| At Sarray, in the land of Tartarye, |
10 | Ther dwelte a kyng that werreyed Russye, |
| Thurgh which ther dyde many a doughty man. |
| This noble kyng was cleped Cambyuskan, |
| Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun, |
| That ther was nowher in no regioun |
15 | So excellent a lord in alle thyng. |
| Hym lakked noght that longeth to a kyng; |
| And of the secte, of which that he was born, |
| He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn; |
| And therto he was hardy, wys, and riche, |
20 | And pitous, and just, and everemoore yliche, |
| Sooth of his word, benigne, and honurable, |
| Of his corage as any centre stable, |
| Yong, fressh, strong, and in armes desirous |
| As any bacheler of al his hous. |
25 | A fair persone he was, and fortunat, |
| And kepte alwey so wel roial estat |
| That ther was nowher swich another man. |
|
And so bifel, that whan this Cambyuskan |
| Hath twenty wynter born his diademe, |
| As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme, |
45 | He leet the feeste of his nativitee |
| Doon cryen thurghout Sarray his citee, |
| The last Idus of March after the yeer. |
| Phebus the sonne ful joly was and cleer, |
| For he was neigh his exaltacioun |
50 | In Martes face, and in his mansioun |
| In Aries, the colerik hoote signe. |
| Ful lusty was the weder, and benigne, |
| For which the foweles agayn the sonne sheene, |
| What for the sesoun and the yonge grene, |
55 | Ful loude songen hir affecciouns; |
| Hem semed han geten hem protecciouns |
| Agayn the swerd of wynter, keene and coold. |
|
This Cambyuskan, of which I have yow toold, |
| In roial vestiment sit on his deys, |
60 | With diademe, ful heighe in his paleys, |
| And halt his feeste so solempne and so ryche, |
| That in this world ne was ther noon it lyche. |
| Of which, if I shal tellen al th'array, |
| Thanne wolde it occupie a someres day, |
65 | And eek it nedeth nat for to devyse, |
| At every cours the ordre of hire servyse. |
| I wol nat tellen of hir strange sewes, |
| Ne of hir swannes, nor of hire heronsewes; |
| Eek in that lond, as tellen knyghtes olde, |
70 | Ther is som mete that is ful deynte holde, |
| That in this lond men recche of it but smal; |
| Ther nys no man that may reporten al. |
| I wol nat taryen yow, for it is pryme, |
| And for it is no fruyt but los of tyme. |
75 | Unto my firste I wole have my recours. |
|
This strange knyght, that cam thus sodeynly |
90 | Al armed, save his heed, ful richely, |
| Saleweth kyng, and queene, and lordes alle, |
| By ordre, as they seten in the halle, |
| With so heigh reverence and obeisaunce, |
| As wel in speche as in contenaunce, |
95 | That Gawayn, with his olde curteisye, |
| Though he were comen ayeyn out of Fairye, |
| Ne koude hym nat amende with a word. |
| And after this, biforn the heighe bord |
| He with a manly voys seith his message, |
100 | After the forme used in his langage, |
| Withouten vice of silable or of lettre. |
| And, for his tale sholde seme the bettre, |
| Accordant to hise wordes was his cheere, |
| As techeth art of speche hem that it leere. |
105 | l be it that I kan nat sowne his stile, |
| Ne kan nat clymben over so heigh a style, |
| Yet seye I this, as to commune entente, |
| Thus muche amounteth al that evere he mente, |
| If it so be that I have it in mynde. |
110 | He seyde, "The kyng of Arabe and of Inde, |
| My lige lord, on this solempne day |
| Saleweth yow, as he best kan and may; |
| And sendeth yow, in honour of your feeste, |
| By me, that am al redy at your heeste, |
115 | This steede of bras, that esily and weel |
| Kan in the space of o day natureel, |
| This is to seyn, in foure and twenty houres, |
| Wher-so yow lyst, in droghte or elles shoures, |
| Beren youre body into every place |
120 | To which youre herte wilneth for to pace, |
| Withouten wem of yow, thurgh foul or fair. |
| Or if yow lyst to fleen as hye in the air |
| As dooth an egle, whan that hym list to soore, |
| This same steede shal bere yow evere moore |
125 | Withouten harm, til ye be ther yow leste, |
| Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste; |
| And turne ayeyn, with writhyng of a pyn. |
| He that it wroghte, koude ful many a gyn; |
| He wayted many a constellacion |
130 | Er he had doon this operacion; |
| And knew ful many a seel, and many a bond. |
|
This mirrour eek, that I have in myn hond, |
| Hath swich a myght, that men may in it see |
| Whan ther shal fallen any adversitee |
135 | Unto your regne, or to yourself also, |
| And openly who is your freend, or foo. |
| And over al this, if any lady bright |
| Hath set hir herte in any maner wight, |
| If he be fals, she shal his tresoun see, |
