No More Learning

Ele estoit ades coustumiere
De chanter en tous leus premiere:
Car chanter estoit li mestiers
Qu'ele faisoit plus volentiers.
Lors veissies carole aler,
Et gens mignotement baler,
Et faire mainte bele tresche,
Et maint biau tor sor l'erbe fresche. 750
La veissies fleuteors,
Menesterez et jougleors;
Si chantent li uns rotruenges,
Li autres notes Loherenges,
Por ce qu'en set en Loheregne
Plus cointes notes qu'en nul regne.
Assez i ot tableterresses
Ilec entor, et tymberresses
Qui moult savoient bien joer,
Et ne finoient de ruer 760
Le tymbre en haut, si recuilloient
Sor ung doi, c'onques n'i failloient.

<<
That they [ne] fayled never-mo. 775
Ful fetis damiselles two,
Right yonge, and fulle of semlihede,
In kirtles, and non other wede,
And faire tressed every tresse,
Hadde Mirthe doon, for his noblesse, 780
Amidde the carole for to daunce;
But her-of lyth no remembraunce,
How that they daunced queyntely.
That oon wolde come al prively
Agayn that other: and whan they were 785
Togidre almost, they threwe y-fere
Hir mouthes so, that through hir play
It semed as they kiste alway;
To dauncen wel coude they the gyse;
What shulde I more to you devyse? 790
Ne bede I never thennes go,
Whyles that I saw hem daunce so.
Upon the carole wonder faste,
I gan biholde; til atte laste
A lady gan me for to espye, 795
And she was cleped CURTESYE, CURTESYE.
The worshipful, the debonaire;
I pray god ever falle hir faire!

>>
Deus damoiseles moult mignotes,
Qui estoient en pures cotes,
Et trecies a une tresce,
Faisoient Deduit par noblesce
Enmi la karole baler;
Mes de ce ne fait a parler
Comme el baloient cointement.
L'une venoit tout belement 770
Contre l'autre; et quant el estoient
Pres a pres, si s'entregetoient
Les bouches, qu'il vous fust avis
Que s'entrebaisassent ou vis:
Bien se savoient desbrisier.
Ne vous en sai que devisier;
Mes a nul jor ne me queisse
Remuer, tant que ge veisse
Ceste gent ainsine efforcier
De caroler et de dancier. 780
La karole tout en estant
Regardai iluec jusqu'a tant
C'une dame bien enseignie
Me tresvit: ce fu Cortoisie
La vaillant et la debonnaire,
Que Diex deffende de contraire.

<<
Ful curteisly she called me,
'What do ye there, beau sire? ' quod she, 800
Come [neer], and if it lyke yow
To dauncen, daunceth with us now. '
And I, withoute tarying,
Wente into the caroling.
I was abasshed never a del, 805
But it me lykede right wel,
That Curtesye me cleped so,
And bad me on the daunce go.
For if I hadde durst, certeyn
I wolde have caroled right fayn, 810
As man that was to daunce blythe.
Than gan I loken ofte sythe
The shap, the bodies, and the cheres,
The countenaunce and the maneres
Of alle the folk that daunced there, 815
And I shal telle what they were.
Ful fair was MIRTHE, ful long and high; MIRTHE.
A fairer man I never sigh.
As round as appel was his face,
Ful rody and whyt in every place. 820
Fetys he was and wel beseye,
With metely mouth and yen greye;

>>
Cortoisie lors m'apela:
Biaus amis, que faites-vous la? '
Fait Cortoisie, 'ca venez,
Et avecque nous vous prenez 790
A la karole, s'il vous plest. '
Sans demorance et sans arrest
A la karole me sui pris,
Si n'en fui pas trop entrepris,
Et sachies que moult m'agrea
Quant Cortoisie m'en pria,
Et me dist que je karolasse;
Car de karoler, se j'osasse,
Estoie envieus et sorpris.
A regarder lores me pris 800
Les cors, les facons et les chieres,
Les semblances et les manieres
Des gens qui ilec karoloient:
Si vous dirai quex il estoient.
Deduit fu biaus et lons et drois,
James en terre ne venrois
Ou vous truissies nul plus bel homme:
La face avoit cum une pomme,
Vermoille et blanche tout entour,
Cointes fu et de bel atour. 810

<<
His nose by mesure wrought ful right;
Crisp was his heer, and eek ful bright.
His shuldres of a large brede, 825
And smalish in the girdilstede.
He semed lyk a portreiture,
So noble he was of his stature,
So fair, so Ioly, and so fetys,
With limes wrought at poynt devys, 830
Deliver, smert, and of gret might;
Ne sawe thou never man so light.
Of berde unnethe hadde he no-thing,
For it was in the firste spring.
Ful yong he was, and mery of thought, 835
And in samyt, with briddes wrought,
And with gold beten fetisly,
His body was clad ful richely.
Wrought was his robe in straunge gyse,
And al to-slitered for queyntyse 840
In many a place, lowe and hye.
And shod he was with greet maistrye,
With shoon decoped, and with laas.
By druerye, and by solas,
His leef a rosen chapelet 845
Had maad, and on his heed it set.

>>
Les yex ot vairs, la bouche gente,
Et le nez fait par grant entente;
Cheveus ot blons, recerceles,
Par espaules fu auques les,
Et gresles parmi la ceinture:
Il resembloit une painture,
Tant ere biaus et acesmes,
Et de tous membres bien formes.
Remuans fu, et preus, et vistes,
Plus legier homme ne veistes; 820
Si n'avoit barbe, ne grenon,
Se petiz peus folages non,
Car il ert jones damoisiaus.
D'un samit portret a oysiaus,
Qui ere tout a or batus,
Fu ses cors richement vestus.
Moult iert sa robe desguisee,
Et fu moult riche et encisee,
Et decopee par cointise;
Chaucies refu par grant mestrise 830
D'uns solers decopes a las;
Par druerie et par solas
Li ot s'amie fet chapel
De roses qui moult li sist bel.

<<
And wite ye who was his leef?
Dame GLADNES ther was him so leef, GLADNESSE.
That singeth so wel with glad corage,
That from she was twelve yeer of age, 850
She of hir love graunt him made.
Sir Mirthe hir by the finger hadde
[In] daunsing, and she him also;
Gret love was atwixe hem two.
Bothe were they faire and brighte of hewe; 855
She semede lyk a rose newe
Of colour, and hir flesh so tendre,
That with a brere smale and slendre
Men mighte it cleve, I dar wel sayn.
Hir forheed, frounceles al playn. 860
Bente were hir browes two,
Hir yen greye, and gladde also,
That laughede ay in hir semblaunt,
First or the mouth, by covenaunt.
I not what of hir nose descryve; 865
So fair hath no womman alyve. . . .
Hir heer was yelowe, and cleer shyning,
I wot no lady so lyking.

