The Lansdowne ms of Chaucer's Canterbury tales / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

[6-text p 479]

Incipit fabula. [on leaf 79]

Att Sarray in þe londe o Tartary . Ther dwelled a kinge þat werred Russy þoruhe whiche þere deyed mony a douhti man . þis nobil kinge was cleped Kambynskan Line 12 Whiche of his time whas of so grete renone Thar þere nas nouhewere in no Regione So excellent a lorde in al þinge Him lakked nouh þat longed to a kenge Line 16 As of þe secte of whiche þat he was borne [folio 79b] He kepped his laye to whiche þat he was sworne And þer-to he was harde wise and riche And pytous and Iuste alwaie ylyche Line 20 Soþe of his worde benigne and honurable Of his corage as any Centre stable [.i. centrum celi.] Ȝonge fressche and stronge in armes desirous [[or circuli.]] As any bachillier of al his house Line 24 A faire person he was and fortunate And kepped alwaie so wele roiale astate Þat þer nas nouhewhere suche a man þis noble kinge þis tartaryn Cambynskan Line 28 Had tuo sonnes on Eltheta his wif Of whiche þe eldest hiht Algarsif The toþer was cleped Camballo A douhte had þis worþi kinge also Line 32 Þat ȝongest was and hiht Canace Bot for to tell ȝowe al hir beaute It liþe nouht in my tunge ne in myne sowneinge .I. dar nouht vnder-tak so hihe a þinge Line 36

[6-text p 480] Line 36 Myn ynglisse eke is insufficient It most bene a Rector excellent That couþe vse colours longeinge for þat art Ȝif he schold hire discryue any parte Line 40 .I. am none suche .I. most speke as .I. can And so be-fel whan þat þis Cambynskan Haþe tuenty wynter borne his Diademe As he was wonte fro ȝere to ȝere [I deme] Line 44 He lete þe feste of his Natiuite Done crien þoruhe Sarray his Cite Þe last Idus of Mars after þe ȝere Phebus þe sonne ful Ioly was and clere Line 48 For he was nyhe his exaltacion In Martes face and his mansion In Aries þe Colerik þe hote signe Ful lusty was þe weder and benygne Line 52 For whiche þe foules a-ȝein þe sone schene What for þe seson and þe ȝonge grene Ful loude songe hire affections Hem semed han geten hem protections Line 56 Aȝeine þe swerde of wynter kene and colde This Kambynskan of whiche .I. haue ȝow tolde In Roial vestment sitte on his dese [folio 80a] Wiþ Dyademe ful hihe in his paleyce Line 60 And halt his feste solempne and so riche Þat in þis werld ne was þer none it lyche Of whiche if .I. schal tel al þe arraye Þan wolde it Occupie a somers daie Line 64 And eke it nedeþ nouht to deuise Of euery cours þe order of hir seruise .I. wil nouht tel of hir strange sewese Ne of hir swannes ne of hire heronsewese Line 68 Eke in þat londe as tellen knygtes olde Þer is sum mete þat is ful deynte holde þat in þis lande men reche bot smal Þere is no man þat maie reporten al Line 72

