Page:The Canterbury tales of Geoffrey Chaucer.djvu/204

 besides, that was the youngest and was named Canacee; but to tell you of all her beauty lieth not in my tongue nor in my cunning. I dare not attempt so high a matter ; mine English is insufficient. He must be a surpassing rhetorician, that knoweth the colours belonging to his art, who should describe her every whit. I am none such; I must speak as I know how.

It so befell when this Cambinskan hath borne his diadem twenty winters, that he bade cry—as, I trow, was his yearly wont—the feast of his nativity throughout his city Sarray, on the last Ides of March when they came around. Full joyous and clear was Phœbus, the sun, for he was nigh his exaltation in Mars' face, and in his mansion in Aries, the sign hot and choleric. Full lusty was the weather and mild, so that the birds, against the bright sun, what with the season and the young green, sang full loud their affections. It seemed they had got them shields against the keen, cold sword of winter.

This Cambinskan, of whom I have spoken to you, with royal vestments and diadem sitteth full high on the dais in his palace, and holdeth his feast, so sumptuous and rich, that never in this world was one like to it. If I should tell the ordinance thereof it would occupy a summer's day; it needeth not eke to describe the order of their service at every course. I will not tell of their strange delicacies, nor of their swans, nor of their hernshaws. Besides, in that land, as old knights tell us, some food is held full dainty, which in this land men reck of but little. There is no man that may report all things. I will not delay you, for it is prime, and it should but waste the morning. Therefore I will turn again unto my first matter.

It so befell, after the third course, while this king sitteth thus among his noblesse, hearkening his minstrels deliciously play