>>
Saves-vous qui estoit s'amie?
Leesce qui nel' haoit mie,
L'envoisie, la bien chantans,
Qui des lors qu'el n'ot que sept ans
De s'amor li donna l'otroi;
Deduit la tint parmi le doi 840
A la karole, et ele lui,
Bien s'entr'amoient ambedui:
Car il iert biaus, et ele bele,
Bien resembloit rose novele
De sa color. S'ot la char tendre,
Qu'en la li peust toute fendre
A une petitete ronce.
Le front ot blanc, poli, sans fronce,
Les sorcis bruns et enarchies,
Les yex gros et si envoisies, 850
Qu'il rioient tousjors avant
Que la bouchete par convant.
Je ne vous sai du nes que dire,
L'en nel' feist pas miex de cire.
Ele ot la bouche petitete,
Et por baisier son ami, preste;
Le chief ot blons et reluisant.
Que vous iroie-je disant?
Bele fu et bien atornee;
D'ung fil d'or ere galonnee, 860
S'ot ung chapel d'orfrois tout nuef;
Je qu'en oi veu vint et nuef,

<<
Of orfrays fresh was hir gerland;
I, whiche seen have a thousand, 870
Saugh never, y-wis, no gerlond yit,
So wel [y]-wrought of silk as it.
And in an over-gilt samyt
Clad she was, by gret delyt,
Of which hir leef a robe werde, 875
The myrier she in herte ferde.
And next hir wente, on hir other syde, CUPIDE.
The god of Love, that can devyde
Love, as him lyketh it [to] be.
But he can cherles daunten, he, 880
And maken folkes pryde fallen.
And he can wel these lordes thrallen,
And ladies putte at lowe degree,
Whan he may hem to proude see.
This God of Love of his fasoun 885
Was lyk no knave, ne quistroun;
His beautee gretly was to pryse.
But of his robe to devyse
I drede encombred for to be.
For nought y-clad in silk was he, 890
But al in floures and flourettes,
Y-painted al with amorettes;

>>
A nul jor mes veu n'avoie
Chapel si bien ouvre de soie.
D'un samit qui ert tous dores
Fu ses cors richement pares,
De quoi son ami avoit robe,
Si en estoit asses plus gobe.
A li se tint de l'autre part
Li Diex d'Amors, cil qui depart 870
Amoretes a sa devise.
C'est cil qui les amans justise,
Et qui abat l'orguel des gens,
Et si fait des seignors sergens,
Et des dames refait bajesses,
Quant il les trove trop engresses.
Li Diex d'Amors, de la facon,
Ne resembloit mie garcon:
De beaulte fist moult a prisier,
Mes de sa robe devisier 880
Criens durement qu'encombre soie.
Il n'avoit pas robe de soie,
Ains avoit robe de floretes,
Fete par fines amoretes

<<
And with losenges and scochouns,
With briddes, libardes, and lyouns,
And other beestes wrought ful wel. 895
His garnement was everydel
Y-portreyd and y-wrought with floures,
By dyvers medling of coloures.
Floures ther were of many gyse
Y-set by compas in assyse; 900
Ther lakked no flour, to my dome,
Ne nought so muche as flour of brome,
Ne violete, ne eck pervenke,
Ne flour non, that man can on thenke,
And many a rose-leef ful long 905
Was entermedled ther-among:
And also on his heed was set
Of roses rede a chapelet.
But nightingales, a ful gret route,
That flyen over his heed aboute, 910
The leves felden as they flyen;
And he was al with briddes wryen,
With popiniay, with nightingale,
With chalaundre, and with wodewale,
With finch, with lark, and with archaungel. 915
He semede as he were an aungel

>>
A losenges, a escuciaus,
A oiseles, a lionciaus,
Et a bestes et a liepars;
Fu la robe de toutes pars
Portraite, et ovree de flors
Par diversete de colors. 890
Flors i avoit de maintes guises
Qui furent par grant sens assises;
Nulle flor en este ne nest
Qui n'i soit, neis flor de genest,
Ne violete, ne parvanche,
Ne fleur inde, jaune ne blanche;
Si ot par leus entremeslees
Foilles de roses grans et lees.
Il ot ou chief ung chapelet
De roses; mes rossignolet 900
Qui entor son chief voletoient,
Les foilles jus en abatoient:
Car il iert tout covers d'oisiaus,
De papegaus, de rossignaus,
De calandres et de mesanges;
Il sembloit que ce fust uns anges

<<
That doun were comen fro hevene clere.
Love hadde with him a bachelere,
That he made alweyes with him be;
SWETE-LOKING cleped was he. 920
This bachelere stood biholding SWETE-LOKING.
The daunce, and in his honde holding
Turke bowes two hadde he.
That oon of hem was of a tree
That bereth a fruyt of savour wikke; 925
Ful croked was that foule stikke,
And knotty here and there also,
And blak as bery, or any slo.
That other bowe was of a plante
Withoute wem, I dar warante, 930
Ful even, and by proporcioun
Tretys and long, of good fasoun.
And it was peynted wel and thwiten,
And over-al diapred and writen
With ladies and with bacheleres, 935
Ful lightsom and [ful] glad of cheres.
These bowes two held Swete-Loking,
That semed lyk no gadeling.
And ten brode arowes held he there,
Of which five in his right hond were. 940

>>
Qui fust tantost venus du ciau.
Amors avoit ung jovenciau
Qu'il faisoit estre iluec deles;
Douz-Regard estoit apeles. 910
Ici bachelers regardoit
Les caroles, et si gardoit
Au Diex d'Amors deux ars turquois.
Li uns des ars si fu d'un bois
Dont li fruit iert mal savores;
Tous plains de nouz et boceres
Fu li ars dessous et dessore,
Et si estoit plus noirs que mores.
Li autres ars fu d'un plancon
Longuet et de gente facon; 920
Si fu bien fait et bien doles,
Et si fu moult bien pipeles.
Dames i ot de tous sens pointes,
Et vales envoisies et cointes.
Ices deux ars tint Dous-Regars
Qui ne sembloit mie estre gars,
Avec dix des floiches son mestre.
Il en tint cinq en sa main destre;

<<
But they were shaven wel and dight,
Nokked and fethered a-right;
And al they were with gold bigoon,
And stronge poynted everichoon,
And sharpe for to kerven weel. 945
But iren was ther noon ne steel;
For al was gold, men mighte it see,
Out-take the fetheres and the tree.
The swiftest of these arowes fyve
Out of a bowe for to dryve, 950
And best [y]-fethered for to flee,
And fairest eek, was cleped BEAUTEE. BEAUTEE.
That other arowe, that hurteth lesse,
Was cleped, as I trowe, SIMPLESSE. SIMPLESSE.
The thridde cleped was FRAUNCHYSE, 955
That fethered was, in noble wyse, FRAUNCHYSE.
With valour and with curtesye.
The fourthe was cleped COMPANYE COMPANYE.
That hevy for to sheten is;
But who-so sheteth right, y-wis, 960
May therwith doon gret harm and wo.
The fifte of these, and laste also,

>>
Mes moult orent ices cinq floiches
Les penons bien fais, et les coiches: 930
Si furent toutes a or pointes,
Fors et tranchans orent les pointes,
Et agues por bien percier,
Et si n'i ot fer ne acier;
Onc n'i ot riens qui d'or ne fust,
Fors que les penons et le fust:
Car el furent encarrelees
De sajetes d'or barbelees.
La meillore et la plus isnele
De ces floiches, et la plus bele, 940
Et cele ou li meillor penon
Furent entes, Biautes ot non.
Une d'eles qui le mains blece,
Ot non, ce m'est avis, Simplece.
Une autre en i ot apelee
Franchise; cele iert empenee
De Valor et de Cortoisie.
La quarte avoit non Compaignie:
En cele ot moult pesant sajete.
Ele n'iert pas d'aler loing preste; 950
Mes qui de pres en vosist traire,
Il en peust assez mal faire.

