THE CANTERBURY TALES
in their ignorance can understand. They be fain to construe a thing for the worse. And some of them wondered on the mirror, that was borne up into the chief tower of the castle, how men might see such things in it. Another answered and said it might well be caused naturally by compositions of angles and sly reflections, and said that there was such an one in Rome. They speak of Vitulon and Alocen and Aristotle, that wrote in their lifetimes of curious mirrors and perspective-glasses, as they know that have read their books. And others wondered on the sword that would pierce through all things; and gan to speak of King Thelophus, and of Achilles with his curious spear, for he could both heal and harm with it, even in such wise as men might with the sword of which ye right now have learned. They speak of sundry hardenings of metal, and therewith speak of certain drugs, and how and when it should be tempered, which is unknown at least unto me.
Then they speak of Canacee's ring, and all say that none of them had ever heard of such a wonder of ring-craft, save that Moses and King Solomon had a name for cunning in such a thing. Thus say the people and draw apart. But natheless some said it was likewise wonderful to make glass of fern-ashes; but because men have known it for so long, therefore ceaseth their babbling of it and their marvel; even as some marvel sore on the cause of thunder, on ebb and flood, gossamers, mist, and all things till the cause is known. Thus they deem and babble and imagine till the king riseth from the board.
Phœbus hath left the angle meridional, and the royal beast, the gentle Lion, with his Aldiran, was yet ascending, when this Tartar king rose from his board, where he sat aloft. Before
him goeth the loud minstrelsy till he cometh to his chamber of
178
