* * * * *
[THE SQUIRE’S PROLOGUE.]
‘Squier, com neer, if it your wille be,
And sey somwhat of love; for, certes, ye
Connen ther-on as muche as any man.’
‘Nay, sir,’ quod he, ‘but I wol seye as I can
With hertly wille; for I wol nat rebelle 5
Agayn your lust; a tale wol I telle.
Have me excused if I speke amis,
My wil is good; and lo, my tale is this.
=Here biginneth the Squieres Tale.=
At Sarray, in the land of Tartarye, (1)
Ther dwelte a king, that werreyed Russye, 10
Thurgh which ther deyde many a doughty man.
This noble king was cleped Cambinskan,
Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun
That ther nas no-wher in no regioun
So excellent a lord in alle thing; 15
Him lakked noght that longeth to a king.
As of the secte of which that he was born
He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn; (10)
And ther-to be was hardy, wys, and riche,
Pitous and Iust, and ever-more y-liche 20
[462: T. 10335-10371.]
Sooth of his word, benigne and honurable,
Of his corage as any centre stable;
Yong, fresh, and strong, in armes desirous
As any bacheler of al his hous.
A fair persone he was and fortunat, 25
And kepte alwey so wel royal estat,
That ther was nowher swich another man.
This noble king, this Tartre Cambinskan (20)
Hadde two sones on Elpheta his wyf,
Of whiche the eldeste highte Algarsyf, 30
That other sone was cleped Cambalo.
A doghter hadde this worthy king also,
That yongest was, and highte Canacee.
But for to telle yow al hir beautee,
It lyth nat in my tonge, nin my conning; 35
I dar nat undertake so heigh a thing.
Myn English eek is insufficient;
It moste been a rethor excellent, (30)
That coude his colours longing for that art,
If he sholde hir discryven every part. 40
I am non swich, I moot speke as I can.
HEADING (_after_ l. 8). _So_ E. Hn. Pt. Hl. 20. Hn. Pietous and Iust
and euere moore yliche; E. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. And pitous and Iust alwey
yliche (_with first syllable deficient_). 23. and strong] E. strong
and. 35. nin] Cp. Pt. Ln. ne in; Hl. ne. 38. E. I moste,
_miswritten_; Hl. He moste; _rest_ It moste.
And so bifel that, whan this Cambinskan
Hath twenty winter born his diademe,
As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme,
He leet the feste of his nativitee 45
Don cryen thurghout Sarray his citee,
The last Idus of March, after the yeer.
Phebus the sonne ful Iory was and cleer; (40)
For he was neigh his exaltacioun
In Martes face, and in his mansioun 50
In Aries, the colerik hote signe.
Ful lusty was the weder and benigne,
For which the foules, agayn the sonne shene,
What for the seson and the yonge grene,
Ful loude songen hir affecciouns; 55
Him semed han geten hem protecciouns
Agayn the swerd of winter kene and cold.