140 | His newe love, and al his subtiltee |
| So openly, that ther shal no thyng hyde. |
| Wherfore, ageyn this lusty someres tyde, |
| This mirour and this ryng that ye may see, |
| He hath sent unto my lady Canacee, |
145 | Your excellente doghter that is heere. |
|
The vertu of the ryng, if ye wol heere, |
| Is this, that if hir lust it for to were |
| Upon hir thombe, or in hir purs it bere, |
| Ther is no fowel that fleeth under the hevene |
150 | That she ne shal wel understonde his stevene, |
| And knowe his menyng openly and pleyn, |
| And answere hym in his langage ageyn. |
| And every gras that groweth upon roote, |
| She shal eek knowe, and whom it wol do boote, |
155 | Al be hise woundes never so depe and wyde. |
| This naked swerd, that hangeth by my syde |
| Swich vertu hath, that what man so ye smyte |
| Thurgh out his armure it wole kerve and byte, |
| Were it as thikke as is a branched ook. |
160 | And what man that is wounded with a strook |
| Shal never be hool, til that yow list of grace |
| To stroke hym with the plate in thilke place |
| Ther he is hurt; this is as muche to seyn, |
| Ye moote with the plate swerd ageyn |
165 | Stroke hym in the wounde, and it wol close. |
| This is a verray sooth withouten glose. |
| It faileth nat, whils it is in youre hoold." |
|
And whan this knyght hath thus his tale toold, |
| He rideth out of halle, and doun he lighte. |
170 | His steede, which that shoon as sonne brighte, |
| Stant in the court, as stille as any stoon. |
| This knyght is to his chambre lad anoon, |
| And is unarmed and unto mete yset. |
| The presentes been ful roially yfet, |
175 | This is to seyn, the swerd and the mirrour, |
| And born anon into the heighe tour |
| With certeine officers ordeyned therfore. |
| And unto Canacee this ryng was bore, |
| Solempnely, ther she sit at the table. |
180 | But sikerly, withouten any fable, |
| The hors of bras, that may nat be remewed, |
| It stant as it were to the ground yglewed. |
| Ther may no man out of the place it dryve, |
| For noon engyn of wyndas ne polyve; |
185 | And cause why? For they kan nat the craft, |
| And therfore in the place they han it laft, |
| Til that the knyght hath taught hem the manere |
| To voyden hym, as ye shal after heere. |
|
Greet was the prees that swarmeth to and fro |
190 | To gauren on this hors, that stondeth so. |
| For it so heigh was, and so brood, and long, |
| So wel proporcioned for to been strong, |
| Right as it were a steede of Lumbardye; |
| Therwith so horsly and so quyk of eye, |
195 | As it a gentil Poilleys courser were. |
| For certes, fro his tayl unto his ere, |
| Nature ne art ne koude hym nat amende |
| In no degree, as al the peple wende. |
| But everemoore hir mooste wonder was |
200 | How that it koude go, and was of bras. |
| It was a fairye, as al the peple semed. |
| Diverse folk diversely they demed; |
| As many heddes, as manye wittes ther been. |
| They murmureden as dooth a swarm of been, |
205 | And maden skiles after hir fantasies, |
| Rehersynge of thise olde poetries, |
| And seyde that it was lyk the Pegasee, |
| The hors that hadde wynges for to flee; |
| Or elles, it was the Grekes hors Synoun, |
210 | That broghte Troie to destruccioun, |
| As men in thise olde geestes rede. |
| "Myn herte," quod oon, "is everemoore in drede. |
| I trowe som men of armes been therinne, |
| That shapen hem this citee for to wynne. |
215 | It were right good that al swich thyng were knowe." |
| Another rowned to his felawe lowe, |
| And seyde, "He lyeth; it is rather lyk |
| An apparence ymaad by som magyk, |
| As jogelours pleyen at thise feestes grete." |
220 | Of sondry doutes thus they jangle and trete, |
| As lewed peple demeth comunly |
| Of thynges that been maad moore subtilly |
| Than they kan in hir lewednesse comprehende; |
| They demen gladly to the badder ende. |
225 | And somme of hem wondred on the mirour |
| That born was up into the maister-tour, |
| How men myghte in it swiche thynges se. |
|
Another answerde, and seyde, it myghte wel be |
| Naturelly by composiciouns |
230 | Of anglis and of slye reflexiouns; |
| And seyden, that in Rome was swich oon. |
| They speken of Alocen and Vitulon, |
| And Aristotle, that writen in hir lyves |
| Of queynte mirours and of perspectives, |
235 | As knowen they that han hir bookes herd. |
| And oother folk han wondred on the swerd, |
| That wolde percen thurgh out every thyng; |
| And fille in speche of Thelophus the kyng |
| And of Achilles with his queynte spere, |
240 | For he koude with it bothe heele and dere, |
| Right in swich wise as men may with the swerd, |
| Of which right now ye han youreselven herd. |
| They speken of sondry hardyng of metal, |
