Canterbury Tales (Middle English) — The Squier's Prologue and Tale and Words of the Frankelin
[THE SQUIRE’S PROLOGUE.
] ‘Squier, com neer, if it your wille be, And sey somwhat of love; for, certes, ye Connen ther-on as muche as any man.
’ ‘Nay, sir,’ quod he, ‘but I wol seye as I can With hertly wille; for I wol nat rebelle 5 Agayn your lust; a tale wol I telle.
Have me excused if I speke amis, My wil is good; and lo, my tale is this.
=Here biginneth the Squieres Tale.
= At Sarray, in the land of Tartarye, (1) Ther dwelte a king, that werreyed Russye, 10 Thurgh which ther deyde many a doughty man.
This noble king was cleped Cambinskan, Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun That ther nas no-wher in no regioun So excellent a lord in alle thing; 15 Him lakked noght that longeth to a king.
As of the secte of which that he was born He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn; (10) And ther-to be was hardy, wys, and riche, Pitous and Iust, and ever-more y-liche 20 [462: T.
10335-10371. ] Sooth of his word, benigne and honurable, Of his corage as any centre stable;
Yong, fresh, and strong, in armes desirous As any bacheler of al his hous.
A fair persone he was and fortunat, 25 And kepte alwey so wel royal estat, That ther was nowher swich another man.
This noble king, this Tartre Cambinskan (20) Hadde two sones on Elpheta his wyf, Of whiche the eldeste highte Algarsyf, 30 That other sone was cleped Cambalo.
A doghter hadde this worthy king also, That yongest was, and highte Canacee.
But for to telle yow al hir beautee, It lyth nat in my tonge, nin my conning; 35 I dar nat undertake so heigh a thing.
Myn English eek is insufficient;
It moste been a rethor excellent, (30) That coude his colours longing for that art, If he sholde hir discryven every part.
40 I am non swich, I moot speke as I can.
HEADING (_after_ l. 8).
_So_ E. Hn.
Pt.
Hl.
20. Hn.
Pietous and Iust and euere moore yliche; E. Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
And pitous and Iust alwey yliche (_with first syllable deficient_).
23. and strong] E. strong and.
35. nin] Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
ne in; Hl.
ne.
38. E.
I moste, _miswritten_; Hl.
He moste; _rest_ It moste.
And so bifel that, whan this Cambinskan Hath twenty winter born his diademe, As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme, He leet the feste of his nativitee 45 Don cryen thurghout Sarray his citee, The last Idus of March, after the yeer.
Phebus the sonne ful Iory was and cleer; (40) For he was neigh his exaltacioun In Martes face, and in his mansioun 50 In Aries, the colerik hote signe.
Ful lusty was the weder and benigne, For which the foules, agayn the sonne shene, What for the seson and the yonge grene, Ful loude songen hir affecciouns; 55 Him semed han geten hem protecciouns Agayn the swerd of winter kene and cold.
46. Hn.
thurghout; _rest_ thurgh.
53. E.
Hn.
foweles.
[463: T.
10372-10408. ] This Cambinskan, of which I have yow told, (50) In royal vestiment sit on his deys, With diademe, ful heighe in his paleys, 60 And halt his feste, so solempne and so riche That in this world ne was ther noon it liche.
Of which if I shal tellen al tharray, Than wolde it occupye a someres day;
And eek it nedeth nat for to devyse 65 At every cours the ordre of hir servyse.
I wol nat tellen of hir strange sewes, Ne of hir swannes, ne of hir heronsewes.
(60) Eek in that lond, as tellen knightes olde, Ther is som mete that is ful deyntee holde, 70 That in this lond men recche of it but smal;
Ther nis no man that may reporten al. I wol nat tarien yow, for it is pryme, And for it is no fruit but los of tyme;
Un-to my firste I wol have my recours.
75 62. E.
Hl.
_om.
_ ne.
68. E.
nor; _rest_ ne.
And so bifel that, after the thridde cours, Whyl that this king sit thus in his nobleye, Herkninge his minstralles hir thinges pleye (70) Biforn him at the bord deliciously, In at the halle-dore al sodeynly 80 Ther cam a knight up-on a stede of bras, And in his hand a brood mirour of glas.
Upon his thombe he hadde of gold a ring, And by his syde a naked swerd hanging;
And up he rydeth to the heighe bord.
85 In al the halle ne was ther spoke a word For merveille of this knight; him to biholde Ful bisily ther wayten yonge and olde.
(80) 78. E.
