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THE ROMAUNT OF THE ROSE.

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FRAGMENT A.

Many men seyn that in sweveninges
Ther nis but fables and lesinges;
But men may somme swevenes seen,
Which hardely ne false been,
But afterward ben apparaunte. 5
This may I drawe to waraunte
An authour, that hight Macrobes,
That halt not dremes false ne lees,
But undoth us the avisioun
That whylom mette king Cipioun. 10
And who-so sayth, or weneth it be
A Iape, or elles [a] nycetee
To wene that dremes after falle,
Let who-so liste a fool me calle.

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LE ROMAN DE LA ROSE.

Maintes gens dient que en songes
N'a se fables non et menconges;
Mais l'en puet tiex songes songier
Qui ne sunt mie mencongier;
Ains sunt apres bien apparant.
Si en puis bien trere a garant
Ung acteur qui ot non Macrobes,
Qui ne tint pas songes a lobes;
Aincois escrist la vision
Qui avint au roi Cipion. 10
Quiconques cuide ne qui die
Que soit folor ou musardie
De croire que songes aviengne,
Qui ce voldra, pour fol m'en tiengne;

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For this trowe I, and say for me, 15
That dremes signifiaunce be
Of good and harme to many wightes,
That dremen in her slepe a-nightes
Ful many thinges covertly,
That fallen after al openly. 20
Within my twenty yere of age, THE DREAM.
Whan that Love taketh his corage
Of yonge folk, I wente sone
To bedde, as I was wont to done,
And fast I sleep; and in sleping, 25
Me mette swiche a swevening,
That lykede me wonders wel;
But in that sweven is never a del
That it nis afterward befalle,
Right as this dreem wol telle us alle. 30
Now this dreem wol I ryme aright,
To make your hertes gaye and light;
For Love it prayeth, and also
Commaundeth me that it be so
And if ther any aske me, 35
Whether that it be he or she,
How [that] this book [the] which is here
Shal hote, that I rede you here;

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Car endroit moi ai-je fiance
Que songe soit senefiance
Des biens as gens et des anuiz,
Car li plusors songent de nuitz
Maintes choses couvertement
Que l'en voit puis apertement. 20
Ou vintiesme an de mon aage,
Ou point qu'Amors prend le paage
Des jones gens, couchiez estoie
Une nuit, si cum je souloie,
Et me dormoie moult forment,
Si vi ung songe en mon dormant,
Qui moult fut biax, et moult me plot,
Mes onques riens ou songe n'ot
Qui avenu trestout ne soit,
Si cum li songes recontoit. 30
Or veil cel songe rimaier,
Por vos cuers plus fere esgaier,
Qu'Amors le me prie et commande;
Et se nus ne nule demande
Comment ge voil que cilz Rommanz
Soit apelez, que ge commanz:

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It is the Romance of the Rose,
In which al the art of love I close. 40
The mater fair is of to make;
God graunte in gree that she it take
For whom that it begonnen is!
And that is she that hath, y-wis,
So mochel prys; and ther-to she 45
So worthy is biloved be,
That she wel oughte of prys and right,
Be cleped Rose of every wight.
That it was May me thoughte tho,
It is fyve yere or more ago; 50
That it was May, thus dremed me,
In tyme of love and Iolitee,
That al thing ginneth waxen gay,
For ther is neither busk nor hay
In May, that it nil shrouded been, 55
And it with newe leves wreen.
These wodes eek recoveren grene,
That drye in winter been to sene;
And the erthe wexeth proud withalle,
For swote dewes that on it falle, 60
And [al] the pore estat forget
In which that winter hadde it set,

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Ce est li Rommanz de la Rose,
Ou l'art d'Amors est tote enclose.
La matire en est bone et noeve:
Or doint Diez qu'en gre le recoeve 40
Cele por qui ge l'ai empris.
C'est cele qui tant a de pris,
Et tant est digne d'estre amee,
Qu'el doit estre Rose clamee.
Avis m'iere qu'il estoit mains,
Il a ja bien cincq ans, au mains,
En Mai estoie, ce songoie,
El tems amoreus plain de joie,
El tens ou tote riens s'esgaie,
Que l'en ne voit boisson ne haie 50
Qui en Mai parer ne se voille,
Et covrir de novele foille;
Li bois recovrent lor verdure,
Qui sunt sec tant cum yver dure,
La terre meisme s'orgoille
Por la rousee qui la moille,
Et oblie la poverte
Ou ele a tot l'yver este.

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And than bicometh the ground so proud
That it wol have a newe shroud,
And maketh so queynt his robe and fayr 65
That it hath hewes an hundred payr
Of gras and floures, inde and pers,
And many hewes ful dyvers:
That is the robe I mene, y-wis,
Through which the ground to preisen is. 70
The briddes, that han left hir song,
Whyl they han suffred cold so strong
In wedres grille, and derk to sighte,
Ben in May, for the sonne brighte,
So glade, that they shewe in singing, 75
That in hir herte is swich lyking,
That they mote singen and be light.
Than doth the nightingale hir might
To make noyse, and singen blythe.
Than is blisful, many a sythe, 80
The chelaundre and the papingay.
Than yonge folk entenden ay
For to ben gay and amorous,
The tyme is than so savorous.
Hard is his herte that loveth nought 85
In May, whan al this mirth is wrought;

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Lors devient la terre si gobe,
Qu'ele volt avoir novele robe; 60
Si scet si cointe robe faire,
Que de colors i a cent paire,
D'erbes, de flors indes et perses,
Et de maintes colors diverses.
C'est la robe que ge devise,
Por quoi la terre miex se prise.
Li oisel, qui se sunt teu
Tant cum il ont le froit eu,
Et le tens divers et frarin,
Sunt en Mai, por le tens serin, 70
Si lie qu'il monstrent en chantant
Qu'en lor cuer a de joie tant,
Qu'il lor estuet chanter par force.
Li rossignos lores s'efforce
De chanter et de faire noise;
Lors s'esvertue, et lors s'envoise
Li papegaus et la kalandre:
Lors estuet jones gens entendre
A estre gais et amoreus
Por le tens bel et doucereus. 80
Moult a dur cuer qui en Mai n'aime,

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Whan he may on these braunches here
The smale briddes singen clere
Hir blisful swete song pitous;
And in this sesoun delytous, 90
Whan love affrayeth alle thing,
Me thoughte a-night, in my sleping,
Right in my bed, ful redily,
That it was by the morowe erly,
And up I roos, and gan me clothe; 95
Anoon I wissh myn hondes bothe;
A sylvre nedle forth I drogh
Out of an aguiler queynt y-nogh,
And gan this nedle threde anon;
For out of toun me list to gon 100
The sowne of briddes for to here,
That on thise busshes singen clere.
And in the swete sesoun that leef is,
With a threde basting my slevis,
Aloon I wente in my playing, 105
The smale foules song harkning;
That peyned hem ful many a payre
To singe on bowes blosmed fayre.
Iolif and gay, ful of gladnesse,

