The Squire's Tale
Folio 150v
5 of 17 folios
115
As doþ an egle whan him list to sore
This same steede schal bere ȝou euermore /
Wiþoute harm til ȝe be þer ȝou leste
Though þat ȝe slepen on his bak or reste /
And torne aȝein with wryþyng of a pyn
120
He þat it wrougħt cowþe ful many a gyn
He wayted many a constellaciou~
Er he had do þis operaciou~
And knew ful many a seal and many a bond
This mirour eek þat I haue in myn hond
125
Haþ such a mighte / þat men may \in/ it see
When þer schal faƚƚ eny aduersite
Vnto ȝour regne vnto ȝour self also
And openly who is ȝour frend or fo
And ouer al þis if eny lady bright
130
Hath set hir hert on eny maner wigħt
If he be fals sche schal his tresoū see
His newe loue and his subtilite
So openly þat þer schal noþing hyde
Wherfor aȝeins þis lusty somer tyde
135
This mirour and þis ryng þat ȝe may see
He haþ send to my lady Canacee
Ȝour excellente doughter þat is heere
The vertu of þis ryng and ȝe wol heere ;
Is þis / þat who . so lust it for to were
140
Vpon hir thomb / or in hir purs to bere
Ther is no foul / þat fleeth vnder þe heuen
That \she ne/ schal vnderstonden his steuen .
And know his menyng openly and pleyn
And answer him in his langage aȝeyn
145
And euery gras . þat groweþ vpon roote
Sche schal eek know / to whom it wol do boote
Al be his woundes neuer so deep and wyde
This naked swerd þat hangeþ by my syde
Such vertu hath þat what man þat it smyte
150
Thurghout his armur it wol kerue and byte
Were it as þikke as a braunched ook
And what man is I wounded with þe strook