The Squire's Tale
Folio 80r
3 of 17 folios
In Roial vestment sitte on his dese
Wiþ Dyademe ful hihe in his paleyce
And halt his feste solempne & so riche
Þat in þis werld ne was þer none it lyche
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Of whiche if .I. schal tel al þe arraye
Þan wolde it Occupie a somers daie
And eke it nedeþ nouht to deuise
Of euery cours þe order of hir seruise
.I. wil nouht tel of hir strange sewese
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Ne of hir swannes ne of hire heronsewese
Eke in þat londe as tellen knygtes olde
Þer is sum mete þat is ful deynte holde
Þat in þis lande men reche bot smal
Þere is no man þat maie reporten al
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.I. wil nouht tarien ȝow for it is pime
For it is no fruyte bot losse of time
Into my ferst purpos .I. wil haue my recours
And so befel þat after þe þred cours
While þat þis kinge sitte þus in his nobley
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Herkenynge his mynstralles her þinges pley
Beforne him att þe borde deliciously
In at þe hall dore al sodeynly
Þere com a knyht vpon a stede of bras
And in his honde a brode meroure of glas
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Vpon his þome he had of golde a renge
And be his side a naked swerd hanginge .
And vpe he rideþ to þe hihe borde
In all þe haƚƚ ne was þere spoke a worde
For merveile of þis knyht him to beholde
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Fuƚƚ besily þei wayten ȝonge & olde
This strange knyht þat cam þus sodanly
Al armed saue his hed ful richelye
Salued þe kinge þe qwene & þe lordes aƚƚ
Be order as þei seten in þe haƚƚ
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Wiþ so hihe reuence & obeissance
Als wele in speche as in countenance
Þat Gawen wiþ his olde Curtasie
Thouhe he come aȝeine oute of fayre
Ne couþe him nouht amende wiþ no worde
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And after þis be for þe hihe borde
He wiþ amanly voice seide his mesage
After þe forme vsed in his langage .