The Cambridge ms (University library, Gg. 4.27) of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[AT Sarray in þe londe of Sarcarye [Sloane MS 1685 folio 78b] There dwelt / a kynge þat weryd Russye Thouȝe whiche þere dyede many a duȝty man Thys noble kynge was clepyd Kambynskan Line 12 whiche in his tyme was of so grete rennoun That þer was nouthir/ in regioun So excellent a lord / in alle þinge Hym lakkith nouȝt þat longith to a kynge Line 16 As of þe Cite whiche he was borne he kepte hys lawe to whiche þat he was sworne And þerto he was hardy wyse & ryche And pitouse & Iuste alle wey yliche Line 20 Sothe of/ hys worde benygne & honorable Of/ his corage as eney centre stable] [Camb. MS, leaf 277;part of leaf torn off; filled-in here from Sl. 1685] Ȝon[ge fresshe stronge in armes desyrous] As on[y bachelere of alle hys hous] A fayr per[son he was & fortunat] And kepte a[lle wey so wele ryalle estate] That there na[s nouthir suche a noþere man] This noble kyng [of Tartre þis Kambynskan] Line 28 Hadde two sonys on [Eltheta his wif] Of whiche the eldeste [hiȝt Algarsife] That oþer sone was clepid [Camballo] A doughtyr hadde this worth[y kynge also] Line 32 Tha^t [[ha^t corrected]] ȝyngeste was & hyghte Canace But for to telle ȝow al hire beautee It lyth not in myn tunge nyn myn kunnyng I dar nat vndyrtake so high a thyng Line 36

[6-text p 480] Line 36 Myn engelysch is ek insufficient It muste be a Rethor excellent That coude hise colouris / longynge for that art ȝif he schulde discryuyn euery part Line 40 I am non schich I mot speke as I can And so by-fil that this Cambynskan Hath twenty wyntyr boryn his diademe As he was wone ffrom ȝer to ȝeer I deme Line 44 He leet the feste of his natyuitee Doon cryen thour Sarray his Citee [The last Idus of Marche aftir þe yere [Sloane MS 1685 folio 79a] Phebus þe Sonne fulle Iolyf was & clere Line 48 ffor he was nyh · his exaltacion In martes face and his mancion In aries þe Coloryk þe hoot signe fful lusty was þe weder & benygne Line 52 ffor whiche þe foules ayeyn þe son shene what for þe seson and þe yonge grene fful lowde songe hir affecciouns hem semyd þei hade goten hem protecciouns Line 56 A-yeyne þe swerde of wynter kene & Colde This Kambynskan of whiche I haue you tolde In riall vestement syt on hys deys with a Dyademe full hiȝe in his paleys Line 60 And holte his feste sollempne & so riche þat in þis worlde ne was þere none hit lyche Of whiche yf I · shalle telle alle þe array That wolde hit occupie a somers day Line 64 And eke hit nedyth not to devise At euery cours þe ordre of h]ere seruyse [Cambr. MS] [folio 277b] [I wolle not telle of her straun]ge sewys [Ne of here swannes ne of [This line wanting in Sl. 1685, half is supplied from Harl. 1758, leaf 68, back] ] here heirounnsewis [Eke in þat londe as tel]lyn knyȝtis olde [There ys some mete þat ys fulle] deynte holde [That in þis l]ond men reche of it but smal [There ys] no man that may reportyn al Line 72

