The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-09

light, of flowers and woods and courts; of knightly deeds and changing armor. Even read In archaic English the beauties Of the work glow and shine through the covering of strange spelllngs and strange words. It is founded upon Boccaccio' s story of sTeseide" Chaueer re-wrete ''Teselde" in English and published 1t. But he evidently considered the story such a good one that 1t would bear using again and so re7wrote 1t, altered it to suit his genius, and 1t became the Knights s Tale" in the story of the Canterbury pill grimage. "The Knights Tale attracted the attention of the Elizahethan sdrama- lists and out of 1t they made several plays, among them the 1.-Two Noble Kins- men" which, upon the first appearance, had upon it's title page as authors the names of Shakespeare and Fletcher. Whether either of them had anything to do with the authorship is question.
 TT was in the month of April, in the
 long ago, when there rested at the | Tabard inn at Southwark a company of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury to pay their vows at the shrine of St. Thomas a'Becket. There were full nine and 20 in the company of all sorts and conditions of men-and of women, too. Among them was knight. worthy man, renowned in wars and lover of truth, honor. chivalry and courtesy. It was proposed that when they resumed their journey on the morrow each should tell a tale to beguile the way, and, the knight consenting, he began the recitals as soon as they had mounted to horse by telling them the story of the loves of Arctic and Palamon 4n this wise:
 In ancient times Duke Theseus was the lord and governor of Athens. He was most renowned conqueror and won by his sword full many fair country and ruled made conquest of the land of Femenye, which means Feminine. and was before this called Scythia. This land had for its ruler a beautiful queen. one Ypolita, whose army was composed of Amazons so desperate and fierce in battle that be- fore Duke Theseus no one was ever able 10 overcome them. But Theseus, in a great battle, so completely destroyed the power of the Amazons that the naughty and fair queen admitted herself vanaush- ed and placed her country and, herself at the disposal of the conqueror Now Duke Theseus had fallen in love with Ypolita as soon as he had set eyes on her and So married her out of hand and there was great feasting and rejoicing in the Scythian capital.
 Swift messengers brought the news of the Dukes victory and his marriage ! to Athens and all the city bestirred it. ca1f t.s,. his home coming with his bride As Duke Theseus came near the capital he rode at the head of his victorious army and on one side of him rode his royal bride and on the other her young sister, EmSy. All the town came out to greet him, but his triumphal progress was suddenly arrested by the appearance of band of ailing women dressed in black, who threw themselves on their knees before his warhorse with great lamentations. What manner of wom- en are you" said the Duke, "who with sounds of woe and lamentation thus disturb my home coming? Have you so great envy of mine honor that you wall and howl? Or has some one op- pressed you? Speak and, if possible, l will amend your woe"
 Then tue eldest lady of the com pany spake and said: Duke, to whom fortune has given victory and happi- ness, we grieve not at your glory nor your honor, but we beseech your mercy. Distill upon us some drops of pity from thy nobleness, for there is not one of us sorrowful women here but hath been either a queen or a duchess. But now we are stricken exiles, thanks to for tune and her false wheel, which made us low who were high I, wretch who weep and wall thus, was formerly wife of King Cappaneus, who reigned at Thebes-and died there. He was overthrown with his nobility by Creon, who now reigns in his stead. We lost all, we women. and the tyrant usurper would not even let us have the bodies of our dear lords for burial, but threw them forth for the dogs to eat. We fled to Athens to seek your help and for a fortnight have been waiting here in the temple of the goddess of Clem- ency. e This piteous tale so touched the heart of Duke Theseus that he declared he would not enter Athens until he had taken Thebes and punished the tyrant, Creon. So sending Ypolita and her sister on to the royal palace he, with his army marched for Thebes All the world shall tell for many a day" said he, "of" how Creon was served by Theseus." Before the army he dis played his great white banner on which was depicted Mars, the god of war. in red, and another banner, also. he showed on which was the Minotaur, which he had killed in Crete. When they had come near to Thebes King Creon came forth with a great army and the two forces joined battle on a great plain. Fierce was the fight but Creon was at last overcome and slain, the city taken and pillaged and partly destroyed.
 That evening as the soldiers of Theseus went over the battlefield, taking from the dead their costly armOr and their weap- ons. they came to two Theban knights who lay near each other. grievously wounded, but alive. A herald saw by the blazonments upon their shields that these two young knights were of the blood royal of Thebes, and had them conveyed to tent, where medical care healed them of their wounds. One of these kniehts wasNnamed Arctic and the other paIamon. Thcy. were cousins and fast rr;ends and companions. sworn to each l.s ,r, neace' anS war Duke Theseus