The Harleian ms. 7334 of Chaucer's Canterbury tales. Ed. by Frederick J. Furnivall.

AT Sarray in þe lond of Tartary [folio 149a] Ther dwelled a kyng þat werryed russy Thurgh which þer deyed many a doughty man This nobil kyng was cleped Cambynskan Line 12 which in his tyme was of so gret renoun That þer nas nowher in no regioun So excellent a lord in alle þing / Him lakked nought þat longed to a kyng Line 16 As of þe secte of which þat he was born he kept his lawe . to which he was sworn And þerto he was hardy wys and riche / And pitous and Iust alway yliche Line 20 Soth of his word benign and honurable Of his corage as eny centre stable Ȝong freisch and strong in armes desirous As eny bachiler of al his hous Line 24 A fair person he was and fortunat And kepte so wel his real astat That þer was no wher such a ryal man This noble kyng þis tartre þis Cambynskan Line 28 hadde tuo sones by Elcheta his wyf Of which þe eldest/ highte Algaryf That oþer was I-cleped Samballo A doughter had þis worthi king also Line 32 That ȝongest was and highte Canace But for to telle ȝou al hir beaute It lith not on my tong ne my connyng I dar nouȝt vndertake so heigh a þing Line 36

[6-text p 480] Line 36 Myn englissh eek is insufficient he moste be a Rethor excellent That couþ his colours longyng for þat art If he schold hir discryue in eny part Line 40 I am non such I mot speke as I can And so bifel it þat þis Cambynskan haþ twenty wynter born his dyademe As he was wont fro ȝer to ȝer I deme Line 44 he leet þe fest of his natiuite: Don cryen þurgh Sarray his Cite The last Idus of march after þe ȝeer [folio 149b] Phebus þe sonne was Ioly and cleer Line 48 For he was neigh his exaltacioun In marcȝ face and in his mansioun In aries þe colerik þe hote signe Ful lusty was the wedir and benigne Line 52 For which þe foules aȝein þe sonne scheene what for þe sesoun & for þe ȝonge greene Ful lowde song in here affecciouns hem semed haue geten hem protecciouns Line 56 Aȝens þe swerd of wynter kene and cold This Cambynskan of which I haue told In royal vesture sittyng on his deys with dyadem ful heigh in his paleys Line 60 And held his fest . solempne and so riche That in þis worlde was þer noon it liche Of which if I schal tellen al þarray Than wold it occupie a someres day Line 64 And eek it neediþ nouȝt for to deuyse At euery cours þe ordre and þe seruyse I wol nat tellen of her straunge sewes Ne of her swannes ne here heroun-sewes Line 68 Ek in þat lond as tellen knightes olde Ther is som mete þat is ful deynte holde That in þis lond men recch of it but smal Ther is no man it may reporten al Line 72

[6-text p 481] Line 72 I wol not tarien ȝou for it is pryme And for it is no fruyt but los of tyme vnto my purpos. I wol haue my recours That so bifelle after þe þridde cours Line 76 whil þat þe kyng sit þus in his nobleye herkyng his mynstrales her þinges pleye Byforn him atte boord deliciously In atte halle dore al sodeynly Line 80 Ther com a knight vpon a steed of bras And in his hond a brod myrour of glas Vpon his thomb he had of gold a ryng And by his side a naked swerd hangyng Line 84 And vp he rideth to þe heyghe bord [folio 150a] In al þe halle ne was þer spoke a word For meruayl of þis knight him to byholde Ful besily þey wayten ȝong and olde Line 88 This straunge knight þat cam þus sodeynly Al armed sauf his heed ful richely; Salued the kyng and queen and lordes alle By ordre as þey seten in to halle / Line 92 with so heigh reuerens and obseruaunce As wel in speche as in contynaunce / That Ewen with his olde curtesye They he come aȝein out of fayrye Line 96 Ne couþe him nouȝt amende wiþ no word And after þis biforn þe highe bord he with a manly vois sayd his message After þe forme vsed in his langage Line 100 wiþouten vice of sillabil or letter And for his tale schulde seme þe better Accordaunt to his wordes was his cheere As techeth art of speche hem þat it leere Line 104 Al be it þat I can nat sowne his style Ne can nat clymben ouer so heigh a style / Ȝit say I þis as to comun entent Thus moche amounteth al þat euer he ment Line 108