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Quant il ot chanter sus la raime
As oisiaus les dous chans piteus.
En iceli tens deliteus,
Que tote riens d'amer s'effroie,
Sonjai une nuit que j'estoie,
Ce m'iert avis en mon dormant,
Qu'il estoit matin durement;
De mon lit tantost me levai,
Chaucai moi et mes mains lavai. 90
Lors trais une aguille d'argent
D'un aguiller mignot et gent,
Si pris l'aguille a enfiler.
Hors de vile oi talent d'aler,
Por oir des oisiaus les sons
Qui chantoient par ces boissons.
En icele saison novele,
Cousant mes manches a videle,
M'en alai tot seus esbatant,
Et les oiseles escoutant, 100
Qui de chanter moult s'engoissoient
Par ces vergiers qui florissoient.
Jolis, gais et plains de leesce,

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Toward a river I gan me dresse, 110
That I herde renne faste by;
For fairer playing non saugh I
Than playen me by that riveer,
For from an hille that stood ther neer,
Cam doun the streem ful stif and bold. 115
Cleer was the water, and as cold
As any welle is, sooth to seyne;
And somdel lasse it was than Seine,
But it was straighter wel away.
And never saugh I, er that day, 120
The water that so wel lyked me;
And wonder glad was I to see
That lusty place, and that riveer;
And with that water that ran so cleer
My face I wissh. Tho saugh I wel 125
The botme paved everydel
With gravel, ful of stones shene.
The medewe softe, swote, and grene,
Beet right on the water-syde.
Ful cleer was than the morow-tyde, 130
And ful attempre, out of drede.
Tho gan I walke through the mede,
Dounward ay in my pleying,

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Vers une riviere m'adresce.
Que j'oi pres d'ilecques bruire;
Car ne me soi aillors deduire
Plus bel que sus cele riviere.
D'ung tertre qui pres d'iluec iere
Descendoit l'iaue grant et roide,
Clere, bruiant, et aussi froide 110
Comme puiz, ou comme fontaine,
Et estoit poi mendre de Saine,
Mes qu'ele iere plus espandue.
Onques mes n'avoie veue
Cele iaue qui si bien coroit:
Moult m'abelissoit et seoit
A regarder le leu plaisant.
De l'iaue clere et reluisant
Mon vis rafreschi et lave.
Si vi tot covert et pave 120
Le fons de l'iaue de gravele;
La praerie grant et bele
Tres au pie de l'iaue batoit.
Clere et serie et bele estoit
La matinee et atrempee;
Lors m'en alai parmi la pree
Contre val l'iaue esbanoiant,

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The river-syde costeying.
And whan I had a whyle goon, 135
I saugh a GARDIN right anoon, THE GARDEN.
Ful long and brood, and everydel
Enclos it was, and walled wel,
With hye walles enbatailled,
Portrayed without, and wel entailled 140
With many riche portraitures;
And bothe images and peyntures
Gan I biholde bisily.
And I wol telle you, redily,
Of thilke images the semblaunce, 145
As fer as I have remembraunce.
A-midde saugh I HATE stonde, HATE.
That for hir wrathe, ire, and onde,
Semed to been a moveresse,
An angry wight, a chideresse; 150
And ful of gyle, and fel corage,
By semblaunt was that ilke image.
And she was no-thing wel arrayed,
But lyk a wood womman afrayed;
Y-frounced foule was hir visage, 155
And grenning for dispitous rage;
Hir nose snorted up for tene.

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Tot le rivage costoiant.
Quant j'oi ung poi avant ale,
Si vi ung vergier grant et le, 130
Tot clos d'ung haut mur bataillie,
Portrait defors et entaillie
A maintes riches escritures.
Les ymages et les paintures
Ai moult volentiers remire:
Si vous contere et dire
De ces ymages la semblance,
Si cum moi vient a remembrance.
Ens ou milieu je vi HAINE HAINE.
Qui de corrous et d'ataine 140
Sembloit bien estre moverresse,
Et correceuse et tencerresse,
Et plaine de grant cuvertage
Estoit par semblant cele ymage.
Si n'estoit pas bien atornee,
Ains sembloit estre forcenee,
Rechignie avoit et froncie
Le vis, et le nes secorcie.

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Ful hidous was she for to sene,
Ful foul and rusty was she, this.
Hir heed y-writhen was, y-wis, 160
Ful grimly with a greet towayle.
An image of another entayle, FELONYE.
A lift half, was hir faste by;
Hir name above hir heed saugh I,
And she was called FELONYE. 165
Another image, that VILANYE VILANYE.
Y-cleped was, saugh I and fond
Upon the walle on hir right hond.
Vilanye was lyk somdel
That other image; and, trusteth wel, 170
She semed a wikked creature.
By countenaunce, in portrayture,
She semed be ful despitous,
And eek ful proud and outrageous.
Wel coude he peynte, I undertake, 175
That swiche image coude make.
Ful foul and cherlish semed she,
And eek vilaynous for to be,
And litel coude of norture,
To worshipe any creature. 180

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Par grant hideur fu soutilliee,
Et si estoit entortillee 150
Hideusement d'une toaille.
Une autre ymage d'autel taille FELONNIE.
A senestre vi delez lui;
Son non desus sa teste lui;
Apellee estoit FELONNIE.
Une ymage qui VILONIE VILENNIE.
Avoit non, revi devers destre,
Qui estoit auques d'autel estre
Cum ces deus et d'autel feture;
Bien sembloit male creature, 160
Et despiteuse et orguilleuse,
Et mesdisant et ramponeuse.
Moult sot bien paindre et bien portraire
Cil qui tiex ymages sot faire:
Car bien sembloit chose vilaine,
De dolor et de despit plaine;
Et fame qui petit seust
D'honorer ceus qu'ele deust.

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And next was peynted COVEITYSE, COVEITYSE.
That eggeth folk, in many gyse,
To take and yeve right nought ageyn,
And grete tresours up to leyn.
And that is she that for usure 185
Leneth to many a creature
The lasse for the more winning,
So coveitous is her brenning.
And that is she, for penyes fele,
That techeth for to robbe and stele 190
These theves, and these smale harlotes;
And that is routhe, for by hir throtes
Ful many oon hangeth at the laste.
She maketh folk compasse and caste
To taken other folkes thing, 195
Through robberie, or miscounting.
And that is she that maketh trechoures;
And she [that] maketh false pledoures,
That with hir termes and hir domes
Doon maydens, children, and eek gromes 200
Hir heritage to forgo.
Ful croked were hir hondes two;
For Coveityse is ever wood

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Apres fu painte COVEITISE: COUVOITISE.
C'est cele qui les gens atise 170
De prendre et de noient donner,
Et les grans avoirs auner.
C'est cele qui fait a usure
Prester mains por la grant ardure
D'avoir conquerre et assembler.
C'est cele qui semont d'embler
Les larrons et les ribaudiaus;
Si est grans pechies et grans diaus
Qu'en la fin en estuet mains pendre.
C'est cele qui fait l'autrui prendre, 180
Rober, tolir et bareter,
Et bescochier et mesconter;
C'est cele qui les tricheors
Fait tous et les faus pledeors,
Qui maintes fois par lor faveles
Ont as vales et as puceles
Lor droites herites tolues.
Recorbillies et crocues
Avoit les mains icele ymage;
Ce fu drois: car toz jors esrage 190
Coveitise de l'autrui prendre.

