The Tale of Sir Thopas
Folio 166v
2 of 5 folios
¶ Sir topas was a doghti swayn
Whit was his face as payndemayn
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His lippes Red as Rose
His rode is lik scarlet in greyn
As I yow telle in good certeyn
¶ His heer his berd was lik Safron
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That to his girdel raght adoun
Of brugges were his hosen broun
His Robe was of Siklatoun
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¶ He coude hunt at wild dere
And ride an haukyng for Ryvere
Wt grey goshaukes on honde
Therto he was a good Archere
Of wrastelyng was ther non his pere
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Ther any Ram shal stonde
¶ Ful many maide bright in bour
Thei moorned for him paramour
Whan hem were bet to slepe
But he was chaast and no lecchour
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And swete as is the brambel flour
That bereth the rede hepe
¶ And so it fil vpon a day
For sothe as I yow telle may
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He warth vpon his stede gray
And in his hond a launcegay
A longe swerd bi his side
¶ He priketh thurgh a faire forest
Ther ynne is many a wilde best
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Ye. bothe buk and hare
And as he piketh North and Est
I telle it yow him hed almest
¶ Ther spryngen herbes gret and smale
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The licoris and the Cetewale
And notemuge to put in Ale
Whether it be moist or stale
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¶ The briddes synge it is no nay
The sparhauk and the popyniay
The threstilcok mad ek his lay
The wode dowue vpon the spray
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She sange ful loude and clere
¶ Sir topias fil in loue longyng
And whan he herd the throstel syng
His fair stede in his pikyng
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So swat that men myght him wrynge
¶ Syr Thopias ek so wery was
For prikyng xx xxe softe gras