The Squire's Tale
Folio 123r
2 of 19 folios
A faire persone he was and fortunate
And kepte so wel his rial estate
That ther nas noghwher suche a nother man
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¶ This noble kyng this tartre Cambyuskan
Hadde two sones bi Elthatha his wif
Of which the eldest hight algasif
That othir was called Camballo
A doughter had this worthi kyng also
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And yongest was and hight Canace
But for to telle yow al hir beaute
It lith nat in my tonge ne in my connynge
I dar nat vndertake so high athinge
Myn englissh ek is vnsufficient
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It most ben a Rethor excellent
That couth his colours longyng for that art
Yif he sholde discerne any part
I am non sich I mote speke as I kan
¶ And so bifel that this Cambyuskan
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Hath twenty yeer born his dyademe
As he was wont fro yeer to yeer I deme
He lete his fest of his natyuite
Doon cryen thurgh out Sarray his Citee
The last ydus of March after the yeer
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Phebus the sonne ful iolif was and clere
For he was ny his exaltacioun
In martis face and in his mansioun
In aries the colrik hote signe
Ful lusty was the weder and benigne
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For which the foules ageyn the sonne shene
What for the sesoun and the yong grene
Ful loude songen hir affeccions
Hem semed han geten hem proteccions
Ageyn the swerde of wynter kene and colde
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¶ This Cambyuskan of which I haue yow tolde
In rial vestyment sit at his deys
Wyth diademe ful hie in his paleys
And halt his fest so solempne and so riche