[6-text p 481] Line 72 .I. wil nouht tarien ȝow for it is prime For it is no fruyte bot losse of time In to my ferst purpos .I. wil haue my recours And so be-fel þat after þe þred cours Line 76 While þat þis kinge sitte þus in his nobley Herkenynge his mynstralles here þinges pley Be-forne him att þe borde deliciously In at þe hall dore al sodeynly Line 80 þere com a knyht vpon a stede of bras And in his honde a brode meroure of glas Vpon his þome he had of golde a renge And be his side a naked swerde hanginge. Line 84 And vpe he rideþ to þe hihe borde In all þe hall ne was þere spoke a worde For merveile of þis knyht him to be-holde Full besily þei wayten ȝonge and olde Line 88 This strange knyht þat cam þus sodanly Al armed saue his hed ful richelye Salued þe kinge þe qwene and þe lordes all Be order as þei seten in þe hall Line 92 Wiþ so hihe reu[er]ence and obeissance als wele in speche as in countenance Þat Gawen wiþ his olde Curtasie Thouhe he come aȝeine oute of fayre Line 96 Ne couþe him nouht amende wiþ no worde And after þis be-for þe hihe borde He wiþ a manly voice seide his mesage After þe forme vsed in his langage. Line 100 With-oute vice of sillable or letter [folio 80b] And for his tale scholde seme þe better Accordant to his wordes was his chiere As techeþ arte of speche hem þat it lere Line 104 Albeit þat .I. ne can soune his stele Ne can nouht cleme ouere so hihe a stele Ȝit seie .I. þis as to comen entente Þus muche amonteþ al þat euere he mente Line 108

[6-text p 482] Line 108 If it so be þat .I. haue it in my mynde He saide þe kinge of arabie and of ynde My liege lorde on þis solempne daye Salueþ ȝowe as he best can and maie Line 112 Ande sendeþ ȝowe in honour of ȝowre feste Be me þat am redie al att ȝoure heste This stede of bras þat Esily and wele Can in þe space of a daie Naturele Line 116 This is to saie in .xxiiij. houres Where so ȝowh lust in drouht or in schoures Beren ȝoure body in to euery place To whiche ȝoure herte wilneþ for to pace Line 120 Wiþ-oute wem of ȝowe þoruh foule or faire Or if ȝowe liste to flie as hihe in þe Eyre As doþ an E[g]le whan him list to sore Þis same stede schal bere ȝowe euer more Line 124 Wiþ-oute harme til ȝe be þere ȝow list Thow þat ȝe slepen vpon his bak or rist And torne aȝeine wiþ writhinge of a pinne He þat it wrouht couþe ful mony a gynne Line 128 He waited mony constillacion Or he had do þis operacion And knewe ful mony a seale and mony a bonde This Miroure eke þat .I. haue in myne honde Line 132 Haþ suche a myh[t]e þat men maie in hit se Whan þere schal fal any aduersite Vn-to ȝoure Regne or to ȝoure self also And openly who is ȝoure frende or foo Line 136 And oue al þis if any lady briht Haþe sette hire hert on any maner whiht If he be false [she] schal his treson see His newe loue and al his subtilite Line 140 So oppenly þat þere schal no þinge hide Where-for aȝein þis lusti somer tide This mirrour and þis ringe þat ȝe maie see [folio 81a] He haþe sent to my ladie Canacee Line 144

[6-text p 483] Line 144 Ȝowre excellent douhter þat is here The vertue of þis ringe if ȝe wil here Is þis þat if hire list it for to were Vpon hir þome or in hir purse it bere Line 148 There is no foule þat flieþ vnder heuen Þat sche ne shal vnder-stonde his steuen And knowe his meneynge openly and pleyne And answere him in his langage aȝeine Line 152 And euery grasse þat groweþ vpon rote Se schal wel knowe and whom it wil do bote Al be his wondes neuer so depe and wide ¶ This naked swerde þat hingeþ be my side Line 156 Suche vertue haþ þat what man so it smyte þoruhe oute his armour it wil kerue and bite Were it as þikke as is a braunched oke And what man þat is wonded wiþ þe stroke Line 160 Schal neuere be hole til þat ȝou list of grace To stroke him wiþ þe plat in þilke place There he is hurte þis is as muche to seine Ȝe most wiþ þe platte swerde a-ȝeine Line 164 stroke him in þe wounde and it wil close This is a verrei soþe wiþ-outen glose It faileþ nouht whiles it is in ȝoure holde ¶ And whan þis knyht haþe þus his tale tolde Line 168 He rideþe oute of þe hall and doune he liht His stede which þat schone as sonne briht Stant in þe courte stille as any stone Þis knyht is to his chambre lad anone Line 172 And is armede and is to þe mete y-set The presentes bien ful richely .y-fett This is to seine þe swerde and þe mirrour And borne a-none vnto þe hihe toure Line 176 Wiþ certeine oficeres y-ordeyned þere fore And vnto Canacee þe ringe is bore Solemply þer sche sit att þe table Bot sekurly wyþ-outen any fable Line 180

