could he hewë wood, and water bear, For he was young and mighty for the nones, And thereto he was strong and big of bones To do that any wight can him devise.
A year or two he was in this servíce, Page of the chamber of Emily the bright; And Philostrate he saidë that he hight. But half so well belov’d a man as he Ne was there never in court of his degree. He was so gentle of conditioún, That throughout all the court was his renown. They saidë that it were a charity That Theseus would énhance his degree, And put him in some worshipful servíce, There as he might his virtue exercise. And thus within a while his namë sprung Both of his deedës, and of his good tongue, That Theseus hath taken him so near, That of his chamber he hath made him squire, And gave him gold to máintain his degree; And eke men brought him out of his country From year to year full privily his rent. But honestly and slyly he it spent, That no man wonder’d how that he it had. And three year in this wise his life be lad, And bare him so in peace and eke in werre, There was no man that Theseus had so derre. And in this blissë leave I now Arcite, And speak I will of Palamon a lite.