The Knight's Tale
Folio 26r
10 of 54 folios
1165
Vnder þe whele ful lowe he laie a doune
There were also of Martes diuisiōne
The barboure & þe bocher & þe smithe
That forgeþ scharpe swerdes on his stiþe
And al aboue depeinted in a toure
1170
Sauhe .I. conqueste sit in grete honoure
Wiþ þe scharpe swerde ouere his hede
Hangeinge be a subtile twine þrede
Depeinted was þe slawhter of Iulius
Of grete Nero and of Anthonius
1175
Al beþat ilke time þei weren vnborne
Ȝite was þeire deþe depainted þere be forne
Be manassinge of Mars riht be figure
So was it schewde in þat purtrature .
As is depeinted in þe sertres a boue
1180
Who schal be sleine or elles dede for loue
Suffiseth oone ensample in stories oolde
.I. maie nouht reken hem al þouhe þat .I. wolde
¶ The statue of Mars vpon a Carte stode
Armed & loked grime as he war wode
1185
And ouere his heuede þere schines two figures
Of sterre þat bene closed in scriptures
Þat on puella þat oþer Rubeus
This god of armes was arraide þus
A wolfe þere stode be for him att his fete
1190
Wiþ yȝen reede & of a man he ete
Wiþþe sotel pensel was depeinted þis storie
In redouteinge of Mars & of his glorie .
¶ Nowe to þe temple of Diane þe chast
As schortli as .I. can .I. wil me haste
1195
To teƚƚ ȝowe al þe descripciōne
Depeinted bene þe walles vp & doune
Of huntynge & of schamfast chastite
There sauhe .I. howe woful Caliste
Whan þat Diane was agreued wiþe here
1200
Was turne fro a wōman to a bere
And after was sche maade þe lode sterre
Thus was sche peinted .I. can sei ȝowe no ferre .
Hir sone is eke a sterre as men maie see
Thar sawhe Dane turned til a tree
1205
.I. mene nouht þe goddes Diane
Bot Penneus douhter whiche þat hiht Dane .