<<
FAIR-SEMBLAUNT men that arowe calle, FAIR-
The leeste grevous of hem alle; SEMBLAUNT.
Yit can it make a ful gret wounde, 965
But he may hope his sores sounde,
That hurt is with that arowe, y-wis;
His wo the bet bistowed is.
For he may soner have gladnesse,
His langour oughte be the lesse. 970
Fyve arowes were of other gyse,
That been ful foule to devyse;
For shaft and ende, sooth to telle,
Were al-so blak as feend in helle.
The first of hem is called PRYDE; PRYDE. 975
That other arowe next him bisyde,
It was [y]-cleped VILANYE; VILANYE.
That arowe was as with felonye
Envenimed, and with spitous blame.
The thridde of hem was cleped SHAME. SHAME. 980
The fourthe, WANHOPE cleped is, WANHOPE.
The fifte, the NEWE-THOUGHT, y-wis. NEWE-
These arowes that I speke of here, THOUGHT.
Were alle fyve of oon manere,
And alle were they resemblable. 985
To hem was wel sitting and able

>>
La quinte avoit non Biau-Semblant,
Ce fut toute la mains grevant.
Ne porquant el fait moult grant plaie;
Mes cis atent bonne menaie,
Qui de cele floiche est plaies,
Ses maus en est mielx emplaies;
Car il puet tost sante atendre,
S'en doit estre sa dolor mendre. 960
Cinq floiches i ot d'autre guise,
Qui furent ledes a devise:
Li fust estoient et li fer
Plus noirs que deables d'enfer.
La premiere avoit non Orguex,
L'autre qui ne valoit pas miex,
Fu apelee Vilenie;
Icele fu de felonie
Toute tainte et envenimee.
La tierce fu Honte clamee, 970
Et la quarte Desesperance:
Novel-Penser fu sans doutance
Apelee la darreniere.
Ces cinq floiches d'une maniere
Furent, et moult bien resemblables;
Moult par lor estoit convenables

<<
The foule croked bowe hidous,
That knotty was, and al roynous.
That bowe semede wel to shete
These arowes fyve, that been unmete, 990
Contrarie to that other fyve.
But though I telle not as blyve
Of hir power, ne of hir might,
Her-after shal I tellen right
The sothe, and eek signifiaunce, 995
As fer as I have remembraunce:
Al shall be seid, I undertake,
Er of this boke an ende I make.
Now come I to my tale ageyn.
But alderfirst, I wol you seyn 1000
The fasoun and the countenaunces
Of al the folk that on the daunce is.
The God of Love, Iolyf and light,
Ladde on his honde a lady bright,
Of high prys, and of greet degree. 1005
This lady called was BEAUTEE, BEAUTEE.
[As was] an arowe, of which I tolde.
Ful wel [y]-thewed was she holde;
Ne she was derk ne broun, but bright,
And cleer as [is] the mone-light, 1010

>>
Li uns des arcs qui fu hideus,
Et plains de neus, et eschardeus;
Il devoit bien tiex floiches traire,
Car el erent force et contraire 980
As autres cinq floiches sans doute.
Mes ne dire pas ore toute
Lor forces, ne lor poestes.
Bien vous sera la verites
Contee, et la senefiance
Nel'metre mie en obliance;
Ains vous dirai que tout ce monte,
Aincois que je fine mon conte.
Or revendrai a ma parole:
Des nobles gens de la karole 990
M'estuet dire les contenances,
Et les facons et les semblances.
Li Diex d'Amors se fu bien pris
A une dame de haut pris,
Et delez lui iert ajoustes:
Icele dame ot non Biautes,
Ainsinc cum une des cinq fleches.
En li ot maintes bonnes teches:
El ne fu oscure, ne brune,
Ains fu clere comme la lune, 1000

<<
Ageyn whom alle the sterres semen
But smale candels, as we demen.
Hir flesh was tendre as dewe of flour,
Hir chere was simple as byrde in bour;
As whyt as lilie or rose in rys, 1015
Hir face gentil and tretys.
Fetys she was, and smal to see;
No windred browes hadde she,
Ne popped hir, for it neded nought
To windre hir, or to peynte hir ought. 1020
Hir tresses yelowe, and longe straughten,
Unto hir heles doun they raughten:
Hir nose, hir mouth, and eye and cheke
Wel wrought, and al the remenaunt eke.
A ful gret savour and a swote 1025
Me thinketh in myn herte rote,
As helpe me god, whan I remembre
Of the fasoun of every membre!
In world is noon so fair a wight;
For yong she was, and hewed bright, 1030
[Wys], plesaunt, and fetys withalle,
Gente, and in hir middel smalle.
Bisyde Beaute yede RICHESSE, RICHESSE.
An high lady of greet noblesse,

>>
Envers qui les autres estoiles
Resemblent petites chandoiles.
Tendre ot la char comme rousee,
Simple fu cum une espousee,
Et blanche comme flor de lis;
Si ot le vis cler et alis,
Et fu greslete et alignie;
Ne fu fardee ne guignie:
Car el n'avoit mie mestier
De soi tifer ne d'afetier. 1010
Les cheveus ot blons et si lons
Qu'il li batoient as talons;
Nez ot bien fait, et yelx et bouche.
Moult grant doucor au cuer me touche,
Si m'aist Diex, quant il me membre
De la facon de chascun membre
Qu'il n'ot si bele fame ou monde.
Briement el fu jonete et blonde,
Sade, plaisant, aperte et cointe,
Grassete et grele, gente et jointe. 1020
Pres de Biaute se tint Richece,
Une dame de grant hautece,

<<
And greet of prys in every place. 1035
But who-so durste to hir trespace,
Or til hir folk, in worde or dede,
He were ful hardy, out of drede;
For bothe she helpe and hindre may:
And that is nought of yisterday 1040
That riche folk have ful gret might
To helpe, and eek to greve a wight.
The beste and grettest of valour
Diden Richesse ful gret honour,
And besy weren hir to serve; 1045
For that they wolde hir love deserve,
They cleped hir 'Lady,' grete and smalle;
This wyde world hir dredeth alle;
This world is al in hir daungere.
Hir court hath many a losengere, 1050
And many a traytour envious,
That been ful besy and curious
For to dispreisen, and to blame
That best deserven love and name.
Bifore the folk, hem to bigylen, 1055
These losengeres hem preyse, and smylen,
And thus the world with word anoynten;
But afterward they [prikke] and poynten

>>
De grant pris et de grant affaire.
Qui a li ne as siens meffaire
Osast riens par fais, ou par dis,
Il fust moult fiers et moult hardis;
Qu'ele puet moult nuire et aidier.
Ce n'est mie ne d'ui ne d'ier
Que riches gens out grant poissance
De faire ou aide, ou grevance. 1030
Tuit li greignor et li menor
Portoient a Richece honor:
Tuit baoient a li servir,
Por l'amor de li deservir;
Chascuns sa dame la clamoit,
Car tous li mondes la cremoit;
Tous li mons iert en son dangier.
En sa cort ot maint losengier,
Maint traitor, maint envieus:
Ce sunt cil qui sunt curieus 1040
De desprisier et de blasmer
Tous ceus qui font miex a amer.
Par devant, por eus losengier,
Loent les gens li losengier;
Tout le monde par parole oignent,
Mes lor losenges les gens poignent

<<
The folk right to the bare boon,
Bihinde her bak whan they ben goon, 1060
And foule abate the folkes prys.
Ful many a worthy man and wys,
An hundred, have [they] don to dye,
These losengeres, through flaterye;
And maketh folk ful straunge be, 1065
Ther-as hem oughte be prive.
Wel yvel mote they thryve and thee,
And yvel aryved mote they be,
These losengeres, ful of envye!
No good man loveth hir companye. 1070
Richesse a robe of purpre on hadde,
Ne trowe not that I lye or madde;
For in this world is noon it liche,
Ne by a thousand deel so riche,
Ne noon so fair; for it ful wel 1075
With orfrays leyd was everydel,
And portrayed in the ribaninges
Of dukes stories, and of kinges.
And with a bend of gold tasseled,
And knoppes fyne of gold ameled. 1080
Aboute hir nekke of gentil entaile
Was shet the riche chevesaile,

