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There could you see adjusting of harness, So curious and so rich, and wrought so well Of goldsmiths' work, embroidery, and of steel; The shields, the helmets bright, the gay trappings, The goldhewn casques, the coatsofarms, the rings, The lords in vestments rich, on their coursers, Knights with their retinues and also squires; The rivetting of spears, the helmbuckling, The strapping of the shields, and. thonglacing In their great need, not one of them was idle; The frothing steeds, champing the golden bridle, And the quick smiths, and armourers also, With file and hammer spurring to and fro; Yeoman, and peasants with short staves were out, Crowding as thick as they could move about; Pipes, trumpets, kettledrums, and clarions, The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales 52That in the battle sound such grim summons; The palace full of people, up and down, Here three, there ten, debating the renown And questioning about these Theban knights, Some put it thus, some said, "It's so by rights." Some held with him who had the great black beard, Some with the baldheads, some with the thick haired; Some said, "He looks grim, and he'll fight like hate; He has an axe of twenty pound in weight." And thus the hall was full of gossiping Long after the bright sun began to spring. The mighty Theseus, from sleep awakened By songs and all the noise that never slackened, Kept yet the chamber of this rich palace, Till the two Theban knights, with equal grace And honour, were ushered in with flourish fitting. Duke Theseus was at a window sitting, Arrayed as he were god upon a throne. Then pressed the people thitherward full soon, To see him and to do him reverence, Aye, and to hear commands of sapience. A herald on a scaffold cried out "Ho!" Till all the people's noise was stilled; and so, When he observed that all were fallen still, He then proclaimed the mighty ruler's will. "The duke our lord, full wise and full discreet, Holds that it were but wanton waste to meet And fight, these gentle folk, all in the guise Of mortal battle in this enterprise. Wherefore, in order that no man may die, He does his earlier purpose modify. No man, therefore, on pain of loss of life, Shall any arrow, poleaxe, or short knife Send into lists in any wise, or bring; Nor any shortened sword, for pointthrusting, Shall a man draw, or bear it by his side. Nor shall knight against opponent ride, Save one full course, with any sharpground spear; Unhorsed, a man may thrust with any gear. And he that's overcome, should this occur, Shall not be slain, but brought to barrier, Whereof there shall be one on either side; Let him be forced to go there and abide. And if by chance the leader there must go, Of either side, or slay his equal foe, No longer, then, shall tourneying endure. God speed you; go forth now, and lay on sure. With long sword and with maces fight your fill. Go now your ways; this is the lord duke's will." The voices of the people rent the skies, Such was the uproar of their merry cries: The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales 53"Now God save such a lord, who is so good He will not have destruction of men's blood!" Up start the trumpets and make melody. And to the lists rode forth the company, In marshalled ranks, throughout the city large, All hung with cloth of gold, and not with serge. Full like a lord this noble duke did ride, With the two Theban knights on either side; And, following, rode the queen and Emily, And, after, came another company Of one and other, each in his degree. And thus they went throughout the whole city, And to the lists they came, all in good time. The day was not yet fully come to prime When throned was Theseus full rich and high, And Queen Hippolyta and Emily, While other ladies sat in tiers about. Into the seats then pressed the lesser rout. And westward, through the gate of Mars, right hearty, Arcita and the hundred of his party With banner red is entering anon; And in that selfsame moment, Palamon Is under Venus, eastward in that place, With banner white, and resolute of face.

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And home went every man on his right way. There was naught more but

"Farewell" and "Goodday." I'll say no more of war, but turn upon My tale of Arcita and Palamon. Swells now Arcita's breast until the sore Increases near his heart yet more and

more. The clotted blood, in spite of all leechcraft, Rots in his bulk, and there is must be left, Since no device of skillful bloodletting, Nor drink of herbs, can help him in

this thing. The power expulsive, or virtue animal Called from its use the virtue natural, Could not the poison void, nor yet expel. The tubes of both his lungs began to swell,

And every tissue in his breast, and down, Is foul with poison and all rotten grown. He gains in neither, in his strife to live, By vomiting or taking laxative; All is so broken

in that part of him, Nature Tetains no vigour there, nor vim. And certainly, where Nature will not work, It's farewell physic, bear the man to kirk! The sum of all is, Arcita

must die, And so he sends a word to Emily, And Palamon, who was his cousin dear; And then he said to them as you shall hear. "Naught may the woeful spirit in my heart Declare

one point of how my sorrows smart The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales 57To you, my lady, whom I love the most; But I bequeath the service of my ghost To you above all

others, this being sure Now that my life may here no more endure. Alas, the woe! Alas, the pain so strong That I for you have suffered, and so long! Alas for death! Alas, my

Emily! Alas, the parting of our company! Alas, my heart's own queen! Alas, my wife! My soul's dear lady, ender of my life! What is this world? What asks a man to have? Now with

his love, now in the cold dark grave Alone, with never any company. Farewell, my sweet foe! O my Emily! Oh, take me in your gentle arms, I pray, For love of God, and hear what I

will say. "I have here, with my cousin Palamon, Had strife and rancour many a day that's gone, For love of you and for my jealousy. May Jove so surely guide my soul for me, To

speak about a lover properly, With all the circumstances, faithfully That is to say, truth, honour, and knighthood, Wisdom, humility and kinship good, And generous soul and all

the lover's art So now may Jove have in my soul his part As in this world, right now, I know of none So worthy to be loved as Palamon, Who serves you and will do so all his

life. And if you ever should become a wife, Forget not Palamon, the noble man." And with that word his speech to fail began, For from his feet up to his breast had come The cold

of death, making his body numb. And furthermore, from his two arms the strength Was gone out, now, and he was lost, at length. Only the intellect, and nothing more. Which dwelt

within his heart so sick and sore, Began to fail now, when the heart felt death, And his eyes darkened, and he failed of breath. But on his lady turned he still his eye, And his

last word was, "Mercy, Emily!" His spirit changed its house and went away. As I was never there, I cannot say Where; so I stop, not being a soothsayer; Of souls here naught

shall I enregister; Nor do I wish their notions, now, to tell Who write of them, though they say where they dwell. Arcita's cold; Mars guides his soul on high; Now will I speak

forthwith of Emily. Shrieked Emily and howled now Palamon, The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales 58Till Theseus his sister took, anon, And bore her, swooning, from the

corpse away. How shall it help, to dwell the livelong day In telling how she wept both night and morrow? For in like cases women have such sorrow, When their good husband from

their side must go, And, for the greater part, they take on so, Or else they fall into such malady That, at the last, and certainly, they die.