The Squire's Tale
Folio 124r
4 of 19 folios
He wyth a manly vois seide his Message
Aftyr the forme vsed in his langage
Wyth outen vice of sillable or of lettre
And for his tale sholde seme the bettre
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Accordand to his wordes was his chere
As techeth art of speche hem that it lere
And al be that I can not sowne his style
Ne kan nat clymben ouer so hie a style
Yit sey y thus as to commune entente
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Thus moche amounteth al that euer he mente
Yif it so be I haue it in my mynde
¶ He seide the kyng of Arabe and of ynde
Mi lige lord on this solempne day
Salweth yow as he best can or may
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And sendeth yow in honour of your fest
By me that am al redy at your heest
This steed of bras that esily and wel
Kan in the place alday naturel
This is to seyn in xxiiij ouris
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Where so yow list in droght or elles in shoures
Beren your body in to euery place
To which your hert wilneth for to pace
Wyth outen wem of yow thorgh foule or faire
Or yif yow list to fle as hye in the eyre
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As doth an Egle whan him list to soore
This same stede shal bere yow euyrmore
Wyth outen harm til ye ben there yow leste
Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste
And turne agayn wyth wrythyng of a pyn
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He that it wroght coude many a wondre gyn
He waiteth many a constellacioun
Or he had doon this operacioun
And knew ful many a seel and many a bonde
¶ This mirour ek that I haue in myn hond
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Hath swich a myght that men may in it se
Whanne ther shal falle any aduersite .