>>
Par derriere dusques as os,
Qu'il abaissent des bons les los,
Et desloent les aloes,
Et si loent les desloes. 1050
Maint prodommes ont encuses,
Et de lor honnor recules
Li losengier par lor losenges;
Car il font ceus des cors estranges
Qui deussent estre prives:
Mal puissent-il estre arives
Icil losengier plain d'envie!
Car nus prodons n'aime lor vie.
Richece ot une porpre robe,
Ice ne tenes mie a lobe, 1060
Que je vous di bien et afiche
Qu'il n'ot si bele, ne si riche
Ou monde, ne si envoisie.
La porpre fu toute orfroisie;
Si ot portraites a orfrois
Estoires de dus et de rois.
Si estoit au col bien orlee
D'une bende d'or neelee
Moult richement, sachies sans faille.
Si i avoit tretout a taille 1070

<<
In which ther was ful gret plentee
Of stones clere and bright to see.
Rychesse a girdel hadde upon, 1085
The bokel of it was of a stoon
Of vertu greet, and mochel of might;
For who-so bar the stoon so bright,
Of venim [thurte] him no-thing doute,
While he the stoon hadde him aboute. 1090
That stoon was greetly for to love,
And til a riche mannes bihove
Worth al the gold in Rome and Fryse.
The mourdaunt, wrought in noble wyse,
Was of a stoon ful precious, 1095
That was so fyn and vertuous,
That hool a man it coude make
Of palasye, and of tooth-ake.
And yit the stoon hadde suche a grace,
That he was siker in every place, 1100
Al thilke day, not blind to been,
That fasting mighte that stoon seen.
The barres were of gold ful fyne,
Upon a tissu of satyne,
Ful hevy, greet, and no-thing light, 1105
In everich was a besaunt-wight.
Upon the tresses of Richesse
Was set a cercle, for noblesse,

>>
De riches pierres grant plente
Qui moult rendoient grant clarte.
Richece ot ung moult riche ceint
Par desus cele porpre ceint;
La boucle d'une pierre fu
Qui ot grant force et grant vertu:
Car cis qui sor soi la portoit,
Nes uns venins ne redotoit:
Nus nel pooit envenimer,
Moult faisoit la pierre a aimer. 1080
Ele vausist a ung prodomme
Miex que trestous li ors de Romme.
D'une pierre fu li mordens,
Qui garissoit du mal des dens;
Et si avoit ung tel eur,
Que cis pooit estre asseur
Tretous les jors de sa veue,
Qui a geun l'avoit veue.
Li clou furent d'or esmere,
Qui erent el tissu dore; 1090
Si estoient gros et pesant,
En chascun ot bien ung besant.
Richece ot sus ses treces sores
Ung cercle d'or; onques encores

<<
Of brend gold, that ful lighte shoon;
So fair, trowe I, was never noon. 1110
But he were cunning, for the nones,
That coude devysen alle the stones
That in that cercle shewen clere;
It is a wonder thing to here.
For no man coude preyse or gesse 1115
Of hem the valewe or richesse.
Rubyes there were, saphyres, iagounces,
And emeraudes, more than two ounces.
But al bifore, ful sotilly,
A fyn carboucle set saugh I. 1120
The stoon so cleer was and so bright,
That, al-so sone as it was night,
Men mighte seen to go, for nede,
A myle or two, in lengthe and brede.
Swich light [tho] sprang out of the stoon, 1125
That Richesse wonder brighte shoon,
Bothe hir heed, and al hir face,
And eke aboute hir al the place.
Dame Richesse on hir hond gan lede
A yong man ful of semelihede, 1130
That she best loved of any thing;
His lust was muche in housholding.

>>
Ne fu si biaus veus, ce cuit,
Car il fu tout d'or fin recuit;
Mes cis seroit bons devisierres
Qui vous sauroit toutes les pierres,
Qui i estoient, devisier,
Car l'en ne porroit pas prisier 1100
L'avoir que les pierres valoient,
Qui en l'or assises estoient.
Rubis i ot, saphirs, jagonces,
Esmeraudes plus de dix onces.
Mais devant ot, par grant mestrise,
Une escharboucle ou cercle assise,
Et la pierre si clere estoit,
Que maintenant qu'il anuitoit,
L'en s'en veist bien au besoing
Conduire d'une liue loing. 1110
Tel clarte de la pierre yssoit,
Que Richece en resplendissoit
Durement le vis et la face,
Et entor li toute la place.
Richece tint parmi la main
Ung valet de grant biaute plain,
Qui fu ses amis veritiez.
C'est uns hons qui en biaus ostiez

<<
In clothing was he ful fetys,
And lovede wel have hors of prys.
He wende to have reproved be 1135
Of thefte or mordre, if that he
Hadde in his stable an hakeney.
And therfore he desyred ay
To been aqueynted with Richesse;
For al his purpos, as I gesse, 1140
Was for to make greet dispense,
Withoute werning or defence.
And Richesse mighte it wel sustene,
And hir dispenses wel mayntene,
And him alwey swich plentee sende 1145
Of gold and silver for to spende
Withoute lakking or daungere,
As it were poured in a garnere.
And after on the daunce wente LARGESSE.
LARGESSE, that sette al hir entente 1150
For to be honourable and free;
Of Alexandres kin was she;
Hir moste Ioye was, y-wis,
Whan that she yaf, and seide, 'have this. '
Not Avarice, the foule caytyf, 1155
Was half to grype so ententyf,

>>
Maintenir moult se delitoit.
Cis se chaucoit bien et vestoit, 1120
Si avoit les chevaus de pris;
Cis cuidast bien estre repris
Ou de murtre, ou de larrecin,
S'en s'estable eust ung roucin.
Por ce amoit-il moult l'acointance
De Richece et la bien-voillance,
Qu'il avoit tous jors en porpens
De demener les grans despens,
Et el les pooit bien soffrir,
Et tous ses despens maintenir; 1130
El li donnoit autant deniers
Cum s'el les puisast en greniers.
Apres refu Largece assise,
Qui fu bien duite et bien aprise
De faire honor, et de despendre:
El fu du linage Alexandre;
Si n'avoit-el joie de rien
Cum quant el pooit dire, 'tien. '
Neis Avarice la chetive
N'ert pas si a prendre ententive 1140

<<
As Largesse is to yeve and spende.
And god y-nough alwey hir sende,
So that the more she yaf awey,
The more, y-wis, she hadde alwey. 1160
Gret loos hath Largesse, and gret prys;
For bothe wys folk and unwys
Were hoolly to hir baundon brought,
So wel with yiftes hath she wrought.
And if she hadde an enemy, 1165
I trowe, that she coude craftily
Make him ful sone hir freend to be,
So large of yift and free was she;
Therfore she stood in love and grace
Of riche and povre in every place. 1170
A ful gret fool is he, y-wis,
That bothe riche and nigard is.
A lord may have no maner vice
That greveth more than avarice.
For nigard never with strengthe of hond 1175
May winne him greet lordship or lond.
For freendes al to fewe hath he
To doon his wil perfourmed be.
And who-so wol have freendes here,
He may not holde his tresour dere. 1180
For by ensample I telle this,
Right as an adamaunt, y-wis,

>>
Cum Largece ere de donner;
Et Diex li fesoit foisonner
Ses biens si qu'ele ne savoit
Tant donner, cum el plus avoit.
Moult a Largece pris et los;
Ele a les sages et les fos
Outreement a son bandon,
Car ele savoit fere biau don;
S'ainsinc fust qu'aucuns la haist,
Si cuit-ge que de ceus feist 1150
Ses amis par son biau servise;
Et por ce ot-ele a devise
L'amor des povres et des riches.
Moult est fos haus homs qui est chiches!
Haus homs ne puet avoir nul vice,
Qui tant li griet cum avarice:
Car hons avers ne puet conquerre
Ne seignorie ne grant terre;
Car il n'a pas d'amis plente,
Dont il face sa volente. 1160
Mes qui amis vodra avoir
Si n'ait mie chier son avoir,
Ains par biaus dons amis acquiere:
Car tout en autretel maniere

