The Knight's Tale
Folio 25r
12 of 54 folios
Wiþ al þe Gardyne & þe lustinesse
Nat was forȝete þe porter ydelnese
Ne Narcisus þe faire of ȝore agone
Ne þe foly of kinge salamon
1085
Ne ȝitte þe grete strenke of hercules
Thenchauntementez of Medea & Circes
Ne of Turnus wiþ þe hardy fiers corage
The Riche Crisus Caitif in seruage
Thus maie ȝe seen þat wisdome ne richesse
1090
Beute ne strengeþe ne sleiht ne hardinesse
Ne maie wiþ venus halde Champartie
For as sche liste þe werlde þan maie sche gye .
Lo al þis folke so kauht were in hire lace
Til þei ful woo ful oft seide Alace
1095
Suffiseþe here ensamples one or two
And þouhe .I. couþe rekken a þousand mo
The Statue of venus glorious for to see
Was made fleteynge in þe large see
And fro þe nauel doune al couerd was
1100
Wiþ wawes grene & briht as any glas
A Citole in hire Rihte honde had sche
And on hir hede ful semely for to see
A rose garland frische & wele smellinge
Aboue hire hede here doufes flikeringe
1105
Be forne hir stode hir sōne Cupido
Vpon his scholderes wenges had he tuo
And blinde he was as it is oft sene
A bowe he bare & arwes briht & kene
¶ Whi schold .I. nouht also wele eke tel þe haƚƚ
1110
The purtratoure þat was vpon þe waƚƚ
Wiþ inne þe temple of myhti mars þe rede
Al peinted was þe wal in len gethe & brede
Like to þe estres of þe grisely place
That hihte þe grete temple of mars in trace
1115
In þilke colde frosti Regioū
Ther as Marce haþe his souereine Mansion
Firste on þe wal was peinted a forest
In whiche þere dwelled neyþer man ne beste
W knotty knarry baran tres olde
1120
Of stubbes scharpe & hidouse to be holde
In whiche per ran a rombel in a swouhe .
As pouhe a storme scholde berste euery bouhe