The Knight's Tale
Folio 15v
17 of 42 folios
That euerych sholde an hundred knyghtes bringe
The bataille to darrayne as I ȝow tolde
1240
And til atthenes hir couenant for to holde
Hath euerych of hem brought an hundred knyghtes
Wel armed for the werre at al ryghtes
And sykerly there trowed many a man
That neuer sythen that the worlde bygan
1245
As for to speken of knyght hode of hir hond
As fer as god hath maked see and lond
Nas of so few so noble a compaignye
For euery wyght that loued chiualrye
And wold his thankes han a passant name
1250
Hath preyde that he myght ben of that game
And wel was him that ther to chosen was
For yif ther fel to morwe swich a cas
Ye knowen wel that euery lusty knyght
That loueth paramoures and hath his myght
1255
Were it in Englond or elles where
Thei wold hir thankes wylnen to be there
To fyght for a lady benedicite
It were a lusty sight for to se
¶ And ryght so ferden thei wyth palamon
1260
Wyth him ther wenten knyghtes many on
Som wol ben armed in a haburgoū
And Som in a brestplate and in a light gipoun
And som wol haue a paire plates large
And som wol haue a pruce sheeld or a targe
1265
Som wol ben armed in his legges wele
And haue an ax and som a mace of steele
Ther nys no new gyse that it nys old
Armed thei were as I haue yow told
Euerych aftyr his oppynyoun
1270
Ther maistow seen comyng wyth palamoun
Lygurge him selfe the grete kyng of trace
Blak was his berd and manly was his face
The cercles of his eyen in his hed
The glouden bytwixen yelew and red
1275
And lyk a gryffon loked he a boute
Wyth kempe heres on his browes stoute