<<
Can drawen to him sotilly
The yren, that is leyd therby,
So draweth folkes hertes, y-wis, 1185
Silver and gold that yeven is.
Largesse hadde on a robe fresshe
Of riche purpur Sarsinesshe.
Wel fourmed was hir face and clere,
And opened had she hir colere; 1190
For she right there hadde in present
Unto a lady maad present
Of a gold broche, ful wel wrought.
And certes, it missat hir nought;
For through hir smokke, wrought with silk, 1195
The flesh was seen, as whyt as milk.
Largesse, that worthy was and wys,
Held by the honde a knight of prys,
Was sib to Arthour of Bretaigne.
And that was he that bar the enseigne 1200
Of worship, and the gonfanoun.
And yit he is of swich renoun,
That men of him seye faire thinges
Bifore barouns, erles, and kinges.
This knight was comen al newely 1205
Fro tourneyinge faste by;

>>
Cum la pierre de l'aiment
Trait a soi le fer soutilment,
Ainsinc atrait les cuers des gens
Li ors qu'en donne et li argens.
Largece ot robe toute fresche
D'une porpre Sarrazinesche; 1170
S'ot le vis bel et bien forme;
Mes el ot son col defferme,
Qu'el avoit iluec en present
A une dame fet present,
N'avoit gueres, de son fermal,
Et ce ne li seoit pas mal,
Que sa chevecaille iert overte,
Et sa gorge si descoverte,
Que parmi outre la chemise
Li blanchoioit sa char alise. 1180
Largece la vaillant, la sage,
Tint ung chevalier du linage
Au bon roy Artus de Bretaigne;
Ce fu cil qui porta l'enseigne
De Valor et le gonfanon.
Encor est-il de tel renom,
Que l'en conte de li les contes
Et devant rois et devant contes.
Cil chevalier novelement
Fu venus d'ung tornoiement, 1190

<<
Ther hadde he doon gret chivalrye
Through his vertu and his maistrye;
And for the love of his lemman
[Had] cast doun many a doughty man. 1210
And next him daunced dame FRAUNCHYSE,
Arrayed in ful noble gyse. FRAUNCHYSE.
She was not broun ne dun of hewe,
But whyt as snowe y-fallen newe.
Hir nose was wrought at poynt devys, 1215
For it was gentil and tretys;
With eyen gladde, and browes bente;
Hir heer doun to hir heles wente.
And she was simple as dowve on tree,
Ful debonaire of herte was she. 1220
She durste never seyn ne do
But that [thing] that hir longed to.
And if a man were in distresse,
And for hir love in hevinesse,
Hir herte wolde have ful greet pitee, 1225
She was so amiable and free.
For were a man for hir bistad,
She wolde ben right sore adrad
That she dide over greet outrage,
But she him holpe his harm to aswage; 1230

>>
Ou il ot faite por s'amie
Mainte jouste et mainte envaie,
Et percie maint escu boucle,
Maint hiaume i avoit dessercle,
Et maint chevalier abatu,
Et pris par force et par vertu.
Apres tous ceus se tint Franchise,
Qui ne fu ne brune ne bise,
Ains ere blanche comme nois;
Et si n'ot pas nes d'Orlenois, 1200
Aincois l'avoit lonc et traitis,
Iex vairs rians, sorcis votis:
S'ot les chevous et blons, et lons,
Et fu simple comme uns coulons.
Le cuer ot dous et debonnaire:
Ele n'osast dire ne faire
A nuli riens qu'el ne deust;
Et s'ele ung homme cogneust
Qui fust destrois por s'amitie,
Tantost eust de li pitie, 1210
Qu'ele ot le cuer si piteable,
Et si dous et si amiable,
Que se nus por li mal traisist,
S'el ne li aidast, el crainsist
Qu'el feist trop grant vilonnie.
Vestue ot une sorquanie,

<<
Hir thoughte it elles a vilanye.
And she hadde on a sukkenye,
That not of hempen herdes was;
So fair was noon in alle Arras.
Lord, it was rideled fetysly! 1235
Ther nas nat oo poynt, trewely,
That it nas in his right assyse.
Ful wel y-clothed was Fraunchyse;
For ther is no cloth sitteth bet
On damiselle, than doth roket. 1240
A womman wel more fetys is
In roket than in cote, y-wis.
The whyte roket, rideled faire,
Bitokened, that ful debonaire
And swete was she that it bere. 1245
By hir daunced a bachelere;
I can not telle you what he highte,
But fair he was, and of good highte,
Al hadde he be, I sey no more,
The lordes sone of Windesore. 1250
And next that daunced CURTESYE, CURTESYE.
That preised was of lowe and hye,
For neither proud ne fool was she.
She for to daunce called me,

>>
Qui ne fu mie de borras:
N'ot si bele jusqu'a Arras;
Car el fu si coillie et jointe,
Qu'il n'i ot une seule pointe 1220
Qui a son droit ne fust assise.
Moult fu bien vestue Franchise;
Car nule robe n'est si bele
Que sorquanie a damoisele.
Fame est plus cointe et plus mignote
En sorquanie que en cote:
La sorquanie qui fu blanche,
Senefioit que douce et franche
Estoit cele qui la vestoit.
Uns bachelers jones s'estoit 1230
Pris a Franchise lez a lez,
Ne soi comment ert apele,
Mes biaus estoit, se il fust ores
Fiex au seignor de Gundesores.
Apres se tenoit Courtoisie,
Qui moult estoit de tous prisie,
Si n'ere orguilleuse ne fole.
C'est cele qui a la karole

<<
(I pray god yeve hir right good grace! ) 1255
Whan I com first into the place.
She was not nyce, ne outrageous,
But wys and war, and vertuous,
Of faire speche, and faire answere;
Was never wight misseid of here; 1260
She bar no rancour to no wight.
Cleer broun she was, and therto bright
Of face, of body avenaunt;
I wot no lady so plesaunt.
She were worthy for to bene 1265
An emperesse or crouned quene.
And by hir wente a knight dauncing
That worthy was and wel speking,
And ful wel coude he doon honour.
The knight was fair and stif in stour, 1270
And in armure a semely man,
And wel biloved of his lemman.
Fair YDELNESSE than saugh I, YDELNESSE.
That alwey was me faste by.
Of hir have I, withouten fayle, 1275
Told yow the shap and apparayle
For (as I seide) lo, that was she
That dide me so greet bountee,

>>
La soe merci m'apela
Ains que nule, quant je vins la. 1240
El ne fu ne nice, n'umbrage,
Mes sages auques sans outrage,
De biaus respons et de biaus dis,
Onc nus ne fu par li laidis,
Ne ne porta nului rancune.
El fu clere comme la lune
Est avers les autres estoiles
Qui ne resemblent que chandoiles.
Faitisse estoit et avenant,
Je ne sai fame plus plaisant. 1250
Ele ere entoutes cors bien digne
D'estre emperieris, ou roine.
A li se tint uns chevaliers
Acointables et biaus parliers,
Qui sot bien faire honor as gens.
Li chevaliers fu biaus et gens,
Et as armes bien acesmes,
Et de s'amie bien ames.
La bele Oiseuse vint apres,
Qui se tint de moi asses pres. 1260
De cele vous ai dit sans faille
Toute la facon et la taille;
Ja plus ne vous en iert conte,
Car c'est cele qui la bonte