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To grypen other folkes good.
Coveityse, for hir winning, 205
Ful leef hath other mennes thing.
Another image set saugh I AVARICE.
Next Coveityse faste by,
And she was cleped AVARICE.
Ful foul in peynting was that vice; 210
Ful sad and caytif was she eek,
And al-so grene as any leek.
So yvel hewed was hir colour,
Hir semed have lived in langour.
She was lyk thing for hungre deed, 215
That ladde hir lyf only by breed
Kneden with eisel strong and egre;
And therto she was lene and megre.
And she was clad ful povrely,
Al in an old torn courtepy, 220
As she were al with dogges torn;
And bothe bihinde and eek biforn
Clouted was she beggarly.
A mantel heng hir faste by,
Upon a perche, weyke and smalle; 225
A burnet cote heng therwithalle,
Furred with no menivere,

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Coveitise ne set entendre
A riens qu'a l'autrui acrochier;
Coveitise a l'autrui trop chier.
Une autre ymage y ot assise AVARICE.
Coste a coste de Coveitise,
AVARICE estoit apelee:
Lede estoit et sale et foulee
Cele ymage, et megre et chetive,
Et aussi vert cum une cive. 200
Tant par estoit descoloree
Qu'el sembloit estre enlangoree;
Chose sembloit morte de fain,
Qui ne vesquit fors que de pain
Petri a lessu fort et aigre;
Et avec ce qu'ele iere maigre,
Iert-ele povrement vestue,
Cote avoit vies et desrumpue,
Comme s'el fust as chiens remese;
Povre iert moult la cote et esrese, 210
Et plaine de vies palestiaus.
Delez li pendoit ung mantiaus
A une perche moult greslete,
Et une cote de brunete;
Ou mantiau n'ot pas penne vaire,

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But with a furre rough of here,
Of lambe-skinnes hevy and blake;
It was ful old, I undertake. 230
For Avarice to clothe hir wel
Ne hasteth hir, never a del;
For certeynly it were hir loth
To weren ofte that ilke cloth;
And if it were forwered, she 235
Wolde have ful greet necessitee
Of clothing, er she boughte hir newe,
Al were it bad of wolle and hewe.
This Avarice held in hir hande
A purs, that heng [doun] by a bande; 240
And that she hidde and bond so stronge,
Men must abyde wonder longe
Out of that purs er ther come ought,
For that ne cometh not in hir thought;
It was not, certein, hir entente 245
That fro that purs a peny wente.
And by that image, nygh y-nough, ENVYE.
Was peynt ENVYE, that never lough,
Nor never wel in herte ferde
But-if she outher saugh or herde 250

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Mes moult vies et de povre afaire,
D'agniaus noirs velus et pesans.
Bien avoit la robe vingt ans;
Mes Avarice du vestir
Se sot moult a tart aatir: 220
Car sachies que moult li pesast
Se cele robe point usast;
Car s'el fust usee et mauvese,
Avarice eust grant mesese
De noeve robe et grant disete,
Avant qu'ele eust autre fete.
Avarice en sa main tenoit
Une borse qu'el reponnoit,
Et la nooit si durement,
Que demorast moult longuement 230
Aincois qu'el en peust riens traire,
Mes el n'avoit de ce que faire.
El n'aloit pas a ce beant
Que de la borse ostat neant.
Apres refu portrete ENVIE, ENVIE.
Qui ne rist oncques en sa vie,
N'oncques de riens ne s'esjoi,
S'ele ne vit, ou s'el n'oi

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Som greet mischaunce, or greet disese.
No-thing may so moch hir plese
As mischef and misaventure;
Or whan she seeth discomfiture
Upon any worthy man falle, 255
Than lyketh hir [ful] wel withalle.
She is ful glad in hir corage,
If she see any greet linage
Be brought to nought in shamful wyse.
And if a man in honour ryse, 260
Or by his witte, or by prowesse,
Of that hath she gret hevinesse;
For, trusteth wel, she goth nigh wood
Whan any chaunce happeth good.
Envye is of swich crueltee, 265
That feith ne trouthe holdeth she
To freend ne felawe, bad or good.
Ne she hath kin noon of hir blood,
That she nis ful hir enemy;
She nolde, I dar seyn hardely, 270
Hir owne fader ferde wel.
And sore abyeth she everydel
Hir malice, and hir maltalent:

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Aucun grant domage retrere.
Nule riens ne li puet tant plere 240
Cum mefet et mesaventure;
Quant el voit grant desconfiture
Sor aucun prodomme cheoir,
Ice li plest moult a veoir.
Ele est trop lie en son corage
Quant el voit aucun grant lignage
Decheoir et aler a honte;
Et quant aucuns a honor monte
Par son sens ou par sa proece,
C'est la chose qui plus la blece. 250
Car sachies que moult la convient
Estre iree quant biens avient.
Envie est de tel cruaute,
Qu'ele ne porte leaute
A compaignon, ne a compaigne;
N'ele n'a parent, tant li tiengne,
A cui el ne soit anemie:
Car certes el ne vorroit mie
Que biens venist, neis a son pere.
Mes bien sachies qu'ele compere 260
Sa malice trop ledement:

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For she is in so greet turment
And hath such [wo], whan folk doth good, 275
That nigh she melteth for pure wood;
Hir herte kerveth and to-breketh
That god the peple wel awreketh.
Envye, y-wis, shal never lette
Som blame upon the folk to sette. 280
I trowe that if Envye, y-wis,
Knewe the beste man that is
On this syde or biyond the see,
Yit somwhat lakken him wolde she.
And if he were so hende and wys, 285
That she ne mighte al abate his prys,
Yit wolde she blame his worthinesse,
Or by hir wordes make it lesse.
I saugh Envye, in that peynting,
Hadde a wonderful loking; 290
For she ne loked but awry,
Or overthwart, al baggingly.
And she hadde [eek] a foul usage;
She mighte loke in no visage
Of man or womman forth-right pleyn, 295
But shette oon ye for disdeyn;

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Car ele est en si grant torment,
Et a tel duel quant gens bien font,
Par ung petit qu'ele ne font.
Ses felons cuers l'art et detrenche,
Qui de li Diex et la gent venche.
Envie ne fine nule hore
D'aucun blasme as gens metre sore;
Je cuit que s'ele cognoissoit
Tot le plus prodome qui soit 270
Ne deca mer, ne dela mer,
Si le vorroit-ele blasmer;
Et s'il iere si bien apris
Qu'el ne peust de tot son pris
Rien abatre ne deprisier,
Si vorroit-ele apetisier
Sa proece au mains, et s'onor
Par parole faire menor.
Lors vi qu'Envie en la painture
Avoit trop lede esgardeure; 280
Ele ne regardast noient
Fors de travers en borgnoiant;
Ele avoit ung mauves usage,
Qu'ele ne pooit ou visage
Regarder reins de plain en plaing,
Ains clooit ung oel par desdaing,

