his contenaunce. |
| And I so loved hym for his obeisaunce, |
| And for the trouthe I demed in his herte, |
| That if so were that any thyng hym smerte, |
| 565 | Al were it never so lite, and I it wiste, |
| Me thoughte I felte deeth myn herte twiste. |
| And shortly, so ferforth this thyng is went |
| That my wyl was his willes instrument; |
| This is to seyn, my wyl obeyed his wyl |
| 570 | In alle thyng, as fer as reson fil, |
| Kepynge the boundes of my worshipe evere. |
| Ne nevere hadde I thyng so lief, ne levere, |
| As hym, God woot, ne nevere shal namo. |
| "This laste lenger than a yeer or two, |
| 575 | That I supposed of hym noght but good. |
| But finally, thus atte laste it stood, |
| That Fortune wolde that he moste twynne |
| Out of that place which that I was inne. |
| Wher me was wo, that is no questioun; |
| 580 | I kan nat make of it discripsioun. |
| For o thyng dar I tellen boldely: |
| I knowe what is the peyne of deeth therby; |
| Swich harm I felte for he ne myghte bileve. |
| So on a day of me he took his leve, |
| 585 | So sorwefully eek that I wende verraily |
| That he had felt as muche harm as I, |
| Whan that I herde hym speke and saugh his hewe. |
| But nathelees, I thoughte he was so trewe, |
| And eek that he repaire sholde ageyn |
| 590 | Withinne a litel while, sooth to seyn; |
| And resoun wolde eek that he moste go |
| For his honour, as ofte it happeth so, |
| That I made vertu of necessitee, |
| And took it wel, syn that it moste be. |
| 595 | As I best myghte, I hidde fro hym my sorwe, |
| And took hym by the hond, Seint John to borwe, |
| And seyde hym thus: `Lo, I am youres al; |
| Beth swich as I to yow have been and shal.' |
| What he answerde, it nedeth noght reherce; |
| 600 | Who kan sey bet than he, who kan do werse? |
| Whan he hath al wel seyd, thanne hath he doon. |
| `Therfore bihoveth hire a ful long spoon |
| That shal ete with a feend,' thus herde I seye. |
| So atte laste he moste forth his weye, |
| 605 | And forth he fleeth til he cam ther hym leste. |
| Whan it cam hym to purpos for to reste, |
| I trowe he hadde thilke text in mynde, |
| That `alle thyng, repeirynge to his kynde, |
| Gladeth hymself;' thus seyn men, as I gesse. |
| 610 | Men loven of propre kynde newefangelnesse, |
| As briddes doon that men in cages fede. |
| For though thou nyght and day take of hem hede, |
| And strawe hir cage faire and softe as silk, |
| And yeve hem sugre, hony, breed and milk, |
| 615 | Yet right anon as that his dore is uppe |
| He with his feet wol spurne adoun his cuppe, |
| And to the wode he wole and wormes ete; |
| So newefangel been they of hire mete, |
| And loven novelries of propre kynde, |
| 620 | No gentillesse of blood ne may hem bynde. |
| "So ferde this tercelet, allas the day! |
| Though he were gentil born, and fressh and gay, |
| And goodlich for to seen, and humble and free, |
| He saugh upon a tyme a kyte flee, |
| 625 | And sodeynly he loved this kyte so |
| That al his love is clene fro me ago, |
| And hath his trouthe falsed in this wyse. |
| Thus hath the kyte my love in hire servyse, |
| And I am lorn withouten remedie!" |
| 630 | And with that word this faucon gan to crie |
| And swowned eft in Canacees barm. |
| Greet was the sorwe for the haukes harm |
| That Canacee and alle hir wommen made; |
| They nyste hou they myghte the faucon glade. |
| 635 | But Canacee hom bereth hire in hir lappe, |
| And softely in plastres gan hire wrappe, |
| Ther as she with hire beek hadde hurt hirselve. |
| Now kan nat Canacee but herbes delve |
| Out of the ground, and make salves newe |
| 640 | Of herbes preciouse and fyne of hewe |
| To heelen with this hauk. Fro day to nyght |
| She dooth hire bisynesse and al hire myght, |
| And by hire beddes heed she made a mewe |
| And covered it with veluettes blewe, |
| 645 | In signe of trouthe that is in wommen sene. |
| And al withoute, the mewe is peynted grene, |
| In which were peynted alle thise false fowles, |
| As ben thise tidyves, tercelettes, and owles; |
| Right for despit were peynted hem bisyde, |
| 650 | Pyes, on hem for to crie and chyde. |
| Thus lete I Canacee hir hauk kepyng; |
| I wol namoore as now speke of hir ryng |
| Til it come eft to purpos for to seyn |
| How that this faucon gat hire love ageyn |
| 655 | Repentant, as the storie telleth us, |
| By mediacion of Cambalus, |
| The kynges sone, of which I yow tolde. |
| But hennesforth I wol my proces holde |
| To speken of aventures and of batailles |
| 660 | That nevere yet was herd so grete mervailles. |
| First wol I telle yow of Cambyuskan, |
| That in his tyme many a citee wan; |
| And after wol I speke of Algarsif, |
| How that he wan Theodora to his wif, |
| 665 | For whom ful ofte in greet peril he was, |
| Ne hadde he ben holpen by the steede of bras; |
| And after wol I speke of Cambalo, |
| That faught in lystes with the bretheren two |
| For Canacee er that he myghte hire wynne. |
| 670 | And ther I lefte I wol ayeyn bigynne. |
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