The Clerkes Tale And the Squieres Tale Author:Geoffrey Chaucer General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1908 Original Publisher: University Press Subjects: Literary Criticism / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh Literary Criticism / Medieval Poetry / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations ... more »and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: THE SQUIERES TALE (THE SQUIRE'S PROLOGUE.) ' Squier, com neer, if it your wille be, And sey somwhat of love; for, certes, ye Connen thereon as muche as any man.' ' Nay, sir,' quod he, ' but I wol seye as I can With hertly wille; -- for I wol nat rebelle Agayn your lust; a tale wol I telle. Have me excused, if I speke amys, My wyl is good, and lo, my tale is this.' THE SQUIERES TALE HERE BIGINNETH THE SQUIERES TALE. At Sarray, in the land of Tartarye, Ther dwelte a king, that werreyed Russye, 10 Thurgh which ther deyde many a doughty man. This noble king was cleped Cambinskan, Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun That ther nas nowher in no regioun So excellent a lord in alle thing; 15 Him lakked noght that longeth to a king; As 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, Pitous and Just, and evermore y-liche; 20 Sooth of his word, benigne and honurable, Of his corage as any centre stable; Yong, fresh and strong, in armes desirous As any bacheler of al his hous. A fair persone he was and fortunat, 25 And kepte alwey so wel royal estat, That ther was nowher swich another man. This noble king, this Tartre Cambinskan Hadde two sones on Elpheta his wyf, Of whiche the eldeste highte Algarsyf, 30That other sone was cleped Cambalo. A doghter hadde this worthy king also, That yongest was, and highte Canacee. But...« less