Greet was the prees, that swarmeth to and fro,
To gauren on this hors that stondeth so; 190
For it so heigh was, and so brood and long,
So wel proporcioned for to ben strong,
Right as it were a stede of Lumbardye;
Ther-with so horsly, and so quik of yë
As it a gentil Poileys courser were. 195
For certes, fro his tayl un-to his ere,
Nature ne art ne coude him nat amende
In no degree, as al the peple wende. (190)
But evermore hir moste wonder was,
How that it coude goon, and was of bras; 200
It was of Fairye, as the peple semed.
Diverse folk diversely they demed;
[467: T. 10517-10552.]
As many hedes, as many wittes ther been.
They murmureden as dooth a swarm of been,
And maden skiles after hir fantasyes, 205
Rehersinge of thise olde poetryes,
And seyden, it was lyk the Pegasee,
The hors that hadde winges for to flee; (200)
Or elles it was the Grekes hors Synon,
That broghte Troye to destruccion, 210
As men may in thise olde gestes rede,
‘Myn herte,’ quod oon, ‘is evermore in drede;
I trowe som men of armes been ther-inne,
That shapen hem this citee for to winne.
It were right good that al swich thing were knowe.’ 215
Another rowned to his felawe lowe,
And seyde, ‘he lyeth, it is rather lyk
An apparence y-maad by som magyk, (210)
As Iogelours pleyen at thise festes grete.’
Of sondry doutes thus they Iangle and trete, 220
As lewed peple demeth comunly
Of thinges that ben maad more subtilly
Than they can in her lewednes comprehende;
They demen gladly to the badder ende.
189. Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl. swarmed. 195. E. Poilleys. 200. E. go. 201.
E. Hn. a; Cm. as; _rest_ of. E. Cm. al the; _rest omit_ al. 202.
they] Hn. Cp. Pt. han; Ln. haue. 203. E. heddes; Hn. heuedes; Cp.
heedes; _rest_ hedes (hedis). Hl. _om._ ther. 206. thise] Cp. Pt.
Ln. Hl. the. 207. E. that it; _rest omit_ that. 211. Hl. may; _rest
omit_. 217. E. Cm. it; _rest_ for it. 223. E. lewednesse; Hl.
lewednes.
And somme of hem wondred on the mirour, 225
That born was up in-to the maister-tour,
How men mighte in it swiche thinges see.
Another answerde, and seyde it mighte wel be (220)
Naturelly, by composiciouns
Of angles and of slye reflexiouns, 230
And seyden, that in Rome was swich oon.
They speken of Alocen and Vitulon,
And Aristotle, that writen in hir lyves
Of queynte mirours and of prospectyves,
As knowen they that han hir bokes herd. 235