[6-text p 481] Line 72 [I wol] not taryin ȝow for it is prime [[s prime corrected]] [And] for it is no freut / but los of tyme Vn-to myn fyrste I wele han myn recours And so be-fel that aftyr the thredde cours Line 76 Whil that this kyng sat thus in his nobleye Herkenynge his mynstrall here thyngis pleye By-forn hym at the bord deliciously In at the halle dore al sodeynly Line 80 There cam a knyght vp on a stede of bras And in his hand a brood myrour of glas Vp on his thumbe he bar of gold a ryng And by his syde a nakede swerd hangyng Line 84 And vp he ridyth to the heye bord [folio 278a] In al the halle ne was there spokyn a word ffor merueyle of this knyght to be-holde fful besily they wayte ȝynge & olde Line 88 This straunge knyȝt that cam thus sodeynly Al armede saue his hed richely Saluyth kyng & queen & lordis alle By ordere as the setyn in the halle Line 92 With so heigh reuerence & obeysaunces As weel in his speche as in hise cuntenaunces That Gaweyn with his olde curteysye Thow he weere comyn aȝen out of fayrye Line 96 Ne coude hym not amendyn / with a word And aftyr thys by-fore the heye bord He wyth a manly voys seyth his message Aftyr the forme vsed in hise age [[age corrected]] Line 100 With-outyn vice of sillable or of lettere And for his tale schulde seme the bettre Acordau[n]t to hise wordis was hise chere As techith the art of speche hem that it lere Line 104 Al be that I can not soune his style Ne can not clymbyn ouyr so hegh a style ȝit seye i this as to comune entent Thus meche a-mountyth al that euere he ment Line 108

[6-text p 482] Line 108 ȝif it so be þat I haue it in mynde He seyde þ^e kyng of arabye & of ynde Myn lige lord on this solempne day Salueth ȝow as he best can or may Line 112 And sendyth ȝow in honour of ȝoure feste By me þat am al redy to ȝouere heste This steede of bras that esyly & wel Can in the space of a day naturel Line 116 This is to seyne in foure & twenty ourys Where so ȝow liste in drouȝte or ellis schouris Beryn ȝoure body in-to euery place To whiche ȝoure herte willyth for to pace Line 120 With-outyn wem of ȝow thour foul or fayr Or ȝif ȝow leste to flien as hyghe in þ^e ayr As doth an egele whan hym lyste to soore [folio 278b] This same steede schal bere ȝow euere moore Line 124 With-outyn harm tyl [[? MS y or i corrected]] ȝe been there ȝow lesten Thow that ȝe slepyn on his bak or restyn And turne a-ȝen with wrythyng of a pyn He that it wrouȝte it coude ful manye a gyn Line 128 He waytede ful manye a constelacioun Er he hadde doon this operacioun And knew ful manye a sel & manye a boond ¶ This myrour ek that I haue in myn hond Line 132 Hath swich a myȝt that men may in it se Whan there schal falle ony aduercite Vn-to ȝoure regne / & to ȝoure self also And opynly ho is ȝoure frend or [[r corrected]] foo Line 136 And ouyral this ȝif ony lady bryȝt Hath set hire herte on ony maner wyȝt ȝif he be fals sche schal his tresoun see His newe loue & al his subtiletee Line 140 So opynly that ther schal nothyng hyde Wherfore a-geyn this lusty somerys tyde This myrour & this ryng [[g corrected]] that ȝe may see He hath sent on-to myn lady Canacee Line 144

[6-text p 483] Line 144 ȝoure excellent doughtyr that is here Te vertu of the ryng ȝif ȝe wile heere Is this that ȝif hire luste it for to weere Vp-on hyre thumbe or in hire purs it beere Line 148 There is no foul that flyeth vndyr the heuene That sche ne schal weel vndyrstondyn his steuene And knowe his menyng opynly & pleyn And answere hym in his langage a-geyn Line 152 And euery gres that growyth vp on roote Sche schal ek knowe & whom it schal don boote Alle be hise woundys neeuere so deepe & wyde This nakede swerd that hangyth by myn syde Line 156 Wich wertew hath that what man þ^e smyte Thouru out his armeur it wele byte Were it as thikke as is a brauncheede ook And what man is wounded with that strok Line 160 Schal neuere be hol tyl þat þou lest of grace [folio 279a] To stroke hym with the plat / in þat place Theere he is hurt this is as meche to seyn ȝe moote with the plat swerd a-geyn Line 164 Stryke hym on the wounde & it wele close This a verray soth with-oute glose It faylyth not whil it is in ȝoure hoolld And whan this knyȝt hat thus his tale told Line 168 He rydyth out of halle & doun he lytyth His steede whiche þat schon as sunne brighte Stant in the court stylle as ony stoon This knyght is to hise chambere lad a-noon Line 172 And is on arayed & to mete I-set These presentis been ful ryally I-fet This is to seyne the swyrd & the myrour And born a-non in-to the hye tour Line 176 with serteyn offycerys [[ys corrected]] ordeynyd there fore And on to Canacee this ryng was bore Solempnely ther sche sit at þ^e table But sikyrly with-outyn ony fable Line 180

