From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Tale of Sir Thopas, lines 201-228

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From The Tale of Sir Thopas, lines 167-200:
The clothes and equipment of Sir Thopas

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Tale of Sir Thopas
lines 201-228: Sir Thopas rides out again

The Third Fit

	Now holde youre mouth, par charitee,
	Bothe knyght and lady free,
	And herkneth to my spelle;
	Of batailles and of chivalry
205	And of ladyes love-drury
	Anon I wol yow telle.

	Now hold your peace, par charitee,
	Both knight and lady fair and free,
	And listen to my spell;
	Of battle and of chivalry
205	And all of ladies' love-drury
	Straightway I will you tell.

       Men speken of romances of prys,

Of Horn child, and of Ypotys,

       Of Beves and Sir Gy,

210 Of Sir Lybeux and Pleyndamour, -

But Sir Thopas, he bereth the flour

       Of roial chivalry.

       Romances men recount of price,

Of King Horn and of Hypotis,

       Of Bevis and Sir Guy,

210 Of Sir Libeaux and Plain-d'Amour;

But Sir Thopas is flower sure

       Of regal chivalry.

       His goode steede al he bistrood,

And forth upon his wey he glood

215        As sparcle out of the bronde.

Upon his creest he bar a tour,

And therinne stiked a lilie-flour;

       God shilde his cors fro shonde!

       His good horse all he then bestrode,

And forth upon his way he rode

215        Like spark out of a brand;

Upon his crest he bore a tower

Wherein was thrust a lily-flower;

       God grant he may withstand!

       And for he was a knyght auntrous,

220 He nolde slepen in noon hous,

       But liggen in his hoode.

His brighte helm was his wonger,

And by hym baiteth his dextrer

       Of herbes fyne and goode.

       He was a knight adventurous,

220 Wherefore he'd sleep within no house,

       But lay down in his hood;

His pillow was his helmet bright,

And by him browsed his steed all night

       On forage fine and good.

225        Hym-self drank water of the well,

As dide the knyght sir Percyvell

       So worly under wede,

Til on a day ----

225        Himself drank water of the well,

As did the knight Sir Percival,

       So worthy in his weeds,

Till on a day ----

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From The Tale of Sir Thopas, lines 229-238:
The Host interrupts Chaucer