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So for envye brenned she
Whan she mighte any man [y]-see,
That fair, or worthy were, or wys,
Or elles stood in folkes prys. 300
SOROWE was peynted next Envye SOROWE.
Upon that walle of masonrye.
But wel was seen in hir colour
That she hadde lived in langour;
Hir semed have the Iaunyce. 305
Nought half so pale was Avaryce,
Nor no-thing lyk, [as] of lenesse;
For sorowe, thought, and greet distresse,
That she hadde suffred day and night
Made hir ful yelwe, and no-thing bright, 310
Ful fade, pale, and megre also.
Was never wight yit half so wo
As that hir semed for to be,
Nor so fulfilled of ire as she.
I trowe that no wight mighte hir plese, 315
Nor do that thing that mighte hir ese;
Nor she ne wolde hir sorowe slake,
Nor comfort noon unto hir take;

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Qu'ele fondoit d'ire et ardoit,
Quant aucuns qu'ele regardoit,
Estoit ou preus, ou biaus, ou gens,
Ou ames, ou loes de gens. 290
Delez Envie auques pres iere TRISTESSE.
TRISTECE painte en la maisiere;
Mes bien paroit a sa color
Qu'ele avoit au cuer grant dolor,
Et sembloit avoir la jaunice.
Si n'i feist riens Avarice
Ne de paleur, ne de megrece,
Car li soucis et la destrece,
Et la pesance et les ennuis
Qu'el soffroit de jors et de nuis, 300
L'avoient moult fete jaunir,
Et megre et pale devenir.
Oncques mes nus en tel martire
Ne fu, ne n'ot ausinc grant ire
Cum il sembloit que ele eust:
Je cuit que nus ne li seust
Faire riens qui li peust plaire:
N'el ne se vosist pas retraire,
Ne reconforter a nul fuer
Du duel qu'ele avoit a son cuer. 310

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So depe was hir wo bigonnen,
And eek hir herte in angre ronnen, 320
A sorowful thing wel semed she.
Nor she hadde no-thing slowe be
For to forcracchen al hir face,
And for to rende in many place
Hir clothes, and for to tere hir swire, 325
As she that was fulfilled of ire;
And al to-torn lay eek hir here
Aboute hir shuldres, here and there,
As she that hadde it al to-rent
For angre and for maltalent. 330
And eek I telle you certeynly
How that she weep ful tenderly.
In world nis wight so hard of herte
That hadde seen hir sorowes smerte,
That nolde have had of hir pitee, 335
So wo-bigoon a thing was she.
She al to-dasshte hir-self for wo,
And smoot togider her handes two.
To sorwe was she ful ententyf,
That woful recchelees caityf; 340
Hir roughte litel of pleying,
Or of clipping or [of] kissing;
For who-so sorweful is in herte

>>
Trop avoit son cuer correcie,
Et son duel parfont commencie.
Moult sembloit bien qu'el fust dolente,
Qu'ele n'avoit mie este lente
D'esgratiner tote sa chiere;
N'ele n'avoit pas sa robe chiere,
Ains l'ot en mains leus desciree
Cum cele qui moult iert iree.
Si cheveul tuit destrecie furent,
Et espandu par son col jurent, 320
Que les avoit trestous desrous
De maltalent et de corrous.
Et sachies bien veritelment
Qu'ele ploroit profondement:
Nus, tant fust durs, ne la veist,
A cui grant pitie n'en preist,
Qu'el se desrompoit et batoit,
Et ses poins ensemble hurtoit.
Moult iert a duel fere ententive
La dolereuse, la chetive; 330
Il ne li tenoit d'envoisier,
Ne d'acoler, ne de baisier:
Car cil qui a le cuer dolent,

<<
Him liste not to pleye ne sterte,
Nor for to daunsen, ne to singe, 345
Ne may his herte in temper bringe
To make Ioye on even or morowe;
For Ioye is contraire unto sorowe.
ELDE was peynted after this, ELDE.
That shorter was a foot, ywis, 350
Than she was wont in her yonghede.
Unnethe hir-self she mighte fede;
So feble and eek so old was she
That faded was al hir beautee.
Ful salowe was waxen hir colour, 355
Hir heed for-hoor was, whyt as flour.
Y-wis, gret qualm ne were it noon,
Ne sinne, although hir lyf were gon.
Al woxen was hir body unwelde,
And drye, and dwyned al for elde. 360
A foul forwelked thing was she
That whylom round and softe had be.
Hir eres shoken fast withalle,
As from her heed they wolde falle.
Hir face frounced and forpyned, 365
And bothe hir hondes lorn, fordwyned.

>>
Sachies de voir, il n'a talent
De dancier, ne de karoler,
Ne nus ne se porroit moller
Qui duel eust, a joie faire,
Car duel et joie sont contraire.
Apres fu VIELLECE portraite, VIEILLESSE.
Qui estoit bien ung pie retraite 340
De tele cum el soloit estre;
A paine se pooit-el pestre,
Tant estoit vielle et radotee.
Bien estoit si biaute gastee,
Et moult ert lede devenue.
Toute sa teste estoit chenue,
Et blanche cum s'el fust florie.
Ce ne fut mie grant morie
S'ele morust, ne grans pechies,
Car tous ses cors estoit sechies 350
De viellece et anoiantis:
Moult estoit ja ses vis fletris,
Qui jadis fut soef et plains;
Mes or est tous de fronces plains,
Les oreilles avoit mossues,
Et trestotes les dents perdues,
Si qu'ele n'en avoit neis une.
Tant par estoit de grant viellune,

<<
So old she was that she ne wente
A foot, but it were by potente.
The TYME, that passeth night and day, TIME.
And restelees travayleth ay, 370
And steleth from us so prively,
That to us seemeth sikerly
That it in oon point dwelleth ever,
And certes, it ne resteth never,
But goth so faste, and passeth ay, 375
That ther nis man that thinke may
What tyme that now present is:
Asketh at these clerkes this;
For [er] men thinke it redily,
Three tymes been y-passed by. 380
The tyme, that may not soiourne,
But goth, and never may retourne,
As water that doun renneth ay,
But never drope retourne may;
Ther may no-thing as tyme endure, 385
Metal, nor erthely creature;
For alle thing it fret and shal:
The tyme eek, that chaungeth al,
And al doth waxe and fostred be,
And alle thing distroyeth he: 390

>>
Qu'el n'alast mie la montance
De quatre toises sans potance. 360
Li tens qui s'en va nuit et jor,
Sans repos prendre et sans sejor,
Et qui de nous se part et emble
Si celeement, qu'il nous semble
Qu'il s'arreste ades en ung point,
Et il ne s'i arreste point,
Ains ne fine de trepasser,
Que nus ne puet neis penser
Quex tens ce est qui est presens;
Sel' demandes as clers lisans, 370
Aincois que l'en l'eust pense,
Seroit-il ja trois tens passe.
Li tens qui ne puet sejourner,
Ains vait tous jors sans retorner,
Cum l'iaue qui s'avale toute,
N'il n'en retorne arriere goute:
Li tens vers qui noient ne dure,
Ne fer ne chose tant soit dure,
Car il gaste tout et menjue;
Li tens qui tote chose mue, 380
Qui tout fait croistre et tout norist,
Et qui tout use et tout porrist;