[6-text p 484] Line 180 The hors of bras that may not been remeuyd It stant as it were to the ground I-glewyd Ther may no man out of the place it dryue ffor noon engyn of wyndas or palyue Line 184 And cause whi for they can not the craft And therfore in the place they han it laft Til that þe knyght hath taughte hem the manere To voydyn hym as ȝe schal aftyr heere Line 188 ¶ Gret was the pres that swarmyth to & fro To gauryn on this hors that standyth so ffor it so high was & so brod & long So wel proporciounnyd for to been strong Line 192 Ryȝt as it were a stede of lumbardy Therto so horsely & so quyk of Iye As it a gentil poleys Courser were ffor certis from his tayl vn-to his eere Line 196 Nature ne art ne coude hym nat a-mende In no degre as al the peple wende But euere more here moste wondir was [folio 279b] How that it coude goon & was of bras Line 200 And [[nd corrected]] was as fayr as al the peple seemede Dyuers folk dyuersly they demyd As [[s corrected]] manye hedis as many wittis þere been They murmuredyn as don a swarm of been Line 204 And madyn skill aftyr here fantasyis Rehersynge of these olde poetryis And seydyn it was lik the pegasee The hors that hadde wyngis for to flee Line 208 Or ellis it was þ^e Grekis hors Synoun That brouȝte Troye to distruccioun As men in these olde gestis reede Myn herte quod on is eueremor in drede Line 212 I trowe some men of armys been þerinne That schapin hem this cete for to wynne It were right good that alle thynge were knowe A nothir rounede to his felawe lowe Line 216

[6-text p 485] Line 216 And seyde he lyede it is rathere lik An apparence mad by sum Magyk As Iogelouris pleye at these ¹festis greete¹ [[^1_1 corrected]] Of sundery doutis thus they Iangele & trete [[trete corrected]] As lewede peple demyth comounly Of thyngis that been mad more subtily Than they can in here louwedenesse comprehende They demyn gladly to the baddere ende Line 224 And some of hem wonderedyn on the myrour That born was vp in the hyghe tour How men myȝtyn in it sweche thyngis see A noþer answerde & seyde it may wel be Line 228 Naturelly by compociciounnys Of angles & of slygh reflecciouns And seydyn þat in rome was swich on They spoken of Alocen & Vituloun Line 232 And Aristotle þat wrytyn in here lyuys Of queynte Mirouris & of prospectyuys As knowyn they that han here bokys herd And oþere folk han wonderede on the swerd Line 236 That wolde partyn thour out euery thyng [folio 280a] And fille in speche of Tholophus þe kyng And of achilles with his queynte speere ffor he coude with it bothe hele & dere Line 240 Rygh in swich wise as men myȝte with the swerd Of which ryȝt now ȝe han ȝoure selue herd They spekyn of sundery hardyng of metal And spoke of medycynys therwith-al Line 244 And how & whanne it schulde I-hardit be Whiche is vnknowe algate [[te corrected]] on-to me Tho speke they of Canaceis ryng And seydyn alle of that swych a wondyr thyng Line 248 Of craft of ryngis herde they neuere noon Saue that he moyses & kyng salomon Hadde a name of rounnynge in swich art Thus seyth the peple & drawyn hem a part Line 252

