The Squire's Tale
Folio 80v
4 of 17 folios
W oute vice of sillable or letter
And for his tale scholde seme þe better
95
Accordant to his wordes was his chiere
As techeþ arte of speche hem þat it lere
Al be it þat .I. ne can soune his stele
Ne can nouht cleme ouere so hihe a stele
Ȝit seie .I. þis as to comen entente
100
Þus muche amonteþ alþat euere he mente
If it so be þat .I. haue it in my mynde
He saide þe kinge of arabie & of ynde
My liege lorde on þis solempne daye
Salueþ ȝowe as he best can & maie
105
Ande sendeþ ȝowe in honor of ȝowre feste
Be me þat am redie al att ȝoure heste
This stede of bras þat Esily & wele
Can in þe space of a daie Naturele
This is to saie in .xxiiij. houres
110
Where so ȝowh lust in drouht or in schoures
Beren ȝoure body in to euery place
To whiche ȝoure herte wilneþ for to pace
Wiþ oute wem of ȝowe þoruh foule or faire
Or if ȝowe liste to flie as hihe in þe Eyre
115
As doþe an Ele whan him list to sore
Þis same stede shal bere ȝowe euer more
Wiþ oute harme til ȝe be þere ȝow list
Thou þat ȝe slepen vpon his bak or rist
And torne aȝeine wiþ writhinge of a pinne
120
He þat it wrouht couþe ful mony a gynne
He warted mony a constillacion
Or he had do þis operacion
And knewe ful mony a seale & mony abonde
This Miroure eke þat .I. haue in myne honde
125
Haþ suche a myhe þat men maie in hit se
Whan þere schal fal any aduersite
Vnto ȝoure Regne or to ȝoure self also
And openly whoi is ȝoure frende or foo
And oue al þis if any lady briht
130
Haþe sette hire hert on any maner whiht
If he be false schal his treson see
His newe loue & al his subtilite
So oppenly þat þere schal no þinge hide
Where for aȝein þis lusti somertide