| And speke of medicynes therwithal, |
245 | And how and whanne it sholde yharded be, |
| Which is unknowe, algates unto me. |
| Tho speeke they of Canacees ryng, |
| And seyden alle, that swich a wonder thyng |
| Of craft of rynges herde they nevere noon; |
250 | Save that he Moyses, and kyng Salomon |
| Hadde a name of konnyng in swich art. |
| Thus seyn the peple, and drawen hem apart. |
| But nathelees, somme seiden that it was |
| Wonder to maken of fern asshen glas, |
255 | And yet nys glas nat lyk asshen of fern; |
| But for they han knowen it so fern, |
| Therfore cesseth hir janglyng and hir wonder. |
| As soore wondren somme on cause of thonder, |
| On ebbe, on flood, on gossomer, and on myst, |
260 | And alle thyng, til that the cause is wyst. |
| Thus jangle they, and demen, and devyse, |
| Til that the knyg gan fro the bord aryse. |
|
Phebus hath laft the angle meridional, |
| And yet ascendynge was the beest roial, |
265 | The gentil Leoun, with his Aldiran, |
| Whan that this Tartre kyng, this Cambyuskan |
| Roos fro his bord, ther that he sat ful hye. |
| Toforn hym gooth the loude mynstralcye |
| Til he cam to his chambre of parementz, |
270 | Ther as they sownen diverse intrumentz |
| That it is lyk an hevene for to heere. |
| Now dauncen lusty Venus children deere, |
| For in the Fyssh hir lady sat ful hye, |
| And looketh on hem with a freendly eye. |
275 | This noble kyng is set up in his trone; |
| This strange knyght is fet to hym ful soone, |
| And on the daunce he gooth with Canacee. |
| Heere is the revel and the jolitee |
| That is nat able a dul man to devyse; |
280 | He moste han knowen love and his servyse, |
| And been a feestlych man as fressh as May, |
| That sholde yow devysen swich array. |
| Who koude telle yow the forme of daunces, |
| So unkouthe and so fresshe contenaunces, |
285 | Swich subtil lookyng and dissymulynges, |
| For drede of jalouse mennes aperceyvynges? |
| No man but Launcelot, and he is deed. |
| Therfore I passe of al this lustiheed; |
| I sey namoore, but in this jolynesse |
290 | I lete hem, til men to the soper dresse. |
|
The styward bit the spices for to hye, |
| And eek the wyn, in al this melodye; |
| The usshers and the squiers been ygoon, |
| The spices and the wyn is come anoon, |
295 | They ete and drynke, and whan this hadde an ende, |
| Unto the temple, as reson was, they wende. |
| The service doon, they soupen al by day; |
| What nedeth me rehercen hir array? |
| Ech man woot wel, that at a kynges feeste |
300 | Hath plentee, to the mooste and to the leeste, |
| And deyntees mo than been in my knowyng. |
| At after soper gooth this noble kyng, |
| To seen this hors of bras, with al the route |
| Of lordes, and of ladyes hym aboute. |
305 | Swich wondryng was ther on this hors of bras, |
| That syn the grete sege of Troie was, |
| Theras men wondreden on an hors also, |
| Ne was ther swich a wondryng as was tho. |
| But fynally, the kyng axeth this knyght |
310 | The vertu of this courser, and the myght; |
| And preyde hym to telle his governaunce. |
| This hors anoon bigan to trippe and daunce, |
| Whan that this knyght leyde hand upon his reyne, |
| And seyde, "Sire, ther is namoore to seyne, |
315 | But whan yow list to ryden any where, |
| Ye mooten trille a pyn, stant in his ere, |
| Which I shal telle yow bitwix us two. |
| Ye moote nempne hym to what place also, |
| Or to what contree, that yow list to ryde, |
320 | And whan ye com ther as yow list abyde, |
| Bidde hym descende, and trille another pyn, |
| For therin lith th'effect of al the gyn |
| And he wol doun descende, and doon youre wille. |
| And in that place he wol stonde stille, |
325 | Though al the world the contrarie hadde yswore; |
| He shal nat thennes been ydrawe ne ybore. |
| Or, if yow liste, bidde hym thennes goon, |
| Trille this pyn, and he wol vanysshe anoon |
| Out of the sighte of every maner wight, |
330 | And com agayn, be it day or nyght, |
| Whan that yow list to clepen hym ageyn, |
| In swich a gyse as I shal to yow seyn, |
| Bitwixe yow and me, and that ful soone. |
| Ride whan yow list; ther is namoore to doone." |
335 | Enformed whan the kyng was of that knyght, |
| And hath conceyved in his wit aright |
| The manere and the forme of al this thyng, |
| Thus glad and blithe this noble doughty kyng |
| Repeireth to his revel as biforn, |
340 | The brydel is unto the tour yborn, |
| And kept among hise jueles, leeve and deere. |
| The hors vanysshed, I noot in what manere, |
| Out of hir sighte; ye gete namoore of me. |
| But thus I lete in lust and jolitee |
345 | This Cambyuskan, hise lordes festeiynge, |
| Til wel ny the day bigan to sprynge. |