[6-text p 484] Line 180 The hors of bras þat maye nouȝt be remewed It stant as it were to þe grounde y-glewed Þer maie no man oute of þe place it driue For none engyne of windas or poliue Line 184 And cause whi for þei can nouȝt þe craft [folio 81b] And þer-for in þe place þei haue it laft Til þat þe knith haþe tauht hem þe manere To voyden him as ȝe schal after here Line 188 Grete was þe pres þat swarmed to and fro To gauren on þis hors þat stondeþ so For it so hihe was and brode and longe So wele proporcioned for to be stronge Line 192 Riht as it were a stede of lumbardie Ther-wiþ so horslye and so quik of eye As it a gentil poileys courser were For certes fro his taile vn-to his ere Line 196 Nature ne art kouþe him nouht mende In no degre as al þe peple wende Bot euer-more here most wonder it was How þat it couþe gone and was of bras Line 200 It was of faire as þe peple semed Diuerse folke diuersely haue demed As mony hedes as mony wittes þere bene þei mormorede as done a swarme of bene Line 204 And maden skilles after hire fantasies Rehersinge of þe olde poetries And seide it was like to þe pegasee [.i. equs pecasus [[first, pedasdus]] ] Þe hors þat hade wenges for to flee Line 208 Or elles it was þe grekes hors Sinon Þat brouht troye to destructione As men þis olde gestes rede Myne herte quod one is euer-more in drede Line 212 .I. trowe som men of armes bene þar inne That schapen hem þis Cite for to wynne It were riht good þinge þat al suche wer knowe Anoþere rowned to his felowe lowe Line 216

[6-text p 485] Line 216 And seide he lyed for it is raþer like An apparence made be some magik As Iogelours pleyne att þes festes grete Of sundry þinges þus þei Iangle and trete Line 220 As lewed peple demeþ comunlye Of þinges þat bene more maad soubtillye Þan þei can in her lewdenes comprehende Þei demen gladdely to þe badder ende Line 224 And some of hem wondren on þe myrroure þat borne was vpe vnto þe maister toure Howe men miht in it suche þinges see [folio 82a] Anoþer ansewarde and seide it miht wele bee Line 228 Naturaly be composicions Of Angeles and of slyhe reflexions And seide þat in Rome was suche one Þei speke of alocen and vitilione Line 232 Of Aristotle þat write in hir liues Of wheynte merorous and of wheynte perspectiues As knowen þei þat hane hire bokes herde ¶ And oþer folke hane wondred on þe swerde Line 236 Þat wolde perce þoruhe euery þinge And fel in speche of Theople þe kinge And of Achilles for his queinte spere For he couþe wiþ it boþe hele and dere Line 240 Riht in suche wise as men mai wiþ þe swerde Of whiche riht nowe ȝe hauen ȝoure seluen herde Þei speken of sundri hardinge of Metal And speke of Medecines þer wiþ al Line 244 And howe and whan it schold harded be Whiche is knowe algat vnto me Tho speke þei of Canace ringe And seyden al þat suche a wonder þinge Line 248 Of craft of ringes herde þei neuer none Saue þat he Moyses and kinge Salomone Had a name of kunynge of suche arte Thus seine þe peple and drawen hem aparte Line 252