<<
The tyme, that eldeth our auncessours
And eldeth kinges and emperours,
And that us alle shal overcomen
Er that deeth us shal have nomen:
The tyme, that hath al in welde 395
To elden folk, had maad hir elde
So inly, that, to my witing,
She mighte helpe hir-self no-thing,
But turned ageyn unto childhede;
She had no-thing hir-self to lede, 400
Ne wit ne pith in[with] hir holde
More than a child of two yeer olde.
But natheles, I trowe that she
Was fair sumtyme, and fresh to see,
Whan she was in hir rightful age: 405
But she was past al that passage
And was a doted thing bicomen.
A furred cope on had she nomen;
Wel had she clad hir-self and warm,
For cold mighte elles doon hir harm. 410
These olde folk have alwey colde,
Hir kinde is swiche, whan they ben olde.
Another thing was doon ther write, POPE-HOLY.
That semede lyk an ipocrite,

>>
Li tens qui enviellist nos peres,
Et viellist roys et emperieres,
Et qui tous nous enviellira,
Ou mort nous desavancera;
Li tens qui toute a la baillie
Des gens viellir, l'avoit viellie
Si durement, qu'au mien cuidier
El ne se pooit mes aidier, 390
Ains retornoit ja en enfance,
Car certes el n'avoit poissance,
Ce cuit-je, ne force, ne sens
Ne plus c'un enfes de deus ans.
Ne porquant, au mien escient,
Ele avoit este sage et gent,
Quant ele iert en son droit aage;
Mais ge cuit qu'el n'iere mes sage,
Ains iert trestote rassotee.
Si ot d'une chape forree 400
Moult bien, si cum je me recors,
Abrie et vestu son corps:
Bien fu vestue et chaudement,
Car el eust froit autrement.
Les vielles gens ont tost froidure;
Bien saves que c'est lor nature.
Une ymage ot empres escrite, PAPELARDIE.
Qui sembloit bien estre ypocrite;

<<
And it was cleped POPE-HOLY. 415
That ilke is she that prively
Ne spareth never a wikked dede,
Whan men of hir taken non hede;
And maketh hir outward precious,
With pale visage and pitous, 420
And semeth a simple creature;
But ther nis no misaventure
That she ne thenketh in hir corage.
Ful lyk to hir was that image,
That maked was lyk hir semblaunce. 425
She was ful simple of countenaunce,
And she was clothed and eek shod,
As she were, for the love of god,
Yolden to religioun,
Swich semed hir devocioun. 430
A sauter held she faste in honde,
And bisily she gan to fonde
To make many a feynt prayere
To god, and to his seyntes dere.
Ne she was gay, fresh, ne Iolyf, 435
But semed be ful ententyf
To gode werkes, and to faire,
And therto she had on an haire.
Ne certes, she was fat no-thing,

>>
PAPELARDIE ert apelee.
C'est cele qui en recelee, 410
Quant nus ne s'en puet prendre garde,
De nul mal faire ne se tarde.
El fait dehors le marmiteus,
Si a le vis simple et piteus,
Et semble sainte creature;
Mais sous ciel n'a male aventure
Qu'ele ne pense en son corage.
Moult la ressembloit bien l'ymage
Qui faite fu a sa semblance,
Qu'el fu de simple contenance; 420
Et si fu chaucie et vestue
Tout ainsinc cum fame rendue.
En sa main ung sautier tenoit,
Et sachies que moult se penoit
De faire a Dieu prieres faintes,
Et d'appeler et sains et saintes.
El ne fu gaie, ne jolive,
Ains fu par semblant ententive
Du tout a bonnes ovres faire;
Et si avoit vestu la haire. 430
Et sachies que n'iere pas grasse,

<<
But semed wery for fasting; 440
Of colour pale and deed was she.
From hir the gate [shal] werned be
Of paradys, that blisful place;
For swich folk maketh lene hir face,
As Crist seith in his evangyle, 445
To gete hem prys in toun a whyle;
And for a litel glorie veine
They lesen god and eek his reine.
And alderlast of everichoon, POVERT.
Was peynted POVERT al aloon, 450
That not a peny hadde in wolde,
Al-though [that] she hir clothes solde,
And though she shulde anhonged be;
For naked as a worm was she.
And if the weder stormy were, 455
For colde she shulde have deyed there.
She nadde on but a streit old sak,
And many a clout on it ther stak;
This was hir cote and hir mantel,
No more was there, never a del, 460
To clothe her with; I undertake,
Gret leyser hadde she to quake.

>>
De jeuner sembloit estre lasse,
S'avoit la color pale et morte.
Moult la ressembloit bien l'ymage
Qui faite fu a sa semblance,
Qu'el fu de simple contenance; 420
Et si fu chaucie et vestue
Tout ainsinc cum fame rendue.
En sa main ung sautier tenoit,
Et sachies que moult se penoit
De faire a Dieu prieres faintes,
Et d'appeler et sains et saintes.
El ne fu gaie, ne jolive,
Ains fu par semblant ententive
Du tout a bonnes ovres faire;
Et si avoit vestu la haire. 430
Et sachies que n'iere pas grasse,

<<
But semed wery for fasting; 440
Of colour pale and deed was she.
From hir the gate [shal] werned be
Of paradys, that blisful place;
For swich folk maketh lene hir face,
As Crist seith in his evangyle, 445
To gete hem prys in toun a whyle;
And for a litel glorie veine
They lesen god and eek his reine.
And alderlast of everichoon, POVERT.
Was peynted POVERT al aloon, 450
That not a peny hadde in wolde,
Al-though [that] she hir clothes solde,
And though she shulde anhonged be;
For naked as a worm was she.
And if the weder stormy were, 455
For colde she shulde have deyed there.
She nadde on but a streit old sak,
And many a clout on it ther stak;
This was hir cote and hir mantel,
No more was there, never a del, 460
To clothe her with; I undertake,
Gret leyser hadde she to quake.

>>
De jeuner sembloit estre lasse,
S'avoit la color pale et morte.
A li et as siens ert la porte
Deveee de Paradis;
Car icel gent si font lor vis
Amegrir, ce dit l'Evangile,
Por avoir loz parmi la ville,
Et por un poi de gloire vaine
Qui lor toldra Dieu et son raine. 440
Portraite fu au darrenier POVRETE.
POVRETE, qui ung seul denier
N'eust pas, s'el se deust pendre,
Tant seust bien sa robe vendre;
Qu'ele iere nue comme vers:
Se li tens fust ung poi divers,
Je cuit qu'ele acorast de froit,
Qu'el n'avoit c'ung vie sac estroit
Tout plain de maves palestiaus;
Ce iert sa robe et ses mantiaus. 450
El n'avoit plus que afubler,
Grant loisir avoit de trembler.

<<
And she was put, that I of talke,
Fer fro these other, up in an halke;
There lurked and there coured she, 465
For povre thing, wher-so it be,
Is shamfast, and despysed ay.
Acursed may wel be that day,
That povre man conceyved is;
For god wot, al to selde, y-wis, 470
Is any povre man wel fed,
Or wel arayed or y-cled,
Or wel biloved, in swich wyse
In honour that he may aryse.
Alle these thinges, wel avysed, 475
As I have you er this devysed,
With gold and asure over alle
Depeynted were upon the walle.
Squar was the wal, and high somdel;
Enclosed, and y-barred wel, 480
In stede of hegge, was that gardin;
Com never shepherde therin.
Into that gardyn, wel [y-]wrought,
Who-so that me coude have brought,
By laddre, or elles by degree, 485
It wolde wel have lyked me.