[6-text p 482] Line 108 If it so be þat I haue it in mynde / ¶ he sayd þe kyng of Arraby and yynde My liege lord on þis solempne day Saluteth ȝou as he best can or may Line 112 he sendeth ȝou in honour of ȝour feste By me þat am redy at al his heste This steede of bras þat esily and wel That can in the space of o day naturel Line 116 This is to say in four an twenty houres wher-so ȝou lust / in droughþe or in schoures Beren ȝour body in to euery place To which ȝour herte wilneþ for to pace Line 120 wiþouten wem of ȝou þurgh foul and fair Or if ȝou lust to flee as heiȝ in þair As doþ an egle whan him list to sore [folio 150b] This same steede schal bere ȝou euermore / Line 124 wiþoute harm til ȝe be þer ȝou leste Though þat ȝe slepen on his bak or reste And torne aȝein with wryþing of a pyn he þat it wrought cowþe ful many a gyn Line 128 he wayted many a constellacioun Er he had do þis operacioun And knew ful many a seal and many a bond ¶ This mirour eek þat I haue in myn hond Line 132 haþ such a mighte / þat men may in it see when þer schal falle eny aduersite Vnto ȝour regne vnto ȝour self also And openly who is ȝour frend or fo Line 136 And ouer al þis if eny lady bright hath set hir hert on eny maner wight If he be fals sche schal his tresoun see his newe loue and his subtilite Line 140 So openly þat þer schal noþing hyde wherfor aȝeins þis lusty somer tyde This mirour and þis ryng þat ȝe may see he haþ send to my lady Canacee Line 144

[6-text p 483] Line 144 Ȝour excellente doughter þat is heere ¶ The vertu of þis ryng and ȝe wol heere; Is þis / þat who . so lust it for to were vpon hir thomb / or in hir purs to bere Line 148 Ther is no foul / þat fleeth vnder þe heuen That schal vnderstonden his steuen. And know his menyng openly and pleyn and answer him in his langage aȝeyn Line 152 And euery gras . þat groweþ vpon roote Sche schal eek know / to whom it wol do boote Al be his woundes neuer so deep and wyde ¶ This naked swerd þat hangeþ by my syde Line 156 Such vertu hath þat what man þat it smyte Thurghout his armur it wol kerue and byte were it as þikke as a braunched ook And what man is I-wounded with þe strook Line 160 Schal neuer be hool / til þat ȝou lust of grace [folio 151a] To strok him wiþ þe plat in þilke place; Ther he is hurt . þis is as moche to seyn Ȝe moote with þe platte swerd aȝein Line 164 Stroke him in þe wound and it wol close / This is þe verray soth wiþouten glose / It failleth nought whil it is in ȝour hold And whan þis knight þus had his tale told Line 168 he rit out of þe halle and doun he light his steede which þat schon as sonne bright Stant in þe court as stille as eny stoon This knight is to his chambre lad anoon Line 172 he is vnarmed and to mete I-sett This presentȝ ben ful richely I-fett This is to sayn, the swerd and the myrrour And born anon vnto þe highe tour Line 176 with certein officers ordeynd þerfore And vnto Canace þe ryng is bore; Solempnely ther sche syt atte table But sikerly wiþouten eny fable Line 180

[6-text p 484] Line 180 The hors of bras þat may nat be remewed It stant as it were to the ground I-glewed Ther may no man out of þe place it dryue For noon engyn of wyndyng or polyue· Line 184 And cause why for þey can nouȝt þe craft And þerfor in the place þei haue it laft Til þat þe knight haþ taught hem þe manere To voyden him as ȝe schul after heere Line 188 Greet was þe pres þat swarmed to and fro To gauren on þis hors þat stondeth so For it so wyd was and so brod and long So wel proporcioned to be strong Line 192 Right as it were a steed of lumbardye Ther-to so horsly and so quyk of ye As it a gentil poyleys courser were For certes fro his tayl vnto his eere Line 196 Nature ne art ne couþe him nouȝt amende In no degre as al þe poeple wende But euermore her moste wonder was [folio 151b] How þat it couþe goon and was of bras Line 200 It was of fayry as þe poeple semed Diuerse peple . diuersly þey demed As many hedes as many wittes been They murmured as doþ a swarm of been Line 204 And made skiles after her fantasies Rehersyng of þe olde poetries And seyden it was I-like þe pagase .i. equus pegaseus The hors þat hadde wynges for to fle / Line 208 Or elles it was þe grekissch hors Synon That broughte troye to destruccioun As men may in þe olde gestes rede / Myn hert quod oon is euermor in drede Line 212 I trow som men of armes ben þerinne That schapen hem þis cite for to wynne It were good / þat such þing were knowe / Anoþer rowned to his felaw lowe / Line 216

[6-text p 485] Line 216 And sayde it lyth for it is raþer lik An apparence maad by som magik As Iogelours pleyen at þis festes grete Of sondry þoughtes þus þey Iangle and trete Line 220 As lewed peple demeth comunly Of þinges þat ben maad more subtily Than þey can in her lewednes comprehende They deemen gladly to the badder ende Line 224 And som of hem wondred of þe mirrour That born was vp in to þe maister tour How men might in hit suche þinges se Anoþer answerd and sayd it might wel be Line 228 Naturelly by composiciouns Of angels and of heigh reflexiouns And sayde þat in Rome was such oon They speeke of al-ceyt and Vitilyon Line 232 Of aristotle / þat writen in her lyues Of queynte myrrours and prospectyues As knowen þey þat han her bokes herd And oþer folk haue wondred on þe swerd Line 236 That wolde passe þorughout euery þing [folio 152a] And fel in speche of Thelophus þe kyng And of achilles for his queynte spere For he couþe with hit boþe hele and dere Line 240 Right in such wyse as men may wiþ þe swerd Of which right now ȝe haue ȝour seluen herd They speeken of sondry hardyng of metal And speken of medicines þer wiþ al Line 244 And how and whan it schulde harded be / which is vnknowe / algat vnto me / Tho speeken þey of Canacees ryng And seyden alle / þat such a wonder þing Line 248 Of craft of rynges herd þey neuer noon Sauf þat he moyses and kyng Salamon Had a name of connyng in such art Thus seyen þe peple on euery part Line 252