[6-text p 486] Line 252 Bot naþeles sum seide þat it was Wondre to maken of feren assche glas And ȝit is nouȝt glas not like Aschen of ferene Bot for þei han knowen it so ferne Line 256 Ther-for ceseþ hir Iangelinge and hir wonder As sore wonder sum of cause of þonder On hepe on flode on gossomere and on myst And al þinge til he þe causes wist Line 260 Þus Iangele þei and demen and deuise Til þat þe kinge gan fro his borde arise Phebus haþ laft þe angel Meredyonal And ȝit ascendinge was þe best Royal Line 264 The gentil Lion wiþ his Aldrian Whan þat þis Tatre kinge Kambiuskan Ros fro his borde þer as he satt ful hihe Be-forne him goþe þe lowde Minstralcye Line 268 Till he came vnto his chambre of paramentes [folio 82b] Ther as þei sownen diuers In[s]trumentes Þat is like an heuen for to here Nowe dauncen lusti venus childern dere Line 272 For in þe fissche her lady satt ful hihe And lokeþ on hem wiþ a frendely eye This noble kinge is sette vppon his trone This strange knyht is fette to him ful sone Line 276 And on þe daunce he goþe wiþ Canacee Here is þe reuel and þe Iolyte þat is not able a dol man to deuise He most han knowe loue and his seruise Line 280 And bene a festely man as fressche as maye þat scholde ȝowe devisen suche arraye. Who couþe tellen ȝowe þe forme of þe daunces So vnkouþe and suche frisshe contenance Line 284 Suche lokeinges subtile. and dissimilignes For drede of Ielowsy mennes perceyueinges No man bot Launcelet and he is dede There-for .I. pas ouer of al þis lustihede Line 288

[6-text p 487] Line 288 .I. saie no more Bot in þis Iolines .I. lete hem to men to soper hem dres The stewarde biddeþ spices for to hihe And eke þe wine in al þis Melodye Line 292 þe vssheres and þe esquiers bene y-gone The spices and þe wine be come a-none Thei ete and dronke and whan þis had an ende In to þe temple as reson was þei wende Line 296 The seruice done þei sowpen al be daye What nedeþ ȝow rehersen hire arraye Iche man wote wele þat att þe kinges fest Haþ plente to þe maste and to þe lest Line 300 And deinteþes mo þan be in my knowynge And affter soper goþ þis noble kinge To seen þis hors of bras wyþ al a route Of lordes and of ladis him aboute Line 304 Suche was þere on þis hors of bras þat seþen þe grete sege of troy was Thar as men wonderden on an hors also Ne was þere suche a wondrynge as was þo Line 308 Bot finaly þe kinge axeþ þis knyht þe vertue of þis courser and þe myht And praied him to tel his gouernance [folio 83a] The hors anone began to trippe and daunce Line 312 Whan þat þe knyht laide honde vpon þe ryne And seide sir þer is no mor to seine Bot whan þe luste to ride any where Ȝe most trill a pinne þat stant in his ere Line 316 Whiche .I. schal tel ȝow be-twene vs tuo Ȝe mot neuen him to what place also Or to what cuntre þat ȝoue lust to ride And whan ȝe come þere as ȝe lust to abide Line 320 Bid him descende and tril anoþere pinne For þere-in liþe þe effect of al þe ginne And wil doune descende and done ȝowre will And in þat place he wil abide still Line 324

[6-text p 488] Line 324 If al þe werld had þe contrarie swore He schal not þens be þrowe ne bore Or if þu luste bidde him þens gone Tril þis pinne and he wil vanessche a-none Line 328 Owte of þe siht of euery maner whiht And come aȝeine be it daie or nyht Whan þat ȝowe lust to klepen him aȝeine In suche a gise as .I. schal to ȝowe seine Line 332 Betwexen ȝowe and me and þat ful sone Ride whan ȝow luste þer is no more to done Enformed whan þe kinge was of þe knyht And haþe conseyued in his witte a riht Line 336 The manere and þe forme of all þis þinge Ful glad and bliþe þe noble douhti kinge Repeiringe to his reuel as be-forne The bridel is in to þe toure y-borne Line 340 And kepped amonge his Iewels leue and dere The hors vanissed .I. not in what manere Owte of her siht ȝe gette no mor of me Bot þus .I. lete in lust and Iolite Line 344 þis kambynscan his lordes festinge Til wele nyhe þe daie be-gan to springe [[One line blank in the MS.]]

