Tho speke they of Canaceës ring,
And seyden alle, that swich a wonder thing (240)
Of craft of ringes herde they never non,
Save that he, Moyses, and king Salomon 250
Hadde a name of konning in swich art.
Thus seyn the peple, and drawen hem apart.
But nathelees, somme seyden that it was
Wonder to maken of fern-asshen glas,
And yet nis glas nat lyk asshen of fern; 255
But for they han y-knowen it so fern,
Therfore cesseth her Iangling and her wonder.
As sore wondren somme on cause of thonder, (250)
On ebbe, on flood, on gossomer, and on mist,
And alle thing, til that the cause is wist. 260
Thus Iangle they and demen and devyse,
Til that the king gan fro the bord aryse.
251. _All_ Hadde (Had). 256. Hl. i-knowen; _rest_ knowen. 260. E.
Hl. on alle; _rest om._ on. 262. E. Hn. the bord; _rest_ his bord.
Phebus hath laft the angle meridional,
And yet ascending was the beest royal,
The gentil Leon, with his Aldiran, 265
Whan that this Tartre king, this Cambynskan,
Roos fro his bord, ther that he sat ful hye.
Toforn him gooth the loude minstralcye, (260)
Til he cam to his chambre of parements,
Ther as they sownen diverse instruments, 270
That it is lyk an heven for to here.
Now dauncen lusty Venus children dere,
For in the Fish hir lady sat ful hye,
[469: T. 10588-10623.]
And loketh on hem with a freendly yë.
265. Hn. Aldiran; Hl. adryan; _rest_ Aldrian. 266. Hl. _repeats_
this; _rest omit 2nd_ this. 269, 270. E. parementz, Instrumentz.
271. Hl. Ln. heuen; _rest_ heuene.
This noble king is set up in his trone. 275
This strange knight is fet to him ful sone,
And on the daunce he gooth with Canacee.
Heer is the revel and the Iolitee (270)
That is nat able a dul man to devyse.
He moste han knowen love and his servyse, 280
And been a festlich man as fresh as May,
That sholde yow devysen swich array.