<<
That she the gate of the gardin
Undide, and leet me passen in. 1280
And after daunced, as I gesse, YOUTHE.
[YOUTHE], fulfild of lustinesse,
That nas not yit twelve yeer of age,
With herte wilde, and thought volage;
Nyce she was, but she ne mente 1285
Noon harm ne slight in hir entente,
But only lust and Iolitee.
For yonge folk, wel witen ye,
Have litel thought but on hir play.
Hir lemman was bisyde alway, 1290
In swich a gyse, that he hir kiste
At alle tymes that him liste,
That al the daunce mighte it see;
They make no force of privetee;
For who spak of hem yvel or wel, 1295
They were ashamed never-a-del,
But men mighte seen hem kisse there,
As it two yonge douves were.
For yong was thilke bachelere,
Of beaute wot I noon his pere; 1300
And he was right of swich an age
As Youthe his leef, and swich corage.
The lusty folk thus daunced there,
And also other that with hem were,

>>
Me fist si grant qu'ele m'ovri
Le guichet del vergier flori.
Apres se tint mien esciant,
Jonesce, au vis cler et luisant,
Qui n'avoit encores passes,
Si cum je cuit, douze ans d'asses. 1270
Nicete fu, si ne pensoit
Nul mal, ne nul engin qui soit;
Mes moult iert envoisie et gaie,
Car jone chose ne s'esmaie
Fors de joer, bien le saves.
Ses amis iert de li prives
En tel guise, qu'il la besoit
Toutes les fois que li plesoit,
Voians tous ceus de la karole:
Car qui d'aus deus tenist parole, 1280
Il n'en fussent ja vergondeus,
Ains les veissies entre aus deus
Baisier comme deus columbiaus.
Le vales fu jones et biaus,
Si estoit bien d'autel aage
Cum s'amie, et d'autel corage.
Ainsi karoloient ilecques,
Ceste gens, et autres avecques,

<<
That weren alle of hir meynee; 1305
Ful hende folk, and wys, and free,
And folk of fair port, trewely,
Ther weren alle comunly.
Whan I hadde seen the countenaunces
Of hem that ladden thus these daunces, 1310
Than hadde I wil to goon and see
The gardin that so lyked me,
And loken on these faire loreres,
On pyn-trees, cedres, and oliveres.
The daunces than y-ended were; 1315
For many of hem that daunced there
Were with hir loves went awey
Under the trees to have hir pley.
A, lord! they lived lustily!
A gret fool were he, sikerly, 1320
That nolde, his thankes, swich lyf lede!
For this dar I seyn, out of drede,
That who-so mighte so wel fare,
For better lyf [thurte] him not care;
For ther nis so good paradys 1325
As have a love at his devys.
Out of that place wente I tho,
And in that gardin gan I go,

>>
Qui estoient de lor mesnies,
Franches gens et bien enseignies, 1290
Et gens de bel afetement
Estoient tuit communement.
Quant j'oi veues les semblances
De ceus qui menoient les dances,
J'oi lors talent que le vergier
Alasse veoir et cerchier,
Et remirer ces biaus moriers,
Ces pins, ces codres, ces loriers.
Les karoles ja remanoient,
Car tuit li plusors s'en aloient 1300
O lor amies umbroier
Sous ces arbres por dosnoier.
Diex, cum menoient bonne vie!
Fox est qui n'a de tel envie;
Qui autel vie avoir porroit,
De mieudre bien se sofferroit,
Qu'il n'est nul greignor paradis
Qu'avoir amie a son devis.
D'ilecques me parti atant,
Si m'en alai seus esbatant 1310

<<
Pleying along ful merily.
The God of Love ful hastely 1330
Unto him Swete-Loking clepte,
No lenger wolde he that he kepte
His bowe of golde, that shoon so bright.
He [bad] him [bende it] anon-right;
And he ful sone [it] sette on ende, 1335
And at a braid he gan it bende,
And took him of his arowes fyve,
Ful sharpe and redy for to dryve.
Now god that sit in magestee
Fro deedly woundes kepe me, 1340
If so be that he [wol] me shete;
For if I with his arowe mete,
It [wol me greven] sore, y-wis!
But I, that no-thing wiste of this,
Wente up and doun ful many a wey, 1345
And he me folwed faste alwey;
But no-wher wolde I reste me,
Til I hadde al the [yerde in] be.
The gardin was, by mesuring,
Right even and squar in compassing; 1350
It was as long as it was large.
Of fruyt hadde every tree his charge, THE TREES.

>>
Par le vergier de ca en la;
Et li Diex d'Amors apela
Tretout maintenant Dous-Regart:
N'a or plus cure qu'il li gart
Son arc: donques sans plus atendre
L'arc li a commande a tendre,
Et cis gaires n'i atendi,
Tout maintenant l'arc li tendi,
Si li bailla et cinq sajetes
Fors et poissans, d'aler loing prestes. 1320
Li Diex d'Amors tantost de loing
Me prist a suivir, l'arc ou poing.
Or me gart Diex de mortel plaie!
Se il fait tant que a moi traie,
Il me grevera moult forment.
Je qui de ce ne soi noient,
Vois par la vergier a delivre,
Et cil pensa bien de moi sivre;
Mes en nul leu ne m'arreste,
Devant que j'oi par tout este. 1330
Li vergiers par compasseure
Si fu de droite quarreure,
S'ot de lonc autant cum de large;
Nus arbres qui soit qui fruit charge,

<<
But it were any hidous tree
Of which ther were two or three.
Ther were, and that wot I ful wel, 1355
Of pomgarnettes a ful gret del;
That is a fruyt ful wel to lyke,
Namely to folk whan they ben syke.
And trees ther were, greet foisoun,
That baren notes in hir sesoun, 1360
Such as men notemigges calle,
That swote of savour been withalle.
And alemandres greet plentee,
Figes, and many a date-tree
Ther weren, if men hadde nede, 1365
Through the gardin in length and brede.
Ther was eek wexing many a spyce,
As clow-gelofre, and licoryce,
Gingere, and greyn de paradys,
Canelle, and setewale of prys, 1370
And many a spyce delitable,
To eten whan men ryse fro table.
And many hoomly trees ther were,
That peches, coynes, and apples bere,
Medlers, ploumes, peres, chesteynes, 1375
Cheryse, of whiche many on fayn is,

>>
Se n'est aucuns arbres hideus,
Dont il n'i ait ou ung, ou deus
Ou vergier, ou plus, s'il avient.
Pomiers i ot, bien m'en sovient,
Qui chargoient pomes grenades,
C'est uns fruis moult bons a malades; 1340
De noiers i ot grant foison,
Qui chargoient en la saison
Itel fruit cum sunt nois mugades,
Qui ne sunt ameres, ne fades;
Alemandiers y ot plante,
Et si ot ou vergier plante
Maint figuier, et maint biau datier;
Si trovast qu'en eust mestier,
Ou vergier mainte bone espice,
Cloz de girofle et requelice, 1350
Graine de paradis novele,
Citoal, anis, et canele,
Et mainte espice delitable,
Que bon mengier fait apres table.
Ou vergier ot arbres domesches,
Qui chargoient et coins et pesches,
Chataignes, nois, pommes et poires,
Nefles, prunes blanches et noires,

<<
Notes, aleys, and bolas,
That for to seen it was solas;
With many high lorer and pyn
Was renged clene al that gardyn; 1380
With cipres, and with oliveres,
Of which that nigh no plente here is.
Ther were elmes grete and stronge,
Maples, asshe, ook, asp, planes longe,
Fyn ew, popler, and lindes faire, 1385
And othere trees ful many a payre.
What sholde I telle you more of it?
Ther were so many trees yit,
That I sholde al encombred be
Er I had rekened every tree. 1390
These trees were set, that I devyse,
Oon from another, in assyse,
Five fadome or sixe, I trowe so,
But they were hye and grete also:
And for to kepe out wel the sonne, 1395
The croppes were so thikke y-ronne,
And every braunch in other knet,
And ful of grene leves set,
That sonne mighte noon descende,
Lest [it] the tendre grasses shende. 1400

>>
Cerises fresches vermeilletes,
Cormes, alies et noisetes; 1360
De haus loriers et de haus pins
Refu tous pueples li jardin,
Et d'oliviers et de cipres,
Dont il n'a gaires ici pres;
Ormes y ot branchus et gros,
Et avec ce charmes et fos,
Codres droites, trembles et chesnes,
Erables haus, sapins et fresnes.
Que vous iroie-je notant?
De divers arbres i ot tant, 1370
Que moult en seroie encombres,
Ains que les eusse nombres.
Sachies por voir, li arbres furent
Si loing a loing cum estre durent.
Li ung fu loing de l'autre assis
Plus de cinq toises, ou de sis:
Mes li rain furent lonc et haut,
Et por le leu garder de chaut,
Furent si espes par deseure,
Que li solaus en nesune eure 1380
Ne pooit a terre descendre,
Ne faire mal a l'erbe tendre.

