The Squire's Tale
Folio 92r
16 of 19 folios
This is to seie in .xxiiij i. houres
110
Wher so yow list in drougħte or in schoures
Beren youre body in to euery place /
To which youre herte wilneth for to pace
Wiþoute wem of ȝou þorugh foul or fair
Or if ȝou list to flee as hye in þair
115
As doþ an Egle whan him list to sore
This same steede schal bere ȝou eueremore
Wiþouten harm til ye be þer you leste
Thougħ þat ȝe slepen on his bak or reste
And torne aȝayn wiþ wryþing of a pyn
120
He þat it wroughte couþe ful many a gyn
He waitede many a constellacoū
Or he hadde do þis operacioū
And knew ful many a seal and many a bond
This Mirour eek þat I haue in mȳ hond
125
Haþ such a migħt that men may in it see
Whan þer schal fallen any aduersite
Vnto youre regne or to your self also /
And openly who is ȝour frend or foo
And ouer al þis if ony lady brigħt
130
Haþ set hire herte on any maner wigħt
If he be fals sche schal his traysoū se
His newe loue and al his subtilite
So openly þat þer schal no þing hyde
Wherfore ageyn þis lusty somer tyde
135
This mirour and þis ryng as ye may see /
He haþ sent to my lady Canacee
Youre excellent doughter þat is heere
The vertu of þis ring if ȝe wol heere
Is þis . þat if hir list it for to were /
140
Vpon hir þombe or in hir purs it bere
Ther is no foule þat fleigh vnder þe heuene
Þat she ne schal vnderstonde his steuene
And knowe his menyng openly and pleyn
And answere him in his langage ageyn