The Squire's Tale
Folio 122v
1 of 19 folios
And yit she hath an heep of vices mo
Ther of no force lat alle suche thinges go
But wit ye what . in counseil be it seide
Me ruweth soore I am to hir teyde
15
For and I sholde reken euery vice
Which that she hath I wis . I were to nyce
And cause whi it sholde repented be
And tolde to hir of some this meyne
Of whom it nedeth nat to declare
20
Syn wommen konnen out such chaffare
And ek my wit suffiseth nat ther to
To tellen al wherfore my tale is y do
¶ Squier come nere yif it your wille be
And sey some what of loue for certes ye
25
Konne ther on as moche as any man
¶ Nay syr quod he suche thing as I can
Wyth hertily wille for I wol not rebelle
Agaȳ your heest a tale for to telle
Haue me excused yif I speke amys
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Mi wille is good and loom my tale is this
Here bigynneth the squyers tale
At sarray in the lond of Tartary
Ther dwelte a kyng that werred Russy
Thurgh which ther dyed many a doghti man
This noble kyng was called cambyuskan
5
Which in his tyme was of so gret renoun
That ther was noghwer in no regioun
So excellent a lord in al thing
Him lakked noght that longid to a kyng
And of the secte in which he was born
10
He kept his lay to which he was y sworn
And ther to he was hardy wis and riche
And pitous and Iust alwey yliche
Sooth of his word benygne and honurable
Of his corage as any centre stable
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Yonge fressh and strong in armes desirous
As any bacheler in al his hous .