The Squire's Tale
Folio 123v
3 of 19 folios
That in this world ne was ther non it liche
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Of which yif I shal tellen al the array
Thanne wolde it occupie a someres day
And ek it nedeth nat for to deuyse
At euery cours the ordre and hir seruise
I wole nat tellen of hir straunge sewes
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Ne of hir swannes ne of hir heron sewes
Ek in that lond as tellen knyghtes olde
Ther is some mete that is ful deynte holde
That in this land men recch of it ful smal
Ther nys no man that may reporten al
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¶ I wol not tarye yow for it is pryme
And for it is no fruyte but losse of tyme
Vnto my first I wil haue my recours
¶ And so bifel that aftyr the thrid cours
Whil that this kyng sit thus in this nobleye
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Herkynyng his mynstralles here thinges pleye
Biforn him at the bord deliciously
In atte the halle door al sodeynly
Ther cam a knyght vpon a stede of bras
And in his hond a brod mirour of glas
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Vpon his thombe he had of gold a ryng
And bi his syde a naked swerd hangyng
And vp he rideth to the hie bord
In al the halle ne was ther spoke a word
For merueille of this knyght / him to bihold
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Ful bisily thei wayten yonge and old
¶ This straunge knyght that cam thus sodeynly
Al armed saue his heed ful rychely
Salwyth kyng and quene and lordes alle
Bi ordre as thei seten in the halle
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Wyth so hie reuerence and obeisaunces
As wel in speche as xx countynaunces
That gaweyn wyth his olde curtesye
Thogh he were come agayn out of fairie
Ne coude him nat amende wyth a word
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And aftyr this by forn the hie bord