The Knight's Tale
Folio 23r
27 of 48 folios
Wel koude he peynten lifly / that it wrogħte ~
1230
With many a floryn / he the hewes bogħte
NOw been the lystes maad / and Theseus
That at his grete cost / arrayed thus
The temples / and the Theatre euery deel
Whan it was doon / hym lyked wonder weel
1235
But stynte I wole / of Theseus alite
And speke / of Palamon / and of Arcite
¶ The day approcheth / of hir retornynge
That euerich / sholde an hundred knygħtes brynge
The bataille to darreyne / as I yow tolde
1240
And til Atthenes / hir couenantz for to holde
Hath euerich of hem / brogħt an hundred knygħtes
Wel armed for the werre / at alle rigħtes
And sikerly / ther trowed many a many
That neuere sithen / that the world bigan
1245
As for to speke / of knygħthod of hir hond
As fer / as god hath maked see or lond
Nas of so fewe / so noble a compaignye
For euery wigħt that louede chiualrye
And wolde his thankes / han a passant name
1250
Hath preyd / þt he myghte been of that game
And wel was hym / that therto chosen was
For if ther fille tomorwe swich a cas
Ye knowen wel / þt euery lusty knygħt
That loueth paramours / and hath his mygħt
1255
Were it in Engelond / or elles where
They wolde hir thankes / wilnen to be there
To figħte for a lady / benedicitee
It were a lusty sigħte / for to see
¶ And rigħt so ferden they wt Palamou
1260
W hym / ther wenten knyghtes many on
Som wol ben armed in an haubergeou
And in bristplate / and in a ligħt gypou
And sōme woln haue / a paire plates large
And sōme woln haue / a Pruce sheeld / or a targe
1265
Sōme woln ben armed / on hir legges weel
And haue an Ax / and sōme a Mace of steel
Ther is no newe gyse / that it nas old
Armed were they / as I haue yow told
Euerych / after his opinioū
1270
Ther maistow seen / comynge wt Palamon
Lygurge hym self the grete kyng of Trace
Blak was his berd / and manly was his face
The cercles / of hise eyen in his heed
They gloweden / bitwixen yelow and reed
1275
And lik a grifphon / looked he aboute
With kempe heeris / on hise browes stoute