[PART II.]

The norice of digestion is slepe Gan on hem winke and bad hem take kepe Line 348 That muche mete and labur wold haue rest And wiþ a galpinge mouþe he al hem kest And seide þat it was time to lye a-downe For blode was in his dominacione [folio 83b] Line 352 Chiriseþ blode naturs frende quod he Thei þonken him galpinge be two be þre An euery whiht gan drawene him to his rest As slepe hem bad þei toke it for þe best Line 356

[6-text p 489] Line 356 Hir dremes schal nouht be told for me Ful was here heuedes of fumosite That causeþ dreme of wiche þer is no charge Thei slepen til it was prime large Line 360 The most parte bot it were Canace Sche was ful mesurable as wemmen be For of hir fader had sche take hir leue To go to rest sone after it was eue Line 364 Hir lust nouȝt apalled for to bue For on þe morwe vnfestlyche for to se And sleped hir furst slepe and wooke For suche a ioye sche in hire hert toke Line 368 Boþe of hir wheynte ringe and of hir meroure Þat twenty times sche chaunged hir coloure And in hir slepe riht for impressione Of hir meroure sche hadde a visione Line 372 Where for or þat þe sonne vp gan glide Sche cleped vpon hire Maistres hire be-side And seide þat hir luste for to rise Thes olde wemme þat bene gladly wise Line 376 As is her Maistres answard hire anone And seide Madame wheder wil ȝe gone Thus erely folke been al in rest .I. wil quod sche arise for me lest Line 380 No longer slepe bot to walken aboute Hire Maistres clepeþe wimmen a grete route And vp þei resen wele ten or twelue Vp riseþ ffrische Canacee hire selue Line 384 As Rody and briht as þeyhe þe ȝonge sonne þat in þe ram ten degres is vp ronne Noon hier was he whan sche redy was And forþ sche walkeþ esili apase Line 388 Arraid afte þe lusti seson suote Lyhtly for to pleye and walk on fote Not bot .v. or .vj. of hir Meinȝe For in a trenche fere in þe parke goþ sche Line 392

[6-text p 490] Line 392 The vapor whiche þat fro þe erþe glode Makeþ þe sonne to seme rody and brode Bot naþeles it was so faire a siht [folio 84a] Þat it maad all hir hertes for to liht Line 396 What for þe seson and þe morneynge And for þe foules þat sche herde singe For riht anone sche wist what þei mente Riht be hir songe and knowe al her entente Line 400 The knotte whi þat euery tale is tolde If it be taried til lust be colde Of hem þat han it herkened after ȝore The sauoure passeþe euer þe langere more Line 404 For fulsomnesse of prolixite And be þis same reson þenkeþ me .I. schol vnto þe knotte condescende And make of hire walkinge sone an ende Line 408 Amydde a tree for-drie as white as chalke As Canacee was pleyinge in hir walke Ther sat a fawcon ouer hir heued ful hihe That wiþ a pitous voice so gan to crie Line 412 That al þe woode resed of hire Crie [And beten hadde hire self so pitouslye [MS Reg. 18 C ii folio 87a] ] wiþ boþe hire wenges til þe rede blode Ran endlonge þe tre þer as sche stode Line 416 And euer in one sche cried alweie and schryht And wiþ hir beke hire seluen so sche piht þat þere ne was tigre ne cruel beste þat dwelleþ eyþer in wode or in foreste Line 420 þat nolde haue wepped If þat wepe he couþe For sorwe sche shreyht for hir alweie so lowþe For þar nas neuer ȝit man on liue If þat .I. couþe a faukon wele discriue Line 424 þat herd of suche anoþer of fairnes As wele of plumage as of gentilnes Of schap of þat þat myht rekened be A faukon peregryne þan semed sche Line 428