>>
Des autres fu un poi loignet;
Cum chien honteus en ung coignet
Se cropoit et s'atapissoit,
Car povre chose, ou qu'ele soit,
Est ades boutee et despite.
L'eure soit ore la maudite,
Que povres homs fu conceus!
Qu'il ne sera ja bien peus, 460
Ne bien vestus, ne bien chaucies,
Neis ames, ne essaucies.
Ces ymages bien avise,
Qui, si comme j'ai devise,
Furent a or et a asur
De toutes pars paintes ou mur.
Haut fu li mur et tous quarres,
Si en fu bien clos et barres,
En leu de haies, uns vergiers,
Ou onc n'avoit entre bergiers. 470
Cis vergiers en trop bel leu sist:
Qui dedens mener me vousist
Ou par echiele ou par degre,
Je l'en seusse moult bon gre;

<<
For swich solace, swich Ioye, and play,
I trowe that never man ne say,
As in that place delitous.
The gardin was not daungerous 490
To herberwe briddes many oon.
So riche a yerd was never noon
Of briddes songe, and braunches grene.
Therin were briddes mo, I wene,
Than been in alle the rewme of Fraunce. 495
Ful blisful was the accordaunce
Of swete and pitous songe they made,
For al this world it oughte glade.
And I my-self so mery ferde,
Whan I hir blisful songes herde, 500
That for an hundred pound nolde I,--
If that the passage openly
Hadde been unto me free--
That I nolde entren for to see
Thassemblee, god [it kepe and were! ]-- 505
Of briddes, whiche therinne were,
That songen, through hir mery throtes,
Daunces of love, and mery notes.
Whan I thus herde foules singe,
I fel faste in a weymentinge, 510

>>
Car tel joie ne tel deduit
Ne vit nus hons, si cum ge cuit,
Cum il avoit en ce vergier:
Car li leus d'oisiaus herbergier
N'estoit ne dangereux ne chiches.
Onc mes ne fu nus leus si riches 480
D'arbres, ne d'oisillons chantans:
Qu'il i avoit d'oisiaus trois tans
Qu'en tout le remanant de France.
Moult estoit bele l'acordance
De lor piteus chant a oir:
Tous li mons s'en dust esjoir.
Je endroit moi m'en esjoi
Si durement, quant les oi,
Que n'en preisse pas cent livres,
Se li passages fust delivres, 490
Que ge n'entrasse ens et veisse
L'assemblee (que Diex garisse! )
Des oisiaus qui leens estoient,
Qui envoisiement chantoient
Les dances d'amors et les notes
Plesans, cortoises et mignotes.
Quant j'oi les oisiaus chanter,
Forment me pris a dementer

<<
By which art, or by what engyn
I mighte come in that gardyn;
But way I couthe finde noon
Into that gardin for to goon.
Ne nought wiste I if that ther were 515
Eyther hole or place [o]-where,
By which I mighte have entree;
Ne ther was noon to teche me;
For I was al aloon, y-wis,
Ful wo and anguissous of this. 520
Til atte laste bithoughte I me,
That by no weye ne mighte it be;
That ther nas laddre or wey to passe,
Or hole, into so fair a place.
Tho gan I go a ful gret pas 525
Envyroning even in compas
The closing of the square wal,
Til that I fond a wiket smal
So shet, that I ne mighte in goon,
And other entree was ther noon. 530
Upon this dore I gan to smyte, THE DOOR.
That was [so] fetys and so lyte;
For other wey coude I not seke.
Ful long I shoof, and knokked eke,

>>
Par quel art ne par quel engin
Je porroie entrer ou jardin; 500
Mes ge ne poi onques trouver
Leu par ou g'i peusse entrer.
Et sachies que ge ne savoie
S'il i avoit partuis ne voie,
Ne leu par ou l'en i entrast,
Ne hons nes qui le me monstrast
N'iert illec, que g'iere tot seus,
Moult destroit et moult angoisseus;
Tant qu'au darrenier me sovint
C'oncques a nul jor ce n'avint 510
Qu'en si biau vergier n'eust huis,
Ou eschiele ou aucun partuis.
Lors m'en alai grant aleure
Acaignant la compasseure
Et la cloison du mur quarre,
Tant que ung guichet bien barre
Trovai petitet et estroit;
Par autre leu l'en n'i entroit.
A l'uis commencai a ferir,
Autre entree n'i soi querir. 520
Assez i feri et boutai,
Et par maintes fois escoutai

<<
And stood ful long and of[t] herkning 535
If that I herde a wight coming;
Til that the dore of thilke entree
A mayden curteys opened me. YDELNESSE.
Hir heer was as yelowe of hewe
As any basin scoured newe. 540
Hir flesh [as] tendre as is a chike,
With bente browes, smothe and slike;
And by mesure large were
The opening of hir yen clere.
Hir nose of good proporcioun, 545
Hir yen greye as a faucoun,
With swete breeth and wel savoured.
Hir face whyt and wel coloured,
With litel mouth, and round to see;
A clove chin eek hadde she. 550
Hir nekke was of good fasoun
In lengthe and gretnesse, by resoun,
Withoute bleyne, scabbe, or royne.
Fro Ierusalem unto Burgoyne
Ther nis a fairer nekke, y-wis, 555
To fele how smothe and softe it is.
Hir throte, al-so whyt of hewe
As snow on braunche snowed newe.

>>
Se j'orroie venir nulle arme.
Le guichet, qui estoit de charme,
M'ovrit une noble pucele
Qui moult estoit et gente et bele.
Cheveus ot blons cum uns bacins,
La char plus tendre qu'uns pocins,
Front reluisant, sorcis votis.
Son entr'oil ne fu pas petis, 530
Ains iert assez grans par mesure;
Le nes ot bien fait a droiture,
Les yex ot plus vairs c'uns faucons,
Por faire envie a ces bricons.
Douce alene ot et savoree,
La face blanche et coloree,
La bouche petite et grocete,
S'ot ou menton une fossete.
Le col fu de bonne moison,
Gros assez et lons par raison, 540
Si n'i ot bube ne malen.
N'avoit jusqu'en Jherusalen
Fame qui plus biau col portast,
Polis iert et soef au tast.
La gorgete ot autresi blanche
Cum est la noif desus la branche

<<
Of body ful wel wrought was she
Men neded not, in no cuntree, 560
A fairer body for to seke.
And of fyn orfrays had she eke
A chapelet: so semly oon
Ne wered never mayde upon;. . . .
And faire above that chapelet 565
A rose gerland had she set.
She hadde [in honde] a gay mirour,
And with a riche gold tressour
Hir heed was tressed queyntely;
Hir sleves sewed fetisly. 570
And for to kepe hir hondes faire
Of gloves whyte she hadde a paire.
And she hadde on a cote of grene
Of cloth of Gaunt; withouten wene,
Wel semed by hir apparayle 575
She was not wont to greet travayle.
For whan she kempt was fetisly,
And wel arayed and richely,
Thanne had she doon al hir Iournee;
For mery and wel bigoon was she. 580

>>
Quant il a freschement negie.
Le cors ot bien fait et dougie,
L'en ne seust en nule terre
Nul plus bel cors de fame querre. 550
D'orfrois ot un chapel mignot;
Onques nule pucele n'ot
Plus cointe ne plus desguisie,
Ne l'aroie adroit devisie
En trestous les jors de ma vie.
Robe avoit moult bien entaillie;
Ung chapel de roses tout frais
Ot dessus le chapel d'orfrais:
En sa main tint ung miroer,
Si ot d'ung riche trecoer 560
Son chief trecie moult richement,
Bien et bel et estroitement
Ot ambdeus cousues ses manches;
Et por garder que ses mains blanches
Ne halaissent, ot uns blans gans.
Cote ot d'ung riche vert de gans,
Cousue a lignel tout entour.
Il paroit bien a son atour
Qu'ele iere poi embesoignie.
Quant ele s'iere bien pignie, 570
Et bien paree et atornee,
Ele avoit faite sa jornee.

