And some of them wonder’d on the mirroúr, That borne was up into the master tow’r, How men might in it suchë thingës see. Another answér’d and said, it might well be Naturallý by compositións Of angles, and of sly reflectións; And saidë that in Rome was such a one. They speak of Alhazen and Vitellon, And Aristotle, that wrote in their lives Of quaintë mirrors, and of próspectives, As knowë they that have their bookës heard. And other folk have wonder’d on the swerd, That wouldë piercë throughout every thing; And fell in speech of Telephus the king, And of Achilles for his quaintë spear, For he could with it bothë heal and dere, Right in such wise as men may with the swerd Of which right now ye have yourselvës heard. They spake of sundry hard’ning of metál, And spake of medicínës therewithal, And how, and when, it shouldë harden’d be, Which is unknowen algate unto me. Then spakë they of Canacéë’s ring, And saiden all, that such a wondrous thing Of craft of ringës heard they never none, Save that he, Moses, and King Solomon, Hadden a name of conning in such art. Thus said the people, and drew them apart. Put natheless some saidë that it was Wonder to maken of fern ashes glass, And yet is glass nought like ashes of fern; But, for they have y-knowen it so ferne, Therefore ceaseth their jangling and their wonder. As sorë wonder some on cause of thunder, On ebb and flood, on gossamer and mist, And on all thing, till that the cause is wist. Thus jangle they, and deemen and devise, Till that the king gan from his board arise.
Phoebus had left the angle meridional, And yet ascending was the beast royál, The gentle Lion, with his Aldrian, When that this Tartar king, this Cambuscan, Rose from the board, there as he sat full high: Before him went the loudë minstrelsy, Till he came to his chamber of parëments, There as they sounded diverse instruments, That it was like a heaven for to hear. Now danced lusty Venus’ children dear: For in the Fish their lady sat full high, And looked on them with a friendly eye. This noble king is set upon his throne; This strangë knight is fetched to him full sone, And on the dance he goes with Canacé. Here is the revel and the jollity, That is not able a dull man to devise: He must have knowen love and his