[6-text p 491] Line 428 Of fremed londe and euer-more as sche stode Sche swowned now and now for lak of blode Til wel nyhe is sche fallen fro þe tree This faire kinges douhter þis Canace Line 432 þat on her finger bare þe wheynte ringe Thorwe whiche sche vnderstod wele euery þinge þat any foule may in his leden seine And kowde ansewere him in his leden aȝeine Line 436 Haþe vnderstonde þat þis faukon seide And wel nyhe for reuþe almoste sche deide And to þe tre sche goþe ful hastely [folio 84b] And on þis faukon loked ful pitously . Line 440 And held hir lap abrode for wele sche wist The fawkon most fal fro þe twyst Whan þat it swoned next for lak of blode A longe while to waite hire sche stode Line 444 Til att þe last sche spak in þis manere Vnto þe hauke as ȝe schal after here ¶ What it þe cause if it be to tell That ȝe bue in þis furial peine of hell Line 448 Quod Canacee vnto þis hauke aboue Is þis for sorwe of deþe or losse of loue For as [I] trowe þes bene causes two Þat Causen moste a gentil hert woo Line 452 Of oþer harme it redeþ not to speke For þi ȝoureselfe vpon ȝoure self ȝowe wreke Whiche þat proueþ wele þat eyþer ire or drede Mot bene encheson of ȝoure crewel dede Line 456 Sen þat .I. see none oþer whiht ȝoue chace For loue of god so do ȝowre self grace Or what maye be ȝoure helpe for west nor este Ne sawhe .I. neuere ar nowe no brid no beste Line 460 That ferd wiþ him self so pitously Ȝe slee me wiþ ȝoure sorwe verrayly .I. haue of ȝowe so grete compassione For goddes loue com fro þe tre a-downe Line 464

[6-text p 492] Line 464 And as .I. am a kinges douhter trewe If þat .I. verrayly þe cause knewe Of yowre disease if laie in my myht .I. wold amend it or þat it wer nyht Line 468 As wissely helpe me grete god of kinde And herbes schal .I. riht y-nowe finde To hele wiþþe ȝowre hurtes hastely Tho schright þis faukon more pitously Line 472 Than euer sche dede and fel to grounde a-none And lieþ on swowne dede as any stone This Canace haþe in hir lappe hir take Vn-to þat time sche gan of swoune a-wake Line 476 And after þat sche of swowne gan a-braide Riht in hir haukes loden þus sche seid That pite renneþ sone in gentil hert Feleynge is similitude in peines smert Line 480 Is proued al daie as men maie it see [folio 85a] As wele be werke as be auctorite For gentil hert kepeþ gentillesse I. see wele þat ȝe hane of me destresse Line 484 Compassione my faire Canacee Of verrey wommanly benyngnite Þat nature in ȝoure principles haþe sett Bot for no hope for to fare þe bett Line 488 Bot for to obeie vnto ȝoure hert fre And for to maken oþere be war be me As be þe whelpe chastized es þe lyon Riht for þat cause and for þat conclusion Line 492 While þat .I. haue a leiser and a space. Myne harme .I. wil confessen ar .I. pace And euer while þat one hire sorwe tolde þe toþer weped as sche to water wolde Line 496 Til þat þe faukon bad hir to be still And wiþ a sike þus sche seide hir till There .I. was bred alas þat ilke daie And fosterd in a roche of Marble graie Line 500