Hn.
mynstrals.
86. E.
spoken; Cm.
spokyn; _rest_ spoke.
This strange knight, that cam thus sodeynly, Al armed save his heed ful richely, 90 Saluëth king and queen, and lordes alle, By ordre, as they seten in the halle, With so heigh reverence and obeisaunce As wel in speche as in contenaunce, [464: T.
10409-10444. ] That Gawain, with his olde curteisye, 95 Though he were come ageyn out of Fairye, Ne coude him nat amende with a word.
And after this, biforn the heighe bord, (90) He with a manly voys seith his message, After the forme used in his langage, 100 With-outen vyce of sillable or of lettre;
And, for his tale sholde seme the bettre, Accordant to his wordes was his chere, As techeth art of speche hem that it lere;
Al-be-it that I can nat soune his style, 105 Ne can nat climben over so heigh a style, Yet seye I this, as to commune entente, Thus muche amounteth al that ever he mente, (100) If it so be that I have it in minde.
91. E.
Saleweth; Hn.
Cm.
Salueth; _rest_ salued.
96. E.
Cm.
comen.
105. Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
it; E. Hn.
Cm.
_omit_.
He seyde, ‘the king of Arabie and of Inde, 110 My lige lord, on this solempne day Saluëth yow as he best can and may, And sendeth yow, in honour of your feste, By me, that am al redy at your heste, This stede of bras, that esily and wel 115 Can, in the space of o day naturel, This is to seyn, in foure and twenty houres, Wher-so yow list, in droghte or elles shoures, (110) Beren your body in-to every place To which your herte wilneth for to pace 120 With-outen wem of yow, thurgh foul or fair;
Or, if yow list to fleen as hye in the air As doth an egle, whan him list to sore, This same stede shal bere yow ever-more With-outen harm, til ye be ther yow leste, 125 Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste;
And turne ayeyn, with wrything of a pin.
He that it wroghte coude ful many a gin; (120) He wayted many a constellacioun Er he had doon this operacioun; 130 [465: T.
10445-10480. ] And knew ful many a seel and many a bond.
110. E.
Hn.
Arabe.
113, 114. E.
feeste, heeste.
115. E.
Hn.
weel.
116. E.
natureel.
123. E.
whan þat; _rest omit_ þat.
This mirour eek, that I have in myn hond, Hath swich a might, that men may in it see Whan ther shal fallen any adversitee Un-to your regne or to your-self also; 135 And openly who is your freend or foo.
And over al this, if any lady bright Hath set hir herte on any maner wight, (130) If he be fals, she shal his treson see, His newe love and al his subtiltee 140 So openly, that ther shal no-thing hyde.
Wherfor, ageyn this lusty someres tyde, This mirour and this ring, that ye may see, He hath sent to my lady Canacee, Your excellente doghter that is here.
145 138. E.
Pt.
in; _rest_ on.
144. E.
vn-to; Cm.
on-to; _rest_ to.
The vertu of the ring, if ye wol here, Is this; that, if hir lust it for to were Up-on hir thombe, or in hir purs it bere, (140) Ther is no foul that fleeth under the hevene That she ne shal wel understonde his stevene, 150 And knowe his mening openly and pleyn, And answere him in his langage ageyn.
And every gras that groweth up-on rote She shal eek knowe, and whom it wol do bote, Al be his woundes never so depe and wyde.
155 This naked swerd, that hangeth by my syde, Swich vertu hath, that what man so ye smyte, Thurgh-out his armure it wol kerve and byte, (150) Were it as thikke as is a branched ook;
And what man that is wounded with the strook 160 Shal never be hool til that yow list, of grace, To stroke him with the platte in thilke place Ther he is hurt: this is as muche to seyn, Ye mote with the platte swerd ageyn Stroke him in the wounde, and it wol close; 165 This is a verray sooth, with-outen glose, [466: T.
10481-10516. ] It failleth nat whyl it is in your hold.
’ 158. E.
wol hym; _rest omit_ hym.
160. E.
a; Cm.
that; _rest_ the.
162. Hn.
platte; _rest_ plat (see 164).
E.
Cm.
that; _rest_ thilke.
164. E.
Cm.
Pt.
plat; _rest_ platte.
165. E.
Cm.
Strike; _rest_ Stroke.
And whan this knight hath thus his tale told, (160) He rydeth out of halle, and doun he lighte.
His stede, which that shoon as sonne brighte, 170 Stant in the court, as stille as any stoon.
