And I, so gladde of the season sweet,
Was happèd1 thus:-Upon a certain night, As I lay in my bed, sleep full unmeet Was unto me; but why that I ne might Rest I ne wist, for there n'as earthly wight, As I suppose, had more heartè's ease Than I, for I n'ad sickness nor disease.
Wherefore I marvel greatly of myself That I so long withouten sleepè lay. And up I rose three hours after twelf, About the springing of the day.2 And on I put my gear and mine array, And to a pleasant grovè I gan pass Long ere the sunnè bright up-risen was.
In which were oakès great, straight as a line, Under the which the grass so fresh of hue Was newly sprong; and an eight foot or nine Every tree well fro his fellow grew,
With branches broad laden with leavès new, That sprongen out agen3 the sunnè-sheen, Some very red, and some a glad light green.
Which as methought was right a pleasant sight; And eke the birdès' songè for to hear Would have rejoiced any earthly wight. And I, that couth1 not yet in no manere Heare the nightingale of all the year, Full busily hearkenèd with heart and ear, If I her voice perceive could anywhere.
And at the last a path of little brede I found, that greatly had not used be; For it forgrowen6 was with grass and weed, That well unneth' a wightè might it see.
Thought I," This path somewhither goeth, pardé !" And so I followèd, till it me brought To right a pleasant herber well y-wrought,
That was y-benchèd; and with turfès new Freshly y-turved, whereof the greenè grass So small, so thick, so short, so fresh of hue, That most like unto green wool wot I it was.
1 Chanced. 2 Line of imperfect measure in the copies. 4 Had not been able. 5 Breadth. 6 Overgrown.
The hedge also that yede there in compass,1 And closed in allè the green herbere,
With sycamore was set and eglatere...
And shapen was this herber, roof and all, As a pretty parlour; 2 and also
The hedge as thickè as a castle wall; That who that list without to stond or go, Though he would all day pryen to and fro, He should not see if there were any wight Within or no. But one within well might
Perceive all tho that yeden3 there without, Into the field that was on every side, Covered with corn and grass: that, out of doubt, Though one would seeken all the world wide, So rich a fieldè could not be espied
Upon no coast, as of the quantity,
For of all good thing there was great plenty.
And I that all this pleasant sight gan see Thought suddenly I felt so sweet an air Of the eglenterè that certainly
There is no heart I deem in such despair, Ne with thoughtès froward and contrair So overlaid, but it should soon have bote 5 If it had onès felt this savour sote.
And, as I stood and cast aside mine eye, I was ware of the fairest medlar tree That ever yet in all my life I sie; As full of blossomes as it might be ; Therein a gold-finch leaping prettily
From bough to bough; and as him list he eat Here and there of buds and flowers sweet.
And to the herber sidè was joining This fairè tree of which I have you told; And at the last the bird began to sing, When he had eaten what he eaten wold," So passing sweetly that by manifold It was more pleasant than I could devise. And, when his song was ended in this wise,
2 Line of imperfect measure in the copies. 5 Healing. 6 Sweet. 7 Would.
The nightingalè with so merry a note Answered him that all the wood y-rong So suddenly that, as it were a sote,1 I stood astonied: so was I with the song Thorough ravished that till late and long I ne wist in what place I was, ne where ; And methought she song ever by mine ear. . . .
And, as I sat, the birdes hearkening thus, Methought that I heard voices suddenly, The most sweetest and most delicious That ever any wight, I trow truly, Heard in their life; for the armony And sweet accord was in so good musike As that the voice to angels most was like.
And at the last, out of a grove even by, That was right goodly and pleasaunt to sight, I sie2 where there came singing lustily A world of ladies.
THE PALACE OF ADMETUS AND ALCESTIS.
When I was young, at eighteen year of age, Lusty and light, desirous of pleasaunce, Approaching on full sad and ripe courage, Love arted3 me to do mine observaunce To his estate, and don him obeisaunce, Commanding me the Court of Love1 to see A lite beside the mount of Citharee.
There Citherea goddess was and queen, Honoured highly for her majesty, And eke her son, the mighty god, I ween, Cupid the blind, that for his dignity A thousand lovers worship on their knee. There was I bid in pain of death to appear By Mercury, the winged messenger.
4 "Courts of Love" were a species of gay literary entertainment held by great ladies at the various royal and ducal courts of northern and southern France during the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries, in which poets sang or recited love-verses, and questions of love and chivalry were discussed.
So then I went by strange and far countrees, Enquiring aye what coast had to it drew1
The Court of Love. And thitherward, as bees, At last I see the people gan pursue.
And methought that some wight was there that knew Where that the court was holden, far or nigh; And after them full fast I gan me hie.
Anon, as I them overtook, I said,
Hail, Friends! whither purpose ye to wend? "Forsooth," quoth one that answered like a maid, "To Love's Court now go we, gentle friend." "Where is that place," quoth I, "my fellow hend?" 2 "At Citheron, sir," said he, "withoutè doubt, The King of Love and all his noble rout
"Dwelleth within a castle royally." So then apace I journeyed forth among; And as he said so found I there truly; For I beheld the towers high and strong, And high pinnacles, large of height and long, With plate of gold bespread on every side, And precious stones the stonework for to hide.
No sapphire in Ind, no ruby rich of price, There lacked then, nor emerald so green, Balais, turkis, ne thing to my device, That may the castle maken for to shene :5 All was as bright as stars in winter been.
For unto Heaven it stretcheth, I suppose, Within and out depainted wonderly With many a thousand daisies red as rose, And white also. This saw I verily ; But who those daisies might do signify Can I not tell, save that the Queenes flower, Alceste, it was that kept there her sojour;
Which, under Venus, lady was and queen, And Admete king and soverain of that place : To whom obeyed the ladies good nineteen, With many a thousand other bright of face.
3 A kind of ruby.
6 Sojourn.
And young men fele1 came forth with lusty pace, And aged eke, their homage to dispose; But what they were I could not well disclose....
Yet near and near forth-in I gan me dress, Into an hall of noble apparail,3
With arras spread and cloth of gold, I guess, And other silk of easier avail.1
Under the cloth of their estate, sans fail, The King and Queen there sat, as I beheld: It passèd joy of Elysie the field.® . . .
And, as I stood perceiving her apart, And eke the beamès shining of her eyne, Methought they weren shapen like a dart, Sharp and piercing, and small and straight of line; And all her hair it shone as gold so fine, Dishivil crisp, down hanging at her back A yard in length. And soothly then I spake ;-
"O bright Regina, who made thee so fair? Who made thy colour vermelet and white? Where wonneth' that god, how far above the air? Great was his craft and great was his delight. Now marvel I nothing that ye do hight The Queen of Love, and occupy the place Of Citharee. Now, sweet lady, thy grace!"
FROM THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN (Prologue).
And, as for me, though that I can but lite,9 On bookès for to read I me delight; And to them give I faith and full credence, And in mine heart have them in reverence,
So heartily that there is gamè none That fro my bookès maketh me to gone, But 10 it be seldom on the holy-day : Save, certainly, when that the month of May Is comen, and that I hear the fowlès sing,
1 Many. 5 Canopied chair. 6 Elysium.
9 Know but little.
7 Dwelleth. 8 That you are called. 10 Except it be now and then.
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