The Knight's Tale
Folio 22r
25 of 48 folios
Yclenched ouerthwart and endelong
With Iren tougħ / and for to make it strong
1135
Euery pyler the temple to sustene
Was tonne greet of Iren brigħt and shene
¶ Ther saugħ I first the dirke ymaginyng
Of felonye / and the compassyng
The crueel Ire / reed as any gleede
1140
The pykepurs / and the pale drede
The smyler / with the knyfes vnder the cloke
The shepne / brennynge / wt the blake smoke
The tresoū / of the mordrynge in the bedde
The open werre / wt woundes al bibledde
1145
Contek with blody knyf / and sharpe manace
Al ful of chirkyng . was that sory place
¶ The sleer of hym self / yet saugh I ther
His herte blood / hath bathed al his heer
The nayl ydryuen / in the shode a nygħt
1150
The colde deeth / with mouth gapyng vp rigħt
Amyddes of the temple / sat meschaunce
With disconfort and sory contenaunce
¶ Yet saugh I woodnesse / laughynge in his rage
Armed compleint out hees / and fiers outrage
1155
The careyne in the busk wt throte ycorue
A thousand slayn / and nat oon of qualm ystorue
The tiraunt with the pray by force yraft
The toun destroyed / ther was no thyng laft
¶ Yet saugh I brent the Shippes hoppesteres
1160
The hunte strangled / with the wilde beres
The sowe / freten the child rigħt in the Cradel
The Cook yscalded / for al his longe ladel
¶ Nogħt was foryeten / by the Infortune of Marte
The Cartere / ouer ryden with his Carte
1165
Vnder the wheel / ful lowe / he lay adoun
¶ Ther were also / of Martes diuisioun
The laborer / and the Bocher and the Smytħ
That forgeth sharpe swerdes / on his Styth
¶ And al aboue / depeynted in a tour
1170
Saugħ I Conquest sittynge in greet honour
With the sharpe swerd / ouer his heed
Hangynge / by a soutil twynes threed
¶ Depeynted was / the slaughtre of Iulius
Of grete Nero / and of Antonius
1175
Al be þt thilke tyme / they were vnborn
Yet was hir deth / depeynted ther biforn
By manasynge of Mars / rigħt by figure
So was it shewed in that portreiture
As is depeynted / in the Certres aboue
1180
Who shal be slayn / or elles deed for loue