This knight is to his chambre lad anon, And is unarmed and to mete y-set.
171. Hl.
as stille; _rest om.
_ as.
173. E.
vn-to; _the rest_ to.
The presentes ben ful royally y-fet, This is to seyn, the swerd and the mirour, 175 And born anon in-to the heighe tour With certeine officers ordeyned therfore;
And un-to Canacee this ring was bore (170) Solempnely, ther she sit at the table.
But sikerly, with-outen any fable, 180 The hors of bras, that may nat be remewed, It stant as it were to the ground y-glewed.
Ther may no man out of the place it dryve For noon engyn of windas or polyve;
And cause why, for they can nat the craft.
185 And therefore in the place they han it laft Til that the knight hath taught hem the manere To voyden him, as ye shal after here.
(180) 178. E.
Cm.
this; _rest_ the.
184. E.
ne; _rest_ or.
Greet was the prees, that swarmeth to and fro, To gauren on this hors that stondeth so; 190 For it so heigh was, and so brood and long, So wel proporcioned for to ben strong, Right as it were a stede of Lumbardye;
Ther-with so horsly, and so quik of yë As it a gentil Poileys courser were.
195 For certes, fro his tayl un-to his ere, Nature ne art ne coude him nat amende In no degree, as al the peple wende.
(190) But evermore hir moste wonder was, How that it coude goon, and was of bras; 200 It was of Fairye, as the peple semed.
Diverse folk diversely they demed;
[467: T.
10517-10552. ] As many hedes, as many wittes ther been.
They murmureden as dooth a swarm of been, And maden skiles after hir fantasyes, 205 Rehersinge of thise olde poetryes, And seyden, it was lyk the Pegasee, The hors that hadde winges for to flee; (200) Or elles it was the Grekes hors Synon, That broghte Troye to destruccion, 210 As men may in thise olde gestes rede, ‘Myn herte,’ quod oon, ‘is evermore in drede;
I trowe som men of armes been ther-inne, That shapen hem this citee for to winne.
It were right good that al swich thing were knowe.
’ 215 Another rowned to his felawe lowe, And seyde, ‘he lyeth, it is rather lyk An apparence y-maad by som magyk, (210) As Iogelours pleyen at thise festes grete.
’ Of sondry doutes thus they Iangle and trete, 220 As lewed peple demeth comunly Of thinges that ben maad more subtilly Than they can in her lewednes comprehende;
They demen gladly to the badder ende.
189. Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
swarmed.
195. E.
Poilleys.
200. E.
go.
201. E.
Hn.
a; Cm.
as; _rest_ of.
E.
Cm.
al the; _rest omit_ al. 202. they] Hn.
Cp.
Pt.
han; Ln.
haue.
203. E.
heddes; Hn.
heuedes; Cp.
heedes; _rest_ hedes (hedis).
Hl.
_om.
_ ther.
206. thise] Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
the.
207. E.
that it; _rest omit_ that.
211. Hl.
may; _rest omit_.
217. E.
Cm.
it; _rest_ for it.
223. E.
lewednesse; Hl.
lewednes.
And somme of hem wondred on the mirour, 225 That born was up in-to the maister-tour, How men mighte in it swiche thinges see.
Another answerde, and seyde it mighte wel be (220) Naturelly, by composiciouns Of angles and of slye reflexiouns, 230 And seyden, that in Rome was swich oon.
They speken of Alocen and Vitulon, And Aristotle, that writen in hir lyves Of queynte mirours and of prospectyves, As knowen they that han hir bokes herd.
235 226. E.
hye; Cm.
hyghe; _rest_ maister.
And othere folk han wondred on the swerd That wolde percen thurgh-out every-thing;
And fille in speche of Thelophus the king, (230) [468: T.
10553-10587. ] And of Achilles with his queynte spere, For he coude with it bothe hele and dere, 240 Right in swich wyse as men may with the swerd Of which right now ye han your-selven herd.
They speken of sondry harding of metal, And speke of medicynes ther-with-al, And how, and whanne, it sholde y-harded be; 245 Which is unknowe algates unto me.
239. E.
Cm.
with; _rest_ for.
Tho speke they of Canaceës ring, And seyden alle, that swich a wonder thing (240) Of craft of ringes herde they never non, Save that he, Moyses, and king Salomon 250 Hadde a name of konning in swich art.
Thus seyn the peple, and drawen hem apart.
But nathelees, somme seyden that it was Wonder to maken of fern-asshen glas, And yet nis glas nat lyk asshen of fern; 255 But for they han y-knowen it so fern, Therfore cesseth her Iangling and her wonder.
