The squire

With hym there was his sone, a yong SQUIER.

A lovyere and a lusty bacheler,

With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse.

Of twenty yeer of age he was, i gesse.

Of his stature he was of evene lenghte,

And wonderly delyvere greet of strengthe;

And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie,

In Flaunderes, in Artoys and Py-cardie;

And born hym weel, as of so litle space,

In hope of stonden in his lady grace,

Embrouded was he as it were a meede

Al ful of fresshe floures whyte and reede;

Syngynge he was or floytynge, al the day;

He was fresh as is the monthe of may.

Short was his gowne, with sleves long and wyde;

Wel koude he sitte or hors and fair ryde;

He koude songes make and wel endite,

Just and eek daunce and weel purtreye and write,

So hoote he lovede, that by nyghtertale.

he sleep namoore that dooth a nyghtyngale.

Curteis he was lowely and servysable,

And carf biforn his fader at the table.

Paraphrase in English :

With him there was his son, a young squire. He was a man of romantic nature but he was still a marry bachelor. He had curly hair which seemed to have been pressed in a curling iron. I think his age was about twenty. He was a man of average height. He was wonderful active and strong. He had been out on a military expedition in Flanders. Artois and picardy, where he had conducted himself well in so short a time, hoping to win the favour of his beloved. He wore a garment and embroidered, that it appeared to be a meadow full of fresh as is the month of May. He wore a short gown with long and wide sleeves. He could sit on the horse and ride fairly. He could compose and recite songs. He could engage in combat and also dance, draw and write well. He was so passionate a lover that at the time of night, he sleep no more than a nightingale. He was courteous humble and serviceable, and he curved before his father at the table.