Squire’s Tale Quotes

He with a manly voys seide his message,
After the forme used in his langage,
Withouten vice of silable or of lettre;
And for his tale sholde seme the bettre.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Squire’s Tale. The Squire describes a foreign knight who arrives to interrupt the Tartar king Cambuskan’s party, to deliver gifts from the king of Araby, including a magic ring for the king’s caughter Canace. The knight speaks formally and delives his message with great authority and with an excellent command of language – unlike the Squire, who says he is a poor speaker.

The vertu of the ryng, if ye wol heere,
Is this: that if hire lust it for to were
Upon hir thombe or in hir purs it bere,
Ther is no fowel that fleeth under the hevene
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,
Al be his woundes never so depe and wyde.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Squire’s Tale. The visiting knight describes the ring which he has brought for Tartar king Cambuskan’s daughter Canace. The ring enables the wearer to understand the language of any bird, and the healing properties of all herbs. It is a gift from the king of Araby.

And what man that is wounded with the strook
Shal never be hool til that yow list, of grace,
To stroke hym with the plat in thilke place
Ther he is hurt; this is as muche to seyn,
Ye moote with the platte swerd ageyn
Stroke hym in the wounde, and it wol close.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Squire’s Tale. The foreign knight describes a sword whose edge will cut through any armor, but whose flat side will cure any wounds inflicted by the edge. The king of Araby has sent it as a gift to Tartar king Cambuskan.

Right in hir haukes ledene thus she seyde:
"That pitee renneth soone in gentil herte,
Feelynge his similitude in peynes smerte,
Is preved alday, as men may it see,
As wel by werk as by auctoritee;
For gentil herte kitheth gentillesse.

– Geoffrey Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales, The Squire’s Tale. With the aid of the magic ring Canace is able to understand the injured falcon when she speaks. She tells the compassionate Canace that pity runs soon in a gentle heart and a gentle heart makes known its noble character.
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