The Knight's Tale
Folio 26v
9 of 54 folios
¶ Ther sawhe .I. Accheon an herte y maked
For veniaunce þat he sawhe Diane al nakede
.I. sawhe howe þat his hondes haþ him cauht
1210
And freten him for þat þei knewe him nauht
Ȝite y peinted was alitel forþermore
Howe Athalance hunted þe wilde bore
And Meliagre & mony an oþer moo
For whiche Diane wrouht care & woo
1215
There sawhe .I. many a noþer wondere storie
The whiche me luste nouht drawe to memorie
¶ This Goddes on an hert ful hihe sche seete
Wiþ smaƚƚ houndes al abouteþ her feete .
And vndere neþe hire feete sche had a mone
1220
Waxinge it was & scholde wany sone
In gaude grene hire statue cloþed was
Wiþ bowe in honde & arwes in a kas
Hir yhen kest sche ful lowe a doune
Thare pluto haþ his derke Regione
1225
A wōman trauaillinge was hire beforne
Bot for hire childe was so longe vnborne
Ful pitously Lucina gan sche caƚƚ
And seide helpe for þou maiste best of aƚƚ
Wele couþe he peinte lifly þat it wrouht
1230
Wiþ many a floren he þe hewes bouht
Nowe bene þes listes maade & Theseus
That att his grete cost arraide þus
The temples & þe Teatre euery dele
Whan it was done it liked him wondere wele
1235
Bot stinte .I. wiƚƚ of Theseus alite
And speke of Palamon & of Arcite
The daie approcheþ of hire retournynge
That eueryche schold an .C. knyhtes bringe .
The Bataile to darraine as .I. ȝowe tolde
1240
And til Athenes here couenant for to holde
Haþe eueryche of hem brouht an .C. knyhtes
Wele armed for þe werre att al rihtes
An sekurly þere trowed mony aman
That neuer siþþe þat þe werlde be gan
1245
As for to speke of knyhthode of hire honde
As fer as god haþ maked see and londe
Was of so fewe so noble a compaignye
For euery whiht þat loued cheualrie .