[6-text p 493] Line 500 So tenderly þat no þinge eyled me .I. wist nouht what was aduersite Til .I. kouþe flie ful hihe vnder þe skye Tho dwelled a tarselet me fast bye Line 504 Þat semed wele of al gentillesse Al were he ful of treson and of falsenesse It is wrapped vnder humble charite And vnder hiewe of trowþe and in suche manere Line 508 Vnde[r] plesance and vnder besi peine Þat no wyht couþ haue wende he couþ feyne So depe in greine he deiede his coloures Riht as a serpent hideþ him vnder floures Line 512 til he may se his time for to bite Riht so þis god of loue Ipocrite Doþe so his cerimonijs and obeiceances And keped in semblant al his obseruances Line 516 And souneþ in to gentilles of loue As in to a tombe is al þe faire a-boue And vnder is þe cours suche as .I. wote Swyche was þis ypocrit boþe colde and hoote Line 520 And in þis wise he serued his entent þat saue þe fende no man wist what he mente Til he so longe had wepen a[n]d compleyned [folio 85b] And mony a ȝere his seruice to me feyned Line 524 Til þat myne herte to pytous and to nyce Al Innoce of his crowel malice For-fered of his deþ as þouht me Vpon his oþes and his surete Line 528 Graunted him loue vpon þis condicione þat euer mo myn honoure and renoune Were saued boþ priue and aperte This is to seine þat after his desert Line 532 .I. ȝaf him al myn herte and al myn þouht God woote and he and oþer wise nouht And toke his hert in chaunge of myne for aye Bot soþe is seide gon siþen mony a daye Line 536

[6-text p 494] Line 536 A trew wihte and a þefe þenkeþ nat one And whan he sawe þe þinge so fer y-.gone That .I. graunted him fully my loue In suche a gise as .I. haue seide a-boue Line 540 And ȝeuen him my trewe herte as fre As he swore he ȝaue his hert to me Anone þis Tigre ful of doublenesse Fele on his knees wiþ so deuoute humblesse Line 544 With hihe reuerence and as be his chier So like a gentil louere of manere So rauesshed as it semed for þe Ioye þat neuer Iason ne Paris of troye Line 548 Iason certes ne none oþere man Syn lameþ was þat alþer first be-gan To louen two as writen folke by-forne Ne neuer siþe þe first manne was borne Line 552 Ne couþe man be tuenty þousand parte Counterfete þe sophimes of his arte Ne war worþi to vnbokle his galoche Ther dowblenesse or feyneinge schold aproche Line 556 Ne so kouþe þonke a whight as he did me His maner was an heuen for to see Til any womman were sche neuer so wise So peynted he and kembeþ att pinte deuise Line 560 Als wele is worde as his countenance And .I. so loued him for his Obeissance And for þe treuþe .I. demed in his herte That if so were þat any þinge him smerte Line 564 Al ware it neuer so litel and .I. it wiste [folio 86a] Me þouht .I. felt deþ att myne hert twiste And schortly so fer forþe þis þinge went þat my will haþ his willes Instrument Line 568 This to seine my will obeide his will In al þinge as fer as reson fill Kepeinge þe boundes of my worschip euere Ne neuer had .I. þinge so lefe ne leuere Line 572

[6-text p 495] Line 572 As him; god woote ne neuer schal no mo This last longer þan a ȝere or two That .I. supposed of him no þinge bot goode Bot finaly þus att þe laste it stode Line 576 That fortune wolde þat he most twynne Owte of þat place whiche þat .I. was inne Where me was woo it is no questione .I. kan nouȝt make of hit discripcione Line 580 For o þinge dar .I. tell boldely .I. knowe what is þe peine of deþe þer-by Suche harme .I. felte for he ne myht be-leue So on a daye of me he toke is leue Line 584 So sorwfully eke þat .I. wende verrayly That he had feled as muche harme as .I. Whan þat .I. herd him speke and sawe his hiewe Bot naþeles .I. þouht he was so trewe Line 588 And eke þat he repaire scholde agayne Wiþ inne a lite while soþe to seine And reson wolde eke þat he mot go For his honour as oft happeþ so Line 592 þat maade vertue of necessite And toke it wele seþþe þat it most be As .I. best myht .I. hidde fro him my sorwe And toke him by þe honde seint Iohn to borwe Line 596 And seid þus. lo .I. am ȝoures al Beþe suche as .I. haue. bue to ȝowe and schal What he answarde it nedeþ nouht reherse Who can sei bet þan he whou kan do werse Line 600 Whan he haþ al wele seide þan haþ he done Ther-for be-houeþ him a ful longe spone þat schal eten wiþ a fende þus herd .I. seie So att þe last he mote forþe his weye Line 604 And forþe he flyeþ til he cam where him liste Whan it com him to purpos for to riste. I trowe he hadde þilke text in mynde. [folio 86b] Þat al þinge repaireinge to his kinde Line 608