<<
She ladde a lusty lyf in May,
She hadde no thought, by night ne day,
Of no-thing, but it were oonly
To graythe hit wel and uncouthly.
Whan that this dore hadde opened me 585
This mayden, semely for to see,
I thanked hir as I best mighte,
And axede hir how that she highte,
And what she was, I axede eke.
And she to me was nought unmeke, 590
Ne of hir answer daungerous,
But faire answerde, and seide thus:--
Lo, sir, my name is YDELNESSE;
So clepe men me, more and lesse.
Ful mighty and ful riche am I, 595
And that of oon thing, namely;
For I entende to no-thing
But to my Ioye, and my pleying,
And for to kembe and tresse me.
Aqueynted am I, and privee 600
With Mirthe, lord of this gardyn,
That fro the lande of Alexandryn
Made the trees be hider fet,
That in this gardin been y-set.

>>
Moult avoit bon tems et bon May,
Qu'el n'avoit soussi ne esmay
De nule riens, fors solement
De soi atorner noblement.
Quant ainsinc m'ot l'uis defferme
La pucele au cors acesme,
Je l'en merciai doucement,
Et si li demandai comment 580
Ele avoit non, et qui ele iere.
Ele ne fu pas envers moi fiere,
Ne de respondre desdaigneuse:
Je me fais apeler Oiseuse,'
Dist-ele, 'a tous mes congnoissans;
Si sui riche fame et poissans.
S'ai d'une chose moult bon tens,
Car a nule riens je ne pens
Qu'a moi joer et solacier,
Et mon chief pignier et trecier: 590
Quant sui pignee et atornee,
Adonc est fete ma jornee.
Privee sui moult et acointe
De Deduit le mignot, le cointe;
C'est cil cui est cest biax jardins,
Qui de la terre as Sarradins
Fist ca ces arbres aporter,
Qu'il fist par ce vergier planter.

<<
And whan the trees were woxen on highte, 605
This wal, that slant here in thy sighte,
Dide Mirthe enclosen al aboute;
And these images, al withoute,
He dide hem bothe entaile and peynte,
That neither ben Iolyf ne queynte, 610
But they ben ful of sorowe and wo,
As thou hast seen a whyle ago.
'And ofte tyme, him to solace,
Sir Mirthe cometh into this place,
And eek with him cometh his meynee, 615
That liven in lust and Iolitee.
And now is Mirthe therin, to here
The briddes, how they singen clere,
The mavis and the nightingale,
And other Ioly briddes smale. 620
And thus he walketh to solace
Him and his folk; for swetter place
To pleyen in he may not finde,
Although he soughte oon in-til Inde.
The alther-fairest folk to see 625
That in this world may founde be
Hath Mirthe with him in his route,
That folowen him alwayes aboute. '

>>
Quant li arbres furent creu,
Le mur que vous avez veu, 600
Fist lors Deduit tout entor faire,
Et si fist au dehors portraire
Les ymages qui i sunt paintes,
Que ne sunt mignotes ne cointes;
Ains sunt dolereuses et tristes,
Si cum vous orendroit veistes.
Maintes fois por esbanoier
Se vient en cest leu umbroier
Deduit et les gens qui le sivent,
Qui en joie et en solas vivent. 610
Encores est leens, sans doute,
Deduit orendroit qui escoute
A chanter gais rossignoles,
Mauvis et autres oiseles.
Il s'esbat iluec et solace
O ses gens, car plus bele place
Ne plus biau leu por soi joer
Ne porroit-il mie trover;
Les plus beles gens, ce sachies,
Que vous james nul leu truissies, 620
Si sunt li compaignon Deduit
Qu'il maine avec li et conduit. '

<<
When Ydelnesse had told al this,
And I hadde herkned wel, y-wis, 630
Than seide I to dame Ydelnesse,
Now al-so wisly god me blesse,
Sith Mirthe, that is so fair and free,
Is in this yerde with his meynee,
Fro thilke assemblee, if I may, 635
Shal no man werne me to-day,
That I this night ne mote it see.
For, wel wene I, ther with him be
A fair and Ioly companye
Fulfilled of alle curtesye. ' 640
And forth, withoute wordes mo,
In at the wiket wente I tho,
That Ydelnesse hadde opened me,
Into that gardin fair to see.
And whan I was [ther]in, y-wis, 645
Myn herte was ful glad of this. THE GARDEN.
For wel wende I ful sikerly
Have been in paradys erth[e]ly;
So fair it was, that, trusteth wel,
It semed a place espirituel. 650
For certes, as at my devys,
Ther is no place in paradys
So good in for to dwelle or be
As in that GARDIN, thoughte me;

>>
Quant Oiseuse m'ot ce conte,
Et j'oi moult bien tout escoute,
Je li dis lores: 'Dame Oiseuse,
Ja de ce ne soyes douteuse,
Puis que Deduit li biaus, li gens
Est orendroit avec ses gens
En cest vergier, ceste assemblee
Ne m'iert pas, se je puis, emblee, 630
Que ne la voie encore ennuit;
Veoir la m'estuet, car ge cuit
Que bele est cele compaignie,
Et cortoise et bien enseignie. '
Lors m'en entrai, ne dis puis mot,
Par l'uis que Oiseuse overt m'ot,
Ou vergier; et quant je fui ens
Je fui lies et baus et joiens.
Et sachies que je cuidai estre
Por voir en Paradis terrestre, 640
Tant estoit li leu delitables,
Qu'il sembloit estre esperitables:
Car si cum il m'iert lors avis,
Ne feist en nul Paradis
Si bon estre, cum il faisoit
Ou vergier qui tant me plaisoit.

<<
For there was many a brid singing, 655
Throughout the yerde al thringing.
In many places were nightingales,
Alpes, finches, and wodewales,
That in her swete song delyten
In thilke place as they habyten. 660
Ther mighte men see many flokkes
Of turtles and [of] laverokkes.
Chalaundres fele saw I there,
That wery, nigh forsongen were.
And thrustles, terins, and mavys, 665
That songen for to winne hem prys,
And eek to sormounte in hir song
These other briddes hem among.
By note made fair servyse
These briddes, that I you devyse; 670
They songe hir song as faire and wel
As angels doon espirituel.
And, trusteth wel, whan I hem herde,
Full lustily and wel I ferde;
For never yit swich melodye 675
Was herd of man that mighte dye.

