The Knight's Tale
Folio 28v
14 of 58 folios
The bataille to darreyne / as I yow tolde
1240
And til Atthenes / hir couenant for to holde
Hath euerich of hem / broght a hundred knyghtes
Wel armed for the werre / at alle rightes
And sikerly / ther trowed many a man
That neuere sithen / þt the world bigan
1245
As for to speke / of knyghthod of hir hond
As fer / as god hath maked see and lond
Nas of so fewe / so noble a compaignye
For euery wight þt loued chiualrye
And wolde his thankes / han a passant name
1250
Hath prayd / that he myghte been of that game
And wel was hym / þt ther to chosen was
For if ther fille / tomorwe swich a cas
Ye knowen wel / þt euery lusty knyght /
That loueth paramours / and hath his myght
1255
Were it in Engelond / or ellis where
They wolde hir thankes / wilnen to be there
To fighten for a lady / benedicitee
It were a lusty sighte / for to see
¶ And right so / ferden they with Palamon
1260
With hym ther wenten / knyghtes many oon
Som wol ben armed / in an haubergeou
And in a Brestplate / and in a light gypou
And som wol haue / a peire plates large
And som wol haue / a Pruce sheeld / or a targe
1265
Som wol been armed / on his legges weel
And haue an Ax / and som a Maas of steel
Ther nys no newe gyse / þt it nas oold
Armed were they / as I haue yow toold
Euerich / after his opinyou
1270
¶ Ther maystow seen / comynge with Palamou
Lygurge hym self the grete kyng of Trace
Blak was his beerd / and manly was his face
The cercles of his eyen / in his heed
They gloweden / bitwixen yelow and reed
1275
And lyk a griffou / loked he aboute
With keempe herys / on his browes stoute
His lymes grete / his brawnes / harde and stronge
Hys shuldres brode / hise armes rounde and longe