<<
Ther mighte men does and roes y-see,
And of squirels ful greet plentee,
From bough to bough alwey leping.
Conies ther were also playing,
That comen out of hir claperes 1405
Of sondry colours and maneres,
And maden many a turneying
Upon the fresshe gras springing.
In places saw I WELLES there, THE WELLES.
In whiche ther no frogges were, 1410
And fair in shadwe was every welle;
But I ne can the nombre telle
Of stremes smale, that by devys
Mirthe had don come through condys,
Of which the water, in renning, 1415
Gan make a noyse ful lyking.
About the brinkes of thise welles,
And by the stremes over-al elles
Sprang up the gras, as thikke y-set
And softe as any veluet, 1420
On which men mighte his lemman leye,
As on a fetherbed, to pleye,
For therthe was ful softe and swete.
Through moisture of the welle wete

>>
Ou vergier ot daims et chevrions,
Et moult grant plente d'escoirions,
Qui par ces arbres gravissoient;
Connins i avoit qui issoient
Toute jor hors de lor tesnieres,
Et en plus de trente manieres
Aloient entr'eus tornoiant
Sor l'erbe fresche verdoiant. 1390
Il ot par leus cleres fontaines,
Sans barbelotes et sans raines,
Cui li arbres fesoient umbre;
Mes n'en sai pas dire le numbre.
Par petis tuiaus que Deduis
Y ot fet fere, et par conduis
S'en aloit l'iaue aval, fesant
Une noise douce et plesant.
Entor les ruissiaus et les rives
Des fontaines cleres et vives, 1400
Poignoit l'erbe freschete et drue;
Ausinc y poist-l'en sa drue
Couchier comme sur une coite,
Car la terre estoit douce et moite
Por la fontaine, et i venoit
Tant d'erbe cum il convenoit.

<<
Sprang up the sote grene gras, 1425
As fair, as thikke, as mister was.
But muche amended it the place,
That therthe was of swich a grace
That it of floures had plente,
That both in somer and winter be. 1430
Ther sprang the violete al newe,
And fresshe pervinke, riche of hewe,
And floures yelowe, whyte, and rede;
Swich plentee grew ther never in mede.
Ful gay was al the ground, and queynt, 1435
And poudred, as men had it peynt,
With many a fresh and sondry flour,
That casten up ful good savour.
I wol not longe holde you in fable
Of al this gardin delitable. 1440
I moot my tonge stinten nede,
For I ne may, withouten drede,
Naught tellen you the beautee al,
Ne half the bountee therewithal.
I wente on right honde and on left 1445
Aboute the place; it was not left,
Til I hadde al the [yerde in] been,
In the estres that men mighte seen.

>>
Mes moult embelissoit l'afaire
Li leus qui ere de tel aire,
Qu'il i avoit tous jours plente
De flors et yver et este. 1410
Violete y avoit trop bele,
Et parvenche fresche et novele;
Flors y ot blanches et vermeilles,
De jaunes en i ot merveilles.
Trop par estoit la terre cointe,
Qu'ele ere piolee et pointe
De flors de diverses colors,
Dont moult sunt bonnes les odors.
Ne vous tenrai ja longue fable
Du leu plesant et delitable; 1420
Orendroit m'en convenra taire,
Que ge ne porroie retraire
Du vergier toute la biaute,
Ne la grant delitablete.
Tant fui a destre et a senestre,
Que j'oi tout l'afere et tout l'estre
Du vergier cerchie et veu;
Et li Diex d'Amors m'a seu

<<
And thus whyle I wente in my pley,
The God of Love me folowed ay, 1450
Right as an hunter can abyde
The beste, til he seeth his tyde
To shete, at good mes, to the dere,
Whan that him nedeth go no nere.
And so befil, I rested me 1455
Besyde a welle, under a tree,
Which tree in Fraunce men calle a pyn.
But, sith the tyme of king Pepyn,
Ne grew ther tree in mannes sighte
So fair, ne so wel woxe in highte; 1460
In al that yerde so high was noon.
And springing in a marble-stoon
Had nature set, the sothe to telle,
Under that pyn-tree a welle.
And on the border, al withoute, 1465
Was writen, in the stone aboute,
Lettres smale, that seyden thus,
Here starf the faire Narcisus. '
NARCISUS was a bachelere, NARCISUS.
That Love had caught in his daungere, 1470
And in his net gan him so streyne,
And dide him so to wepe and pleyne,
That nede him muste his lyf forgo.
For a fair lady, hight Echo,

>>
Endementiers en agaitant,
Cum li venieres qui atant 1430
Que la beste en bel leu se mete
Por lessier aler la sajete.
En ung trop biau leu arrive,
Au darrenier, ou je trouve
Une fontaine sous ung pin;
Mais puis Karles le fils Pepin,
Ne fu ausinc biau pin veus,
Et si estoit si haut creus,
Qu'ou vergier n'ot nul si bel arbre.
Dedens une pierre de marbre 1440
Ot nature par grant mestrise
Sous le pin la fontaine assise:
Si ot dedens la pierre escrites
Ou bort amont letres petites
Qui disoient: 'ici desus
Se mori li biaus Narcisus. '
Narcisus fu uns damoisiaus
Que Amors tint en ses roisiaus,
Et tant le sot Amors destraindre,
Et tant le fist plorer et plaindre, 1450
Que li estuet a rendre l'ame:
Car Equo, une haute dame,

<<
Him loved over any creature, 1475
And gan for him swich peyne endure,
That on a tyme she him tolde,
That, if he hir loven nolde,
That hir behoved nedes dye,
Ther lay non other remedye. 1480
But natheles, for his beautee,
So fiers and daungerous was he,
That he nolde graunten hir asking,
For weping, ne for fair praying.
And whan she herde him werne hir so, 1485
She hadde in herte so gret wo,
And took it in so gret dispyt,
That she, withoute more respyt,
Was deed anoon. But, er she deyde,
Ful pitously to god she preyde, 1490
That proude-herted Narcisus,
That was in love so daungerous,
Mighte on a day ben hampred so
For love, and been so hoot for wo,
That never he mighte Ioye atteyne; 1495
Than shulde he fele in every veyne
What sorowe trewe lovers maken,
That been so vilaynsly forsaken.

>>
L'avoit ame plus que riens nee.
El fu par lui si mal menee
Qu'ele li dist qu'il li donroit
S'amor, ou ele se morroit.
Mes cis fu por sa grant biaute
Plains de desdaing et de fierte,
Si ne la li volt otroier,
Ne por chuer, ne por proier. 1460
Quant ele s'oi escondire,
Si en ot tel duel et tel ire,
Et le tint en si grant despit,
Que morte en fu sans lonc respit;
Mes aincois qu'ele se morist,
Ele pria Diex et requist
Que Narcisus au cuer ferasche,
Qu'ele ot trove d'amors si flasche,
Fust asproies encore ung jor,
Et eschaufes d'autel amor 1470
Dont il ne peust joie atendre;
Si porroit savoir et entendre
Quel duel ont li loial amant
Que l'en refuse si vilment.