>>
D'oisiaus chantans avoit asses
Par tout le vergier amasses;
En ung leu avoit rossigniaus,
En l'autre gais et estorniaus; 650
Si r'avoit aillors grans escoles
De roietiaus et torteroles,
De chardonnereaus, d'arondeles,
D'aloes et de lardereles;
Calendres i ot amassees
En ung autre leu, qui lassees
De chanter furent a envis:
Melles y avoit et mauvis
Qui baoient a sormonter
Ces autres oisiaus par chanter. 660
Il r'avoit aillors papegaus,
Et mains oisiaus qui par ces gaus
Et par ces bois ou il habitent,
En lor biau chanter se delitent.
Trop parfesoient bel servise
Cil oisel que je vous devise;
Il chantoient ung chant itel
Cum s'il fussent esperitel.
De voir sachies, quant les oi,
Moult durement m'en esjoi: 670
Que mes si douce melodie
Ne fu d'omme mortel oie.

<<
Swich swete song was hem among,
That me thoughte it no briddes song,
But it was wonder lyk to be
Song of mermaydens of the see; 680
That, for her singing is so clere,
Though we mermaydens clepe hem here
In English, as in our usaunce,
Men clepen hem sereyns in Fraunce.
Ententif weren for to singe 685
These briddes, that nought unkunninge
Were of hir craft, and apprentys,
But of [hir] song sotyl and wys.
And certes, whan I herde hir song,
And saw the grene place among, 690
In herte I wex so wonder gay,
That I was never erst, er that day,
So Iolyf, nor so wel bigo,
Ne mery in herte, as I was tho.
And than wiste I, and saw ful wel, 695
That Ydelnesse me served wel,
That me putte in swich Iolitee.
Hir freend wel oughte I for to be,
Sith she the dore of that gardyn
Hadde opened, and me leten in. 700

>>
Tant estoit cil chans dous et biaus,
Qu'il ne sombloit pas chans d'oisiaus,
Ains le peust l'en aesmer
A chant de seraines de mer,
Qui par lor vois, qu'eles ont saines
Et series, ont non seraines.
A chanter furent ententis
Li oisillon qui aprenti 680
Ne furent pas ne non sachant;
Et sachies quant j'oi lor chant,
Et je vi le leu verdaier,
Je me pris moult a esgaier;
Que n'avoie encor este onques
Si jolif cum je fui adonques;
Por la grant delitablete
Fui plains de grant joliete.
Et lores soi-je bien et vi
Que Oiseuse m'ot bien servi, 690
Qui m'avoit en tel deduit mis:
Bien deusse estre ses amis,
Quant ele m'avoit defferme
Le guichet du vergier rame.

<<
From hennesforth how that I wroughte,
I shal you tellen, as me thoughte.
First, whereof Mirthe served there,
And eek what folk ther with him were,
Withoute fable I wol descryve. 705
And of that gardin eek as blyve
I wol you tellen after this.
The faire fasoun al, y-wis,
That wel [y-]wrought was for the nones,
I may not telle you al at ones: 710
But as I may and can, I shal
By ordre tellen you it al.
Ful fair servyse and eek ful swete
These briddes maden as they sete.
Layes of love, ful wel sowning 715
They songen in hir Iargoning;
Summe highe and summe eek lowe songe
Upon the braunches grene y-spronge.
The sweetnesse of hir melodye
Made al myn herte in reverdye. 720
And whan that I hadde herd, I trowe,
These briddes singing on a rowe,
Than mighte I not withholde me
That I ne wente in for to see

>>
Des ore si cum je saure,
Vous conterai comment j'ovre.
Primes de quoi Deduit servoit,
Et quel compaignie il avoit
Sans longue fable vous veil dire,
Et du vergier tretout a tire 700
La facon vous redirai puis.
Tout ensemble dire ne puis,
Mes tout vous contere par ordre,
Que l'en n'i sache que remordre.
Grant servise et dous et plaisant
Aloient cil oisel faisant;
Lais d'amors et sonnes cortois
Chantoit chascun en son patois,
Li uns en haut, li autre en bas;
De lor chant n'estoit mie gas. 710
La doucor et la melodie
Me mist ou cuer grant reverdie;
Mes quant j'oi escoute ung poi
Les oisiaus, tenir ne me poi
Que dant Deduit veoir n'alasse;
Car a savoir moult desirasse

<<
Sir Mirthe; for my desiring 725
Was him to seen, over alle thing,
His countenaunce and his manere:
That sighte was to me ful dere.
Tho wente I forth on my right hond
Doun by a litel path I fond 730
Of mentes ful, and fenel grene;
And faste by, withoute wene,
SIR MIRTHE I fond; and right anoon SIR MIRTHE.
Unto sir Mirthe gan I goon,
Ther-as he was, him to solace. 735
And with him, in that lusty place,
So fair folk and so fresh hadde he,
That whan I saw, I wondred me
Fro whennes swich folk mighte come,
So faire they weren, alle and some; 740
For they were lyk, as to my sighte,
To angels, that ben fethered brighte.
This folk, of which I telle you so,
Upon a carole wenten tho.
A lady caroled hem, that highte 745
GLADNES, [the] blisful and the lighte; GLADNESSE.
Wel coude she singe and lustily,
Non half so wel and semely,
And make in song swich refreininge,
It sat hir wonder wel to singe. 750

>>
Son contenement et son estre.
Lors m'en alai tout droit a destre,
Par une petitete sente
Plaine de fenoil et de mente; 720
Mes auques pres trove Deduit,
Car maintenant en ung reduit
M'en entre ou Deduit estoit.
Deduit ilueques s'esbatoit;
S'avoit si bele gent o soi,
Que quant je les vi, je ne soi
Dont si tres beles gens pooient
Estre venu; car il sembloient
Tout por voir anges empennes,
Si beles gens ne vit homs nes. 730
Ceste gent dont je vous parole,
S'estoient pris a la carole,
Et une dame lor chantoit,
Qui Leesce apelee estoit:
Bien sot chanter et plesamment,
Ne nule plus avenaument,
Ne plus bel ses refrains ne fist,
A chanter merveilles li sist;

<<
Hir vois ful cleer was and ful swete.
She was nought rude ne unmete,
But couthe y-now of swich doing
As longeth unto caroling:
For she was wont in every place 755
To singen first, folk to solace;
For singing most she gaf hir to;
No craft had she so leef to do.
Tho mightest thou caroles seen,
And folk [ther] daunce and mery been, 760
And make many a fair tourning
Upon the grene gras springing.
Ther mightest thou see these floutours,
Minstrales, and eek Iogelours,
That wel to singe dide hir peyne. 765
Somme songe songes of Loreyne;
For in Loreyne hir notes be
Ful swetter than in this contree.
Ther was many a timbestere,
And saylours, that I dar wel swere 770
Couthe hir craft ful parfitly.
The timbres up ful sotilly
They caste, and henten [hem] ful ofte
Upon a finger faire and softe,

>>
Qu'ele avoit la vois clere et saine;
Et si n'estoit mie vilaine; 740
Ains se savoit bien desbrisier,
Ferir du pie et renvoisier.
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.