The Squire's Tale
Folio 79r
1 of 17 folios
Incipit prologus Armigeri .
Owre ost vpon his stereps stode anone
And seide goode men herkeneþ euerychone
This was a þrefty tale for þe nones
Sir periche preste qd he for goddes bones
5
Tel vs a tale as was þi forward ȝore
.I. se welee þat ȝe lerned men in lore
Can muchel goode be goddes dignite
The person him anseward benedicite
What eyleþ þe man so sinfuly to swere
10
Owr oste anseward Iankin be ȝe þere
.I. smel a loller in þe wynde qd he
How good men qd oure oste herkeneþ me
Abideþ for goddes deyne passione
For we schal haue a predicacione
15
This loller wiƚƚ prechen her sumwhat
Nay be my fader sowle þat sal he nat
Seid þe swyere her schal he nouht preche
He schal no gospel glosen here ne teche
He leueþ al in þe grete god he
20
He wolde sowen sum difficulte
Or sprengen cokel in oure clene corne
And þar for oste .I. warne þe beforne
Mi Ioly body . schal a tale teƚƚ
And .I. schal klynken ȝow so mery a beƚƚ
25
Þat .I. schal waken al þis compaignie
Bot it schal not bien of philosophie
Ne fisleas ne turmes queyte of lawe
There is bot litel latine in my mawe
Att Sarray in þe londe o Tartary .
Ther dwelled a kinge þat werred Russy
Þoruhe whiche þere deyed mony a douhti man .
Þis nobil kinge was cleped Kambyuskan
5
Whiche of his time whas of so grete renone
Thar þere nas nouhewere ī no Regione
So excellent alorde in al þinge
Him lakked nouh þat longed to a kenge