Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer by Geoffrey Chaucer

Author:Geoffrey Chaucer [Chaucer, Geoffrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Delphi Main Series
Publisher: Delphi Classics
Published: 2020-05-24T16:00:00+00:00

THE SQUIRE’S TALE.

THE PROLOGUE.

“HEY! Godde’s mercy!” said our Hoste tho,1 1then

“Now such a wife I pray God keep me fro’.

Lo, suche sleightes and subtilities

In women be; for aye as busy as bees

Are they us silly men for to deceive,

And from the soothe1 will they ever weive,2 1truth 2swerve, depart

As this Merchante’s tale it proveth well.

But natheless, as true as any steel,

I have a wife, though that she poore be;

But of her tongue a labbing1 shrew is she; 1chattering

And yet1 she hath a heap of vices mo’. 1moreover

Thereof 1no force;1 let all such thinges go. 1no matter1

But wit1 ye what? in counsel2 be it said, 1know 2secret, confidence

Me rueth sore I am unto her tied;

For, an’1 I shoulde reckon every vice 1if

Which that she hath, y-wis1 I were too nice;2 1certainly 2foolish

And cause why, it should reported be

And told her by some of this company

(By whom, it needeth not for to declare,

Since women connen utter such chaffare ),

And eke my wit sufficeth not thereto

To tellen all; wherefore my tale is do.1 1done

Squier, come near, if it your wille be,

And say somewhat of love, for certes ye

1Conne thereon1 as much as any man.” 1know about it1

“Nay, Sir,” quoth he; “but such thing as I can,

With hearty will, — for I will not rebel

Against your lust,1 — a tale will I tell. 1pleasure

Have me excused if I speak amiss;

My will is good; and lo, my tale is this.”

THE TALE.

1Pars Prima.1 1First part1

At Sarra, in the land of Tartary,

There dwelt a king that warrayed1 Russie, 1made war on

Through which there died many a doughty man;

This noble king was called Cambuscan,

Which in his time was of so great renown,

That there was nowhere in no regioun

So excellent a lord in alle thing:

Him lacked nought that longeth to a king,

As of the sect of which that he was born.

He kept his law to which he was y-sworn,

And thereto1 he was hardy, wise, and rich, 1moreover, besides

And piteous and just, always y-lich;1 1alike, even-tempered

True of his word, benign and honourable;

1Of his corage as any centre stable;1 1firm, immovable of spirit1

Young, fresh, and strong, in armes desirous

As any bachelor of all his house.

A fair person he was, and fortunate,

And kept alway so well his royal estate,

That there was nowhere such another man.

This noble king, this Tartar Cambuscan,

Hadde two sons by Elfeta his wife,

Of which the eldest highte Algarsife,

The other was y-called Camballo.

A daughter had this worthy king also,

That youngest was, and highte Canace:

But for to telle you all her beauty,

It lies not in my tongue, nor my conning;1 1skill

I dare not undertake so high a thing:

Mine English eke is insufficient,

It muste be a rhetor1 excellent, 1orator

1That couth his colours longing for that art,1 1 see 1

If he should her describen any part;

I am none such, I must speak as I can.

And so befell, that when this Cambuscan

Had twenty winters borne his diadem,

As he was wont from year to year, I deem,

He let 1the feast of his nativity1 1his birthday party1

1Do crye,1 throughout Sarra his city, 1be proclaimed1

The last Idus of March, after the year.

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