For whan degrees fiftene were ascended, Thanne crew he, that it mighte nat ben amended.1 2 40 His comb was redder than the fyn coral, Lyk asur were his legges, and his toon;5 And wonder lyk to him, as of colours. Was cleped faire damoysele Pertelote. 50 Curteys she was, discreet, and debonaire, And compaignable, and bar hirself so faire, Syn thilke day that she was seven night old, 55 That trewely she hath the herte in hold" But such a Ioye was it to here hem singe, Whan that the brighte sonne gan to springe, In swete accord, "My lief is faren10 in londe." For thilke tyme, as I have understonde, 60 Bestes and briddes coude speke and singe. And so bifel, that in a daweninge,11 As Chauntecleer among his wyves alle Sat on his perche, that was in the halle, And next him sat this faire Pertelote, This Chauntecleer gan gronen in his throte, As man that in his dreem is drecched12 sore. 65 17 Allas!" quod she, "for, by that god above, 95 Swevenes engendren of20 replecciouns, Cometh of the grete superfluitee ΠΙΟ Of arwes,25 and of fyr with rede lemes, 26 3 bill. 'jet. $ toes. 8 locked. • limb. 10 11 dawn. 22 temperaments. gone. 12 troubled. 13 true. 14 I dreamed. 26 arrows. 17 On pilgrimage, in a full good intente; 20180 And so bifel, that, long er it were day, This man mette21 in his bed, ther-as he lay, 186 How that his felawe gan up-on him calle, 24 192 Bihold my blody woundes, depe and wyde! Arys up erly in the morwe-tyde, 2 bulls. 3 pay no attention to. • profit. 13 may 8 take care lest. • death. 10 berries of the gay-tree. 12 dominus, lord. 11 ground ivy. I prosper. 17 lodging. 20 commonly. 23 started. 195 22 where. 25 slain. And at the west gate of the toun,' quod That thay biknewell hir wikkednesse he, 210 The hostiler answered hym anon, Unto the west gate of the toun, and fond "That sholden kepe and reulen this citee; Harrow! allas! her lyth my felawe slayn!' What sholde I more unto this tale sayn?226 The peple out-sterte, and cast the cart to grounde, 231 And in the middel of the dong they founde The dede man that mordred was al newe. O blisful god, that art so Iust and trewe! Lo, how that thou biwreyest5 mordre alway! Mordre wol out, that se we day by day. Mordre is so wlatsomR and abhominable To god, that is so Iust and resonable, That he ne wol nat suffre it heled' be; Though it abyde a yeer, or two, or three, Mordre wol out, this my conclusioun. And right anoon, ministres of that toun "Han hent the carter, and so sore him pyned,9 And eek the hostiler so sore engyned,10 235 240 ' on his back. this is. anoon, God wot it reweth me; and have good day.' 277 And thus he took his leve, and wente his way. But er that he hadde halfe his cours y-seyled, Lo Cresus, which that was of Lyde" king, Mette he nat that he sat upon a tree, Which signified he sholde anhanged be?320 Lo heer Andromacha, Ectores wyf, That day that Ector sholde lese18 his lyf, She dremed on the same night biforn, Noot I nat why, ne what mischaunce it How that the lyf of Ector sholde be lorn, 19 eyled, 280 285 But casuelly2 the shippes botme rente, Lo, in the lyf of seint Kenelm, I rede, 290 That was Kenulphus sone, the noble king Of Mercenrike, how Kenelm mette a thing; A lyte er he was mordred, on a day, 295 His sweven, and bad him for to kepe him wel For10 traisoun; but he nas but seven yeer old, And therfore litel tale11 hath he told12 Warning of thinges that men after seen. If he held dremes any vanitee. Reed eek of Ioseph, and ther shul ye see 310 Wher14 dremes ben somtyme (I sey nat alle) 314 Warning of thinges that shul after falle. 325 If thilke day he wente in-to bataille; But he was slayn anoon of Achilles. And eek it is ny20 day, I may nat dwelle. 330 Madame Pertelote, so have I blis, 24 22 26 Of o thing God hath sent me large grace;25 Madame, the sentence28 of this Latin is- Leve I this Chauntecleer in his pasture;365 And after wol I telle his aventure. That in awayt liggen18 to mordre men. 405 O false mordrer, lurking in thy den! Whan that the month in which the O newe Scariot, newe Genilon! "The sonne," he sayde, "is clomben up on hevene Fourty degrees and oon, and more, y-wis.5 Madame Pertelote, my worldes blis, 380 Herkneth thise blisful briddes how they singe, And see the fresshe floures how they springe; 385 Ful is myn hert of revel and solas.' Now every wys man, lat him herkne me; 395 By heigh imaginacioun forn-cast,13 The same night thurgh-out the hegges14 brast15 And made Adam fro paradys to go, 28 And what thay seyn of wommen ye may here. |