The Squire's Tale
Folio 149r
2 of 17 folios
AT Sarray in þe lond of Tartary
Ther dwelled a kyng þat werryed russy
Thurgh which þer deyed many a doughty man
This nobil kyng was cleped Cambynskan
5
Which in his tyme was of so gret renou~
That þer nas nowher in no regiou~
So excellent a lord in alle þing /
Him lakked nougħt þat longed to a kyng
As of þe secte of which þat he was born
10
He kept his lawe . to which he was sworn
And þerto he was hardy wys and riche /
And pitous and Iust alway yliche
Soth of his word benign and honurable
Of his corage as eny centre stable
15
Ȝong freisch and strong in armes desirous
As eny bachiler of al his hous
A fair person he was and fortunat
And kepte so wel his real astat
That þer was no wher such a ryal man
20
This noble kyng þis tartre þis Cambynskan
Hadde tuo sones by Elcheta his wyf
Of which þe eldest highte Algaryf
That oþer was I cleped Samballo
A doughter had þis worthi king also
25
That ȝongest was and highte Canace
But for to telle ȝou al hir beaute
It lith not on my tong ne my connyng
I dar nouȝt vndertake so heigh a þing
Myn englissh eek is insufficient
30
He moste be a Rethor excellent
That couþ his colours longyng for þat art
If he schold hir discryue in eny part
I am non such I mot speke as I can
And so bifel it þat þis Cambynskan
35
Haþ twenty wynter born his dyademe
As he was wont fro ȝer to ȝer I deme
He leet þe fest of his natiuite ;
Don cryen þurgħ Sarray his Cite