The Squire's Tale
Folio 121v
13 of 14 folios
565
As hym god woot ne neuere shal namo
This lasteth lenger / than a yeer or two
That I supposed of hym / noght but good
But finally / thus atte laste it stood
That Fortune wolde / þt he moste twynne
570
Out of that place / which þt I was Inne
Wher me was wo / that is no questioū
I kan nat make of it discripsioū
For o thyng dar I tellen boldely
I knowe / what is the peyne of deeth therby
575
Swich harm I felte / for I ne mygħte bileue
So on a day / of me he took his leue
So sorwefully eek that I wende verraily
That he had felt as muche harm as I
Whan þt I herde hym speke / & saugħ his hewe
580
But nathelees / I thoughte / he was so trewe
And eek þt he / repaire sholde ageyn
With Inne a litel while / sooth to seyn
And resoū wolde eek that he moste go
For his honor / as ofte it happeth so
585
That I made vertu / of necessitee
And took it wel / syn þt it moste be
As I best myghte / I hidde fro hym my sorwe
And took hym by the hond / seint Ioħn to borwe
And seyde hym thus / lo I am youres al
590
Beth swich / as I to yow / haue been and shal
What he answerde / it nedeth nogħt reherce
Who kan sey bet than he / who kan do werse
Whan he hath al seyd / thanne hath he doon
Therfore bihoueth hir / a ful long spoon
595
That shal ete with a feend / thus herde I seye
So atte laste / he moste forth his weye
And forth he fleeth / til he cam ther hym leste
Whan it cam / hym to prpos / for to reste
I trowe / he hadde / thilke text in mynde
600
That alle thyng repeirynge to his kynde
Gladeth hym self thus seyn men as I gesse
Men louen of propre kynde newefangelnesse
As briddes doon / that men in cages fede
For though thou nygħt & day / take of hem hede
605
And strawe hir Cage / faire and softe as silk
And yeue hem sugre / hony / breed and Milk
Yet rigħt anon / as that his dore is vppe
He wt his feet wol spurne adoun his cuppe
And to the wode he wole and wormes ete
610
So newefangel / been they of hir mete
And louen nouelrie / of propre kynde
No gentillesse of blood / may hem bynde