[6-text p 486] Line 252 But natheles some seydyn that it was Wondyr to makyn oof fern aschyn glas And ȝit ne is glas lich aschyn of fern [[fern corrected, from a lightly written fern in the margin]] But for they han knowyn it so fern There-fore chesen hire Iangelyng & hire wondyr As soore wonderyn some of on cause of ȝoundyr On ebbe on flod on gossomyr & on myst And alle thynge tyl that the cause is wist Line 260 Thus Iangele they & deeme & deuyse Til that þe kyng gan from his bord a-ryse Phebus hath left the angle meridional And ȝit ascendyng was the beste royal Line 264 The gentyl lyoun with his aldryan [[n corrected]] Whan that this tartre Cambynscan [[? MS Cambyuscan]] Ros from his bord þere that he sat ful hye To-fore hym goth the loude menstralcye Line 268 Tyl he cam to hise chambere of parementis There as they sounyn dyuerse Instrumentis That is lyk an heuene for to here Now dauncyn lusty venus chylderyn deere Line 272 ffor in the fych hire [[l corrected]] lady sat ful hyghe And lokyn on hem with a frendely Iye This noble kyng is set vp in his trone [folio 280b] This stronge knyght / is [[first it]] fet to hym ful sone Line 276 And on the daunce he goth with Canacee Here is the reuel & the Iolyte That is nat able a dul man to deuyse He muste haue knowe loue & his seruyse Line 280 And been a festelyche man as May That schulde ȝow deuyse swich aray Who coude tellen ȝow the forme of dauncis So vncouth & so frosche cuntenauncis Line 284 Swich subtyl / lokyngis & dissimulyngis ffor drede of Ialuse mennys aperceyvyngis No man but lancelot & he is deed There-fore I passe ouyr al this lustyhed Line 288

[6-text p 487] Line 288 I seye namore but in this iolynesse I leete hem tyl men to the soper dresse The styward bit spicis for to hye And ek the wyn in al this melodye Line 292 The vsscheris & the squyeris been I-goon The spicis & the wyn be comyn a-noon They ete & d[r]ynke & whan this hadde an ende Vn-to the temple as reson was they wende Line 296 The seruyse doun they soupyn al be day What nedyth [[m corrected]] me reherce al here a-ray Eche man wiste wel þat a kyngis feste [[first e corrected]] Hath plente to meste & ek to leste Line 300 And deynteis moo than been to myn knowyng At aftyr sopir goth this noble kyng To seen this hors of bras with al the route Of lordis & of ladyis hym a-boute Line 304 Swich wonderyng was on this hors of bras That syn the greete sege of Troye was Ne was there swich a wonderyng as was tho There as men wonderedyn on an hors also Line 308 But finally this kyng askyth this knyght The vertu of this courser & the myȝt And preyede hym to telle his gouernaunce This hors anon be-gan to tryppe & daunce Line 312 Whan that this knyght leyde hand vp-on his regne [folio 281a] And seyde sire there nys no moore to seyne But whan thu lyste to ryde any where ȝe mote trylle a pyn stant in his eere Line 316 Whiche I schal ȝow telle be-twyxe vs two ȝe mote nemenyn hym to what place also Or to wat cuntre þat thow lyste to ryde And whan ȝe come there as ȝow leste abyde Line 320 Bydde hym discende & trylle a nothir pyn ffor theere lyth theffect of al the gyn And he wele doun descende & don ȝoure wille And in that place he wele stonde stylle Line 324

[6-text p 488] Line 324 Thow al the world the contrarye haddyn swore He schal not thens been drawe ne bore Or ȝif þou wit bidde hym thenys goon Trille this pyn & he wele vanyche a-noon Line 328 Out of the syȝte of euery maneere wyȝt And come a-geyn be it day or nyght Whan that þou lystist to clepyn hym a-geyn In swich a gyse as I schal to ȝow seyn Line 332 Bi-twixe ȝow & hym & that ful sone Ride whan þou lyste there is no moore to doone Enformede whan that kyng was of that knyght And hath conseyuid in his wit a ryȝt Line 336 The manere & the forme of al this thyng Thus glad & blythe this nobele kyng Repeyrith to his reuel as by-foryn The brydyl is in to the tour I-boryn Line 340 And kept a-mong hyse [[ew corrected]] Iewelys leue & deere The hors vanyschit I not in what maneere Out of hire syȝte ȝe gete no more of me But thus I lete in lust & iolyte Line 344 This Cambiscan hese lordis festenynge Tyl wol nygh þe day be-gan to sprynge