<<
This prayer was but resonable,
Therefor god held it ferme and stable: 1500
For Narcisus, shortly to telle,
By aventure com to that welle
To reste him in that shadowing
A day, whan he com fro hunting.
This Narcisus had suffred paynes 1505
For renning alday in the playnes,
And was for thurst in greet distresse
Of hete, and of his werinesse
That hadde his breeth almost binomen.
Whan he was to that welle y-comen, 1510
That shadwed was with braunches grene,
He thoughte of thilke water shene
To drinke and fresshe him wel withalle;
And doun on knees he gan to falle,
And forth his heed and nekke out-straughte 1515
To drinken of that welle a draughte
And in the water anoon was sene
His nose, his mouth, his yen shene,
And he ther-of was al abasshed;
His owne shadowe had him bitrasshed. 1520
For wel wende he the forme see
Of a child of greet beautee.

>>
Cele proiere fu resnable,
Et por ce la fist Diex estable,
Que Narcisus, par aventure,
A la fontaine clere et pure
Se vint sous le pin umbroier,
Ung jour qu'il venoit d'archoier, 1480
Et avoit soffert grant travail
De corre et amont et aval,
Tant qu'il ot soif por l'asprete
Du chault, et por la lassete
Qui li ot tolue l'alaine.
Et quant il vint a la fontaine
Que li pins de ses rains covroit,
Il se pensa que il bevroit:
Sus la fontaine, tout adens
Se mist lors por boivre dedans. 1490
Si vit en l'iaue clere et nete
Son vis, son nes et sa bouchete,
Et cis maintenant s'esbahi;
Car ses umbres l'ot si trahi,
Que cuida veoir la figure
D'ung enfant bel a desmesure.

<<
Wel couthe Love him wreke tho
Of daunger and of pryde also,
That Narcisus somtyme him bere. 1525
He quitte him wel his guerdon there;
For he so musede in the welle,
That, shortly al the sothe to telle,
He lovede his owne shadowe so,
That atte laste he starf for wo. 1530
For whan he saugh that he his wille
Mighte in no maner wey fulfille,
And that he was so faste caught
That he him couthe comfort naught,
He loste his wit right in that place, 1535
And deyde within a litel space.
And thus his warisoun he took
For the lady that he forsook.
Ladyes, I preye ensample taketh,
Ye that ayeins your love mistaketh: 1540
For if hir deeth be yow to wyte,
God can ful wel your whyle quyte.
Whan that this lettre, of whiche I telle,
Had taught me that it was the welle
Of Narcisus in his beautee, 1545
I gan anoon withdrawe me,

>>
Lors se sot bien Amors vengier
Du grant orguel et du dangier
Que Narcisus li ot mene.
Lors li fu bien guerredone, 1500
Qu'il musa tant a la fontaine,
Qu'il ama son umbre demaine,
Si en fu mors a la parclose.
Ce est la somme de la chose:
Car quant il vit qu'il ne porroit
Acomplir ce qu'il desirroit,
Et qu'il i fu si pris par sort,
Qu'il n'en pooit avoir confort
En nule guise, n'en nul sens,
Il perdi d'ire tout le sens, 1510
Et fu mors en poi de termine.
Ainsinc si ot de la meschine
Qu'il avoit d'amors escondite,
Son guerredon et sa merite.
Dames, cest exemple aprenes,
Qui vers vos amis mesprenes;
Car se vous les lessies morir,
Diex le vous sara bien merir.
Quant li escris m'ot fait savoir
Que ce estoit tretout por voir 1520
La fontaine au biau Narcisus,
Je m'en trais lors ung poi en sus,

<<
Whan it fel in my remembraunce,
That him bitidde swich mischaunce.
But at the laste than thoughte I,
That scatheles, ful sikerly, 1550
I mighte unto THE WELLE go. THE WELLE.
Wherof shulde I abasshen so?
Unto the welle than wente I me,
And doun I louted for to see
The clere water in the stoon, 1555
And eek the gravel, which that shoon
Down in the botme, as silver fyn;
For of the welle, this is the fyn,
In world is noon so cleer of hewe.
The water is ever fresh and newe 1560
That welmeth up with wawes brighte
The mountance of two finger highte.
Abouten it is gras springing,
For moiste so thikke and wel lyking,
That it ne may in winter dye, 1565
No more than may the see be drye.
Down at the botme set saw I
Two cristal stones craftely
In thilke fresshe and faire welle.
But o thing soothly dar I telle, 1570

>>
Que dedens n'osai regarder,
Ains commencai a coarder,
Quant de Narcisus me sovint,
Cui malement en mesavint;
Mes ge me pensai qu'asseur,
Sans paor de maves eur,
A la fontaine aler pooie,
Por folie m'en esmaioie. 1530
De la fontaine m'apressai,
Quant ge fui pres, si m'abessai
Por veoir l'iaue qui coroit,
Et la gravele qui paroit
Au fons plus clere qu'argens fins,
De la fontaine c'est la fins.
En tout le monde n'ot si bele,
L'iaue est tousdis fresche et novele,
Qui nuit et jor sourt a grans ondes
Par deux doiz creuses et parfondes. 1540
Tout entour point l'erbe menue,
Qui vient por l'iaue espesse et drue,
Et en iver ne puet morir
Ne que l'iaue ne puet tarir.
Ou fons de la fontaine aval
Avoit deux pierres de cristal
Qu'a grande entente remirai,
Et une chose vous dirai,

<<
That ye wol holde a greet mervayle
Whan it is told, withouten fayle.
For whan the sonne, cleer in sighte,
Cast in that welle his bemes brighte,
And that the heet descended is, 1575
Than taketh the cristal stoon, y-wis,
Agayn the sonne an hundred hewes,
Blewe, yelowe, and rede, that fresh and newe is.
Yit hath the merveilous cristal
Swich strengthe, that the place overal, 1580
Bothe fowl and tree, and leves grene,
And al the yerd in it is sene.
And for to doon you understonde,
To make ensample wol I fonde;
Right as a mirour openly 1585
Sheweth al thing that stant therby,
As wel the colour as the figure,
Withouten any coverture;
Right so the cristal stoon, shyning,
Withouten any disceyving, 1590
The estres of the yerde accuseth
To him that in the water museth;
For ever, in which half that he be,
He may wel half the gardin see;

>>
Qu'a merveilles, ce cuit, tenres
Tout maintenant que vous l'orres. 1550
Quant li solaus qui tout aguete,
Ses rais en la fontaine giete,
Et la clartes aval descent,
Lors perent colors plus de cent
Ou cristal, qui por le soleil
Devient ynde, jaune et vermeil:
Si ot le cristal merveilleus
Itel force que tous li leus,
Arbres et flors et quanqu'aorne
Li vergiers, i pert tout aorne; 1560
Et por faire la chose entendre,
Un essample vous veil aprendre.
Ainsinc cum li mireors montre
Les choses qui li sunt encontre,
Et y voit-l'en sans coverture
Et lor color, et lor figure;
Tretout ausinc vous dis por voir,
Que li cristal, sans decevoir,
Tout l'estre du vergier accusent
A ceus qui dedens l'iaue musent: 1570
Car tous jours quelque part qu'il soient,
L'une moitie du vergier voient;

<<
And if he turne, he may right wel 1595
Seen the remenaunt everydel.
For ther is noon so litel thing
So hid, ne closed with shitting,
That it ne is sene, as though it were
Peynted in the cristal there.