The General Prologue
Folio 1v
2 of 23 folios
Of eche of hem so as it semed me
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And which þey weren and of what degre
And eek in what array þat þey were Inne
And at a knygħt þan wol I first bygynne
A knigħt þer was and þat a worþy man
That from þe tyme þat he ferst bigan
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To ryden out he louede Chyualrye
Trouthe and honour fredom and curtesie
Ful worthi was he in his lordes werre
And þerto hadde he riden noman ferre
As wel in Cristendom as hethenesse /
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And euere honoured for his worþinesse
At Alisandre he was whan it was wonne
Ful ofte tyme he hadde þe bord bygonne /
Abouen alle nacioūs in pruce
In lettowe hadde Reyced and in Ruce
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No cristen man so ofte of his degre
In Gernade atte siege hadde he be
At Algesir and riden in Belmarie
At lieys was he and at Satalie
Whan þei were wonne and in þe greete see
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At many a noble ariue hadde he be
At mortal batailles hadde he ben fiftene
And foughten for oure feith at Tramassene
In lystes þries and ay slayn his foo
This ilke worþi knigħt hadde ben also
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Somtyme with þe lord of Palatye
Ageyn anoþer hethene in Turkye
And eueremore he hadde a souereyn prys
And þougħ he was worþy he was wys
And of his port as meke as a mayde
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He neuer ȝit no vilonye ne sayde
In al his lyf vnto no maner wigħt
He was a verray parfiȝt gentil knigħt
But for to telle ȝou of his array
His hors was good but he ne was nouȝt gay
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Of fustyan he wered a Gepoun
Al by smoterud with his haburgeoun