[6-text p 496] Line 608 Gladeþ him selfe þus seine men as .I. gesse Men loue of propre kinde newefangelnesse As birdes done þat men in cage fede For þouhe þe nyht and daie take of hem hede Line 612 And strewe hir cage faire and soft as silke And ȝiue hem suger hony brede and melke Ȝit riht anone as þat his dore is huppe He wiþþe wiþ his fete wi[l] sporne doune his cuppe Line 616 And to þe wode he wil and wermes ete So new fongel be þei of her mete And louen none leueres of propre kinde Ne gentilles of maie hem binde Line 620 So ferde þis tarselet alas þis daie þouhe he ware gentil borne frische and gaie And goodly for to see and humble and free He sawe vp-on a time a kite fle Line 624 And sodanly he loued þis kite soo þat al his loue is clene fro me goo And haþ his trouþe falsed in þis wise þus haþe þe kite my loue in her seruise Line 628 And .I. am lorne wiþ-oute remedie And wiþ þat worde þis fawkon gan to crie And swowned eft in Canace barme Grete was þe sorwe of þat haukes harme Line 632 That Canacee and al hir wemmen maade Thei nest howe þat þei myht þe faukon glade Bot Canace home bereþ hir in lappe And softely in plastres gan hir wrappe Line 636 þer as sche wiþe hire beke hadde hert hir selue Nowe can nouȝt Canace bot herbes delue Oute of þe grounde and maken salues newe Of herbes precious and fyne of hewe Line 640 To helen wiþ þe hauke fro daie to nyht Sche doþe hire besines and al hir myht And be hir beddes hede sche maade a mewe And couerd it wiþ veluetes blewe Line 644

[6-text p 497] Line 644 In singne of treuþe þat is in wemme[n] seene. And al wiþe-oute þe mewe is peynted grene In whiche war peynted as þis fals fowles As bien þis tideues tarseletz and owles. Line 648 Riht for dispite was peinted hem by side [folio 87a] Pyes on hem for to crie and Chide Thus lete .I. Canace hir hauke kepeinge .I. wil no more nowe speke of hire ringe Line 652 Til it come eft to purpos for to seine Howe þat þis fawkon gatt hir loue aȝeine Repentant as þe storie telleþ vs Be Mediacion of Camballus Line 656 þe kinges son of whiche .I. ȝowe tolde Bot hense forþe .I. wil proces holde To speken of aventures and of batailes þat ȝit was neuer herde so grete merveiles Line 660 ffirst wil .I. tell ȝowe of Cambynskan That in his time mony a Cite wan And after wil .I. speke of Algarsif Howe þat he wanne Theodora to his wif Line 664 For whan ful oft in grete perile he was Ne had he bue holpen be þe hors of bras And after wil .I. speke of Camballo Þat fauht in listes wiþ þe breþerne tuo Line 668 ffor Canace ar þat he my[ht] hir wynne And þere .I. left .I. þenke aȝeine be-gynne Line 670 Bot .I. wil here nowe maake a knotte [[8 spurious lines]] To þe time it come next to my lotte For here be felawes behinde an hepe treulye þat wolden talke ful besilye Line 4 And haue her sporte as wele as .I. And þe daie passeþ fast certanly Therefore oste takeþ nowe goode heede Who schall next tell and late him speede Line 8

Explicit fabula Armigeri.