As sore wondren somme on cause of thonder, (250) On ebbe, on flood, on gossomer, and on mist, And alle thing, til that the cause is wist.
260 Thus Iangle they and demen and devyse, Til that the king gan fro the bord aryse.
251. _All_ Hadde (Had).
256. Hl.
i-knowen; _rest_ knowen.
260. E.
Hl.
on alle; _rest om.
_ on.
262. E.
Hn.
the bord; _rest_ his bord.
Phebus hath laft the angle meridional, And yet ascending was the beest royal, The gentil Leon, with his Aldiran, 265 Whan that this Tartre king, this Cambynskan, Roos fro his bord, ther that he sat ful hye.
Toforn him gooth the loude minstralcye, (260) Til he cam to his chambre of parements, Ther as they sownen diverse instruments, 270 That it is lyk an heven for to here.
Now dauncen lusty Venus children dere, For in the Fish hir lady sat ful hye, [469: T.
10588-10623. ] And loketh on hem with a freendly yë.
265. Hn.
Aldiran; Hl.
adryan; _rest_ Aldrian.
266. Hl.
_repeats_ this; _rest omit 2nd_ this.
269, 270. E.
parementz, Instrumentz.
271. Hl.
Ln.
heuen; _rest_ heuene.
This noble king is set up in his trone.
275 This strange knight is fet to him ful sone, And on the daunce he gooth with Canacee.
Heer is the revel and the Iolitee (270) That is nat able a dul man to devyse.
He moste han knowen love and his servyse, 280 And been a festlich man as fresh as May, That sholde yow devysen swich array.
275. E.
Cm.
vp in; _rest_ vp on.
Who coude telle yow the forme of daunces, So uncouthe and so fresshe contenaunces, Swich subtil loking and dissimulinges 285 For drede of Ialouse mennes aperceyvinges?
No man but Launcelot, and he is deed.
Therefor I passe of al this lustiheed; (280) I seye na-more, but in this Iolynesse I lete hem, til men to the soper dresse.
290 288. E.
Hn.
of; _rest_ ouer.
The styward bit the spyces for to hye, And eek the wyn, in al this melodye.
The usshers and the squyers ben y-goon;
The spyces and the wyn is come anoon.
They ete and drinke; and whan this hadde an ende, 295 Un-to the temple, as reson was, they wende.
291. Hl.
the; _rest omit.
_ The service doon, they soupen al by day.
What nedeth yow rehercen hir array?
(290) Ech man wot wel, that at a kinges feeste Hath plentee, to the moste and to the leeste, 300 And deyntees mo than been in my knowing.
At-after soper gooth this noble king To seen this hors of bras, with al the route Of lordes and of ladyes him aboute.
298. E.
me; _the rest_ yow.
299. Hn.
Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
that at; E. Cm.
Hl.
_om.
_ at.
300. Hath (_so; for_ Is; _cf.
French _il y a. ) 303. E.
Cm.
the; Hl.
his; _rest_ a. Swich wondring was ther on this hors of bras 305 That, sin the grete sege of Troye was, Ther-as men wondreden on an hors also, Ne was ther swich a wondring as was tho.
(300) But fynally the king axeth this knight [470: T.
10624-10657. ] The vertu of this courser and the might, 310 And preyede him to telle his governaunce.
311. Cm.
preyede; Hn.
preyed; E. preyde.
This hors anoon bigan to trippe and daunce, Whan that this knight leyde hand up-on his reyne, And seyde, ‘sir, ther is na-more to seyne, But, whan yow list to ryden any-where, 315 Ye moten trille a pin, stant in his ere, Which I shall telle yow bitwix vs two.
Ye mote nempne him to what place also (310) Or to what contree that yow list to ryde.
And whan ye come ther as yow list abyde, 320 Bidde him descende, and trille another pin, For ther-in lyth the effect of al the gin, And he wol doun descende and doon your wille;
And in that place he wol abyde stille, Though al the world the contrarie hadde y-swore; 325 He shal nat thennes ben y-drawe ne y-bore.
Or, if yow liste bidde him thennes goon, Trille this pin, and he wol vanishe anoon (320) Out of the sighte of every maner wight, And come agayn, be it by day or night, 330 When that yow list to clepen him ageyn In swich a gyse as I shal to yow seyn Bitwixe yow and me, and that ful sone.
Ryde whan yow list, ther is na-more to done.