[6-text p 486] Line 252 But naþeles som seiden þat it was / wonder þing to make of ferne glas / And ȝit is glas nouȝt like aisschen of ferne But for þey han I-knowen it so ferne Line 256 Therfor cesseth her ianglyng and her wonder And sore wondred som of cause of þonder On ebbe and flood on gossomer and on myst And on alle þing til þat þe cause is wist Line 260 Thus Ianglen þey and demen and deuyse Til þat þe kyng gan fro his bord arise

Phebus hath lost þe angel merydyonal And ȝit/ ascendyng was a best roial Line 264 The gentil lyoun wiþ his adryan whan þat þis gentil kyng þis Cambynskan Ros fro his bord þer as he sat ful hye Biforn him goth ful lowde menstralcye Line 268 Til he cam to his chambre of Parementȝ Ther as þer were diuers instrumentȝ That is y-like an heuen for to heere ¶ Now dauncen lusty Venus children deere Line 272 For in þe fissch. her lady sat ful heyȝe And lokeþ on hem with a frendly eyȝe / This noble kyng is set vpon his trone / This straunge knight is fet to him ful sone [folio 152b] Line 276 And in the daunce he gan with Canace / her is þe reuel and þe iolyte That is not able a dul man to deuyse he most haue knowe loue and his seruise / Line 280 And ben a festly man as freisch as may That schulde ȝou deuyse such array who couthe telle ȝou þe forme of daunce; So vncouth and such a freisch countinaunce Line 284 Such subtil lokyng of dissimilynges For drede of Ialous folk apparceyuynges No man but launcelet and he is deed Therfore I passe ouer al þis lustyheed Line 288

[6-text p 487] Line 288 A say no more but in þis Iolynesse / I lete hem til men to soper hem dresse The styward byt þe spices for to hye And eek þe wyn in al þis melodye Line 292 Thes vsschers and þes squyers ben agon The spices and þe wyn is come anoon They eet and drank and whan þis had an ende / vnto þe temple as resoun was þey wende / Line 296 The seruise doon þey and soupen al by day what needeth ȝou to rehersen her array Ech man wot wel þat a kynges feste hath plente to þe lest and to the meste Line 300 And deyntees mo þan ben in my knowyng And after souper goþ þis noble kyng To see þis hors of bras wiþ al his route Of lordes and of ladyes al aboute / Line 304 Swich wondryng was þer on þis hors of bras That seth þis grete siege of troye was / Ther as men wondred on an hors also Ne was þer such a wondryng as was þo Line 308 But fynally þe kyng asked þe knight The vertu of þis courser and þe might And prayd him tellen of his gouernaunce The hors anoon gan for to trippe and daunce Line 312 whan þe knight leyd hand vpon his rayne And sayde sir þer is nomore to sayne [folio 153a] But whan ȝou lust to ryde any where / ȝe moote trille a pyn stant in his ere Line 316 which I schal telle ȝou bitwen vs two ȝe moste nempne him to what place also Or what countre ȝou luste for to ryde And whan ȝe come þer ȝou lust abyde Line 320 Bid him descende and trille anoþer pynne For þer in lith þe fet of al þe gynne / And he wol doun descend and do ȝour wille And in þat place he wol abyde stille Line 324

[6-text p 488] Line 324 Though al þe world had þe contrary swore he schal nat thennes be I-þrowe ne bore Or if ȝou lust to bid him þennes goon Trille þis pyn and he wol vanyssh anoon Line 328 Out of þe sight of euery maner wight And come aȝein . be it by day or night whan þat ȝou lust to clepen him aȝayn In such a gyse as I schal ȝow sayn Line 332 Bitwixe ȝou and me and þerfor soone Byd whan ȝou lust þer nys nomor to doone Enformed when þe kyng was of þe knight And had conceyued in his wit aright Line 336 The maner of þe forme and al þis þing Ful glad and blith þis noble doughty kyng Repeyryng to his reuel as biforn The bridel is vnto þe tour I-born Line 340 And kept among his Iewels leef and deere The hors vanyscht I not in what manere Out of her sight ȝe get nomore of me But þus I lete him in his iolite Line 344 This Cambinskan his lordes festeyng Til wel neigh þe day bigan to spryng

Explicit prima pars // [[No break in the MS.]]